Okay, no couples are perfect. But that’s okay! It is possible to travel with the person you love and still love them afterward. People are different. We travel differently, we have different habits, we all have our thing that we want to do that our travel companion does not want to do. That’s all perfectly fine! But if you’re almost at your wit’s end and about to say something you’ll both regret, here are a few secrets of traveling as a happy couple.

1. You Don’t Have to Do Everything Together

No, really! You can both go do your own thing. It doesn’t mean you don’t love each other. It doesn’t mean you’re mad at each other. It might mean you need a break or some alone time, and some people need that. Sometimes it’s nice to miss each other a little, and it’s fun to get back together and share experiences over a meal! So remember that if you’re feeling a little closed in, or you can’t agree on what to do… you can both do what you want and come back together better than ever!

More here: How to Plan Travel with a Group

2. Be Honest about What You Want to Do, See, and Eat

“Be honest” is the couple cliche, but it’s a cliche because there’s truth to it. If you really don’t care about what you do, where you go, or where you eat, you’re not allowed to complain! But if you really do have an opinion, speak up! You don’t want to start resenting the person you love and are traveling with, but that’s what will happen if you always just go with the flow and let the other person decide. They love you, too, and they won’t stop if you have an opinion that’s different from theirs.

Keep reading: What to Know about Your Travel Buddy (before you go)

3. Take Turns Choosing

Or maybe you’re super opinionated and you’re the one who dominates the decisions! There’s usually one of each in a couple. Make sure you’re taking turns choosing the things you do together. My husband and I like most of the same activities, but if there’s something he really wants to do, we do it together. And very often when I want to do something he’s less than interested in, we do it together. Not always, and I’m sure it’s not even a fair trade—we don’t keep count—but we’re both willing to give a little when we travel.

Need inspiration? The Ultimate Couple Travel Bucket List

4. Stay in a Nice Accommodation at Least One Night of Your Trip

Nice hotels can be expensive, but it might be worth one night (or two) at the end of your trip to truly be able to relax. I’ve stayed in enough hostels and cheap hotels to know that cheap accommodations come with some stressors: far from the things you want to see, bad parts of town (I didn’t know until we got there, I promise), always wondering if the room was actually cleaned or the sheets were actually changed before we arrived… More expensive doesn’t always mean better, but a good deal doesn’t always mean cheap, you know what I mean? Treat yourselves and show each other you’re worth treating!

More here: Legendary Hotels of the World

Want more? Check out my Travel Tips Page for more about traveling with the one you love!

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