Steve’s and my eighth anniversary is just around the corner–May 2! This time of year always makes me reminisce about how we decided to get engaged and then married. In true Type-A, proactive fashion, we read several books, spent time with two pre-marital counselors, and did our research!
The three most helpful books we read were 101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged by H. Norman Wright, Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married by Gary Chapman, and Chapman’s more famous book, The 5 Love Languages.
On a recent trip, I got the idea for a blog post about trips to take for each Love Language! I’m not affiliated with Gary Chapman or his 5 Love Language programs or anything like that, I just thought this was a fun idea. So, if you’re also a fan of any of the 5 Love Language books, I hope you’ll find some inspiration for future travels in this post!
Words of Affirmation
This is Steve’s Love Language! He thrives on positive reinforcement and kind words from me, so I try to give him those things as much as possible. A good trip for someone like this is one with lots of opportunities to encourage each other. Get bonus points and bring a “just because” card with you to surprise them in their luggage, by the bed when they wake up, or on the flight to or from your destination!
A possible trip could find you hiking in the Hawaiian Islands and encouraging each other along the way. Or maybe the two of you can learn something new together–like taking a cooking class in Italy or going ziplining in St. Martin–and tell each other what a great job you’re doing!
Also helpful: What to Know About Your Travel Buddy Before Your Trip
Quality Time
Not everyone needs one-on-one time, but for those who do, it’s life-giving. Real Quality Time on travel–time with no one else around and without a lot of distractions–doesn’t mean it’ll be boring, and it doesn’t mean there will be nothing to do. If Quality Time is so not your Love Language, planning a Quality Time trip for the one you love will mean so much! Get a little creative and find something that will let your significant other know you want to spend time with them!
I recommend looking into a trip to Lana’i in Hawaii, one of the most remote places you can actually visit. There aren’t many other Hawaiian islands where you can find yourselves totally alone together! Not into tropical adventures? Maybe try Uluru in Australia, formerly known as Ayers Rock. It doesn’t get much more “in the middle of nowhere” than that, and yet there are plenty of hikes, tours, and activites to do together while you’re there. Not a fan of the desert? Consider holing up in a Swiss Chalet high up in the Alps!
More here: The Secrets to Happy Couple Travel
Giving Gifts
Maybe you’re the one who’s into experiences, and your significant other is into gifts. They just don’t understand that the trip is the gift, right? And you can’t quite understand how they want something they can touch and look at and be reminded of your love for them. Believe it or not, there’s is a way to compromise!
Does your wife like pretty things? Head to French Polynesia for a lovely round of pearl shopping! Or maybe she’s into perfumes. You should take a perfume making class–together!–at Tijon in St. Martin/Sint Maarten! Does your husband enjoy cooking? Take a tour of a coffee plantation in Hawaii, Costa Rica, or Peru, and be sure to buy a few bags to enjoy at home!
Keep reading: How to Choose the Ultimate Anniversary Getaway
Acts of Service
This one might seem like a little more work, but the reward may just be worth your while in the long run! If your significant other finds delight when you bring them coffee in bed, take care of all the driving, or make the bed at the vacation rental every day (it’s only a vacation if someone else makes the bed!), those are all very do-able ways you can show them your love.
Need to know where your Acts of Service loved one wants to go? Ask them. And then, plan everything for them! Take care of flights, hotels, activities, everything. It doesn’t have to be a minute-by-minute itinerary, but they’ll be grateful that you took the time to take care of things! Once you’re there, go get take-out while your loved one relaxes, and eat supper on your balcony or by a window with a view. Do you really want to show your love? Unpack and wash everything when you get home. That’s a true act of love kind of service!
Also this: The Ultimate Travel Couple Bucket List
Physical Touch
This is mine! When I’m upset, I want Steve to hug me. When I’m happy, I want to hug Steve. We basically always hold hands, just because Steve knows I like it! (And I think he’s learned to like it, too.) I love when flight attendants or people we meet in our travels still ask if we’re on our honeymoon after a decade together, all because they see us holding hands! The only destination I wouldn’t recommend is a Muslim country–we found out the hard way in Casablanca that even married couples are not allowed to hold hands!
For your loved one who speaks the Physical Touch Love Language, an easy way to please them is to hold hands during a long walk on the beach, possibly in the South of France. Does your loved one enjoy being active? Go to Argentina and learn how to Tango together! Need some pampering after a long flight or two? Get an ocean-view couples massage on a Caribbean vacation.
Read on: The World’s Best Hotels for Couples
Want more about traveling as a couple? Check out my Travel Tips Page for everything you need to know, and more!
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