Traveling is fun, and traveling with someone you love is that much better. Then you find that couple that loves traveling, too, and decide to vacation with that couple. So what’s the worst thing that could happen? You come back home and you’re not friends with that couple anymore! Ok, so maybe that’s a little dramatic (after all, a friendship shouldn’t be broken that easily), but there are easy ways to guarantee you’ll want to travel with that couple again.

Our neighbors, Stephanie and Brandon, became two of our best friends a few years ago. We quickly bonded over our love for adventure, good times, and lame jokes. After months of daydreaming, Stephanie and I proposed a vacation overseas to our husbands. They were on board.

Luckily, we had already experienced some weekend getaways together (which I highly recommend before tackling a 10 day vacation all together), and knew our travel styles and comfort levels. But nonetheless, we made sure to follow the steps below.

1. Talk Budget

It’s imperative that you are on the same page as your traveling buddies, and that includes budget. Traveling together will require a little give and take, but if you agree on a budget, you’re off to a great start. The budget, alone, can determine what kind of vacation you have together.

When we decided to travel to Ireland and London with our neighbors, we quickly determined that they would be taking a second “leg” of the trip that we wouldn’t be able to pull off. Our trip was 10 days long, and they continued to more European cities for another 10 days after that. Instead of stressing over our limited time and budget, we were on the same page from the very beginning.

2. Plan Together

Maybe one of you is a planner and the other is not, or maybe you’re both control freaks. No matter what, you must plan together. I’m not saying you have to narrow down every last minute of the trip together, but you do have to be on the same page! (Common theme, here 😉 )

Stephanie and I are both planners and we tackled different aspects of the Ireland and London trip. I spent hours looking up the majority of the hotels we stayed in, and she researched a lot of the details (everything from the weight of our luggage to the highlights in every city). We also got to agree to do something or not do something. We both felt prepared for the trip and knew what to expect. And lucky for us, our husbands are easy-going and enjoy staying out of the planning process.

3. Share a Room

Yep! Save that money and room together! After all, you’re traveling with another couple, so why not split the cost?

• I only recommend this if you’re totally comfortable doing it.
• When finding rooms that we would share during our vacation, we looked for larger rooms. We even won the jackpot when we found a hotel in London that had two queen beds and two full bathrooms! This allowed us to split the cost of the hotel room, but still have some of our own privacy.

4. Stay Separately

Yep! I also strongly encourage you to spend a night or two in your own rooms! If you’re anything like me, you need a little extra space at the end of a busy day. We knew we would be spending just about every waking hour together during our European adventures, so having a few nights in our own room was essential.

• Allow yourself some time apart from your spouse, too! In London, Stephanie and I headed to the hotel bar while the boys watched a game in the room.
• When we went on a week long cruise together, we knew 7 nights in a small stateroom could get to be a bit much for the four of us to share. We agreed to booking rooms right next to each other. The balconies opened up to each other allowing us to have fun being “neighbors” and still have the comfort of our own space.
• In Dublin, we booked an AirBnB with two bedrooms. This was another great way to stay together, but have our own space.

5. Be Flexible + Respectful

I believe that whether you’re traveling in a big group or alone, you must be flexible when you travel. Things don’t always go as planned, and at times, you’ll get curve balls thrown in your day. Take a deep breath and adapt to the cards you’re handed. Being flexible will make your trip more enjoyable, no matter what. Remember to communicate with respect. It goes a long way.

When you’re traveling with another couple (or group of friends), you’re bound to have different opinions on where to eat, what to do, or how to spend your time. It’s okay to go on a walking tour while the other couple goes on the bus tour. You’re allowed to split up when shopping along the same few blocks. Let them pick the restaurant for dinner, because tomorrow is your turn!

6. Rely on Each Other

A wonderful benefit of traveling with another couple is being able to rely on one another for different situations. Like traveling with a group, you can immediately feel safer when going overseas with some friends. Everyone brings something to the table, so let yourself rely on your friend (or you take the lead), when it’s appropriate. It will make your friendship that much stronger, too.

For our trip to Ireland, we chose to rent a car. And if you’ve ever driven in Ireland, then you know it’s already a half crazy idea, but we were feeling brave. Let’s just say we stuck Brandon behind the wheel for 95% of the driving because he was the only one we trusted to drive “on the wrong side of the road”. It wasn’t until we were returning the car, without any damage (to it or ourselves), that he admitted to being relieved everyone was okay!

Ultimately, traveling with another couple is one of the best ways to experience a vacation. You get the best of both worlds, and at the end of the day, you’ve created memories that will last a lifetime. When you make an effort to stay on the same page as your traveling buddies, everything goes smoother.

Have you traveled (or would you travel) with another couple? Tell me your thoughts!