Is it important for couples to travel together? Yes, and here's why

USA Today

06-02-2025

Grow your connection through adventure, communication, and fun
Taking time out to travel as a couple is key to a happy relationship — Photo courtesy of courtneyk / E+
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Ask any relationship expert what couples who stay together do together, and you'll undoubtedly find a Mad Libs-esque variety of responses. After all, the secret to a long, healthy relationship can be as diverse as the couples themselves.
However, traveling as a couple can illuminate opportunities for improvement in a relationship and strengthen existing bonds. Recent research suggests that couples who travel together can experience greater romantic and physical intimacy and higher satisfaction with their relationship.
For both new and seasoned couples, it's easy to imagine how the stress of travel can compound the everyday stresses of a relationship. As a travel journalist, I've had more than my fair share of experiences of both good and lousy couple's trips. To learn how to plan a successful couple's travel itinerary, we spoke to relationship experts about why traveling can be good for couples and the best places to travel together.
Break out of the mundane
Couples traveling together can grow their relationship with new experiences — Photo courtesy of RgStudio / E+
It's important to be intentional about doing something different when traveling. 'Couples must step outside the familiar routines of daily life and immerse yourselves in new experiences,' says marriage and family therapist Eden Garcia-Balis. 'This shared adventure fosters teamwork as you navigate unfamiliar environments, plan logistics, and overcome challenges together.'
But only if you give your trip the chance to let you do so, she adds. Changing locations to do the same things isn't enough to help your relationship grow.
'Stepping away from your usual schedules and daily distractions allows you to focus on each other,' explains licensed marriage and family therapist Michelle King Rayfield. "Without work emails, household chores, or other responsibilities pulling your attention away, you can have meaningful conversations, laugh at silly moments, and be together in a way that's often hard to do at home.'
You can visit Napa Valley, hike the White Mountains in New Hampshire, take an adventure tour or expedition cruise, or visit an aerial park for some high-flying, adrenaline-pumping fun. The point is to take some time to break habits.
Plan an itinerary together
Doing things as a couple while traveling builds connection — Photo courtesy of Delmaine Donson / E+
Even if one member of the relationship tends to be more of the planner than the other (guilty), it's essential to plan an itinerary in which both travelers have buy-in. My partner and I discovered this the hard way on a multi-day trek through the Riviera Maya. Whereas my idea of fun was hiking the ruins of Tulum, my partner had grand plans of luxuriating on the beach. While disaster didn't quite ensue, it wasn't a recipe for the smoothest trip.
'Having a solid itinerary mutually agreed upon before the trip can decrease the opportunity for conflicts over how to spend the vacation time,' says Dr. Sarah Hensley, founder of The Dating Decoder. 'It's important to make sure that each person has an opportunity to enjoy the trip."
Had we planned a joint itinerary, we could have stayed at a hotel like Nômade Holbox, an adults-only beachfront property along the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The hotel offers plenty of wellness programming for couples to maintain healthy relationships, and its setting in one of Mexico's nature reserves (Yum Balam Nature Reserve) would have made it easy for me to hike and for my partner to beach bum for a few days.
Don't be afraid to stray from that itinerary
Compromise for couples traveling can be as easy as a hike to a beach on Holbox island — Photo courtesy of LUNAMARINA / iStock Via Getty Images
Flexibility is key to a couple's vacation and a healthy relationship. 'Everyone knows that sometimes hiccups happen during travel. Flights get delayed, cars break down, etc., which can interrupt our plans,' says Hensley. 'These hiccups can allow couples to work through stressful events that are non-relationship oriented, which can strengthen their conflict resolution skills.'
So, instead of starting a fight over where to have lunch or whose fault a missed plane or train might be, it's critical to work as a team to overcome the immediate challenge and have fun.
In the case of our Riviera Maya trip, that meant a hike not to Mayan ruins but to a secluded beach that, while not initially in the day's plan, resulted in one of the highlights of our vacation. For folks who want many options, consider booking a hotel with plenty of on-site activities.
Talk to each other (a lot)
Prioritize couples-only time when traveling together — Photo courtesy of Calabash Cove
Communication is mandatory for a successful couple's trip, especially as you learn to adapt to each other's preferences, habits, and problem-solving styles in real time. 'Travel offers plenty of moments of cooperation and mutual support that help build trust,' says Garcia-Balis.
Couples who have quality shared experiences come away from trips with a more profound sense of connection and joy in their relationship. This comes about with practical, logistics-based conversations and also intimate dialogue.
To help foster communication, seek out a trip that prioritizes couples-only time. St. Lucia is often considered a romantic destination because of its secluded resorts, beautiful beaches, and stunning natural flora. Check out adults-only resorts like Calabash Cove Resort & Spa, with just 26 private villas, or Sugar Beach, with ultra-private guest rooms. Both provide the perfect backdrop for couples looking to drown out the noise of the day-to-day.
Get a new perspective
Finding out something new about your partner is what traveling together is all about — Photo courtesy of Lulu Chang
'Travel gives you a fresh perspective on your partner,' says Rayfield. 'You can see how they handle stress, adapt to surprises, or dive into new experiences. And when you try something new together, whether tasting an unfamiliar dish or watching a sunrise in a new city, it adds a spark of excitement and connection that's hard to replicate in daily life.'
Sometimes, it's enough to see your loved one doing something new. On a recent trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, I booked a horseback riding session for me and my partner, convinced that it would be his first equine adventure. To my surprise, he was far from a novice, having ridden several times as a child and even as a young adult. Discovering this new factoid about him — even years into our relationship — sparked a new sense of joy and wonder, which Garcia-Balis says is key to relationship longevity.
'Travel can help reignite feelings of novelty and spontaneity in the relationship and allow couples to rediscover each other in a fresh context,' she adds.
Take some alone time
Hotels that offer personalized experiences encourage solo time, too — Photo courtesy of The Doyle Collection
Of course, as much as you should strive to spend quality time with your loved one, it's also important to recharge your batteries. Whether that means going for a solo stroll or finding time to read by the pool, spending every waking moment with one another is unnecessary.
For instance, we love staying at The Kensington in London. Its 19th-century buildings are very romantic and close to the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, and Victoria & Albert Museum, all ideal for solo exploration.
Places like Paradero Todos Santos in Baja California encourage introspection and connection with offerings like meditation, hiking, and yoga. Here, you can reconnect with yourself before heading to a Michelin-starred dinner to reconnect with your partner.
Don't set lofty expectations
Sometimes a quick getaway is all it takes to reconnect — Photo courtesy of Salamander DC
Planning a luxury vacation of a lifetime can be fun. But sometimes, experts say that the best ways to travel as a couple are the simplest ones.
'Traveling together doesn't have to mean expensive vacations or far-off destinations,' says Rayfield. 'Even a simple weekend road trip, a quiet getaway to a nearby town, or just a day exploring somewhere new can give you those same opportunities to connect. It's not about how far you go; it's about being intentional with your time and creating memories together.'
Consider an overnight stay at a hotel in your hometown, just to mix it up. For us in D.C., that means heading to the Salamander DC, or if we're feeling up to a road trip, the Salamander Middleburg. Both properties are convenient and familiar, yet they feel a world away, offering relaxation and reconnection.
'The goal is about coming back with a stronger bond, new stories to tell, and a reminder of why you chose each other in the first place," Rayfield says.