Mistakes Couples Make When Traveling Together

Traveling with your partner is a great way to strengthen your bond while exploring a new destination and making lifelong memories together.

“Sometimes couples get stuck in familiar grooves of conflict, entrenched roles and squabbles while living out the same daily routine at home,” clinical psychologist Sabrina Romanoff told HuffPost. “Vacation provides the opportunity to reconnect emotionally, explore a new terrain and rediscover how you both are teammates to ultimately remember why you originally picked each other.”

But couples trips can also bring logistical challenges, unexpected hiccups and disagreements as you navigate disparate priorities and each try to make the most of your time away.

To help make this kind of vacation a more enjoyable experience, HuffPost asked Romanoff and other relationship experts to share some common mistakes that couples make while traveling together.

“People have different needs and wants when it comes to travel,” said licensed marriage and family therapist Gayane Aramyan. “Some individuals love planning a whole itinerary, and others like going with the flow. A big common mistake is that couples don’t actually talk about their expectations of the upcoming trip and expect their partners to read their mind.”

She recommended taking the time to discuss each other’s needs and preferences in advance. How do you feel about adventure activities compared with relaxation? What about dining at restaurants, trying street food or hitting up a local grocery store and cooking? Do you want to stick to a strict itinerary or prioritize spontaneity?

“Many couples assume they’re on the same page without clearly expressing their thoughts or preferences,” said Rachel Needle, a licensed psychologist and co-director of Modern Sex Therapy Institute. “This assumption often leads to unmet expectations when reality doesn’t match up. Some fear conflict so they avoid tough conversations to maintain peace, especially before a vacation. They may downplay or avoid discussing their true desires, thinking that expressing different preferences will cause tension. This conflict avoidance can lead to disappointment when both parties realize they didn’t get what they wanted.”

Just as it’s important to communicate expectations before the trip, reaching a compromise in areas where you differ is a crucial pre-vacation step.

“Agree on…