The holidays are here, and if you’re still looking for the perfect present for your significant other, why not give the gift of travel? Booking the best surprise trip benefits you, too — because you get to go along. Best of all, travel will help you deepen your relationship.
When planning your travel itinerary gift, keep in mind the recipient's schedule and desires. Have they always dreamed of seeing Egypt or of exploring Iceland? The best travel gift idea is one that takes your loved one’s tastes into account. Read on to discover why you should book a trip with your significant other this holiday.
1. You'll Get to Know Their Style
Is your sweetheart a minimalist with a backpack or an incorrigible over-packer? The way your partner packs for their trip gives you insight into their personality, which is one reason the gift of travel is so powerful.
For example, people who prefer carry-on to checked luggage tend to have strong organizational skills. They are the planners of the travel-sphere. People with a tendency to overpack enjoy surrounding themselves with creature comforts. They dislike inconvenience — but if you forget your toothbrush, you can rely on them for a spare.
2. You'll Build Trust
When you travel together, you have to make many spur-of-the-moment decisions. Should you dine at the hole-in-the-wall restaurant that smells amazing or stick to a better-known chain? Should you swim with the dolphins or go parasailing? Making these choices together helps deepen your sense of trust.
When you decide something together, for better or worse, you mutually commit to the outcome. You also demonstrate that you understand the impact of negative choices on the other person. Say you've suffered wretched food poisoning from seafood in the recent past. When your partner says, "Let's go out for pasta instead of calamari," it shows they understand why squid might make you squeamish for a while.
3. You'll Have an Adventure
An adventure builds more than physical intimacy — it helps you grow together. When you do something or go somewhere new, your mind switches into survival or fascination mode, making your partner seem more attractive than ever. Sharing a new experience also builds your emotional bond and gives you new challenges to take on together.
4. Two Heads Are Better Than One
One of the points of travel is breaking out of your comfort zone. However, sometimes, the unexpected occurs when you're in an unfamiliar place. If you get lost, you have a partner to help you decipher the map. If you're not sure what the appropriate dress or conduct is for a cultural event, you have someone by your side while you ask. This way, you don't feel as embarrassed or flustered.
5. You Can Share Expenses
Hey, even though travel gift ideas are the best, it can cost to get away. Traveling together enables you to split incidental expenses with your loved one. You might pay for the airline tickets and accommodations or the travel package as a gift, but you still need to eat and buy souvenirs. Plus, once you reach your destination, you might find fascinating adventures you'd love to try that are out of your price range. By pooling your resources, you can experience more.
6. You'll Never Feel Bored
When you travel with your partner, you have somebody else to share activities. You might hesitate to take a tour, experience a cooking class or explore a museum by yourself, for example, but a partner gives you a companion for every part of travel. You’ll never run out of excitement with them by your side, and they can even embolden you to try new things.
7. There's Safety in Numbers
All travel includes a certain degree of risk, albeit a low one. Safety should always be a concern, whether you’re protecting your possessions, keeping yourself in secure locations or avoiding accidents. Traveling with a partner means you can watch each other's backs.
8. You'll Create Unforgettable Memories
Assuming you're in your relationship for the long haul, one day, you want to look back and reminisce on all the glorious times you shared. Travel makes the best gift because it enables you to create memories that last a lifetime, and there’s no better time to make resolutions and reflections than the start of a new year. Someday, when you're both in your rocking chairs, you'll remember this holiday traveling the world together.
The Best Holiday Gift Is an Experience
An experience means more than any physical present — especially when it’s one you can share! This year, give your significant other the gift of travel and jet off to a destination neither of you will forget.
About the Author
Alyssa Abel is an education and study abroad blogger with a passion for travel. Follow her @alyssaabelblog on Twitter or read her blog, Syllabusy.