How to Travel with a Friend without Risking the Friendship

Build happy vacation memories with your BFF

Travelling with a friend — without damaging your friendship — can be trickier than it seems

Even if you truly enjoy a friend’s company, you can never predict what will change when you travel together. So, here are some tips for going on a vacation with a friend — and remaining friends by the time you get back home.

Before You Go – Choosing a Compatible Travel Companion

First, choose your travel partner wisely. Is this someone with whom you can spend large amounts of time? Do you have similar likes and habits? For example, you might like staying up late and sleeping in, but what if your friend is in bed early every night and up at the crack of dawn? This may not be important at home, but — trust me — it can really affect your fun on a vacation.

A great way around this is to talk honestly before you plan a trip. Chat about what each of you wants out of your vacation, such as how you envision the trip, any pet peeves, personal quirks, etc. Look at all of these factors before you decide to book anything together.

Now, if you still seem vacation compatible and want to move forward, be sure to discuss the topic of money. Money can make people very sensitive, so it’s crucial to talk ahead of time about sharing costs. This includes how you’ll book the trip — will one of you pay for it fully while the other pays his or her portion back to the other?

At Your Destination – Getting Along with Your Friend on the Road

When you get to your destination, will you split costs equally or divide bills based on what each person eats and drinks? Discussing the tricky subject of money really allows you to take control of the issue, so my advice is to get it over with right away.

It’s also very important to take a break from one another, even if it’s just for an hour. Having time to yourself can help recharge your batteries and put you back into friend mode.

Finally, don’t be afraid to speak up. Suppressed feelings can bubble up if you let them stew, so it’s your best bet to address what’s bothering you in a polite way — the issue can often be resolved amicably and you can move on with your trip, as friends.

Claire Newell is the travel media expert for Global BC, host of the travel series Operation: Vacation, best-selling author, spokesperson, wife and mother of two.

Originally published in TVW. For daily programming updates and on-screen Entertainment news, subscribe to the free TVW e-newsletters, or purchase a subscription to the weekly magazine.