Vacation with Friends, without Your Mate
Ladies, how about a weekend getaway filled with massages and wine-tasting with your girlfriends? And guys, ever dreamed of playing unlimited golf with your college buddies, guilt-free, on vacation?
Even in a committed relationship, finding some space for yourself, to do your own thing, can be important. But how comfortable are you with the idea of vacationing without your significant other? And what types of vacations are best suited for friends versus with your partner?
Traveling with friends offers a number of benefits, including the chance to strengthen those relationships. Friends often bring different perspectives and can challenge you to try new things that you might not consider with your partner, leading to personal growth and self-discovery. Traveling with friends can also be safer than traveling alone. Additionally, it can provide a level of independence and personal space that is harder to find when traveling with your partner.
“What a lot of people expect from their partner is perfection. But that’s not possible. Your partner can be your best friend and your companion, but it’s unfair to then suggest they have to like everything you like and to do everything you do,” says relationship experts Dr. Patrick Wanis.
Similarly, Hannah Guy, a licensed clinical social worker, shares “there is a misconception that once you are in a relationship, you need to do all the big things with them, but I would actually argue the importance of doing some of the big things on your own or with people outside of your relationship. Our relationships are at their best when we as individuals are at our best.”
Of course, spending time away from a significant other, can be stressful too. It's essential that trust and a sense of security are well-established. Ensuring that both parties are at ease is important, particularly if the journey involves destinations where cell coverage and Wi-Fi are scarce.
Finally, if you do decide to travel with friends without your mate, we hope you return home feeling refreshed and eager to share your experiences with your partner. Afterall, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Here are a couple of the great comments we’ve received:
Erik S. wrote, “Travel with groups is great, but make sure that they are people who don't mind if you decide to do your own thing here and there. Being attached at the hip can get old. Oh, and if you have a feeling that something is not right with the group, work it out beforehand. It's your trip.”
John G. wrote, ”I'm heading off to the World Cup next month, and I'm leaving my gal behind. Frankly, she doesn't know the obsessive, soccer fanatic side of me, and I'm just as happy she's not going to witness 30 days of it! Instead, I'm going with one of my soccer buddies, and meeting another old friend in Geneva where she lives. Yup, she. The trip isn't so much gender-specific as it is activity specific. But so often in this culture the method we choose to relax varies by gender.”
Article updated November 2023.