Two’s Company: What To Look For In A Travel Companion
Five frequent travelers dish on great travel buddies
Car ride sing-alongs are much better when you have someone to duet with.
Whether you’re traveling on business or for fun, one thing remains true: it’s much better with a sidekick. But how do you find that perfect mate—someone who keeps your pace, appreciates your interests, shares your love of early morning hikes? We sought out travel bloggers, businesspeople and frequent travelers across the country to help us uncover how to find a travel buddy—and identify the qualities that make for a good companion.
Expect the unexpected
“The most important thing about choosing who will share in your new adventure is this: they have to be flexible,” says PBS host Jessica Nunemaker. “Things happen. Plans fall through. It rains. It snows. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. Or, you may find something better than what you had originally intended and have to adjust your schedule.”
Nunemaker, who writes about travels in her home state of Indiana at littleindiana.com, and travel in general at travelisablog.com, believes that the best travel buddy is up for anything and won’t hold you back. “The traveling ideal is on time and respectful and thrives on adventure and the unknown,” she says. “No matter what mishaps head your way, find travel partners with who can handle a bit of deviation from the plan without crumbling to pieces and throwing a tantrum.”
Stop and smell the Twinkies
A travel buddy may introduce you to new things—like fried Twinkies.
Timothy Reinhardt travels widely throughout the U.S. as a senior consultant and site manager with RMC Pharmaceutical Solutions. “Once, [while trying to travel to] the New York metropolitan area, our flight was delayed multiple times,” he remembers. “While sitting in the Chicago airport, instead of joining in the swelling chorus of complaint, my travel companion noticed our hotel [would be] located next to Citi Field. He purchased tickets for a night of relaxation to counteract the frustrating day trapped in the airport.”
Reinhardt says the next morning, they drove to the vendor with bright smiles, energized to work. “Unlike my buddy, many business travelers rush from the plane to the rental car to the hotel without ever taking time to experience the unique destinations. My travel companion broke the traditional corporate mold and helped me enjoy experiences such as Broadway shows and deep-fried Twinkies at the Kansas State Fair.”
Embrace your differences
“As a woman who enjoys traveling solo, I never gave much thought to find a travel buddy—until I met Cecelia,” says Kay Bolden, who writes about travel, nature and finding spirituality in unlikely places at kaybolden.com.
Bolden met her soon-to-be-favorite travel companion when they were stranded by bad weather in the Toronto airport. “We were both struggling to get comfortable for a floor nap,” Bolden says. “She was my exact opposite: tall, quiet and neatly dressed. She loves posh boutiques and snazzy restaurants; I love forest trails, locally brewed beer and thrifty guesthouses. We have nothing in common except our fascination with new places and our search for the perfect cappuccino.”
According to Bolden, none of that matters. “The best road buddy doesn’t have to share your interests—just your travel philosophy. Cecelia knows she’s welcome to hike with me, and I know I’m welcome to join her for caviar brunch. But we’re perfectly happy to separate for the day and meet back up for dessert,” she says. “We are starting to rub off on each other, too. Last year, she persuaded me to spend an entire day in an upscale Italian spa. She doesn’t know it yet, but this year she’ll be eating haggis in the Scottish highlands!”
Find your pace
Whether you like to get in your workouts while traveling or prefer to just relax, find a travel buddy who appreciates the same pace.
Hyman and his wife were among the last people to get on the plane and they noticed three things. “One, it was just a third full; two, almost everyone who made the flight was breathing as hard as we were; and three, everyone was stylishly dressed,” he says. “So I think we were the only Americans to make that connection.”
Zumba and yoga aren’t for everyone, though. Leigh Hines, who runs the lifestyle/travel blog hinessightblog.com, says she and her husband are what some would refer to as “lazy travelers.”
“We like to be at the same pace, and it works well for us. We like to drink coffee in our hotel room for a good hour after we wake. He reads the news, and I tend to my social media. Neither one of us cares to get out and about in a city as soon as we rise in the morning. We also do not like to be crazy busy. We enjoy soaking up the atmosphere of a destination, whether that be at a local cafe or a museum.”
Through her blog, Hines aims to inspire parents to pack their bags for family travel. “We also did not really change our ways once we had children, either,” she says. “They’ve become lazy travelers, too, and enjoy the downtime of a hotel room.”
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