The Benefits of a Couples Getaway

There's a popular saying that "couples who travel together, stay together." While we don't know whether or not there is scientific proof for this statement, it is true that when asked, a majority of couples say traveling together is one important aspect of keeping their relationship strong. And once you are parents, even though family time is important, it is also important to spend time alone as a couple without the kids. Taking a yearly couple's getaway is a great way to strengthen your marriage and have fun together. If you have an upcoming anniversary, birthday, or other special event, use it as an excuse to grab your spouse and go out and experience the world together! 

While traveling together, it's important to work together. Compromise is essential in both the planning of a couples getaway and in the execution. Decide where you will go together. Take into consideration your financial situation, and choose something that doesn't cause stress or strain. A "stay-cation" (where you either stay at home or at a local hotel, and experience the sites of your own hometown or a nearby location) can have many of the same benefits as an exotic vacation in a faraway place. The important thing is to spend time together away from the concerns of regular day-to-day life. Leave the kids with family or friends, ignore your texts and emails, and just soak up some one-on-one time. Be somewhere where there are no dishes to wash, no deadlines to meet, and no other people making demands on your time or energy. Once you have chosen your destination, you should also choose your activities together. You may need to be willing to give up something you want to do in order to fit in something that is important to your spouse. Work together to decide on the pace of your trip as well. Are you looking to relax and unwind, or to see the sights, or perhaps some of both? Be willing to participate in some give and take.

Once you have left the regular demands of life behind you, you will be able to experience many other benefits of traveling together. As anyone who has traveled a lot can testify, you will undoubtedly run into unforeseen circumstances, or something you have planned will not work out exactly as you thought. Flights get delayed, reservations get lost, or directions are wrong. These types of situations allow you to solve problems together. Communication is key. Work together and play to each person's strengths. Recognize the areas where you rely on your husband or wife, and the areas where he or she relies on you. Be a team. Remember to be patient and empathetic towards each other. Practicing these skills in new situations and locations will help you even after you return home. 

Traveling together allows you to experience new things together. These shared experiences help create an emotional bond and strengthen the friendship between you. Learning to rely on each other in many different circumstances can also help you build unity and trust in your relationship. It's great for your spouse to be your "safety net" when you are in unfamiliar places and trying to navigate through streets that are foreign to you. Have each other's back out there and look out for each other. This strengthens your marriage as well. 

Perhaps one of the most important reasons for a couples getaway is to make memories together. Have fun and laugh together! Take lots of pictures to preserve the little moments as well as the grand ones. Be happy just to be somewhere together and enjoy each other's company. Play together, flirt together, and grow together. These shared experiences will become landmarks on your journey together through life. After all, as Charles M. Schulz said, "In life, it's not where you go, it's who you travel with."