Landing Members Share Their Best Tips for Traveling With a Partner

Traveling with a partner can be incredibly fun, but a little intimidating if your longest trip together so far has been to the corner store down the street. And, if you and your significant other are considering becoming digital nomads and pursuing a life of full-time travel, you’ll want to know that you can travel together comfortably and be able to collectively resolve any issues that you encounter. 

Whether you and your significant other are traveling together for the first time or are seasoned digital nomad pros looking to make the process even more enjoyable than it already is, here are some pieces of advice from Landing members about making the most of your built-in travel buddy: 

Becca and John

The first trip John and I ever took together as a couple was to Southern California. We went to college in Indiana and I had never been west of Iowa, so I built my own exchange program that allowed us to study at a university in SoCal for a semester. It was kind of like study abroad—California felt like a different country to us midwesterners! As I was building the program, John (who was my boyfriend at the time) got jealous and decided he wanted to come, too. It was during those six months where we were separated from all the family, friends, and places that we knew that I knew John and I could build a life together. 

My favorite part about traveling with my husband is finding new coffee shops to try out, scoping out the best hikes, and binging podcasts in the car during our long road trips. Being a digital nomad with your partner is the coolest. You have a built-in best friend everywhere you go. Just remember that even though you’re traveling, you’re not on vacation all the time. Keep the same chore routines that you’d have at home, and remember that even when you’re in a cool place with so much to do, everyone needs a flop day to sit on the couch and recharge every once in a while. You’re traveling, but you guys are still human! 

It can be challenging to both be working remotely from the same apartment; We both need our space to have a productive workday. We’ve been loving living in Landing apartments because we’ve been able to specifically choose homes with awesome coworking spaces so that we can spread out during the day. If we aren’t apart during the workday, we don’t have as much to talk about at night! 

Cherise and Chris

Chris and I had been dating for about six months when we took our first trip together. Our birthdays are three days apart, so I thought it would be nice to celebrate together! I secretly planned a trip to Las Vegas, flights and hotel included, and I told him the night before that we were leaving. Neither of us had ever been there before, and we had the same glitzy expectations that most people have of Vegas—bright lights, big city! Casinos, nightclubs, and famous strip, here we come! We were upgraded to a palatial suite at Caesar’s Palace, which was a jaw-dropping surprise. Why, you might ask? Because we were high rollers? Nope. Because it was our birthdays? Perhaps. But probably because the hotel was empty! No one told us that Las Vegas was freezing cold in December. Even though we didn’t bring winter coats and had immediate runny noses when we left the hotel, we learned quickly that no matter where we went, even if things didn’t work out as expected, we enjoyed simply being together. That was many years ago, and we’ve been hanging out every day ever since. 

Both of us are history buffs, so it’s important to us to really learn about every city we travel to. We get excited about learning, so museums, historical sites, and local customs are just as important as appreciating nature, eating good food, and relaxing by the sea.

We are such a well-oiled machine when it comes to travel these days. We have a regiment that took us a few years to really master. I find the deals on flights, hotels, and excursions, and Chris narrows it down to one specific flight, hotel, and excursion based on location, reviews, safety, etc. I make sure we have a beautiful experience and we’re fed and rested, while he makes sure we’re in a safe place and learns about the local transportation and the ins and outs of the area as soon as we touch down. We always have an itinerary, but he reminds me to breathe and remember to live in the moment and enjoy every experience. 

Since we get so excited about all of the experiences a city can offer, sometimes I pack the itinerary with every single thing we want to do or see. And while we’re grateful to have these experiences, sometimes it can leave us exhausted from our own vacation. That’s one of the reasons why we’ve become digital nomads. We love the fact that we can spend three or six months in a new place so that we can gradually learn, immerse ourselves in the culture, and not be overwhelmed with a looming stopwatch. And, if we do have a limited amount of time, we’ve learned that it’s okay to throw away the itinerary from time to time and just do nothing. 

If you’re traveling with your partner or trying to become digital nomads together, it’s important to ask each other what you want to get out of the experience and really listen. Be honest, because if one of you needs to get away and do nothing to release stress and the other really wants to go out every day and experience the city, it can lead to frustration. Make sure you’re on the same page. And sometimes, you just have to compromise! I will be on my computer working for these hours while Chris is at a museum, then we’ll take a walk through the gardens and have dinner together. Or, we’ll both bring our laptops on the balcony today and work while watching the waves crash. There’s always a way to make it work, but communication and compassion are essential. 

Adam and Roxanna

We had taken day trips and visits to our hometown, but the first big trip we ever took together was to Italy. This trip was a dream of ours from nearly the beginning of dating, and we saved up spare change for years before finally booking it, but it was so worth the wait. We actually got engaged on that trip! We started in Rome and then over two weeks ventured to Venice, Cinque Terre, Bologna, and Florence. We both fell in love with the country and with traveling on that trip, so much so that we went back to Italy less than a year later!

My favorite part about traveling together is when we put ourselves in “adventure” mode. Adventure mode is making the choice to be completely open to exploring. It’s having a game plan of things you want to do, foods you want to try, places you want to go—and then going wherever the wind takes you. We like to start with a plan to prevent wondering, “What should we do next?” but then let that plan change based on the moment. We even have”‘adventure days” locally (our most recent was along South Congress in Austin). As long as you’re open to the moment and having fun, these days are always are one-of-a-kind and special. 

When things don’t go as planned, it can be a challenge for us to not let that ruin the day or even trip, especially if it’s something we really had our minds set on. When traveling with your significant other, it’s important to take a minute and remember where you are and who you’re with—and let go of expectations. No matter how much you plan (and I’m a big planner!) when you’re traveling, there will always be unexpected road bumps, but when you travel with your partner, if one of you is feeling disappointed or thrown off guard, the other can come up with a new, better plan to turn the day around and you can work together to reroute, instead of letting the unexpected ruin your day.

Our best tip for people looking to be a digital nomad with their partner is to create a schedule. Especially for first-time digital nomads, there’s a knee-jerk reaction to have adventure days all the time. There are also added responsibilities, like balancing transit time with your work schedule. We’ve found carving out time for work, transit, and adventure days is the best way to get the most out of your digital nomad life while also keeping routine and responsibilities at bay. Also, pace yourselves! The goal is to find a comfortable, exciting way of living. Getting burnt out is a risk of trying to do it all, and your pace has to be right for both of you.

The key to being a digital nomad with your partner is to each find your new normal, which is two-fold. First, because there’s so much change, small things are a big comfort. Even though we’re living in a temporary home, it’s still home! Second, it’s key to both individually find what works for you. If one of you is a minimalist and only needs two pairs of jeans and a few T-shirts to hit the road, while the other one needs 15 pairs of shoes to feel at home, that’s okay! You can nomad differently but still do it together. It’s important to be able to compromise, but it’s just as important to accept your differences. 

Savannah and Clay

Our first trip we took together was winter break of our sophomore year of college. We drove up to Washington, D.C., from Alabama for a long weekend. We’ve found that traveling as a two-person team in and of itself is such a nice change of pace from traveling alone. I love having someone to pass time with, especially in airports or on long road trips.

One challenge we run into is that one of us—and I won’t say who—is always late, while the other is always early. That makes for interesting mornings trying to get out the door with all of our luggage! We try our best to get ahead of delays or proverbial speed bumps, but ultimately, we just try to laugh it off. Traveling is traveling, and we figure we might as well get a laugh out of it, even if we aren’t fully enjoying it.

Our best tip for people looking to travel with their partner is to determine what “home” is to you. We’ve been jumping around a lot lately, between having my out-of-town-family around and Clay interviewing for residency progarms. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to learn that I feel right at home as long as I have Clay (and my dogs—thank you, Landing!). Once I realized I was pretty happy regardless of the specific city or apartment I was in, I’ve been able to enjoy each little stop for what it is. Having Landing apartments that look and feel the same regardless of our location has become a nice constant among what can otherwise feel chaotic! 

Madison and Ivan 

Ivan and I were friends before we started dating, so we had been on several trips with our group of friends. Our first trip where we actually had time as a couple was to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. I was there for work, and Ivan came to stay with me for a week. I had a broken wrist in a (not waterproof) cast, so we ended up spending most of our time exploring the town and the food there. It was really cool to go off the beaten tourist path of snorkeling and beach time, and that had a huge impact on how we travel now. When we did get in the water, Ivan carried me around, while I focused on keeping my cast dry. It was weirdly romantic. There, in a rooftop pool, with my sweaty neon pink cast held above his head, was the first time we said we loved each other.

My favorite part about traveling with Ivan is having a built-in bestie in every city! We see the world differently, and we challenge each other to try new things. There are definitely times when one of us will think, “I’m only doing this activity to make the other happy” and end up loving it!

Digital nomad life can be really challenging in social situations. Answering the question, “Where do you live?” with “Wherever I want,” definitely sounds like you’re bragging, while saying, “All over the place,” sounds like you’re evading the question. Currently, we’ve been in Washington, D.C., for a week and a half, and haven’t been to the National Mall once. We’ve been to a couple of incredible restaurants, and ordered delivery from some other amazing places, but when people ask, “What have you done so far in D.C.?” that isn’t the answer they want to hear. It is really great to have each other and to be navigating this path together.

For people looking to travel or be a digital nomad with their partner, we recommend easing into it. Take a few shorter trips and see how it goes before you commit. Make sure you really like each other and are ready to see each other 24/7. Speaking of that, we highly recommend not staying in a studio apartment, especially if you’re both working out of the apartment. It’s super nice to be able to go relax in the bedroom without feeling like you’re still at work, especially if your partner is still working. 

Additionally, remember that digital nomad life isn’t a “binge vacation.” Don’t exhaust yourself (and your wallet) by trying to go out to dinner and bars every single night. When you’re somewhere new, everything can be an adventure, from going on walks to seeing new things on shelves in local grocery stores.

Digital nomads + Landing = Love

If you and your partner are looking to travel more or take the plunge into a digital nomad lifestyle, be sure to check out Landing, which offers fully furnished apartments in over 375 cities throughout the U.S., along with flexible lease terms that allow you to stay in town for as long as you’d like—no strict leases or hefty fees required. 

Browse Landing’s apartments today and kick-start your next adventure with your loved one!