What Makes a Good Traveling Companion?

As someone who is passionate about travel, I’ve leaped into trips for any reason! But — sometimes it’s good to think about who you want to travel with and their different travel styles. There are all types of travel styles! After many trips with an assortment of people, I’ve identified a few.

The Early Bird

If the sun rises, they rise. Even if it’s 5:30am. They are early morning energy and are ready to get going! If you haven’t been inside of a breakfast joint right at opening, well now you’re going to. Early birds can get frustrated if their travel companion(s) plan on wasting the morning being asleep instead of seizing the day.

Pros: Early birds enjoy their morning destinations with smaller crowds, better service, and beautiful lighting for photography.
Cons: Early to rise usually means early to bed. Early birds are usually not interested in nightlife as much as they’re interested in being in bed at 9:30pm
Frenemy: The Night Owl

The Schedule Packer

No matter when this traveler rises, the minutes count. They’ve meticulously planned their day and have a laundry list of checkboxes that need checking! Traveling with a schedule packer means you. will. not. miss. anything at your destination. The one thing you might miss is the ‘rest and relaxation’ part of your vacation. The schedule packer is getting the most they can out of their trip – and down time isn’t on the docket.

Pros: You can’t have FOMO if you do everything.
Cons: You’re going to need a vacation from your vacation.
Frenemy: The Meanderer

The Big Spender

This person believes in making the most of their trip – and a budget is a limitation they’re not fond of. Expensive hotels,  higher end rental cars, intimate excursions, and fine dining often stud this person’s travel itinerary. They may be a penny pincher the rest of the year but when it comes to travel, they are not looking to cut corners.

Pros: Fun transport, very comfortable accommodations, and memorable food and experiences.
Cons: Unless you’re rolling in it, this can put a budget damper on other travel plans for the year. Your vacation may become a financial stress.
Frenemy: The Budgeter

The Night Owl

This person’s day starts after they’ve had a great night’s sleep that extends well into the morning. Traveling with them means your meals are lunch, dinner, and midnight diner meal. They are nightlife lovers and come alive when dusk settles. Are you feeling groggy around 9pm? They’re just getting started.

Pros: Experience the nightlife of places you visit. Enjoy the Late night eats of a destination – often it’s own culture.
Cons: Have to battle crowds for daytime events and locations.
Frenemy: The early bird

The Meanderer

This traveler loathes the concept of a tight schedule. They usually believe travel should involve discovery and a schedule is a total buzzkill.  Meanderers often pick a place to start and let their whims take them throughout the day. Food is happened upon, vantages are discovered, and the schedule is long and relaxing. A meanderer usually winds up stopping places to ‘take it in’ and finds rest in their travels.

Pros: Offbeat finds even in tourist destinations. Relaxation built in.
Cons: Do less in more time. Might miss out on great experiences because they’re on the beaten path or need prior scheduling.
Frenemy: The Schedule Packer

The Strict Budgeter

This person plans on enjoying their trip but has no intention of dinging their savings too much. Often good at researching cheap eats, free entry attractions, and public lands and parks. Often sees accommodations as a place to sleep – not a place to enjoy. A fan of public transit or walking over rental vehicles. Not interested in high end food experiences or attractions.

Pros: You will travel and see a place without breaking the bank – leaving you moolah for more trips.
Cons: Miss out on more comfortable or convenient accommodations and transport. Potential FOMO of higher end experiences a destination is known for.
Frenemy: The Big Spender

Ultimately, what makes a great travel companion is the ability to communicate ahead of time what your expectations and limitations are on vacation. Most people are a combination of these “types’. Having that conversation early makes it much easier to accomodate each other – without it being awkward or too late to make changes.