4 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You & Your Partner Take Your First Vacation Together

Hands down, one of the most exciting relationship milestones is going on your first vacation as a couple. Anyone who has ever seen The Bachelor or The Bachelorette knows how much excitement and fun can come out of doing a bit of globe trotting with a new bae. Plus, taking a vacation with your partner reveals so much about how good (or not-so-good) of a team you two actually make. Whether it's trying to figure out how to get from place to place together without a phone, or communicating in a language that neither one of you speaks — you are certainly going to walk away from this trip with some new insight into who your partner is and what makes them tick.

Now, of course, there's always the possibility that a vacation could end up in flames due to bickering, disappointment, and ultimately realizing it might have been a bit too soon to spend so much time together. But chances are, a little adventure might actually be just the thing to get the love juices flowin' — with the help of some planning and open communication. But before buying your plane tickets on a whim, you may want to ask yourself — and your partner — a few questions to make sure you both are on the same page.

1. What Are My Expectations?

Before taking your first vacation as a couple, it's important to have a clear idea of how you both define your relationship with each other and what you hope to gain from this vacay together. It's never safe to assume anything when it comes to dating and relationships. If you have yet to have an exclusivity conversation with your partner, and you're assuming that taking a vacation together means you're officially a couple, think again.

Although galavanting through some exotic locale together might seem like the perfect time to approach the subject, the truth of the matter is that, before you agree to go somewhere with someone for more than a few days, you should also feel comfortable enough to have the "what are we doing?" and/or "where is this headed?" talk prior to planning your dream vacation together. The last thing you want is to have your getaway ruined when your "partner" reveals that they are still dating around. Or worse, you book the trip, thinking you're a couple, only to find out that you aren't on the same page, and you've already bought your tickets.

2. Am I Prepared To Spend A Week Connected At The Hip With This Person?

Taking a vacation with your new-ish bae might sound like the stuff dreams are made of — fun, food, sex, you name it. But before making the commitment to spend every day together for a week, it's important to make sure your relationship is ready for that amount of exposure. Spending several consecutive days with someone is much different than spending evenings together with a quick sleepover thrown in here and there. Before taking a full-fledged vacation together, it's never a bad idea to get a couple of shorter weekend getaways under your belt first.

3. What's The Budget?

Does your partner's idea of vacationing include staying in low-cost hostels, while you're all about luxury? Don't panic. This doesn't necessarily mean your relationship is destined to fail, but you definitely need to have a conversation about how much both of you are comfortable spending on a trip. Once you have an idea of what your combined budget will be, then you can decide how to best allocate your funds for different parts of your trip. If you guys are on completely different ends of the financial spectrum, then this process is likely going to involve a few compromises. Maybe instead of staying in a 4-star hotel or a run-down hostel, you both opt for a budget hotel chain as a medium ground.

4. How Do I Want To Spend My Time?

If spending hours upon hours wandering through cultural hotspots and museums is your cup of tea, while your partner can't wait scale a mountain and do some fishing, then be sure to choose a locale you'll both appreciate. There's no need to feel bad about sharing your passions with your bae, but it's also important to be mindful of the fact that your travel companion might not want to spend every day doing exactly what you want to do. As always, compromise and consideration are key.

Going into your first vacation as a couple is likely going to be a trip you both look back on with fondness. So in order to ensure you both have an amazing time and come home feeling rejuvenated and closer than ever, be sure to communicate about your mutual expectations and ask yourself these questions first.

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