Travel Expert Shares The Four Types Of People That You Should 'Absolutely Not' Go On A Vacation With
Traveling with loved ones can often make or break a relationship.
DavideAngelini / Shutterstock One thing most people can agree on is that planning a vacation with friends, family, or your significant other takes a lot of work and can often be quite exhausting. Whether it's differing preferences and expectations, budget concerns, or communication issues, creating lasting vacation memories with loved ones can test your patience.
However, a travel expert and influencer named Ben Keenan offered advice on how to make sure you never travel with someone who could spoil the trip.
He shared the four types of people that you should 'absolutely not' go on a vacation with.
1. The person who needs to recharge their energy battery in the middle of the day.
He explained that there was nothing worse than being forced to go back to the hotel or Airbnb because your travel companion needed to take a nap in the middle of the festivities.
"I'm sorry, you're not telling me you can't speak to me in a park or at a cafe or with a glass of wine somewhere outdoors [because] you need to be in bed," he said.
2. People who sleep in every day.
"Unless you have been up until four in the morning, there is absolutely zero reason that you need to be sleeping until 10:30 or 11 every single day. I can promise you, I did not pay for the trip to New York for you to lay in bed."
If you're a person who prioritizes relaxing when traveling (and let's keep it real, sleeping in a hotel bed is heavenly), Keenan might not be the companion for you!
Photo: Maridav / Canva Pro
3. Picky eaters.
He pointed out that there was nothing worse than exploring a new place and not experiencing the local cuisine.
"Having food on hand is fine, but the people who want to go the store, pick up pasta supplies, and then go back to your Airbnb and cook at home instead of going and trying local restaurants," he said, "That's an immediate no from me."
4. People who aren't transparent about their budget.
"If you know you cannot spend more than $100 a day, let me know that upfront."
Keenan explained that he didn't mind reducing or increasing what he was spending to match the budget of the person he was vacationing with, but found an issue with people who surprised him with a budget that was vastly different than what was initially anticipated.
In his comments section, Keenan's opinion on the types of people caused quite a divisive reaction.
While many people agreed with certain points throughout Keenan's video, the ones that caused a stir were the vacation sleepers. Many people pointed out that the reason they were going on vacation was to relax and not stick to a strict itinerary.
"You seem new to traveling. Initially, whenever you go you want to see/do everything. After a couple of years, you travel to relax and enjoy," one TikTok user wrote. Another user added, "I agree with all this except the recharge. I love to pop into the hotel in the middle of the day just to chill for a second and then second wind."
"I feel like certain trips have certain needs. Beach trip, absolutely have breakfast and lunch in the condo, sleep as much as you want," a third user chimed in. Another shared, "This is why I rather trip solo. I hate having to live up to other people’s expectations of what I’m supposed to be doing."
Traveling with loved ones can be a great way to test any kind of relationship, but it's often a make-or-break scenario. It's why before even agreeing to go on vacation with someone, you need to sit down with them and clearly communicate the expectations for the trip.
Not every person is the type who loves a strict itinerary and needs a plan for everything that's going to happen on vacation. Others prefer to go with the flow and see where the day takes them.
That's why it's important to make sure those things are talked about. There's nothing wrong with going on vacation with someone and choosing to do your own thing at certain points in the day instead of spending every single minute with them.
So, before packing your bags and jetting off with a loved one, whether they're your best friend or partner, take the time to discuss expectations, find common ground, and embrace the flexibility needed to accommodate different travel styles, ensuring that the vacation becomes a source of cherished memories for all involved.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.