Over the last few days, I was out of town on a mini-vacation with a friend. Since we both just finished up our jobs, it seemed the perfect time to take advantage of those online deals out there. The trip was fabulous. We were in San Diego, a city neither of us had ever visited but both ended up adoring. (As my pal said, “These are real California hippies!” We loved the surfer-boy vibe.)
One of the best parts of this trip was that my friend and I turned out to be fabulous travel companions. It was our first trip just the two of us, so who knew what could go wrong. I was confident we’d get along great—I wouldn’t have agreed to the trip otherwise—but one can never be sure. Sometimes two people who are a perfect match at home suddenly want to bite each other’s heads off on the road. You know how it is.
But is there a faster track to friendship than traveling together? I would say no. Sharing a hotel room for three days is enough to a launch a lifelong relationship (or dismantle it).
In our case, all was well. We chatted nonstop and not an hour after we parted—we took separate flights home—were we texting. The trip was so good, in fact, that today I’m exhausted. Isn’t that the universal sign of success?
Have you ever traveled with just one friend? How did it go? Do you think travel is make-it-or-break-it when it comes to potential BFFships?
MWF Seeking BFF 
So glad you enjoyed San Diego!
I learn unexpected things about friends when I travel with them, even old friends that I would have thought I knew inside and out. For me, vacationing with friends has lead to deaper understanding and stronger friendships.
I absolutely agree that travelling together is the ultimate litmus test for compatibility – – either with a significant other or a friend. How better to view someone’s true colors when your flight gets cancelled, and you are sleeping in an airport, and you haven’t showered for some time, and the only food you can find is questionable, at best? It will last a lifetime if this travelling companion tracks down some alcohol and plays cards / laughs / takes turn watching bags while you sleep, until your plane finally takes off.
Oh, totally. You learn a lot about your friendship and that other person.
I have a couple of friends that I know, without a doubt, that I could never travel with and be happy at the end of the trip. I love them dearly, but I won’t be sharing a hotel room with them ever. 🙂
Years ago, when I was looking for a room mate, this is how I weeded them out. If I couldn’t stand them for a weekend, how would I live with them?
I went to Germany & Prague with a best friend back in 2004. It was an amazing trip. Turns out we travel together super well. We are both independent, so if one wanted to do someting the other didn’t, we were totally fine dividing and conquerring! I woudl go anywhere with her. And with a couple other friends.. But then there is a group of people that I consider close friends that I would NEVER travel with. Not for all the tea in china.
I don’t think that travel is a make-it-or-break-it for being BFF’s, but it definitely helps if you’re compatible… and if you’re not, you should at least be very tolerant of the fact that you “operate” differently when you’re traveling (because I think you can still make it work somehow, if you’re very open about it).
Thankfully, I have traveled with two of my best friends and it went really well… and I have traveled with another friend with which the friendship was pretty much over after that 😉
When I was a freshman in college (in San Diego!), a girl from my dorm and I took a road trip up to LA to visit one of her friends at his new school in September. When telling my mom about the trip, I’ll never forget her response, “Can you believe you’ve met someone you feel comfortable enough to travel with already?” Considering I’d only known the girl for a month, this was pretty incredible! And I can especially see that now, while at the time I thought nothing of it! Well, she is stll one of my best friends today, but had that trip not been as memorable as it was (we still share stories from that first weekend) perhaps our friendship would have gone a completely different direction or ended altogether?
Glad you enjoyed SD!
Road Trips with friends are the best! I have enjoyed several really great journeys and consider myself so lucky to have done so. They have taken me places my husband has no interest in visiting, and then the home coming is especially nice (absence does make the heart grow fonder!).
Yes, I think that traveling is a make-in-or break it! My friend and I recently drove cross country from Idaho to Georgia! We have been close but the last 2 years we have drifted apart. This was a great way to reconnect (totally sounds like we are lovers:) and it made our friendship even closer! We laughed the whole time and were entertained by everything from “nothing” in Nebraska to the creepy gas station guy who gave us the key to the hole in the ground they called a bathroom attached to a stockpot lid and a huge heavy chain. We had a great trip and eventhough she lives in Georgia now, out friendship is still awesome! Love you Cheyenne!