Couples trips. We have all heard the horror stories. Someone doesn’t pay their part or people don’t get along and the trip turns into a disaster. I have always wanted to take a trip with another couple, but the thought scared me so much. It can be nerve-racking to think of what could potentially happen, but I finally set those fears aside and did it! My boyfriend and I just went on a trip with another couple to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It was only for the weekend, definitely not long enough, but it was an amazing experience and I can’t wait to do it again.
The most stressful part of a couples trip is the planning. You all need to figure out where you are going to go, the dates for the trip and what you are going to do while you are there. It can be hard to agree on the date, especially since everyone has such different schedules. Luckily, Kalea and I took control of the planning, since our boyfriends didn’t care too much about it. We knew we were going to go to Gatlinburg. The hardest part was finding the date. After a week of debating, we finally found a date, even though it clashed with an event I had. Tyler and I had to leave at 9 p.m. and didn’t make it to Gatlinburg until 2:30 a.m.
We had a plan for the next day. Get breakfast, go to the aquarium, ride the ski lift, grab a snack, drive through the mountains, go to a nice dinner, then have drinks in the hot tub. This did not happen. We went to breakfast and the aquarium but nothing else went according to the plan. Everyone ended up wanting to do different things. The ski lift was no longer an option because it was more expensive than we thought. We ended up window shopping around town, instead. I wasn’t happy because I was so cold, but I just went with what they wanted to do. Then they all decided they wanted to find go-carts, definitely not what I wanted to do. We got to the track, paid way too much money and drove on three tiny courses.
We were freezing after riding go-karts so we went back to our cabin to get ready for dinner. We could not decide on where we wanted to go eat, so we chose a random restaurant that had a shorter wait time. I was nervous for dinner because Tyler and I have certain expectations when we are out to eat. We put our phones on silent and we do not pull them out at the table. Kalea and Jackson, however, are not that way, so they were on their phones throughout dinner.
After dinner, we grabbed a few drinks and sat in the hot tub. Kalea and Jackson didn’t stay in for long, which was fine because Tyler and I wanted some alone time. We aren’t used to being with another couple for so long. After the hot tub, we curled up in front of the fire and watched Harry Potter. This was probably my favorite part of the trip. It was so cozy and peaceful at the cabin during the night. We decided that night that we definitely want to come back.
While there were a few mishaps during this trip, nothing truly awful happened. I am a control freak, so I had to let that go. During a couples trip, you have to give in and do what the majority of the group wants to do. You aren’t always going to get your way and that is something I had to learn on this trip. Tyler and I both had so much fun. We are looking forward to another trip with Kalea and Jackson soon!
I highly recommend going on a couples trip. Figure out a plan, but don’t be upset if it doesn’t go exactly according to the plan. Things will change once you get to the location and see how much it has to offer. You will have so much fun and it is a great way to get to know your friends even better!
All images courtesy of Cierra Zwyghuizen