Travel

A travel buddy can make vacationing a lot less lonely and a lot more fun. (Photo: young couple at beach image by Accent from Fotolia )

Single people who like to travel sometimes feel scared or anxious to do so alone. Other times, one half of a married couple might have the travel bug but the other is a homebody. Still others enjoy the thrill of traveling with a new friend or meeting a relative stranger who will serve as a travel guide in an unfamiliar or exotic location. Finding a travel buddy with whom you connect takes a bit of gumption, a bit of courage and a bit of old-fashioned homework.

Step 1

Go to websites such as TravBuddy, TravelFriend or TravelersMeeting. On most travel buddy websites, you'll register and then create a user name, password and profile. From there you can explore domestic and international destinations, find travelers with similar interests and passions and contact them via email.

Step 2

Join a travel club and take a group vacation. If you click with one or more of your fellow travelers, ask him to be your travel buddy on future trips. You can join a local travel club by locating one online or by contacting a travel agent and asking for referrals. Many national clubs cater to specific groups of travelers. For example, online you can find singles, African American, and gay and lesbian travel clubs. Founded in 1992, the Women's Travel Club is North America's leading tour provider for women and women's organizations. The club caters to women of all backgrounds and offers tours to international locations such as Mexico, China, Easter Island, Egypt and Tuscany, Italy.

Step 3

Join a local food, film, board game or other special interest club. Getting to know someone well before traveling together will help make your trip go much more smoothly. Make new friends by exploring and sharing your interests with others. The more people you meet and get to know, the more you'll increase your chances of finding someone who's also looking for a travel companion.

Step 4

Frequent forums and discussion boards on travel websites such as VirtualTourist, TripAdvisor and Fodors. If you re a senior citizen, go to one of the AARP s many online travel groups and get in touch with other senior travelers. Be careful not write your listing like it s a personal ad, according to Gadling, unless you re looking for someone who'll be both a travel partner and a romantic companion. You don't want to scare off potential buddies by giving them the wrong impression.

Check your school bulletin boards, campus resource center, online message boards and newspaper classified ads if you're a college student looking for a travel buddy or someone to split the costs on a road trip.

Post a free listing on Craigslist. Be sure to meet any potential travel companions in a public place during daytime hours and don't share too much personal information in the beginning. Bring along a friend or two during your first couple of meetings.