Most people travel with someone, including their spouse or family. Then again, there are millions of unattached folk who may travel with friends or, if not able to find someone, they will travel alone.

If you are a solo traveler, you will have the freedom to come and go as you please. Even so, there may be a trip that you would prefer to take with a friend, even a hospitable stranger. Here is what you need to know about finding the right person for your next adventure.

The people you know.

If you do not feel comfortable vacationing with a perfect stranger, then begin reaching out to people you know. There may be a friend who would like to travel including your friend whose spouse just does not like to take trips.

If you will be sharing living quarters with your traveler, you also want someone who is compatible. That means the chatty person who does not respect your solitude would not be a good fit. Nor will the individual who insists on having his or her own way. Remember, the vacation is for your benefit too — do not get stuck with someone who will wear you down.

A shared agenda.

Even if your plans are already in place, there is usually some variation that can be taken. Indeed, a cruise has a set itinerary in place, but the variations include what you will do once you arrive at port.

At port, you may find that your travel partner loves to stroll the town. You, on the other hand, may like to shop. See if there is a happy meeting ground that can accomplish both desires — you might shop for a while, then stroll, before you both head back to the ship.

Flex your agenda.

Even if you have an agenda in mind it may pay to show some flexibility, especially to the right travel partner. Think of it it this way: you want the company, but the company has a rigid schedule. You, on the other hand, can be more flexible. Find a happy middle ground and you will have two satisfied vacationers.

The best option here is to plan a trip from its inception with a travel partner. That way, you both have equal input into the dates, travel expenses, hotel stay and other costs. If you want to rent a home at the beach, lower your costs further by finding one or two more people to join you.

The short and long of it.

You have heard the horror stories before: friends take a long vacation, bicker while away and end their friendship upon returning. That is an unfortunate way to experience a trip that should be enjoyable, not friendship ending.

Find out if your friend is a compatible traveler before you head out. One way to do this is by taking a short trip together, such as on a weekend, to gauge how you do with each other. If the weekend, works out then book a longer trip. If not, then you know who not to ask to vacation with in the future.

Find a travel buddy.

There are websites where people are looking for companionship while away. Visit TravBuddy.com for one such site. Other sites include TravelersMeeting.com, TravelFriend.us and TravelChums.com.

When signing up for these sites you will find people of both genders and a variety of age groups. You will also find some information about this person including their email address. Make contact with a potential travel buddy to verify if this individual is right for you.

Travel Fun

Finding a person to travel with is easy. Finding someone who you want to travel with takes some work. Do the work and you may find a compatible friend, an individual you will want to go with on future trips.

See Also — Summer 2014 Department of State Travel Warnings