Gap Year Ideas For Couples
Are you looking to go on a gap year with your partner, but you’re stuck for ideas of what to do?
Perhaps you’re considering travelling together but aren’t sure whether it's easy to travel as a couple?
Well, you’ve certainly come to the right place. In this article, we will showcase the best things to do on a gap year as a couple.
We’ll take you through some of the advantages of taking a gap year together while sharing some of the perceived disadvantages of travelling as a couple.
So, let’s dive into: Gap Year Ideas for Couples
Disclaimer - this blog post contains affiliate links where we can earn a commission, if you make a purchase through them (at no extra cost to you).
Why you should take a gap year as a couple
First, let’s talk about some of the positives and negatives of taking a gap year as a couple. That way, you can make an informed decision of whether it’s the right thing for the two of you to embark on.
We may be a little biased, having experienced back-to-back (to-back, to-back, to-back…) gap years since we left University way back in 2018. Still, we do appreciate that it might not necessarily be suitable for every single couple.
Hopefully, by reading this, you’ll have a decision entirely in mind and can start contemplating what kind of activities you can get up to during your year of travelling and adventures.
Advantages of taking a gap year together
You get to travel with your best friend - one of the most daunting prospects for many solo travellers is the prospect of having to be alone at some points of your journey. As a couple, you never have to worry about this
You can create wonderful memories together - you’ll have some incredible stories to tell at parties and gatherings for years to come.
You’ll learn to manage your finances together - we appreciate this is a very practical advantage of taking a gap year, but it’s nonetheless a very important lesson for living together in the future. One of our handy travel tips for couples is to invest in a joint money card like Starling or Monzo to help manage your finances.
Learn to live in close proximity for an extended period of time - some couples will have never lived together before moving in. Travelling for a year as a couple will help you decide whether moving in together is the best option at this stage in your life
You will learn to compromise and strengthen your relationship
IT WILL BE THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE!
Disadvantages of taking a gap year as a couple
If one of you really wants to travel, and the other isn’t so keen, this could cause friction and create a strain on the relationship.
You both have to be 100% committed financially - it isn’t fair for one of you to have to bear the brunt of the costs.
If you enjoy different travel styles - if one of you prefers all-action, adrenaline-filled adventures, while the other prefers the city-dweller, more-relaxed style of travelling, then perhaps it is better to take separate gap years and meet up somewhere along the way.
During our very chilly gap year in Canada
When to take a gap year together
Deciding when to take a gap year together can be as big of an obstacle as deciding what to do for the year.
We have spoken to so many people who have told us, ‘We wish we’d taken a gap year when we were younger’, and frankly, unless you have already settled with kids (which we understand is a significant barrier to gap year participation), then anytime is a good time for a gap year!
Traditionally speaking, the most accessible times to take a gap year are directly after finishing school or university. A gap year following education is a great time to unwind and think about the career you want to embark on further down the line.
Having said that, however, taking a career break and embarking on a gap year is a great way to refresh and reconnect as a couple.
Realistically speaking, any time is a good time to take a gap year together as a couple, providing that everything at home can be put off for a year while you’re away.
Best Gap Year Ideas for Couples
Now that you’ve made a decision as to whether you’re going to go ahead with your gap year as a couple, it’s about time we spoke about what you came here to see. Underneath, we have highlighted some of the best and most popular things to do for your gap year.
For some of these suggestions, you could feasibly try them out for a month or so and see whether you enjoy it. While other ideas may require a little bit more of a long-term commitment.
On top of this, some of these gap year ideas require a bit of planning and saving, while others can be a little more spontaneous and can be attainable with a smaller budget.
Need insurance for your gap year? SafetyWing is one of our affordable travel insurance recommendations because the monthly subscription service gives you flexibility in terms of how long you want to travel during your gap year.
Volunteer for a conservation/eco project during your gap year
Volunteering is an excellent option for your gap year (or at least part of it). It gives you the chance to experience new cultures first-hand while making a discernible and meaningful impact on the people and places you volunteer for.
Volunteering abroad is one of the most unique and rewarding experiences you can have while travelling - you get to delve deeper into the heart of communities and experience what it is like to live within their customs and traditions.
Whether it’s volunteering as an educator in Cape Town, assisting in an Elephant Sanctuary in Thailand or aiding humanitarian projects in Nepal, volunteering takes you to the heart of different societies. It is a very worthwhile and gratifying way to spend your gap year.
Volunteering in Africa is particularly popular because it gives you a chance to experience the best African safari tours for couples after you’ve finished your placement.
Pros of volunteering for a conservation/eco project:
You will get a real, meaningful experience from your gap year where you can genuinely contribute to a worthwhile cause. Volunteering is also a great CV/Resume builder, particularly when you’ve volunteered for unique projects all around the world.
Cons of volunteering for a conservation/eco project:
Volunteering, in general, can be very expensive, particularly when it comes to conservation/eco projects. Thankfully, when you apply through bigger companies like Global Work & Travel, you can guarantee food and accommodation, but this isn’t always true.
Best resources for this gap year option:
Complete a Working Holiday Visa in Australia/New Zealand
If you’re looking for a paid opportunity during your gap year as a couple, then exploring working holiday options is definitely the best route to take.
Having had Working Holiday Visas in Canada and New Zealand, we are big advocates for the programmes as they allow you to get to grips with a country and learn its customs and culture.
Perhaps the two most popular options for Working Holiday Visas are Australia and New Zealand. Thousands of 18-30-year-olds make the trip ‘Down Under’ annually to get a slice of the famous Aussie and Kiwi cultures for themselves.
Both countries cater heavily for seasonal work, which is great news for couples looking to complete a working holiday during their gap year.
Pros of a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) in Australia/New Zealand:
You get to live and work in one of these countries for up to 2 years, meaning you get the chance to feel at home in these places. Both countries have many options when it comes to seasonal jobs, and on a WHV, you get the luxury of travelling around and hopping from job to job in different destinations wherever you please. It’s the most cost-effective way of exploring an entire country!
Cons of a Working Holiday Visa (WHV) in Australia/New Zealand:
Seasonal work isn’t for everybody - the majority of jobs that employ people on WHVs tend to be in the hospitality industry, so if you’re not keen on serving, bartending, baristaing or housekeeping, then it may prove challenging to get a job.
Bonus Tip: you need to arrange the WHV before you enter the country and this can be a lengthy (and costly) process. Our advice would be to do your research and if you’re struggling with the process, then apply with Global Work & Travel so they can help you secure the visa and provide you with invaluable assistance when it comes to finding jobs
Best resources for this gap year option:
Ben jet-boating during his Working Holiday Gap Year in New Zealand
Au Pair for a family
An Au Pair is defined as being ‘a person who helps with housework or childcare in exchange for food, a room, and some pocket money’.
Which makes it the ideal occupation during your gap year. You get to travel to another country, be provided with food and board, and even make a little bit of money to use during your free time - what more could you want?
Although not particularly easy, it is possible to apply as an Au Pair couple for the same family. However, you may find it easier to Au Pair for different families that live very close together so that you can hang out during your free time.
Pros of being an Au Pair for a family:
Being an Au Pair provides you with guaranteed food and accommodation. Often, you also get access to a family car/transport, and on top of all of that, you even get to practice another language.
Cons of being an Au Pair for a family:
It can be tricky to find a family that is comfortable with 2 people being an au pair for their child/children. Having said that, it isn’t out of the realm of possibility as long as you’re willing to search hard for it.
Best resources for this gap year option:
Backpack around South America as a couple
Backpacking is a great long-term travel option for couples, and perhaps our favourite destination to backpack around is South America - the continent has it all!
Whether it’s delving into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest in Brazil or seeing incredible wildlife on the Galapagos Islands. You can explore the ends of the Earth in Patagonia or marvel at the world-famous Incan ruins during an affordable day tour to Machu Picchu.
Backpacking is the most adventurous and affordable way to explore new places, and South America is perfectly set up for the backpacking scene - making it a brilliant option for your couple’s gap year!
Bonus Tip: save money when backpacking by staying in hostels. If you’re nervous about staying in hostels, then our guide on staying in hostels as a couple is a great place to start.
Pros of Backpacking around South America as a couple:
South America is a continent full of adventure, culture and history, making it the perfect place to go backpacking. Lots of people think it's expensive to visit South America, but you can definitely do it on a budget. For example, visiting Machu Picchu in a day, rather than doing the 4-day Inca Trail, can save you hundreds.
Cons of Backpacking around South America as a couple:
Flights to South America can be expensive as it’s not the best-connected continent when it comes to airlines. We have a guide on how to save money on flights as a couple using WayAway to help you out in this regard. South America also requires a basic knowledge of Spanish, so downloading DuoLingo is recommended - it’s one of the best apps to download before going travelling.
Best resources for this gap year option:
Our adventures in Huacachina (Peru) when we backpacked around South America
Work at a Summer Camp together
You didn’t think we’d be able to get through the whole article without mentioning summer camp, did you?
For those who don’t know about us, we met while working at Timber Lake West Camp in Upstate New York and spent an incredible 15 summers combined in the Catskills Mountains. It is undoubtedly our favourite place in the world and working at a summer camp was the best decision we ever made!
Working at Timber Lake West inspired us to travel full-time together, and we have met incredible friends from all over the globe.
If you’re a particularly outgoing couple who doesn’t shy away from working hard, then summer camp is the perfect gap year idea for you!
Bonus tip: summer camps typically last 2-3 months, meaning you can combine working at camp with a ski season or a backpacking adventure.
Pros of working at Summer Camp:
It will be the best summer of your life! Have we mentioned how good summer camp is?!
You get paid! It’s a great way to earn a little bit of extra money to continue funding your travels elsewhere.
Cons of working at Summer Camp:
Summer Camp is full-on, 24/7 and very structured - you may only be able to spend time together for 2 or 3 nights a week and like 1 day off a week.
Summer camp is obviously limited to the summer months, meaning it’s likely that you’ll have to work here at the very beginning, or the very end, of your gap year
Best resources for this gap year option:
‘Working’ at our summer home - Timber Lake West
Work a Ski Season in Canada or the Alps
Another excellent option for your gap year is working a ski season as a couple.
Working a ski season together, whether it’s in Canada or in the Alps, is an excellent way to get the best of both worlds - you get the chance to have a lot of fun and meet people from all around the world while working and keeping your finances in check. It’s a win-win situation!
One of the realities of working a ski season on your gap year is that it will be the most hectic, adventurous and fun time of your entire life.
We worked a ski season together in Lake Louise (Alberta, Canada). We worked as Resort Activity Attendants at the picturesque Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, one of North America’s finest resorts.
There were many amazing winter activities in Lake Louise, so even if you don’t fancy yourself as an avid skier or snowboarder, you’ll still find plenty of activities to keep you busy on your gap year.
Pros of working a ski season on your gap year:
You get to learn/perfect skiing and snowboarding on your time off and meet like-minded people from all around the world.
You can choose to only work for half a season, giving you plenty of time to explore other options during your gap year.
Cons of working a ski season on your gap year:
You’re limited as to where you can work a ski season - the easiest places are Canada, the USA, Chile, Japan, New Zealand and the French/Italian/Swiss Alps.
Finding a job together during the ski season can sometimes be tricky, so you may have to be comfortable working in separate places. Here’s our guide to finding ski season jobs as a couple to get you started.
Best resources for this gap year option:
Riding the gondola at Lake Louise Ski Resort during our gap year in Canada
Teach English in China/South Korea/Thailand
Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) is an increasingly popular avenue that is being explored by couples on their gap years. When you consider you’re simultaneously earning money, building your CV/Resume and travelling around the world, it’s easy to see why.
While TEFL is popular around the globe, arguably the best experience can be found in East Asia, where countries like China, South Korea and Thailand are proven to host foreign English teachers.
Thankfully, there are plenty of companies out there that allow you to teach English abroad without any prior teaching experience. Many TEFL organisations will even help you secure a TEFL Certificate and a teaching placement before leaving your home country.
Pros of Teaching English abroad on your gap year:
Teaching English abroad allows you to work and live in your chosen country, allowing you to get to grips with its culture, customs and traditions.
Cons of Teaching English abroad on your gap year:
Schools that are most in need of teachers can sometimes be found in remote or rural parts of the country. This can make it a little trickier to explore further afield during term-time. Having said that, it is possible to teach in bigger cities.
Best resources for this gap year option:
Learn a different Language
Spending a few months in a country during your gap year is a proven way of being able to learn a new language. Really embracing the country and immersing yourself in the language is a really useful tool when it comes to learning the language fluently.
Learning a new language is a great option if you’re a couple looking to pick up a new skill during your gap year. It will open doors for future careers and, if nothing else, will make your life a lot easier while you’re on the road.
You won’t need to use translation apps and Duolingo; you’ll just be able to freely wander the streets and chat to locals as you please.
Pros of learning a language on your gap year:
It’s a lifelong skill that you will be able to take with you into your professional life and beyond
Cons of learning a language on your gap year:
Honestly it’s quite tricky to come up with specific cons of learning a different language - the one obvious downfall however, is that it takes a lot of commitment and is likely to take up your entire year
Best resources for this gap year option:
Here we are attempting to get to grips with Spanish in Guatape, Colombia
Internship Abroad
Completing an internship abroad is an excellent way to further your career and a very productive way to spend your gap year.
If you’re a couple that is motivated to better themselves, then an internship during your joint gap year is an excellent way to develop a new set of skills.
There are several different industries to intern in, and thankfully, many of these are paid opportunities. It is definitely worth doing prior research because there are definitely some really great internship abroad opportunities out there.
Pros of doing an Internship Abroad during your gap year:
You are getting hands-on, real-life experience working in an industry you are passionate about. Completing an internship will allow you to decide whether it’s a career you want to pursue later down the line or when you return from your gap year. Many internships are also paid, so you are literally getting paid to live abroad - what’s not to love about that?
Cons of doing an Internship Abroad during your gap year:
It may be tricky to find an internship together, so it will require a little more planning if you want to make sure you live in the same city together. The other factor to consider is that an internship is to be treated like a full-time job, so you are naturally going to have less time to explore the city/destination than you would if you were travelling or backpacking there.
Best resources for this gap year option:
How to start planning a Gap Year as a Couple
Now that you’ve seen all the options for gap year ideas for couples, you need to take the next step in planning for your gap year together.
Here’s the order we suggest doing things in:
Work out how long you want to take for your gap year: we know it sounds silly when it’s called a ‘gap year’, but in reality, this is just a term. Sit down together and decide whether you want to commit to a full year abroad or whether 6 months is a more realistic target
Decide where you want to be based: now that you’ve seen all the incredible options available, you get to look at the fun stuff - where do you want to spend your dream gap year? (Remember, it doesn’t have to be spent in just 1 place)
Decide what you want to do during your gap year: do you want to do an internship? Volunteer? Go backpacking? Learn a new language? Work at a summer camp? The choices are endless!
Set yourself a realistic budget: once you’ve settled on the important details, setting a realistic budget will be vital as this will let you have a goal in mind when it comes to saving up for a year away.
Start saving and booking: the most challenging part of all saving up so you can make the most out of the year abroad together!
Soča Valley - Slovenia - Taken during our Camper Van Road Trip around the Balkans
Best Gap Year Websites/Resources
We finish this article by giving our recommendations for the best gap year websites/resources/programs. If you’re considering a gap year as a couple and are still short of ideas, then you’ll find these websites handy.
There we have it folks, a conclusive round-up of our suggestions of the best gap year ideas for couples. Travelling as a couple is the best way to solidify your relationship and forge long-lasting memories, and there is no better time to do this than during an adventurous gap year together.
