How Travel Experiences Can Break the Ice on First Dates

Why travel-related icebreakers work

“Where would you go if you could drop everything right now and travel?” is one of the most popular icebreakers on first dates. Others are “What do you do on weekends,” “What’s a typical day at work like,” and “Have you got any holidays planned” (also related to traveling). It can be a fascinating subject, as romantic as it is exciting. A lot of dating app profiles have traveling in them (I’ve been to X places, would love to go to X places, etc.).

The romance travel market is correspondingly booming in the first quarter of 2025, Lovu Business reports, with a projected annual growth rate of 11.1% through 2028. The most popular destinations in this period are the Maldives, Bali, and Florence, with bookings in Asia Pacific rising by 34%. According to the report, over 90% of couples are increasing or maintaining their travel budgets compared to 2024. Younger travelers lean toward eco-conscious and adventure destinations, while older ones are drawn to easy bookings and exclusive experiences. People of all ages are prioritizing their travel experiences in 2025.

Why are travel-related icebreakers so effective? You get to meet new people, try their food, experience their culture, see different landscapes, get to know other travelers, and experience adventure. Travelers always have interesting stories to tell or experiences to share. Some say they travel for the stories, others for the experiences. There is always a reason to travel and talk about exciting trips, and there’s often at least one person who’d love to hear about them—it could just be the girl or guy you’re on a first date with.

Of course, you should expect questions and ask them about their experiences while traveling. Your stories should elicit a response: if your date is just staring in silence, they might be bored or not into traveling. People who are actively communicating when dating get to know each other more quickly than those who aren’t, and the faster you find out you and your date share interests (or don’t), the better.

They are windows into the soul

Sharing travel experiences is a powerful way to break the ice on a first date—stories of adventures, mishaps, and unforgettable moments reveal a lot about who we are. Whether it’s laughing over a missed plane or swapping bucket-list destinations, travel talk invites natural conversation, sparks curiosity, and builds instant connection. It opens the door to deeper insights into someone’s values, sense of humor, and spontaneity—all without the pressure of forced small talk. Sinclair Lewis once said the claim that someone has no sense of humor is an insult no one will endure. Possessing humor implies traits like playfulness, but why should one be proud of being playful? Playfulness connotes youth and childhood. People with this trait still have something of the joy and vigor of young life as opposed to the rigidity of older age.

People value humor highly, as The Knot’s 2024 survey on relationships and intimacy reveals. 69% of respondents rated humor among the five most important attributes in a partner, and 56% rated it among the top five when considering whether to marry a partner.

Travel also helps in understanding a person’s adaptability. A story about hiking through a rainstorm or navigating public transport in a foreign language shows how your date handles unpredictable situations. These tales are often laced with humor, resilience, and insight, offering a deeper connection than the usual surface-level chatter. Travel stories provide an authentic way to discover if your values align—whether you’re both spontaneous adventurers or carefully planned itinerary lovers.

What to talk about on a first date to make sure you get a second one

Best trips, hidden spots in hometowns, dream trips, or where would you go if you could move to another country? This will reveal if they like hot or cool weather. You might even visit that dream country together someday! Beyond traveling, music is the universal language. Talk about the best concerts you’ve been to, your tastes in music, or your favorite artists. You might end up with a shared playlist. Interestingly, despite not being a proper category, love songs are the most popular. More than two-thirds (67%) of the top 40 tracks between 1960 and 2010 in the US were love-themed.

If you’re both food lovers, you can talk about the best dishes you’ve ever tried while traveling or a memorable food tour. Food and travel are deeply connected, and discussing them together can build excitement and a sense of shared curiosity. You can even suggest a future food tour together—it’s subtle, flirty, and fun.

To keep the conversation flowing, ask open-ended questions like: “What’s one place that surprised you?” or “What travel experience changed your perspective on life?” These thought-provoking prompts invite heartfelt answers and make your date feel seen and heard. Listening actively and responding thoughtfully goes a long way in forming a genuine connection.

At the end of the first date, ask, “Shall we do this again sometime?” This question is essential, provided you actually want to see them again. If not, say you had a nice time and you’ll be in touch.

Conclusion

Travel opens our eyes to new worlds—and when shared on a first date, it opens the door to genuine human connection. From humorous travel mishaps to epic adventures, these stories reveal more than just our itineraries—they reflect our courage, our humor, our values, and how we see the world. In a dating world often riddled with surface-level interaction, talking about travel is a refreshing and authentic way to find common ground.

So, the next time you find yourself preparing for a date, consider skipping the usual small talk. Instead, ask about their favorite travel memory or where they’d go in a heartbeat. You may just discover that the road to romance starts with a simple question—and perhaps a shared dream destination.