Why Is Vacation Sex Always Better?

Whether it’s the thrill of being in a new destination, the freedom of stepping away from daily routine, or the luxury of a swank hotel room, there’s just something about vacation sex that is better. In this month’s “Dear Eugene,” we tap experts to explore why sex is, indeed, better when traveling.

Inspired by our intrepid founder, Eugene Fodor, Dear Eugene is a monthly series in which we invite readers to ask us their top travel questions. Each month, we’ll tap travel experts to answer your questions with the hopes of demystifying the more complicated parts of travel. Send your questions to [email protected] for a chance to have them answered in a future story.

Dear Eugene, Whenever I travel, I find that my partner and I have better sex than we do back home. The sex feels more relaxed, exciting, and even adventurous. This got me wondering: why is vacation sex better? Is there a scientific explanation?

Ah, the joy of sex on vacation. Of course, it feels more relaxed, exciting, and adventurous—that’s how a vacation feels. But we, too, were curious—why exactly is it that sex can be better on vacation? Is it because happy people have better sex, or is there a specific hormone involved? Or is it simply because we don’t have to make the bed after we’re done?

To answer these questions, we approached Dr. Stephen Southern, who teaches graduate-level psychology programs at Antioch University Santa Barbara, for insight. Dr. Southern is a Clinical Psychologist, Marriage and Family Therapist, and Certified Sex Therapist, so he’s pretty familiar with the psychological mechanics of human sexuality.

Dr. Southern explains there are a number of factors that could lead to better sex on vacation. Vacations, he says, are like an “energy drink” for relationships because they temporarily pause a lot of everyday distractions.

“Couples may experience a ‘devitalized’ relationship due to the demands of work, family life, and the daily grind,” he continues, but “a well-planned vacation presents an opportunity to restore intimacy in a beautiful, calming environment.”

On a couple’s vacation, those interruptions aren’t there. No kids or pets getting in the way, no friends or neighbors dropping by, no domestic minutiae that keeps us from focusing on our partners. In short, people are happy on vacation, and that can mean better sex—if the conditions are right.

“A vacation trip represents a time to be alone together and experience fun and novelty as a couple,” adds Dr. Southern. “When you have a good time on vacation as a couple, the positive mood is attached to the relationship itself, making it a source of joy instead of a demand or burden. Happy people have a greater capacity for joy, fulfillment, and better sex. They perceive more benefits from sharing time: exercising curiosity, exploring new experiences, and indulging in pleasure.”

Conditions for Great Vacation Sex

Of course, that’s assuming that traveling couples are able to shed many of the stressors of their day-to-day lives. Few of the studies also seem to consider the quality of sex on family vacations—where many of the domestic distractions from home can follow couples onto the trip.

Escaping workday commitments, family commitments, and domestic pressures can be essential to good vacation sex. The environment can also play a big factor—you’re more likely to have better sex in a room at a pleasant hotel or resort or perhaps snuggled into a cozy cabin or camper than you might on a family member’s fold-out sofa or a futon in a shared Airbnb.

The benefits could also last after returning home, he notes, citing a study that suggests one or two long, leisurely vacations each year could be beneficial to a relationship. That study also found that couples who experienced more novelty also reported more physical intimacy after the vacation was over.

Dr. Southern also points to a study in which over half of respondents reported having “the best sex of their life” on vacation.  That same study also discusses the quality of sex for travelers not already in committed relationships—over a third of respondents expressed an interest in vacation hookups, saying that hooking up with two people would fulfill their fantasies.



Single travelers who hooked up on vacation were also overwhelmingly likely to say that the relationships should be one-night stands or at least “stay on vacation,” with just a quarter thinking the romance should last beyond the trip.

Seeking novelty and intimacy on vacation, Southern explains, is also associated with “self-expansion theory.” When we have intrinsic motivation to grow as people, we derive well-being from new ideas, perceptions, and skills—including the sharing of mutual growth with a romantic partner. He says self-expansion research “suggests that partners grow together to share resources, such as an exciting vacation, in order to be most fully themselves.”

So, it’s not just sex on vacation—it’s really more like tandem personal growth, which can serve as a tonic for your relationship. However, it’s not a cure-all for any fissures within a couple’s relationship.

“If the couple is engaged in a lot of conflicts or recently experienced a crisis, then the idea of ‘getting away’ may seem wise, but adding the stress of travel may make things worse,” explains Dr. Southern. “Similarly, some couples convince themselves they can overcome a breach of trust, like an affair, by taking a trip. Going on vacation is unlikely to produce healing or closeness.”

While going on vacation can do wonders for your sex life if you’re in an otherwise happy relationship, vacation sex isn’t a fix for a relationship that otherwise needs work. Southern notes that vacations that end up stressful also won’t do your sex life any favors. Similarly, placing high expectations on vacation sex—such as pressure to perform and have great sex—is one of the major causes of sexual dysfunction.

In other words, don’t try to pack too much into your vacation, and you might just wind up having better sex. And you won’t have to change the sheets afterward.