God Bless Tinder, and keep your judgements to yourself.

I typically don’t use Tinder unless I’m traveling. Once you see too many people that you know from high school or around the neighborhood, it’s time to put it away. Tinder and travel isn’t just a match (PUN) because it’s a great way to find a date…there are a lot of ways you can use Tinder to meet locals and make your trip memorable.

I had a great time tindering with my favorite lady traveler Becky while we took a road trip through New Zealand. Use our tips, keep your wits about you, and enjoy a rather spicy way to get a local’s perspective while you’re traveling.

Okay, about safety real quick.

Because this is going to come up, yes, be safe while using Tinder. People can be manipulative, scary jerks and your parents are very worried about you. Whether you’re in your hometown or across the world, maintain boundaries and be smart while meeting up with strangers from Tinder, Couchsurfing, you name it. Add your matches on Facebook to make sure they’re legitimate people, and stick to public places for meetups. Suggest a double date with a buddy if you can. Have your escape route planned and buy your own drinks. And let at least one person know that you’re going on a date before you leave.

Tinder can be fun, harmless, and platonic, but people be crazy, so approach every situation with caution.

Anyway.

Five Ways to Use Tinder While Traveling

Bar Recommendations

This is an old classic. When I arrived in Poznan a few years ago with two girl friends, we wanted to go out and had no clue where to start. So Tinder it was. We never met up with any of the guys we matched with…but we got some good recommendations and found out where to get delicious pierogi.

Jumpstarting Our Car, Ilana.

Becky and my Tinder adventure started before I even landed in New Zealand. One morning, I woke up to frantic texts and calls from Becky because Ilana would not start. Unfortunately, I was in Australia and could not check to see if we had jumper cables, so she took to Tinder for a mechanic/handyman/cute guy that knows how to jump a car.

…and then we Tindered again when our car wouldn’t start in a motel parking lot and needed a car to jump with. But now we definitely know how to jumpstart a car! (Ilana needed a third jump, poor girl, at a campsite in the South Island. Luckily, we were able to just ask around and were back on the road.)

Emergency Shelters

(Former) Cyclone Gita was hitting in the South Island, and Becky and I were living in a car. I took advantage of my favorite phrase, (“Ask and you shall receive,”) and changed my Tinder bio: “Let’s stay at yours during the cyclone.” We just needed a place to crash, and ended up in someone’s shed and hanging out in the Tekapo hot tubs for free. Win.

 

Dog Pats

We were bored in Christchurch one evening and Becky matched with a guy who had a cute dog. Dog snuggles are important for everyone’s mental health, so we went over to pat the dog. We ended up at a party with a bunch of Kiwis and ended the night with an episode of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. Sure. Why not.

Travel Buddies

Usually, traveling to a new spot every other day results in a lot of Tinder missed opportunities, but the route through New Zealand is pretty similar for a lot of people. In Taupo, we met a group of guys who were staying in Wellington for a few days. We ended up grabbing Indian food, hitting the bars, and taking the ferry down to the South Island. Hey y’all. Tinder is for friends.

This Is Just The Beginning …

Silly, right? There are a lot of ways to meet people while traveling, but Tinder definitely makes for a great story or two.

Becky and I had a grand time on our road trip throughout New Zealand. Our Tinder adventures are just the beginning. Our six weeks consisted of bungy jumping, waterfall chasing, and getting yelled at by sea lions.

Stay tuned for more posts about our itinerary, our budget, and how you can make the most out of your trip throughout New Zealand!