Finding the 'sweet spot' for traveling couples

Finding that travel “sweetspot” for couples with varying interests can be a real challenge. My significant other and I deal with it regularly, having been together now for the better part of a decade. Our solution? We generally take more trips that kind of “meet in the middle” when it comes to activities — we find common ground and choose destinations that offer things that interest both of us, like food-centric trips to New Orleans, or long weekends to places where we can get a history fix along with some great dining and some sightseeing, like St. Augustine, for instance. 

But, when it comes to travel that each of us would prefer, our interests rarely align. I love to fly fish — I have since I was a kid. And I’m not terribly particular, either. I’ll cast poppers to pike, dry flies to big brown trout, or strip streamers for jungle tarpon. Toni? Not so much. 

Her idea of a great trip involves things like craft cocktails, scenic driving tours, moderate hikes in search of waterfalls or stunning vistas where she has a knack of getting the most out of the camera on her Google Pixel. Then, maybe a shopping day or a spa day, all topped off with a chef-prepared meal, complimented by the perfect bottle of wine and a delectable dessert before an aperitif and some great grown-up conversation. 

So, for years, we’d take trips together … and then we’d take trips apart. We both loved Nashville for the music and the food. Then, I’d hop a plane to Whitehorse and go chase big pike, lake trout, and grayling, while she joined her girlfriends on a weekend getaway to Vegas. 

 

Finding that sweetspot

Then, a few years ago, we took a small-boat cruise to Southeast Alaska with The Boat Company. This changed the game. I got to fish. Toni got to wander the rainforest with a like-minded naturalist and a handful of others. We both got to see humpback whales breaching from the cold waters of the Inside Passage, and we both reveled in the sight of black and brown bears wandering the beaches at low tide as the Liseron — a restored naval minesweeper that’s been lovingly restored into a small vessel with room for all of 20 guests — cruised from Juneau to Sitka. We both gathered in the boat’s salon for afternoon appetizers and cocktails crafted from the always-open bar, chatted with other couples from all over the world about the drama of watching glaciers calve into the sea, and we met some great people with whom we’ll always be friends. Throw in top-tier, chef-prepared meals, comfortable staterooms, a crew of professionals who, in the words of one of our fellow passengers, “was there when you need them, and never when you didn’t.” 

I got to fly fish for silver salmon and Dolly Varden. Toni joined me on a skiff a couple of times, and caught her first halibut, as well as loads of dusky rockfish. One evening, she dropped crab traps after we arrived at our anchorage for the night, and then, the next morning, she pulled dungeness crab up from the ocean floor. Appetizers that afternoon? You guessed. Fresh-the-ocean dungeness crab. In her words, it was the “trip of a lifetime,” and I’d be hard pressed to argue with her. 

 

Where diverse interests converge

For years now, I’ve visited Patagonia to chase giant wild trout that swim in some of the most stunning rivers and lakes on the planet. The scenery is absolutely awe-inspiring, and, when it’s warm there, it’s winter here, which gave me the motivation to return as often as I could. A couple of years ago, I was talking with Consuelo Balboa, who, along with her husband, Eduardo Barrueto, runs a pair of lodges in Chilean Patagonia — Magic Waters Lodge and Patagonia Baker Lodge, which will enter just its fourth full season in operation next October. 

Both lodges offer world-class fly fishing for big, wild trout. The rivers and lakes are ideal for sight-casting, and the fish can be downright massive. For fly fishers, these lodges are absolutely heavenly. But they also offer incredible chef-prepared meals, gorgeous accommodations with river or lake views, incredible indoor and outdoor gathering areas, and lots to do for guests who don’t fish. 

After one particularly incredible meal, prepared by Chef Angela at Magic Waters Lodge, I asked Consuelo why we don’t try to market the lodges as fantastic destinations for couples’ trip. Her response was quick.

“You should,” she said. “We love when couples come to see us.” So we started chatting about the idea, and I realized that a visit to Patagonia is more than just about the fishing. Certainly, for die-hard anglers, the fly fishing is among the best anywhere. But for non-fishing companions, both lodges go out of their way to offer activities that don’t involve rod, reels, waders, and bouncy trips down the Rio Paloma in search of trophy brown trout. The lodges can offer everything from an immersive cooking program with Chef Angela at Magic Waters or Chef Paolo at Baker, guided sightseeing tours to regional national parks, horseback riding, hiking, shopping days in gorgeous Patagonian cities like Coyhaique and Cochrane, scenic boat tours, and, at Magic Waters, a signature Chilean asado, where guests take a mild horseback ride up the Rio Mogote and enjoy a fresh lamb carefully roasted over the coals for lunch after a few hours of fishing or hiking along the stunning freestone mountain river. 

As an angler, I can be a bit obtuse. But even I could see that a trip to Patagonia’s best lodges need not be just about the fishing. These two lodges are destinations in their own right, and the non-angling activities are just as world-class as the fishing.

That’s when “Couples Week” was born at our two wonderful Chilean properties run by Eduardo and Consuelo.

 

What are the Couples’ Weeks all about?

We now have a pair of Couples’ Weeks under our belts. We learned a lot, and we’re very grateful for the great group of couples who joined us in Patagonia this March and were patient enough and willing enough to be our “beta testers” for this program. Thanks to their willingness to be our Guinea pigs and let us try new things with them, we believe we now have the ideal couples’ experience ready for our clients who want to travel together while enjoying the things they want to do during the day, and then come together in the evenings for an incredible meal paired with the ideal Chilean wines, and topped off with a dessert that’ll knock your socks off. Better yet, with only six or seven couples on these trips, it was easy to mingle and converse and make new friends, all while enjoying the stunning scenery of the rivers, lakes, and peaks of Patagonia. 

So, we’re running it back in 2027, this time with three designated Couples’ Weeks — two at Patagonia Baker Lodge, and one at Magic Waters. We’re even bringing in a ringer to host — Kirk Deeter, author of the new book, “A Fishable Feast” that focuses on regional dishes prepared by fishing lodges all over the world. He and his wife Sara will host the second week at Baker, and you might be surprised to find the editor of TROUT Magazine hunkered down in the kitchen learning how to make basil-infused pasta or traditional Chilean empanadas. Toni and I, fresh off our first hosting gigs earlier this year, will host the first week at Baker and the second week at Magic Waters. Here are the 2027 hosted dates: 

 

Patagonia Baker Lodge

Feb. 27-March 6, 2027 (four rooms left)

Hosted by Chris and Toni Hunt

 

Magic Waters Lodge

March 6-13, 2027 (two rooms left)

Hosted by Chris and Toni Hunt

 

Patagonia Baker Lodge

March 6-13, 2027 (five rooms left)

Hosted by Kirk and Sara Deeter

 

And here’s what’s on tap for guests at both lodges. In 2026, we had three couples who took in both lodges, and spent some time touring Santiago before their trip to Patagonia. We can help with that in 2027, if that’s something that interests you. 
 

Cooking classes

Both lodges are fortunate to have incredible, trained chefs leading their cooking programs. Chef Angela at Magic Waters produces incredible dishes, and she and her team excel at some of the more traditional Patagonian recipes that are heavy on roasted meats, succulent vegetables, and perfectly prepared seafood. At Baker, Chef Paolo is a wizard with pasta and soups, and he is very accomplished at fish and seafood, as well as the traditional meats, like beef, lamb, chicken, and sausage. Both chefs are incredible, and both are among the best in the world when it comes to lodge fare. Our non-fishing guests will have the chance to learn at the elbows of one (or both!) of these incredible cooks when they join our hosted Couples’ Weeks in 2027. 

The fishing

As you might suspect, the fly fishing at both lodges is world-class. At Magic Waters, anglers will get their shot at rivers like the Rio Simpson and the Rio Paloma. They can also hit several small waters, including spring creeks, freestone beauties like the Rio Mogote, and hidden gems that abound within easy striking distance. 

At Patagonia Baker Lodge, the fishing starts right out the front door on the Rio Baker, and also includes some great sight-casting to cruising trout on area lakes, and the chance for anglers to test their mettle on the Rio Cochrane. 

Other activities

From both lodges, guests can take scenic day hikes, ride horses along trails that wind through the Andes, and enjoy boat rides on gorgeous mountain lakes. At Patagonia Baker Lodge, guests are within a 45-minute drive of Patagonia National Park, where they can take driving or hiking tours and likely see condors and countless guanaco. It’s a wonderful experience.

Other trips include a boat tour to the scenic Marble Caves, and a shopping day in the village of Cochrane, which is nestled up against the Argentina border.

 

The result? Something for everyone, and happy couples

Toni and I loved our time in Patagonia, and we loved getting to know some great couples who took in the many experiences at both Baker and Magic Waters. At the end of each week, I can honestly say that everyone had a chance to take in activities they enjoyed, from fly fishing hidden creeks running through the pastoral landscape to motoring across Lago General Carrera to see the Marble Caves up close. 

Each day, a handful of guest would gather with either Chef Paolo or Chef Angela and learn some new cooking techniques at the elbows of these talented pros. When we got home, I found that Toni had ordered a new pasta maker after seeing how Angela used hers, and that simple cooking lesson will result in some fantastic Chilean dishes served at home in Idaho. I can’t wait. 

But the best part? The hospitality at both of these incredible lodges is simply the best anywhere. The teams at both lodges are gracious hosts, and they really care about those who make the effort to come and visit. You’ll never enjoy a more well-rounded experience punctuated by such impeccable service. And to be able to take in the magic of Patagonia with your significant other, while doing what each of you enjoy, is part of the wizardry these two lodges possess, and the unmatched experience they offer our clients.

If you’re interested in joining one of our three hosted weeks in Patagonia in 2027, just let us know. We’d love to help, and we’ll be pleased to send along a sample itinerary and answer any questions you might have. We’re here to help, so reach out anytime via email, or feel free to give us a ring at +1 (253) 780-1530