10 Best Girls Trip Locations + Ideas To Plan The Perfect Weekend
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Summertime calls for a trip with the girls! As we get older, schedules become busier. We move to new cities. Friendships flow and grow. However, making time to reconnect and catch up purposefully is an important way to nurture these special relationships in your life. A weekend getaway can be the perfect time to do so! A girls trip is fun any time of the year, but summer might be the most available time for you and your friends.
While planning a girls weekend can be daunting, it can also be very fun if you find ways to minimize the stress. If you’re not keen on planning or organizing, follow these tips to ensure a fun—and successful—girls’ trip.
How To Plan the Best Girls’ Weekend
Plan Ahead
This might be an obvious tip, but planning any trip at least 30 days in advance will be extra helpful (even if it is just reaching out and fielding any interest). You’ll have more options to choose from, and you are also able to get a better idea of everyone’s schedule. However—and we can’t deny—some of the best trips are spontaneous and create last-minute excitement, but to reduce stress and planning for a larger group, getting a head start will help you in the long run.
Start With The Basics
If you are the trip planner, there is the extra initiative you have to take to figure out the basics of the trip. The essentials are:
Headcount: Who is going?
Make sure to count the number of people you want to invite and those who are able to attend (those can be very different!). Are you planning a girls trip for you and your closest friends? Or is this a larger reunion of 5 or more friends? From my own experience, planning for a smaller group is much easier, and the trips end up being more fun. Knowing your headcount first is an important first step.
Dates: When are you going?
After figuring out who you want to invite, think of two or three possible weekend dates for the trip. You might already have some good leads to dates after knowing your headcount, such as a birthday weekend or any weekends that friends suggest that would best suit their schedule. Keep in mind that busy or holiday weekends could impact availability and costs!
Type of trip: What are we going to do?
Where are we going for the weekend? Is this a road trip? A camping getaway? Or a cross-country flight? Consider visiting a friend that has moved to a different city. This can also help save on lodging!
Even though having these basics down before reaching out will make the planning easier, be mindful to keep these decisions flexible and open to your friends’ suggestions. This is all part of the brainstorming process and is often seen as the most daunting, but after completing each step, the planning process will get easier! You’ll be saving yourself and your friends time, creating more time to enjoy each other’s company, and feel less stressed when doing so.
Be Open About Budgets
After figuring out the basics, be open to discussing the budget. Simply ask the questions: “What is everyone’s budget for this weekend trip?” or “What is the maximum you’d all like to spend on lodging?” This is not only considerate of you and your group, but also ensures that you’re planning accordingly, as you’ll be more easily able to narrow down your search quickly.
Since budgets can vary tremendously between individuals, they can be an uncomfortable subject for many, but they are also a crucial part in the planning process. Money can be one of the biggest life stressors and you want everyone to have a good time and not be stressed about overspending. If possible, reach out to each friend individually to ask their specific budget so that no one feels awkward or pressured into agreeing to an amount that might be outside of their comfort zone. After all, girls’ weekends are some of the best and most memorable trips you can have!
Finalize Your Travel Details & Offer Options
Now that you have all of the important travel details, you are moving along in the planning process! Consider offering two or three “package” options to share with the group that includes the pricing for the destination and lodging, as well as the overall spend. This is a good way to offer options to the group, especially if there are members of the party who have very different budgets. For example, one “package” could prioritize the lodging, whereas another could prioritize activities or food. This allows anyone who might have a smaller budget to adjust the costs most easily.
Give the group a deadline to decide. Hotels, Airbnbs, and activities can—and will—book quickly, especially if it is high season. There could be a chance that you might not have more than one option to present for various reasons, but that will make the decision-making easier!
Send Out A Schedule
You have the dates, know where you’re going, and everything is booked—send out a simple schedule! Treat this as a one-stop email or text message that has all the important details. If you’ve been planning for a smaller group, this text will be short and sweet, but be sure to include the time you’re all planning to leave or any important meeting points. For larger groups, the planning process and travel details easily get lost in text messages or emails. So, clear communication and organization—such as a shareable Google Doc or spreadsheet—with the time, address, important lodging details, and any payment information that should be included to summarize the trip will be a lifesaver for everyone involved.
Ask For Help and Delegate
You’re not planning a trip just for yourself, so ask for help! Being the trip planner, you may need to learn how to delegate part of the planning to other friends. This is especially important if you’re planning for a large group, whether it’s looking for lodging, making reservations, choosing a driver, assisting with grocery shopping, or whatever small tasks you need help with. After all, they’re your friends, and the goal is to have a good time!
Plan A Day Activity
So, what to do on a girls’ weekend? It is ideal to have some type of activity, event, or plan for the day.
Some day ideas can be:
A spa day
Soaking up the sun at the beach
A live sports game
A hike with a view
Exploring or shopping around downtown followed by a nice meal on a terrace
It does not have to be rigid, but having an activity for the day will ensure you’re maximizing time with each other.
Make Dinner Reservations
Making dinner reservations for at least one evening of the trip is always a nice touch! Maybe you all want to dress up? Maybe there’s a restaurant you guys already love? Or there’s a new one you want to try since it’s 100% Instagram-Reel-worthy? Be sure to call ahead and ensure that there’s a table available, especially if you have more people! If your girls trip is an outdoor getaway or involves camping, make dinner a little more special with a thoughtful menu. Cook the meal together for an enhanced experience!
Gift A Souvenir
Top the trip off with a little souvenir! It doesn’t have to be a trinket from the souvenir shops down the road, but rather, a small gift to commemorate the trip. It can be a short letter, a postcard, or a Polaroid photo to give at the end of the trip. Sure, you’ll have tons of photos in your camera roll, but a thoughtful little gift will be a sweet memory to an unforgettable trip!
10 Best Girls Trip Locations
So, where to go for a girls getaway? We rounded up ten of the best girls weekend destinations in the United States to help you get started. They are budget-friendly, fun, and each one offers the necessary atmosphere for an ultimate girls trip.
Palm Springs, California
If you like the heat and vintage architecture for the best Instagram photos, go to Palm Springs. It ca be a great road trip, but if that’s not your thing, they have a local airport to fly into. Reserve picturesque Airbnbs with large pools and consider taking a hike through Joshua Tree during the day.
Austin, Texas
Austin is known for its BBQ, lively bar scene, and fun atmosphere. Over the years, Austin has grown in popularity for weekend trips and bachelorette parties alike. If Austin is conveniently located for you and your group, definitely look into it!
San Diego, California
Sun, beaches, and delicious tacos. Say less? San Diego offers the relaxed vibe of Southern California and is far enough from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. Consider going to a baseball game, exploring the world-famous San Diego Zoo, or visiting the Gaslamp District for a fun evening. A great destination, whether traveling via car or airplane.
Denver, Colorado
Denver is located in the middle of the country, making it an easy travel location. The city is great for hikes, cool breweries, and a nice change of scenery no matter which coast you’re living on. From experience, it was central to meet with my best friends who lived on the east coast when I resided on the west coast. We spent the same amount on airplane costs!
Boston, Massachusetts
Historic and filled with New England beauty, venturing to Boston is another top destination for a girls weekend. Do a walking history tour, enjoy some delicious Italian food in the North End, or check out a Celtics game. Boston offers an eventful trip where you can explore and play tourist in so many different ways!
Nashville, Tennessee
Be ready to party if you’re headed to Nashville! The Music City is filled it tons of music history and iconic country bars that will offer a memorable experience. Don’t forget to try the BBQ and consider taking in a visit to the Country Hall of Fame for some rich music history.
New York City, New York
Taking a trip to the city that never sleeps will certainly guarantee an ultimate’s girls’ trip! From skyscraper hotels, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, enjoying New York slices of pizza, and then venturing into the Lower East Side will be a guaranteed good time.
Grand Canyon, Arizona
A visit to the Grand Canyon is a top travel idea any time of the year, but why not visit it with your best friends? Turn this into an epic road trip and find a campsite or “glampsite.” Soaking up the view with a sunny hike will be breathtaking.
Napa, California
Napa is perfect for a weekend getaway and exploring beautiful and rustic vineyards is never a bad idea! Consider staying in nearby towns to reduce costs for lodging and reserving a winery tour to maximize the weekend together.
New Orleans, Louisiana
This destination can be a toss-up, but the city has a special lure that brings people from all over the world! The city is magical and walking down Bourbon Street with a bag of beignets will already make your girls getaway fun, affordable, and easy! It’s a plus if you and your group love seafood and jazz music!
Be ready to have a memorable girls weekend this year with these tips and destinations! Whether you’re the trip planner for your next weekend getaway or not, consider these tips to make the process much easier and more fun. If you’re planning with other friends, share these tips with them, too, to make the planning more collaborative. The most important part is to have fun, take time to recharge, and maximize the time with your best girls.
