Every woman I know keeps a full agenda – whether that includes a full-time career, nurturing her family, managing a household, volunteer work, or all of the above! Making a difference at home, work or in the community by being active and engaged helps to have a fulfilling life; but let’s face it – everyone needs a break from their routine occasionally to refresh and rejuvenate. The high-powered career woman enjoys a respite from incessant meetings and deadlines, and even the most loving mom appreciates a short escape from the dishes and drudgery of homemaking. You know where I’m going with this – vacations, of course! Specifically, Girlfriend Getaways.

Pick Your Partners

The first step in planning your girlfriend getaway is to decide on a compatible group of women with some common experiences. If you try to combine a high school BFF reunion with a mother-daughter bonding in one trip, someone is likely to feel left out. Beyond childhood friends and family, consider girlfriends in groups you belong to – a book club, garden club, work friends, cycling group, golf foursome or women’s club.

There are no rules on how many people can participate, but most girlfriend getaways tend to be two or three women. A bunch of friends can be a ball, but remember: the more people you have traveling together, the more interests and personalities you’ll need to accommodate. Just make sure that whatever the number, your group is like-minded in interest, temperament and energy level.

Plan Your Dates and Budget

Typically, finding a common open date is the most challenging aspect of planning a girlfriend getaway. As mentioned in the beginning, today’s women have many responsibilities and commitments. Planning several months or even a year in advance should help.

Talk openly about budget expectations. Everyone has different financial situations so be cognizant of unspoken clues that someone may be uncomfortable with the proposed budget and don’t set the bar so high that it excludes a member of your group.

Decide on the Destination

With the basics out of the way, you can move on to choosing where to go and planning what you might do there! Share the basics with your professional travel advisor and ask for some suggestions to narrow down the field. Traditionally, the most popular girlfriend getaways are the beach, destination spas, shopping trips or cruises, but your destination is only limited by the group’s interests.

Here are some considerations to discuss:

• How much travel time to the destination is acceptable?
• If you live in different parts of the country, do you want to meet somewhere equidistant?
• Does the budget allow for flying, or will you stick to driving?
• What are the preferred sleeping arrangements? Will hotel rooms be sufficient or will you want a suite/condo/villa with a gathering space and kitchen facilities?
• Is dining out important? Are there foodies in the group? How about vegetarians? Food is an important element of a destination and often a decision-maker for girlfriend getaways.
• Do you want to lounge by the pool with butler service, get spa treatments and be generally pampered?
• Do you require shopping and entertainment facilities so you can shop till you drop or party the nights away on the dance floor?
• Are active pursuits like golf, zip lining, snorkeling or hiking in the vacation plan?
• Are you interested in enrichment opportunities like cooking classes, health and wellness instruction or cultural performances?

When you have consensus on what the girlfriends want from the getaway, your travel advisor can recommend specific resorts that best match your criteria. We shop for optimal pricing and can often include upgrades and amenities at no cost to you. Feel free to read all the Trip Advisor reviews you like, but there’s just no substitute for an experienced travel advisor. We’ll make sure nothing falls between the cracks while you are juggling all the responsibilities that made you decide on a girlfriend getaway in the first place!

It’s Girlfriend Getaways Time – Pack and Go!

Shut down your laptop, turn off your email and get ready to relax and rejuvenate with your female friends – it’s girlfriend getaway time! Women report that vacations and sharing common experiences with female friends eases stress. They receive validation and acceptance from each other and feel more self-confident and relaxed after a girlfriend getaway. Author of A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness, Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD states, “Medical studies show that the bond between women is critical to emotional and physical health.”

Whether your trip with the girls is just one night close to home or two weeks to an exotic destination, you reap the benefits, so contact the expert Vacation Advisors at Covington Travel to start planning your next girlfriend getaway today!