There’s something truly magical about escaping with your girlfriends for a weekend. No responsibilities, no routines – just laughter, connection, and a little freedom from everyday life.
A girls’ weekend getaway isn’t just about sipping wine or lounging by the pool (though that’s certainly a perk); it’s about refueling your soul, strengthening friendships, and rediscovering yourself outside of the daily grind.
Whether it’s a cozy cabin retreat, a spa escape, or a city adventure, these moments of shared joy and relaxation remind us how important it is to nurture the relationships that lift us up and keep us grounded.
And the best part? It doesn’t matter how old you are!
The Perfect Squad for a Weekend Getaway
There is a time-and-place for many kinds of girls’ getaways. They may look different, but if it looks like something that would be your cup of tea, do it!
Your getaway squad does not need to be friends to whom you tell your most private secrets. We all have different kinds of friends in life, and each kind of friend is valuable in its own unique way.
Think about what a girls’ weekend would look like with these different kinds of friends:
- Friends who are married to our male friends or our husbands’ friends.
- Friends who attend church with us.
- Childhood friends with whom you share wonderful memories.
- Friends with whom you work on a daily basis.
- Close friends with whom you share a high degree of trust and emotional intimacy.
- Neighbors with whom you have become friends over the years.
- Long distant and social media friends who you meet online and with whom you find common interests.
There is another kind of friend that we’ll talk more about later; it’s the common-interest friend. These are friends with whom you enjoy special activities, such as a “gym buddy” or members of your book club.
Common-interest friends are people who connect and build relationships through shared hobbies, passions, or activities, making it easier to find common ground and maintain the friendship. This type of connection provides a natural foundation for conversation and regular meetups, leading to stronger bonds and mutual support.
You can go on special getaways with any of these friends and enjoy time away from your everyday life. But they look very different.
Girls’ Getaway Ideas for Every Kind of Vibe
Think about the trip you take with the girls from work to take a few courses about the new computer program that’s being introduced at work. You’ll have downtime to enjoy adult beverages and explore the city together when you’re not in classes. Even this kind of trip gives you a break from real life, plus time for connection. But you would not share your most intimate secrets.
There are traditional spiritual retreats that you and your girlfriends from church could go for a weekend getaway. Spending time in a setting that nurtures both faith and friendship can be incredibly healing, grounding, and uplifting for everyone involved. Staying grounded is especially important for women our age, right?
Worried About Traveling with Chronic Pain?
At our age, we are often suffering from chronic pain or illnesses. Don’t worry about traveling with health issues nowadays. There is assistance built into most travel today. Airports offer wheelchair services; most places are handicapped-accessible; support animals are allowed to travel with you. Talk to the provider or planner of the getaway to make sure you will have everything you need. And check out my article, My 31 Best Tips for Traveling with Chronic Pain. I wrote it based on my own personal experiences as I aged.
There are health retreats that you and your girlfriends who are on a health journey could enjoy together. I remember reading about a place in the mountains of Pennsylvania that is primitive and meant to help you reconnect with nature and each other. This might be just what you need.
Or, maybe you need a getaway where you can learn how to cook healthy meals? This is what I need! 😊
I’ve been on girls’ trips to ski resorts where we hang out on the slopes and in the lodge, enjoying the casual company of people we don’t even know. We dance at night, sleep late in the morning, and warm up together with hot chocolate in the afternoon.
And the girls’ getaway that we probably think about the most is a Spa Weekend. These getaways typically include facials, massages, meals together, wine, and laughter.
Not all girls’ getaway trips need to be with your besties drinking wine and talking about secrets. You can also go away with other groups of friends. Each kind of getaway offers a chance for female connection and relaxation.
An Unusual Girls’ Getaway
My most recent girls’ getaway was with friends that have similar interests in the historical television show, Outlander, on Starz Television. We were all middle-aged and senior women who had various reasons for loving the show. And many of us had issues with walking and moving around.
These were shared-interest friends that I met through other fans of the show or other Outlander events. We were from different states around the country and different personal circumstances.
There were approximately 150 women (and 3 men😊) who attended the three-day gathering in Kansas City, Missouri. We laughed, we shared, and we acted like teenage girls when we met members of the (much younger) cast.
Time for Everything
There was a perfect combination of scheduled and unscheduled time. We were on our own to eat most meals in our beautiful hotel. We collected our registration materials on Thursday night and jumped right into the scheduled events on Friday morning.
And we got to dress up in our finest daytime clothes and wear makeup for professional pictures with the cast members. Do you know how nice it was to put on makeup and nice clothes just for us?
For one evening event, we even dressed in sparkles, heels, and fancy hair so we would look our best for selfies with the cast members. Cocktails were available during this event – and yes, some ladies got a little giggly.
A Smaller Group Is a Great Way to Bond
It was a well-organized gathering of people (mostly women😊) who were there because we shared a common interest. I was part of a mini-group of six ladies within the large group, plus I met many other women who will remain friends.
We bonded over the common interest of Outlander and talked about every cast member, the newest season that was just announced, spin-offs of the show, favorite episodes, trips to Scotland to see filming locations, and so much more. The enthusiastic chit-chat was never-ending in the large meeting room. And I never thought about real life.
This was quite different than a ski weekend trip, or a spa trip with the girls. But it was equally as fun and relaxing – and as important!
What All Great Girls’ Weekend Getaways Have in Common
The best girls’ getaways include a mix of planned activities and downtime, all centered around creating shared memories like the Outlander gathering.
The core purpose of girls’ getaways includes bonding and strengthening friendships, prioritizing self-care through enjoyable activities, and participating in shared experiences.
Girls’ trips provide a much needed break from everyday life. As women, we spend much of our time caring for the needs of others and often don’t prioritize our own needs.
Girl’s getaways should give you a chance to rejuvenate and recharge your mind, body, and spirit by doing something just for you. Taking time for yourself is essential to your overall well-being.
There’s something else all girls’ trips have in common – what clothes to pack. Don’t forget these clothes in your suitcase:
- Comfortable pajamas.
- Comfortable shoes.
- Comfortable clothes.
- A comfortable dressy outfit or two.
- A pair of comfortable dressy shoes (aka: clean sneakers😊)
Do you see a pattern here? Comfort is essential! There is no sense in going on a girls’ trip if you’re not comfortable because you won’t be able to relax!
Where to Go and What to Do
You don’t need to go far for a girls’ getaway. Often, women from my area go to a resort on the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. It’s only about 90 minutes away.
Or you can plan a getaway with friends to a place like Nashville, where many young women go today for bachelorette parties. Another option is planning a trip to the Florida Keys with some water excursions that complement relaxing on the beach.
You can find common interest getaways like themed Comic-Cons or schedule a cruise with your girlfriends. You can plan a trip to see a concert that you and your girlfriends have wanted to see. (I did many of these trips to see Bobby Sherman, Davy Jones, and Peter Noone with a Teen Idol Tour all over the country years ago. And I remain friends with many of the ladies I met while traveling.)
You can talk to your friends about common-interest gatherings or check into spiritual retreat facilities through your church.
Recently, I’ve seen a group of women in Maryland (where I live😊) who are getting together for an “influencers” event. And I’ve read about an adult camp for women of all ages, Camp Social, that promotes itself as, “… this 3-day sleepaway camp is all about connecting & letting go of everyday stresses.”
You can also find getaways on the Internet or at your local Parks and Recreation, although I encourage you to be extra safe while making selections.
In other words, you can find girls’ getaways in many different places, or you can plan your own.
So, give it some consideration and plan a girls’ weekend getaway with some girlfriends! But be sure to tell me all about it when you come back! I’m already planning my next one! It’s a 5-day cruise with six of my long-time girlfriends! It will be full of adventure and relaxation. I can hardly wait!
You can reach me at [email protected]. Smiles!
Let’s Start a Conversation:
Where would be your ideal girls’ getaway? Which group of girlfriends would you like to get away with? Have you ever been on a girls’ getaway trip? What did you enjoy about it? What are your favorite memories from girls’ getaways? What’s the most important thing to you when planning a girls’ getaway weekend?
