Over the years I've been blessed to travel extensively with my girlfriends. Whether for a destination bachelorette party, divorce party or just a weekend to get together and catch up I've been all over the place with my friends. Here are some of my favorite girl's trips.
Let's face it, some destinations are more memorable than others. Here are four stunning destinations that have a little bit of everything like epic views, one of a kind experiences, incredible food and more.
Oia Santorini
If you can go anywhere, go to Greece and visit at least two of the islands. My two favorites are Santorini and Mykonos.
In Santorini, you can enjoy world-renowned sunsets in Oia, lounge on unique beaches like the Red Beach, and dabble in the electrifying nightlife in Fira.
In Santorini, staying in a cave is a must. There are hundreds of little whitewashed caves burrowed into the side of the mountain and staying at one is a one-of-a-kind experience. If staying in a cave is too expensive, consider staying one night in a cave and then moving to a cheaper hotel for the other nights. We stayed in the Ethereum Luxury Cave.
Over on the island of Mykonos, friends can party all night at legendary clubs like the Toy Room and Ling-Ling by Hakkasan. During the day, you can bop around Mykonos city to do some one-of-a-kind shopping or head to one of the many gorgeous beaches to enjoy a lazy day of lounging.
In Mykonos, you should stay in Mykonos City or at a beach. If you prefer the beach, I recommend staying down at Plati Gialos.
San Antonio has it all. They have exceptional restaurants with amazing food, excellent shopping, swanky hotels along the river walk, and happening nightlife. My go-to place to stay with girlfriends is Hotel Emma, one of the top boutique hotels in the world. For a long list of San Antonio recommendations, see my article: San Antonio Guide.
Bachelorette Party in Savannah
Savannah is a picturesque city full of history and the food is absolutely phenomenal. While you are here shop along the waterfront at the famous River Street Market Place, dine at incredible restaurants like Paula Dean's Lady and Sons restaurant and Belford's where celebrities often dine, and of course, hit up a spa. If everyone is up for some nightlife fun, Savannah has a popping club scene down at City Market. I recommend renting a large historic home with your friends and make sure it has a pool, 'cause it gets hot down there. If you have time, head out to Tybee Island to enjoy the beach!
Riviera Maya, Mexico is situated just north of Playa Del Carmen and it is filled with luxurious all-inclusive hotels. Here you and your girlfriends can completely unwind.
For those that can afford to splurge, there is Grand Velas, an all-inclusive resort with a plush spa, upscale dining, and butler service to take care of everything little thing you may need.
For those with a tighter budget, there is El Dorado Royale, where almost every room has an ocean view and they offer butler service as well. They had food so good my friend and I still talk about it!
If you decide you want to leave the resort Playa Del Carmen is a short taxi ride away. Here friends can enjoy both shopping and nightlife. Here are 9 activities near Riviera Maya.
New York City never disappoints. You and your girlfriends can shop until you drop, catch award-winning shows and eat fancy meals. If you have your heart set on seeing a specific show be sure to buy tickets in advance. Be sure to end at least one night at Ayza Chocolate Bar and book the penthouse at the Row NYC. There is so much to see in do in NYC check out our guide to help you place your entire trip, New York City Travel Guide.
There's plenty of time for grown-up girls' getaways, but every now and again you want to let loose. Here are a couple of spots where you can keep the party going long after the sun goes down! Granted, all of the places mentioned here could be a party destination should you choose to make it.
Austin, Texas has exploded over the last couple of years and there's a good reason why. With well over 60,000 college students attending the University of Texas including my daughter Eden, there are a lot of bars.
6th street is the go-to party street. The street is closed off for pedestrian traffic only, making it easy to bounce from one bar to the next. There's live music all over the place. If 6th street is too intense, head one street over. On 5th street, the vibe is a little less rowdy and there are a lot of great rooftop bars.
If you want to take a break from the bar scene, try an area wine tour, go float the river, or visit one of the area springs to cool off!
Vegas Baby!
Las Vegas is one of the top party cities in the world and everyone in your group will have fun dancing at night at packed clubs while famous DJs spin away. By day, friends can relax at the spa and lounge by the pool. My favorite place to stay with friends in Vegas is the Cosmopolitan.
For a list of recommendations, see my article: Las Vegas Girlfriends Getaway.
The nightlife in Bangkok is banging. (See what I did there?) They've got some of the most phenomenal rooftop bars in the entire world. Plus, the most famous party street in the world, Khao San Road. While you are there you must make time to see the sights and eat the incredible food.
Everyone deserves to be pampered once and a while. Why not take a spa trip with friends? You can enjoy long gourmet meals together, splurge on decadent spa treatments, and just take a break from the world. I recommend taking a spa trip to an all-inclusive getaway, especially if you're a mom. Everything is done for you, which allows you to completely unwind. Whatever spa you decide to visit make sure they have a substantial hydrotherapy circuit.
Puerto Vallarta is a fantastic city with rich culture, fantastic food, and lots of activities. Over the years it has gotten better on every level, so if it's been over a decade since you visited it's definitely worth going back. My favorite place to stay in Puerto Vallarta happens to also be my absolute favorite hotel in the world, Hotel Mousai. Their spa was out of this world and the rooftop pool is spectacular.
Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic often flies under the radar, but it's an ideal place for a girlfriend's getaway. The beaches are gorgeous, there are lots of fun things to do, and the food is unique. My favorite place to stay is Now Onyx on the adults-only side. If you want the spa plus the party, stay at Breathless. The pace is slow in Punta Cana, allowing you to fully relax.
Cancun could have gone under the party place, but what I enjoyed so much when I was there was not the party scene it was the spas. Almost every large resort has a pretty spectacular spa. My favorite place to stay in Cancun is in the resort zone at adult's only all-inclusive Live Aqua Cancun. They do have a spa, but I recommend a different one. My favorite spa is Coral Beach Gem Spa located inside the Grand Fiesta Americana Coral Beach resort.
Coral Beach Gem Spa
Cabo is really ideal. For those on the West Coast, it's super easy to get to and like most touristy places in Mexico they've got it all. Fun excursions, elaborate all-inclusive resorts, killer food, and more. When I went with my friends we stayed at Paradisus. It was wonderful, but next time we will stay at Garza Blanca. Here is our Los Cabos Girlfriend Getaway to help you plan a fabulous trip.
There are few things in life better than catching up with your girls over a bottle of wine. Here are some wine-focused getaways everyone in your group will enjoy. If you want to visit an area with lots of wineries these are my top picks.
Brooks Winery
If food and wine are your top priorities head to Portland, Oregon, where the foodie scene just keeps getting better and better as local award-winning chefs and winemakers continue to push the limits. Plus, the wine scene has exploded just outside of Portland in Hood River and Willamette Valley. In addition to good food and wine, they have a vibrant music scene and stunning gardens worth touring. For more food recommendations in Portland see my article: Best Things to Eat and Drink in Portland.
For a low-key girls' weekend filled with sweet Texas wines and boutique shopping, Fredericksburg is an excellent choice. This quaint German Texas town is full of wineries and independently owned shops and restaurants. Das Peach Hous has lots of area wines you can try and the property is beautiful. Visit the pond out back for a great photo opportunity. Other wineries you should visit are Messina Hof, Wedding Oak Winery at Wildseed Oak, and Fiesta Winery.
Silver Creek Bar & Grill in Fredericksburg, Texas
For a German lunch or dinner, eat at the Silver Creek Beer Garden and Grille. They almost always have live music. For a more upscale dinner, try Navajo Grill. At night you can grab a beer at Hondo's on Main and listen to some live Texas rock.
I suppose everyone knows that Napa Valley is the place to go for a wine trip. I recommend staying in Calistoga, that's where Dawna and I stayed for her birthday. Calistoga is a small city known for hot springs, mud baths, and of course amazing wineries. Stay at the Solage Resort, they've got a spa, multiple hot pools, excellent food, loaner bikes, and it's close to lots of wineries. Be sure to visit Davis Winery, it blew our minds.
7 Best Napa Valley Wineries
11 Best Napa Wineries for Families with Kids
The Finger Lakes region of New York is burstingwith wineries. You could spend several days in this area and never run out of wineries to visit. Some of my favorites are Montezuma Winery where you will want to sample their award-winning Diamond wine, Glenora Winery where you can try a fizzy pomegranate wine, and Belhurst Winery where the inside of the castle alone makes it worth the stop.
For a beautiful place to stay with a stunning garden, stay at Mirbeau Inn and Spa. As you plan your winery route be sure to make your way down to Watkins Glen State Park for a phenomenal hike.
Conclusion
This list could easily keep going because let's face it when you are with friends any place is a good destination! This list gives you a lot of ideas to start planning your own girls' trip.
Other places that are always fun that I didn't include, but they came close to being in my top choices were Los Angeles and New Orleans. In fact, my next girl's trip is in New Orleans in a few months with my Odessa girls, so I'll probably be updating this soon.
The best part about planning a trip with your friends is that it doesn't matter where you go. When you are with good friends you are guaranteed to have an epic time.
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