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Girlfriend Getaways
A guide to serious fun — from rural retreats to city escapes
Nowadays there’s a girlfriend getaway for virtually every interest — spas, theaters, vintage shopping, river rafting and winery tours to name a few. Fortunately, you can also find a variety of price points. When you’re organizing a getaway, “start by assessing the budgets of everyone in the group and the amount of time you have,” advises Marybeth Bond, author of 50 Best Girlfriend Getaways in North America (National Geographic Society, 2007) and creator of www.gutsytraveler.com.
After assessing these factors, you’ll know whether you’re in save or splurge mode. If you’re on a budget, Bond suggests traveling on weekdays (Monday, Tuesday and Saturday are usually the cheapest days to fly, she says) or during the off-season; and either visiting less popular tourist destinations or staying outside a city. “In L.A., I booked the airport hotel at $119 a night, and it was just 15 minutes from Santa Monica,” Bond says. Another option: renting. “You can rent an apartment, even for four days, and it’s cheaper than staying in a hotel,” she says. Plus you’ll save money by eating some meals in and you’ll have a place to gather and hang out as a group, which can be hard to find in a hotel.
If you’re looking for inspiration, check out these three girlfriend getaways, each with either a modest price point or a break-the-bank one.
The Rural Retreat
On a Budget: Inn-to-inn hiking, Country Inns Along the Trail, Forest Dale, Vermont
Nothing beats camping as an inexpensive way to commune with nature — and your pals — but Country Inns offers trips that give you plenty of time outdoors and a few amenities (namely, a soft bed). In summer, the company leads guided hikes along Vermont’s 250-mile Long Trail, traveling from one charming inn to the next (big bonus: you don’t have to schlep your luggage as you go), or it will coordinate a self-guided hike for you. Bond calls this a getaway she’s dying to take.
Self-guided trips start at $295 for two nights in summer; cross-country skiing inn-to-inn trips are available in winter; 800-838-3301, www.inntoinn.com.
Splurge: Heli-hiking and heli-skiing, Canadian Mountain Holidays, Banff, Alberta, Canada
Whether you’re ready to scale K2 or you think hiking and walking are pretty much synonymous, Canadian Mountain Holidays — an outfitter recommended by Bond — has an appropriate option: heli-hiking, in which a helicopter transports you to higher, even more beautiful terrain for hiking throughout the day. Follow up your treks with a soak in an outdoor hot tub, a massage or a nap. Gourmet meals are included.
Three-night summer heli-hiking trips (offered through early September 2008) start at $2,318 (Canadian), including meals; four-night heli-skiing trips (from December 2008 to April 2009) start at $3,300; 800-661-0252; www.canadianmountainholidays.com.
The Spa Weekend
On a Budget: Red Mountain Spa, St. George, Utah
In addition to being a great value, this beautiful spot — the iron-rich mountains are nothing short of majestic — has something for everyone. If your idea of a good time is endless pampering at the Sagestone spa, you can indulge, and so can your friends who want mountain biking, hiking, yoga, a fitness boot camp or a detox program.
From approximately $300 per night, including meals and most fitness activities, per person; specialty weeks include Fitness Boot Camp or Re-energizing Weight Loss (seven nights, from $445 and $415 per person, respectively) and Ultimate Spa Pampering (four nights, from $415 per person); 877-246-HIKE, www.redmountainspa.com.
Splurge: The Good Life, The Carneros Inn, Napa, California
This is the life: You’ll be welcomed to this charming, eco-sensitive inn — the architecture is a stylish, minimalist interpretation of local farming communities — with a bottle of Domaine Carneros and handmade chocolates, then indulged with an hourlong warm goat butter massage. The package also includes daily breakfast and one dinner at FARM restaurant, plus VIP passes to the Vintner’s Collective Tasting Room.
$1,638 for two nights for two people in a cottage or suite; through December 31, 2008; 888-400-9000, www.thecarnerosinn.com.
The Stylish Escape
On a Budget: Hot Chicks Package, Personality Hotels, San Francisco
Pick one of six chic boutique hotels from the Personality Hotel lineup for your stay, which includes two Diva Swarovski crystal tank tops, calling cards, sparkling wine (a natural hangover cure follows the next morning), and a list of San Francisco pampering hot spots.
From $179 per night; through September 30, 2008; 800-553-1900, www.personalityhotels.com.
Splurge: Girls Rock Package, Hotel Jerome, Aspen, Colorado
After you’re greeted at this grand hotel with a bottle of Champagne and fresh fruit, you may opt to indulge in the manicure/pedicure that’s part of the package, or try the tasting menu, also included. Once you’re sated, hit the stores with your $300 gift certificate, good at Prada, Louis Vuitton or Ralph Lauren.
From $288 per night; through December 17, 2008; minimum three-night stay; 877-412-ROCK, hoteljerome.rockresorts.com.
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