With the rollout of vaccines, revenge travel is on the rise. Pent-up wanderlust has us planning epic trips with friends that we’ve missed. When you’re ready to hit the open road, here are nine destinations for every type of girlfriend getaway. Whether you’d prefer an outdoorsy escape, wining and dining or rejuvenating spa treatments, we’ve gathered girls’ trip ideas from across the country that will make your group even more excited about getting together again.
Conjure Up Old Hollywood Glam in Palm Springs, California
Palm Springs is the perfect place to soak up the sun in retro glam. This California desert location is surrounded by gorgeous mountain views, brimming with exceptional food, and full of unique ways to reconnect. You can glide over gorgeous views of Chino Canyon on Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, see the San Andreas Fault on a Desert Adventures Jeep Tour, or ride horses in Morongo Valley.
Go vintage shopping on Palm Canyon Drive, indulge in a drag queen brunch at Oscar’s, hike nearby Joshua Tree National Park or partake in a sound bath.
Select Your Own Adventures in Bachelor Gulch, Colorado
Stir up your sense of adventure at the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch in the Vail Valley. One of the largest freestanding log cabins in North America, this sprawling, mountainous property beckons recharging in the fresh air with a year-round pool and bubbling hot tubs.
This summer the Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch is offering the Edge of Wild experience, where guests staying three nights receive a $200 credit to choose their own adventures, from guided hikes, mountainside dining, and world-class spa experiences. Try your hand at archery or baton twirling. The Whiskey & Woodburning and Painting & Pino classes offer opportunities to stretch your creative muscles.
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Say Cheers to Craft Beverages in Loudoun County, Virginia
Known as D.C.’s Napa Valley, you can toast to five female leaders in the craft beverage industry in Loudoun County, Virginia, where wineries and tasting rooms are surrounded by rolling hills and horse farms. Sip dry rosés at Cana Vineyards & Winery. Sample beers crafted by the female header brewer at Old Ox Brewery. Try rye created by arguably the greatest female whiskey maker in America at Catoctin Creek Distilling Company. Taste the crisp, champagne-style ciders of Corcoran Vineyards & Cidery, and the world’s first French champagne-style wine made from Norton grapes at Casanel.
Visitors rave over unique winery experiences like barrel tastings with vintners and yoga between the vines. Rent a B&B, stroll through the historic towns and savor the farm-to-table goodness of the region.
Bathe in Forests and Art in Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is the artsy city known as the “Paris of the South”, thanks to a lively restaurant and culture scene. Stroll the River Arts District to see hundreds of Asheville artists at work and buy treasures to take home. Immerse your crew in glass-blowing, jewelry making, photography, or pottery workshops.
The natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains beckons. Destress in the lush forests with beautiful waterfall backdrops. Feel alive on a refreshing rush down the 60-foot natural waterslide known as Sliding Rock. Visit the Vanderbilt’s 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate, where you can wander the vibrant gardens and sip samples at the winery.
Kristy Tolley, author of the new book, “100 Things to Do in Asheville Before You Die” is an expert on the city. She recommends a Hammam session at Asheville Salt Cave and an evening Asheville Rooftop Bar Tour. “With nearly 40 breweries, visitors can choose from about 100 local beers,” she says. “Hit up S&W Market, slated to open in June. This food hall housed in a historic building will include Highland Brewing Company, Peace Love Tacos, Buxton Chicken Palace, Farm Dogs, the Times Bar, and more.”
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Swimming Holes and Patios in Austin, Texas
Tunes play around every corner in Austin, Texas (nicknamed “the live music capital of the world”). Known for breakfast tacos and swimming holes, Austin also boasts countless outdoor dining options to please every palate. From string-lit patios to courtyards and food trucks, you’ll find big band brunches, world-renowned barbecue, and unique ice creams to satisfy summer sweet tooths. Take a dip in Deep Eddy, the oldest natural swimming hole in Texas, or enjoy Barton Springs, a year-round 68-degree three-acre spring-fed pool. Take pics by street murals and learn the two-step. Shop for kitschy finds during the day and then board a sunset bat cruise, where you can see the largest urban bat colony in North America swarm into the sky at dusk from the comfort of a boat cruise.
Admire Art & Architecture in Chicago, Illinois
Centrally located with convenient flights from most major cities, Chicago is a great destination for a girlfriend getaway. Known for skyscrapers and impressive art collections, Chicago is a blast in the summer.
Take an award-winning architectural boat tour with cocktail in-hand, paddle past urban views on a kayak and sunbathe on 24 free beaches, some featuring restaurants and live bands. Experience a symphony of sights and sounds doing sun salutations at the Immersive Van Gogh exhibit. Tilt out of a skyscraper over Michigan Avenue at 360 Chicago. Dine with views of Millennium Park at Cindy’s Rooftop or people-watch in the Fulton Market District.
Unwind at Waldorf Astoria, which offers premium pampering at their award-winning spa and fun sweating together in fitness classes. Relax by the heated pool or pop down the street for shopping on the Magnificent Mile.
Plunge in Pools and Shop in Scottsdale, Arizona
Scottsdale’s heat makes it the perfect place to cool off by the pool. This summer, you’ll be able to find plenty of hot deals to match the temperature. The Saguaro Scottsdale is currently offering rooms starting at $89 and hip, retro Hotel Valley Ho is cutting rates by up to 35 percent in honor of their anniversary sale.
Shop via golf cart or scooter and see over 100 pieces of art in Old Town Scottsdale. You’ll find cute coffee shops, six wine-tasting rooms and healthy juice joints. Take a sunset or sunrise hot air balloon ride or cycle your way around town on a pedal pub.
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Live It up With Live Music in Nashville, Tennessee
The Music City is crooning for you to “come on back” and see what they’ve been creating while the world slowed down. This summer, country superstar Miranda Lambert will open Casa Rosa, the first bar and restaurant on Broadway from a female country singer.
The funky, floral Graduate Nashville opened in 2020. A girlfriend getaway wouldn’t be complete without a visit to White Limozeen, the rooftop restaurant, bar and swimming pool inspired by Dolly Parton with pink umbrellas and fuchsia-fringed day beds. When you’re ready to go out on the town, line dancing lessons and tractor tours await.
Galleries and Good Times in Door County, Wisconsin
Grab your gals for a relaxing girls trip to picturesque Door County, Wisconsin. It’s a serene setting to reconnect while wandering the five state parks, exploring the art galleries, tasting fish boils, and watching sunsets over the peninsula. Shop home décor, jewelry, wall art and more at Plum Bottom Gallery and Cappaert Contemporary Gallery. Head over to Hatch Distilling for cool cocktails, One Barrel Brewing for their expansive beer garden, or toast over drinks at Door 44 Winery. Don’t miss Glacier Ledge Restaurant for tapas-style small plates and artisan cheeses.
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