Women jumping for joy on beach/Getty
By Kimberly Wilson
There’s nothing like quality girl time. But while these gatherings are often limited to just a few hours in person or by phone (because, life), there’s nothing like assembling the whole squad for a girlfriend’s getaway. Even if just for a few days, a getaway with the girls is an opportunity to leave your work, your kids and, yes, even your man at home and let your hair down for some girl talk, R&R, fun, sun and everything else in between.
With a little planning, your girlfriends’ getaway can go off without a hitch. We’ve outlined a few tips to have an epic girlfriends getaway that is sure to create memories that will last a lifetime.
WHO: Assemble the squad. This is where you need to be selective. You may want your best girlfriends to come along on this trip, but will they all get along together? Do you have friends who are currently beefing? Are you sure their drama won’t spill over into the group? Personalities are as important as destination when it comes to things to consider while planning a girlfriends’ getaway. Some friends like low-key vacations where they spend all of their time laying in the sun, while others like a jammed packed itinerary of education and culture. Once you know the purpose of the trip — leisure, turn up, education, or wellness – you can make the proper decision regarding who to assemble. Which ties into the next point…
WHERE: Decide what type of vacation the group wants to take. Where is this girls’ getaway taking place? How are you getting there? Are you staying domestic or going abroad? Is it a road trip, or are you hopping on a flight? Will it be a short-haul flight or a long-haul flight? These are just a few of the questions you should figure out before your trip. There’s a huge difference between planning a trip to Los Angeles and planning a trip to South Africa. Once you decide the purpose and destination, it will help with planning logistics.
WHEN: Choose your dates. For professional women, this is often the hardest part. It can often be difficult to get everyone’s schedules to align, so you want to start planning anywhere from six months to a year in advance, depending on the schedules of the group and their obligations. Your single friend with no kids may have a schedule that’s very different from a mother of four. No matter what, commit to making dates stick and agree to not change them. Once people think the dates are “tentative” they may not treat them as seriously on their calendar.
HOW: Set a budget. This is probably the most crucial step in the planning process. Quite frankly, every trip isn’t for everybody. Everyone has different financial commitments and priorities in their lives, so it’s important not to make any assumptions about what people can or cannot afford. While some of your girls may have Maldives money, others may only be able to afford Miami. It’s imperative to keep in mind the range in salaries, lifestyles and commitments, that makes everyone feel comfortable on your trip.
WHAT: Create an itinerary. Now that you’ve figured out where to go and with whom, it’s time to plan what you’re actually going to do when you get there. Having a rough itinerary helps with budgeting and also lets you map out some of the top things to do at your destination. This is especially helpful if you’ll be hopping in between cities so you can plan tours, hotels and other attractions. While you don’t have to follow the itinerary to the letter, it will always be there whether or not you decide to go off course.
ALSO: Dress accordingly. Your group will need to come correct with those squad photos that will break the ‘gram. Looking to do all white ‘fits with a scenic backdrop of Santorini? Yellow bathing suits on a yacht in Monaco? What about matching tees while hiking the Grand Canyon? If you don’t document it, the trip never happened (lol), so make sure everyone knows the dress code.
