friendship

Who couldn’t use a weekend away with their favorite gal pals? Getting together to come up with girls’ weekend ideas could be just the break you all need. So how do you plan for a girls’ weekend getaway that checks all of your group’s boxes?

Let’s take a look at different options for themes to guide your weekend plans that will make you impatient for Friday to roll around.

The Girls Go Camping (or Glamping)

Whether you just love the aesthetic of the great outdoors or you actually love getting your boots muddy, there’s a camping or glamping experience for you.

Most National Parks have a variety of options that can fit every fitness level or desired amount of immersion. If you just want to do a light walking trail or hang out on a beach, you can find easier, more accessible experiences. If you want to really lose yourself in nature, you can rent a camping site and rough it out in the wilderness together, filling your day with extended hikes, bike rides, or kayaking.

When planning this type of vacation, make sure you’re all on board with the level of ruggedness your trip will have. While some of you might be fine with foregoing a shower for the weekend getaway, others might prefer hotel offers over the mosquito experience.

Plan out your activities so everyone has the same expectations and can fully prepare for the weekend.

Food & Wine Tasting Weekend

Do you and your girls love a good vino? For those who love the finer things, a great girls’ weekend idea involves picking a location and touring the best of its food and wine. Book wine tastings at vineyards and make restaurant reservations to guide your vacation schedule. Some places even give guests a tour of the property and you get a finer appreciation for the craft when you learn how it’s made.

And what is wine without some great food to accompany it? Pick out different restaurants throughout the town or city you’re staying in. Try to sample different types of cuisine so you can give your tastebuds a new experience at every meal. Or consider a Food and Wine festival in a nearby city.

And don’t forget about dessert! Try to find the hole-in-the-wall ice cream shops that offer homemade sweet treats.

Explore a City

Everyone has that one girlfriend who’s never been to the Big Apple. Why don’t you all go to a major city and see the sights? Cities make for a great weekend destination because there’s so much you can do in one day. Here are some great cities to make the destination of your girls’ weekend and what they each have to offer.

Girls’ Weekend Ideas In New York City

NYC: the city that never sleeps. You’ve got everything from the classic tourist traps to the hidden gems to look for during your stay.

If it’s your first time, unabashedly do all the touristy things. There’s no shame in looking up at the twinkling lights in Times Square in awe. It’s pretty amazing.

Here are some things to do in NYC that run the gambit of interesting activities.

• Go see a Broadway show
• Visit Central Park
• See the Statue of Liberty and tour Ellis Island
• Get tickets to Drunk Shakespeare
• Go to the Museum of Modern Art (or any other of the countless museums in the city)
• Head to the New York Public Library

If you’re a cinephile, there’s no end to shows and movies that take place in NYC. Whether you love Gossip Girl, Elf, or Sex and the City, you could make a whole day out of visiting the iconic spots the shows take place in.

Girls’ Weekend Ideas In San Francisco

You got it, dude! San Francisco is the backdrop to Full House and has so much to offer in terms of girls’ weekend ideas.

• Go see the Golden Gate Bridge
• Admire the Painted Ladies
• Take a tour of the Walt Disney Family Museum
• Hike at Lands End
• Ride in an iconic cable car
• Visit Alcatraz Island

If you want a bit of nature during your city trip, it doesn’t take too long of a car ride to get to see a redwood forest.

Girls’ Weekend Ideas In San Diego

Ron Burgundy is just one of the many people who will discuss their love of San Diego. Here’s a starting point when trying to find girls’ weekend ideas at the City in Motion.

• Visit the famous San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park
• Enjoy the beach and preserved nature at La Jolla Cove
• Get some ice cream at MooTime Creamery
• See the Old Point Loma Lighthouse
• Spend the day at Belmont Park

Girls’ Weekend Ideas In Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, right? You don’t need to wait for a bachelorette party to roll around in order to book a flight to Sin City. Whether you’re looking for wholesome fun or a night you won’t remember, here are some options for your Las Vegas girls’ weekend.

• Blow some money in a casino
• Appreciate nature at the Red Rock Canyon
• Visit a prohibition bar
• Get tickets to the Mob Museum
• Go to the Adventuredome Theme Park
• Take a Big Bus Tour
• See the Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition

And the obvious: get wasted with your best friends. Drink responsibly, ladies!

Girls’ Weekend Ideas In Santa Fe

Jack Kelly isn’t the only one to sing the praises of Santa Fe. And you could too if you choose to visit this fine city! Here are some girls’ weekend ideas if you visit The City Different.

• Appreciate art at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum
• Go to the Santa Fe Opera House
• Take in the architecture of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
• See the Palace of the Governors: the building that’s been in public use the longest in America
• Stroll along Canyon Road and appreciate fine art

Nerd-Themed Girls' Weekend

Are you and your friends really into a specific fandom? Do you have a TV show that you all love to watch together? Turn it into a vacation experience!

With sites like Airbnb and Vrbo, you can access all sorts of themed getaways. Because who doesn’t want to stay in a hobbit hole?

There are even sometimes special experiences on there like the Sex and the City apartment that was briefly available.

Even if you don’t grab a themed boutique hotel, you can always plan a trip around a Comic-Con, live music event, or movie premiere. There’s nothing wrong with being nerdy!

Weekend at the Beach

Need to catch some rays and waves? Think of some girls’ weekend ideas for the beach!

There are beaches all along the east coast, from Rhode Island to Key West. And you can just as easily catch ocean views on the west coast as well.

Whether you want to stick to something local or you want to make a road trip, never say no to a long weekend at the beach.

Brainstorming Girls’ Weekend Ideas Is Just the Beginning

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what you choose to do for your weekend away. As long as you’re spending time with the women who matter most to you, any of your girls’ weekend ideas will be a good idea.

Whether you’re checking off bucket list items or just chilling with some wine in hand, the fact that you’re dedicating time to making memories with your ride or die girls is all that matters.