How to Have a Great Girlfriend's Getaway: Tips and Ideas
I have been planning & co-planning vacations with my friends for a long time (like, decades...yikes!). I've learned a lot from these experiences, so I'm passing along ideas and suggestions that will help make your girlfriends' trip unforgettable. Whether you're looking to relax on the beach or explore a new city, I've got you covered. So sit back, relax, and get ready to plan the best girlfriend's getaway ever!
We celebrated our 40th birthdays with a trip to Martha’s Vineyard.
Gather your girls. The first step in planning a great vacation is getting the right group on board. Talk to your friends and see who's interested in going. Once you have a good idea of how many people are participating, start thinking about what kind of trip you’re all in the mood for.
Figure out when everyone is available. The next step is to figure out when everyone can go. This will help determine what type of vacation you can take. TIP: I am a big fan of online scheduling tools like Doodle, where you can create a poll where everyone can share their availability. That way, you can quickly & easily see the dates that work for everyone!
Set a budget. Now that you know who's going and when, it's time to set a budget. This will help determine where you're vacationing. There is no need to go into too much detail – just ballpark the cost so everyone has an idea of what they're working with.
Choose a destination. Once you have your dates and budget in mind, you'll need to choose a destination that everyone will enjoy. Whether you're looking for a relaxing beach vacation or an exciting city trip, make sure the location is right for your group. You don't want anyone feeling left out or bored! TIP: in the past, my girlfriends and I went through a proposal process where we each proposed a destination and explained why we thought it would be a good choice for the group. Then, we voted on the one we liked the best. Not only did it give us an excuse to get together to discuss our trip, but it also helped everyone to feel like they had a say.
Crossing off some bucket-list destinations with my ladies.
Call for backup. Somewhere around now would be a good time to enlist the help of a travel advisor that specializes in girlfriends' getaways. I can help you find the perfect destination, plan out all the details, and even recommend activities for your group. Plus, I can keep everyone organized and on track – you don't want to be responsible for making sure everything goes according to plan. Outsource that to a professional! Click HERE to get started.
Give everyone a job. In my experience, this part is key! Once you have your destination and dates set, it's time to start dividing up the responsibilities. The number of roles needed will depend on the size of your group and where you're going, but here are some of the most common:
Someone to work with the travel advisor--having more than one person communicating with your travel advisor causes confusion.
Someone in charge of money (this one is important--see the next tip)
Someone in charge of restaurants--my clients have the option of having me do this for them, but someone needs to find restaurants that will work for your group and get reservations if they're available.
Someone in charge of food & drinks--this is a very important role, as it ensures nobody gets "hangry." You'll need a selection of easily accessible snacks & beverages to have on hand in your hotel room or villa.
Someone in charge of entertainment--this is highly dependent on where you're going, but someone can be in charge of putting together playlists, bringing portable speakers to use by the pool, packing some fun games, or bringing the necessary equipment for a movie night.
Someone in charge of memories--this person makes sure they're taking lots of photos & videos during the trip, and they make sure everyone shares their pics & vids with the rest of the group. If this person is an overachiever, they also facilitate making & ordering the photo album.
Someone in charge of fashion & other goodies--this person takes a look at the itinerary and makes sure everyone knows what to pack. Perhaps they choose an evening for everyone to wear a particular color. Or maybe they get everyone matching hats to wear poolside. They might also arrange for goody bags or favors for the group, like lip gloss, jewelry, water bottles or robes.
The number of roles depends on the details of your trip, and how many girls are going with you, but this way everyone knows what they're responsible for – no one is left out.
Make a money plan. This is another important one, especially if you're not all on the same page budget-wise. How are you going to pay for things and make sure no one gets stuck paying more than their share--especially when it comes to food & drinks? TIP: I have a couple of different approaches:
One option is to estimate how much money you'll be spending per person, per day. At the beginning of the trip, everyone deposits this amount into the "kitty" (for example, 5 girls on a 5 day trip estimate spending $100 per person each day...$2500 goes into the kitty). The person in charge of money uses these funds to pay for things throughout the trip. If the kitty runs low, everyone contributes more and if there is any left over, it’s split evenly between everyone.
Another option is to utilize an app like Splitwise. This is an easy way to keep track of who-paid-for-what, and who-owes-who. Instead of splitting a restaurant check 12 ways, one person can put it on their card, put it into the app, and everyone will remember who to pay and how much. Splitwise does all of the calculations for you, so you don't have to spend time trying to do math while you're on vacation.
Decide how you’ll handle the group’s finances ahead of time so there's no drama when it comes time to pay up.
Finally...
Pack your bags! The day has finally arrived and it's time to pack your bags for vacation. Make sure to enjoy this time with your girlfriends, and start brainstorming for the next trip!
