In the past couple of years I’ve done two girls trips, one with one of my best friends Katie, back in 2017, and then one with my two sisters last December. Both were so rejuvenating and empowering for different reasons, and I left both feeling encouraged, myself, and wanting to be better, as a wife, a mom, and human in general.
Katie and I visited Italy for a week in the beginning of November (we found super cheap flights on the flights from home instagram account if you’re interested!). We spent a couple days in Rome, a few days in Florence, and a day in the Cinque Terre. It was so fun and full of adventure. It reminded me how nice it is to just get to be myself, and take care of myself. We got to eat when we were hungry (not when our kids were) and visit a museum when we felt like visiting a museum (not scheduled around work or nap times). We met some amazing people there, appreciated art and culture, ate an astonishingly large amount of gelato, and slept so well after busy days of walking. I came home SO excited to tackle life.
Then with my sisters, Nicky and Kenzie, we visited Portland for a three day weekend. None of us had ever been there before so it was so exciting uncovering a new city. We ate the best food (have you ever been to Pok pok??!!), and explored hikes, bookstores, shops, and markets, like it was our day job. We also didn’t feel bad calling it a night at 7 pm, and making calming night tea barefoot in the hotel lobby, because it was girls weekend, and we were calling the shots! Once again, I came home so happy and inspired.
Here’s a few takeaways from the two getaways I’ve been on to help make a girls getaway the most enjoyable experience:
Just book it!-this is a huge one for me. I am so hesitant to ever leave my kids and Nick. They are my whole entire world, and I’m anxious by nature, so it sometimes takes a literal kick in the pants to get me away from them. With Katie, we booked it through flights from home, so it was a pretty urgent process, (I remember being on the phone with her and her saying “we should just do this right?!” and saying “yes!” and that was that, hers was booked, so I had to book mine too! A quick rip of the bandaid. With my sisters it was the same way, super quick so we could get the best flight deals. Just book it, you will feel a million times better once you’ve done it, and you deserve time away to recoup, relax, and just enjoy yourself and your friends.
Also, I’d like to add that I don’t think a girls getaway has to be exotic to be fun! Camping or backpacking is one of my dream girls trips (doesn’t that sound awesome??). Or even a getaway for a night or two in your town. Just getting away from the regular rhythm of life, for a break, is the important point.
Don’t feel pressure to do the trip a certain way-In Italy, Katie and I skipped a lot of the big touristy things that you have to pay to get in. We wanted to spend our money on time on other things, and that’s ok. That’s what we chose, and it was an incredible trip!
Also, with my sisters, like I mentioned earlier we would head in at 7 pm. Why not go see a movie or go dancing you might ask? Because we were exhausted, and our ideal version of a girls weekend looked like sleeping in a nice big bed, by ourselves (well Kenzie and I shared, haha, but that’s besides the point) and enjoying some relaxing time.
Do some research before you show up– Do some research before you show up and do prioritize the things that are important to you. Don’t overbook yourself.
Bring games or snacks, or books to enjoy in your spare time-My sisters were dying laughing that I brought two DVD’s on our girls trip (apparently most hotels don’t have DVD players like I thought, ha!), but the principle still rings true. Bring things to entertain yourselves while your in the hotel room or on the flight. With both Katie and my sisters I did a face mask, and read a little in my spare time.
Document, document, document– this is so helpful for me to remember all of the fun times, and feel gratitude for them. A photo or video helps me retain a memory so much better than just relying on my own brain power. This way you can go back and watch them on a rainy day to help bolster you up, or lock yourself in your bathroom to look through your photos while your kids are being wild.
And some thoughts from my sisters and Katie:
Go somewhere you can explore but also feel at home-For us I feel like the air bnb made things homey slash we have both been to Italy before. Yet exploration with a different country, long flights, navigating different cities, and new food, made it exciting. -Katie
Know your skills-One person might be better at researching and finding hidden gems, one person might be a better navigator. Everyone has something different they bring to the table so use and appreciate those things. -Katie
Get some outdoor loving (aka spend lots of time outside) -Kenzie
Be intentional about who is coming– You want to have a good time but also know who is coming and their limits. Some people might prefer a beach trip, or need to bring their babies. If you are intentional about who is coming, it will help make it the best experience possible. -Katie
Leave your baby behind if possible. – It is so nice to have a little break! -Nicky
Immerse yourself in wherever you’re going– I was thinking back to when I visited Bali, and if I was too scared to ride one of the motorcycles, I couldn’t have seen 1/16th of the stuff we saw! Immerse yourself to really see and experience the culture. -Katie
Do you have any tips you’d like to add to ours??
Love this! I do love a good girls trip! Pedicures on the beach, matching robes/jammies, good food and lots of sharing & talking!