The best girls trips I’ve taken didn’t start with a destination. They started with a group text and a ‘we really need to do this.’ I’ve done the beach weekends and the two weeks in Italy, and I book these trips for other women for a living, so I’ll tell you the part most roundups skip: picking where to go is the easy half. Here’s how to choose a trip everyone’s actually happy with, and where I’d send you first.
That time a group of us started chatting about Thailand, and it turned into an amazing two-week adventure? Or the one where a friend was long overdue for a vacation and I finally convinced her to do a long weekend away? Those are the moments an idea turned into a real trip. I still travel with both of those groups, everywhere from Napa to Nuremberg.
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Why a Girls Trip Hits Different Once You’re 35 (and Past It)Â
Girls trips matter more now than they did at 25, and that’s exactly why they’re worth the effort. At this stage in life, we have different priorities, and we tend to put ourselves last. What changed? Well, there’s careers, kids, aging parents, the calendars that never line up. There’s different discretionary incomes, travel tastes, and ways we all like to spend our free time. You’d think that would make girls trips less important, but it’s actually the opposite.
Instead of looking at girls trips as a splurge or being selfish, think of it as a way to maintain the friendships you want to keep. When we have so much going on in life, our friendships become that much more important, as those are the people we rely on, who bolster us, support us, talk some sense into us, and anything else we need. More importantly, they remind us who we are, at a stage in life when it’s too easy to lose sight of that.
The Girls Trip That Hit Home
A few years ago I was having some health struggles, to the point it was hard to leave the house sometimes. The last thing I wanted to do was get caught out somewhere, but a good friend talked me into a weekend in Catalina, and it was just what I needed.
The fresh air, the slow pace, but more than all that, the camaraderie was all that mattered. She let me cry on the rooftop after hearing not-so-great news from my doctor. She listened as I laid out the options now in front of me. And then she cheered me up with plans for the evening.Â
Can girls trips be fun and carefree? Absolutely. But they can also be good for the soul. Either way, they aren’t frivolous. They’re the things you need to keep going.
Read next: Learn more about why these trips matter more than we admit ->
Where to Go: The Best Girls Trips by the Vibe You WantÂ
Oftentimes when we’re planning a girls trip, we start with where we want to go. But to have fun girls trips, you may want to take a different approach. Start with the feeling you’re after, not the map. Then, the right destination falls out of that. You may love the idea of Morocco, but if your friends want beachside luxury, the expectations won’t align.
Picking where to go is the easy half.
I took a girls trip once and the crew wanted to party all day and all night. As much as I loved them, that just wasn’t my thing anymore. We all still had fun, but I ended up with more solo time by the pool than I had anticipated. It taught me that the best girls trips happen when the vibe matches the tribe.
You know your friends best, and can often tell who’s up for which type of vacay. The one who’s afraid to go to Mexico. The one who can’t spare more than a weekend away. And the one who’s always up for a far-off adventure (that one’s me). Whatever your crew is looking for, you can find it. Here’s a look at some girls trips ideas that fit different vibes.
Beach and Warm Weather Girls Trips
When I think of warm weather or beach vacay with the girls, I see sparkling pools, waves crashing on the beach and cocktails in hand. Big sunhats, flowing sundresses, and glowy skin. It’s where we all can just take a breath, watch the Cabo sun set over the Pacific Ocean, and let a mango margarita melt away our worries. Some of my favorite warm weather girls trips are:
- My San Diego girls trip weekend
- Baja’s hidden gems
- Spring break spots that aren’t Cancun
- Best Winter Escapes for Women Who Hate Being Cold
The Best Cities for Girls Trips
Some friends are more cerebral, or are up for some city exploration. There’s less lying on the beach luxuriating, and more steps and sightseeing. There’s still fun involved, and bonding galore, but this type of girls trip involves discovery and a faster pace. A few reads for inspiration here include:
- Our 15 days through Florence, Cinque Terre, and Venice
- Best Fall Destinations Around the World
- 10 Best Fall Getaways
- The Best Summer Europe Destinations for Women
Adventure and Bucket-List Girls Trips
You know those ideas that seem so big, so crazy, so amazing yet just-out-of-reach? Going to the Galápagos Islands, traversing Nepal, spending a weekend hiking Mt. Whitney. If you’re lucky, you have friends who have the same wild itch for adventure. I’ve been lucky enough to meet these gems, so I know who to turn to when I get the itch to explore far and wide. If you are this person and your crew is too, here’s some places to tee up:
- Chasing the northern lights in Iceland
- A Week in the Galápagos
- A Week in Peru, Including Machu Picchu
- Hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc
- Our mother-daughter safari in Tanzania + Zanzibar Reset
- Swimming with whales in Moorea
Weekend Girls Trips, Close to HomeÂ
The best girls trips don’t need to be grandiose adventures. Sometimes, it’s simply slipping away for a long weekend. Close enough to keep the needs of family and daily life at hand, but far enough to prioritize yourself and time with kindreds. Whether you jump in a car and road trip it (which adds its own layer of bonding, snacks, songs, and gas station stop fun), or hop a flight and dart off somewhere, you’re in for a real treat. Here’s a few girls trip ideas for weekends away:
- The best fall getaways out West
- Day trips from San Diego (easily extended to a weekend)
- Perfect Long Weekend in Palm Springs, easy to do as a group
- Choosing between Palm Springs or Palm Desert for your girls trip
- Wellness weekend at Miraval Austin (or Arizona)
- Let’s go to Vegas, baby – where there’s much more to do than just gamble
Read next: For the full rundown, here’s some more girls trip destinations I’ve actually done. ->
How to Pick a Destination Your Whole Group Actually Agrees On
Have you seen those reels asking which one in the friend group are you? There’s the planner, the foodie who organizes restaurants, and the one who just shows up for a good time. It would be great if all friend groups worked out that way, but the reality is a bit more complex, like us!
Your group may have more than one planner, or people with strong opinions on where to go or where not to go. When it comes down to it, the fight is rarely about the place. It’s about pace, money, and who feels heard. Solve those first, and you’re on the road to arranging a fantastic girls getaway.
My simple filter? Match the group’s real pace before you do anything else. Are we aiming for a go-go-go city adventure, or a relaxing find-a-pool-and-a-book weekend? Locations start filtering out from there.
Money is also a real factor for folks. We all are at different income levels and have different expenses, so how much we can responsibly spend on a vacation differs. You don’t want a friend to drop out because everyone wants the Ritz and they can’t swing it. That’s why you need to have the budget conversation before you book, said out loud, and not assumed.
The biggest group isn’t the best trip.
Another way to get buy-in is to give everyone one non-negotiable they’re excited about. It kills 90% of grudges. One person picks the hotel, another does restaurants. Or, each person picks a different activity for the vacation. On my recent trip to New York with a friend, we each chose a few things we were excited about, and then filled in the gaps when we were there. It was a great balance and we both felt like it was our joint vacation.
That was a girls trip of two, and it was fantastic. I’ve done girls trips as large as six, and I’ve supported people going even bigger. But the more people you add, the more complexity you could get. Think about the different people, personalities and travel styles, and then hone in the invite. Sizing down the guest list to fit the trip is ok, as sometimes the biggest group isn’t the best trip.Â
Read next: For more details, check out how to plan a girls’ trip without losing friends ->
What a Girls Trip Actually Costs
Girls trips come in all shapes and sizes and price points. The good news is you can do it on almost any budget once you’re honest about the trade-offs. The three real cost levers are destination, season, and how you split lodging.
Destinations closer to home eliminate flight costs, which can add up. Traveling in shoulder seasons avoids crowds and can often come with more affordable rates. And hotel choice, or opting for a home rental, can drastically change the budget. All are worth considering as you determine what’s best for you and your crew.
When to Save and When to Splurge
All-inclusive options are out there too, and it may seem like a more cost-effective option. Sometimes, they are. They also have the added benefit of minimizing tracking for food, drinks, and all the little costs that can add up during a trip. But be alert, as not all are actually cheaper.
If value is what you’re after, be sure to look at the rate, what’s included, and how that compares to going a la carte. I’ve done this in Mexico several times, and will only join the all-inclusive if I break even on two out of the three meals/drinks a day. I want to leave room to leave the resort, try restaurants in town, and not feel like I have to stay put to ‘get the most’ out of my all-inclusive package.Â
Value doesn’t mean cheap, either. A great deal on a nice resort may not be ‘cheap’, but if I feel I’m getting more than I’d normally get and it’s still within budget, it’s worth doing. I’m more willing to splurge on accommodations and airport transportation these days. I want a nice place that adds to my vacay experience, and I don’t want to hassle with public transportation the second I land.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve done my cheap girls trips and backpacking trips and loved every minute of it, and for the right destination, I still will. Sometimes, like in Nepal or Mont Blanc, that’s part of what makes the whole trip. It just goes to show you can have an amazing experience at any price point.
Read next: Get more tips on how to save by traveling in shoulder season ->
| Trip type | Per person, all in | What moves the number most |
| Weekend close to home (3–4 days) | $750 to $2,000 | Whether you drive or fly, and how many share the rental. Driving keeps it near the bottom. |
| Beach or all-inclusive (4–5 nights) | $2,000 to $4,000 | Season, and whether meals are bundled. Holiday weeks blow past the top. |
| European city (6–7 days) | $4,000 to $8,000 | Airfare, and shoulder season vs. summer. Summer can add $1,000 on its own. |
| Bucket-list adventure (7+ days) | $3,500 to $15,000 | The operator, and how far ahead you book. Safaris sit at the very top of that range. |
These are the ranges I see booking these trips for clients. Splitting lodging four ways where possible can save everyone more.
How to Plan a Girls Trip Without Losing FriendsÂ
When done right, a good girls trip can solidify bonds for life. I have a group of women that I’ve been traveling with since 2014, and we’re still going strong. Roles and money, handled early and out loud, are what keep the friendships intact.
How do you do this? With a few easy steps. First, name a point person, then actually let her decide the small stuff. Sometimes that’s been one of my friends, other times it’s been me. It doesn’t matter who it is, but that they follow through.
Once you have the trip locked in, tracking money can help a lot. I use Splitwise for shared expenses. It’s an easy app that automatically calculates what everyone owes. Simply input each expense, how it should be split, and the app takes care of the math. No one tallying up after dinner, splitting checks after each meal, or wondering if they were short somewhere along the way. The guesswork is gone.
- Pace. Is this a go-go-go city trip or a find-a-pool-and-a-book trip? Everything else follows from this one, so have it first.
- Money. Say the real number out loud. Not “somewhere around,” an actual per-person range, so nobody drops out later feeling embarrassed.
- The rules. When does everyone commit, what’s the cancellation cutoff, and does anyone get money back? Boring to discuss, miserable to figure out mid-conflict.
Have all three before a single deposit goes down. It takes twenty minutes and saves the friendship.
Setting trip guidelines helps, too. How late people have to cancel, do they get their money back, and when they have to commit by all play a role. If not outlined up front, it can lead to tension (and worst cast, a ruined trip and friendship) later. Outline those parameters early so that everyone stays in sync.
Here’s the part nobody wants to talk about. What happens when someone actually cancels. A parent gets sick, a job blows up, and suddenly the rental you split four ways is a rental split three ways. Decide up front whether the group absorbs that cost or the person canceling covers her share, and write it down where everyone can see it. I also tell every group to buy travel insurance once there’s a nonrefundable deposit involved. It’s the cheapest peace of mind in this whole process, and it turns a canceled trip into an inconvenience instead of a fight.
Another element of girls trips is to have two or three “together” moments, then let the rest of the trip breathe. Some people need their alone time, and that’s ok. It could be connecting with family at home, or simply time to themselves, something they may not get enough of at home. Either way, allowing people time apart and together lets a trip flow more naturally vs having every minute scheduled to a tee. That could inadvertently create tension vs alleviating stress, which is the whole point of a girls trip!
When to Just Hand It Off To Me
If the planning is the thing keeping this trip from happening, that’s the exact problem I solve. I can handle the itinerary, the bookings, the group logistics, and the awkward money math. We start with a complimentary intro call so I can get to know you, your group, and your ideal trip. Then, I’ll follow up with your detailed plan and we can get the trip booked. No stress on your end.
The trip you keep almost-planning is worth more than the perfect one you never take.
People may think, I don’t really need the help, but there’s times when it can be a breath of fresh air to get some expert assistance. Maybe you’re the friend who always ends up planning and you need a break. Or it could be a milestone birthday that seems too daunting to take on. Maybe your group has been “meaning to” go for three years and no one’s had the time. Whatever the reason, there are times when delegating just makes sense.
If you want to talk it through, or already have a trip in mind, give me a shout ->
FAQs
Conclusion
The trip you keep almost-planning is worth more than the perfect one you never take. Pick the vibe, pick the people, and let the rest be figured-out-able, because it is. And if you’d rather hand the whole thing to someone who does this all day, you know where I am.
Wherever you go, however you do it, I want you to have a trip to remember.
Happy travels, kindreds!
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HELPFUL LINKS
Ready to book? Here are my go-to resources for planning a girls trip:
- Work With Me
- Need help planning your 2026 travel? Contact me here for personalized itinerary assistance!
- Want more information on the benefits of using a travel advisor? Learn more here
- Planning Resources
- Italy Tourism Board – Official Italy travel planning resources
- Galápagos Conservancy – more info on the islands
- Splitwise – let the app do the math so you don’t have to
- TripIt – get everyone’s travel plans in one place
- Looking for Travel Inspiration? Follow me and check out my boards on Pinterest