You cherish your girl time, of course. Still, with all of your hectic lives, sometimes getting together just for drinks can feel like scheduling in an appointment. With all of your different schedules, what are the odds that you're all free at the same time for cocktails, dinner or a movie? A luxury vacation is a perfect opportunity to re-connect. Picture this: a full week of self-pampering, savoring exotic eats, sipping tropical cocktails at the swim-up bar & building up your tan on a pristine white beach. As if total bliss wasn't enough of a reason, a trip with your BFFs could also be important for your well-being. Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, author of "A Happy You: Your Ultimate Prescription for Happiness," told Woman's Day magazine that medical studies have demonstrated how crucial a bond with other women is to physical & emotional health. Plus, she noted it gives you a chance to help each other address any current issues that you're facing when you get away from daily distractions. Lombardo advises to think of these trips as a "personal tune-up." Here's how to make them work:
Outline your itinerary By planning ahead, you can make sure that no one in the group misses out on something they really want to do. Have an open discussion about particular attractions, activities & events that are of interest & then prioritize based on how much vacation time you have. National Geographic explained that it's important to keep your schedule flexible, though. You might decide to cancel a tour when you stumble upon a hidden authentic restaurant for lunch, for example. Also, it's OK to split up when you need to. If two people want to see a museum & the rest of the group is disinterested, it's totally fine to part ways & meet up at dinner. Plus, you'll have more to share with one another!
Remember to leave room for downtime as well. Though it's tempting to pack in a ton of sightseeing & activities, you don't want to wear yourselves out. After all, the idea of this ladies' luxury trip is to relax.
Assign roles Giving everyone a specific responsibility can make for a much more organized trip. Women's Day explained that a friend who is super Internet-savvy, for example, could be given the task of researching deals on flights & hotels. Meanwhile, the foodie of the bunch can look into restaurants. This lets everyone play to their strengths & also prevents any one person from taking over the trip planning.
So that all your girlfriends are on the same page, Woman's Day suggested making a Facebook page for the trip where everyone can post updates, ideas or questions.
Detailed budgeting The last thing you want to worry about on your girls getaway is money. Therefore, it's crucial that you budget in advance. Women's Day advised being totally up front with one another about your limit & then figure out how the costs will be divided up. Jill Rosenberg, travel spokeswoman for the American Automobile Association New York, told the source that all-inclusive travel is ideal because aspects like meals & entertainment are already paid for, thus eliminating a lot of the financial stress.
One way to deal with budgeting, according to Woman's Day, is to collect all of your receipts for shared expenses, such as gas for the rental car. At the end of the vacation, you can total the costs & divide them up by the number of people in your group to make sure one person hasn't paid more than another.
