How to plan a girl’s trip they’ll never forget
When I moved to Utah I was unexpectedly adopted into a fantastic group of friends. Luckily, over the years these friends continue to hold me hostage in the most loving and delightful way. We attempt to meet up once a month for dinner and try to take a trip together once a year, even if it’s short. Hashtag MOMLIFE. The pandemic paused all our plans but we just had our first girl’s trip together in a long time and I got to jump right into my favorite thing: trip planning!
Here’s the thing, I love to plan trips. I hate to leave home but love trip planning, go figure. Finding a location, activities, and something special for each trip participant brings me incredible joy. I use my skills as a kinda-middle-child when it comes to trip planning. The goal is to include everyone and have something specific for each travel buddy to enjoy. Core memories for everyone!
It can feel like a lot of responsibility but if you break it down you make planning your trip a less daunting task. Here are my tips and strategies for planning a girl’s trip they’ll never forget – because it’s so fun, and not disastrous!
Location
I like to choose a destination that none of us have experienced before. Exploring a new place is fun especially, together.
Choose a mode of transportation and radius in accordance with the group budget and then see what places stand out to you. Then, narrow your options down more by choosing beach, lake, city, camping/glamping, a specific state and season, etc. Above all, if there’s something specific you want your group to do together you can plan your trip around that.
Further, get a feel for a place by plugging it into Pinterest to see what comes up. Pinterest is a great resource to help get a feel for what a place has to offer.
Accommodations
Where to stay doesn’t have to be an afterthought but can be part of the whole girl’s trip experience. Outside of staying at a regular old hotel there are a lot of intriguing options. If you can check off someone’s bucket list by choosing somewhere exceptional to stay, bonus!
Accommodation options to check out:
Treehouse
Train car
Cabin
Penthouse
Yurt
Covered Wagon
Igloo
Geo-dome
Camper van
RV
B&B
Converted Silo
Houseboat
Ranch
Glamping
Cruise
Experiences
Each individual in your group has their own personal interests as well as preferences, this is where you consider those. In my group there are a lot of interests, however, finding a middle ground to provide an experience for everyone isn’t as difficult as it initially seems.
For example, in April 2019 5 out of 9 of our group went on a spur-of-the-moment 4-day road trip to Long Beach, California. Essentially, each activity we did was a first for someone, if not for the majority and that was for sure, intentional.
Some of the things we did include:
A day at California Adventure theme park
Hydrobiking – almost went parasailing
Drove on Route 66
7 Magic Mountains, Nevada
The Las Vegas sign
Alien Fresh Jerky
Saw the world’s largest thermometer
Elmer’s Bottle Tree Ranch
Since it’s a good idea to know your group in order to consider the best activities, send out a group questionnaire if you need more info from your gang. It’s a fun way to prepare but also to get everyone excited about the trip.
Delegate
Planning a trip can be a lot of work however, each member of your group can also play an active role in your trip beyond showing up. Remember, you don’t need to plan it alone. Assign tasks in advance to suit them or of course, let them pick what they’d like to do.
Roles to consider filling:
Restaurant picker
Playlist compiler
Audiobook/podcast selector
Driver
Snack provider
Game leader
Dinner planner/cook
Photo collector
Accommodation booker
Make the memories
Whether your trip is for relaxation, partying, or a combination of all these things, enjoy yourself! Take photos, be flexible, and make the most of the break you have with your friends. Don’t be shy, jump in the photo, and make the memory together.
Lastly, once the trip is over relive the good times by printing out your favorite snaps. Journal them or put them in an album to revisit over the years. They deserve to be treasured!
