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May 21, 2008 8:59 pm US/Central
21 Things To Know About Girlfriend Getaways
1. Girlfriend getaways, where women travel with other women and leave the menfolk home, are booming.
2. There has been a 230-percent increase in the number of women-only travel companies in the past seven years.
3. The phenomenon is not just about bachelorette parties or 20-somethings on Spring Break. It appeals to woman of all age groups, single or married.
4. Women are taking knitting trips, adventure trips and spa trips, and that's just a small sampling. If you have a particular interest, there's a good chance someone has built a getaway package around it.
5. Travel companies are creating women-only trips to domestic and overseas destinations, like India, China, the Bordeaux region of France and Argentina.
6. But you don't have to travel far for a girlfriend getaway. Hotels, resorts and bed-and-breakfasts are welcoming women with goodie bags, unique amenities and special vacation packages.
7. You also don't have to break the bank or blow all of your vacation time to enjoy yourself and the company of your friends. A weekend at a hotel that's just a short drive from home can work wonders for your soul.
8. If you're a suburban woman, a weekend at a hotel in the city might do the trick. You and your friends can sample the nightlife and sights that you keep meaning to visit like an art gallery or the Sixth Floor Museum.
9. The media knows a trend when it sees one: The Fine Living Network launched a series on April 24 called "All-Girl Getaways." There's even a publication called "TravelGirl" magazine, and it's easy to find books on girlfriend getaways at Barnes & Noble or Amazon.com. The Web is a great place to start your search, with plenty of sites dedicated to the trend.
10. Some women feel guilty about taking a vacation without their mates. But the reality is that men often encourage their significant others to travel with other women to enjoy activities that husbands and boyfriends may not be interested in. Plus, a little time spent apart can recharge your batteries, giving you some newfound energy to appreciate that special person in your life.
11. The phenomenon of girlfriend getaways represents a cultural shift. Thirty years ago, women didn't simply didn't vacation without their families.
12. Traditionally, women focused on the happiness and contentment of their families (especially the kids) while on vacation, and not on themselves. Now women are saying, "It's my turn."
13. Because so many women work outside the home these days, they can more easily afford to travel.
14. Woman also view travel as a way to reconnect with childhood friends and college roommates they haven't seen in years, or bond with current friends.
Some of the different kinds of girlfriend getaways include:
15. SPECIAL INTEREST: Niche trips that focus on wine-tasting, running, shopping, museums, culture, or Broadway.
16. LEARNING TRIPS: Trips that include something instructional, such as learning to prepare authentic Moroccan cuisine, creating an individual fragrance in Provence or painting handicrafts with local artisans in Costa Rica.
17. PAMPERING: One of the most popular types of travel among women is a pampering escape, whether it's at a spa resort or a cruise.
18. ADVENTURE: Scuba diving, snorkeling, a horseback trip in Yellowstone, a visit to a working cattle ranch.
19. SIGHTSEEING: Don't want to break a sweat? Take a "softer," more traditional trip to that one particular place you've always wanted to visit.
20. ECO-TRAVEL: "Green" trips in which itineraries avoid mega-hotel chains, opting instead for historic inns, solar-paneled farmhouses and smaller, independent hotels. They include activities like yoga, hiking, surfing and cross-country skiing; trip participants carry non-disposable water bottles and buy food from local farmers.
21.
American Airlines offers the following non-stop destinations from DFW:
Austin; Boston; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Charleston, S.C.; Colorado Springs; Cozumel, Mexico; Denver; Fort Myers; Gulfport/Biloxi; Las Vegas; Memphis; Nashville; Nassau, Bahamas; New Orleans; New York City; Orlando; San Antonio; San Francisco; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Salt Lake City; Seattle
You can find last-minute package travel deals on many of the above cities (and more) from $182* at
aa.lastminute-packages.com.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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