I love a good girls trip.
A few days of nothing but enjoying friends, sleeping in, lounging by a pool, getting pampered in a spa, eating great food . . . yes, please!
But, boy, is it hard to make them happen. I mean, have you ever tried to coordinate schedules with a group of busy women?
Yeah. Tough.
I’m here to tell you it’s doable, though. A couple of my close friends and I made a commitment that, unlike “Fetch,” we’ll make yearly girls trips happen.
Last year, we spent a long weekend in Sin City. This year we’re heading to Guadalajara/Tequila/Chapala.
Planning these trips has taught me a couple of things about ensuring we maintain the commitment to ourselves and to each other to keep this beautiful tradition alive.
1. Remain Purposeful
The main ingredient to successfully organizing a girls trip is to be and stay purposeful. I’m always surprised at how easily we can push a “non-essential” item like this to the back burner. But the thing is, it is essential!
Taking the time to rest and connect with other women is so important. It is like chicken noodle soup for the soul . . . and we all need it.
So the most important thing is to be stubborn, to be purposeful about making the time, and to make that girls trip happen no matter what.
You will not regret it.
2. Be Flexible
Life is busy. Kids, a partner, a home, work, schools . . .
We all have a ton on our plates, so be as flexible as possible when it comes to tossing dates around. If there’s something that can be fairly easily moved in your schedule, do it (queue the Ben Stiller GIF). That may end up being the perfect weekend that works for everyone.
» » » » » » RELATED READ: 5 Alternatives to a Moms Night Out for the Busy Mom « « « « « « «
Also, be flexible when it comes to the actual destination. This should be the easiest decision in this whole process. At the end of the day, it is much more important to actually spend that time with each other than the place where it’s done.
3. Lock the Basics
Once you’ve picked a destination and there’s even the slightest agreement on a date, lock it in! Do not let anything get in the way of that window. If you guys don’t make it official, something else will find its way into that time. Book the flights and/or reserve the hotel/vacation home.
If everyone purchases these two things, the trip is pretty much set in stone, and there’s no going back. Woot, woot!
A Few Final Considerations
Once you know the trip is happening for sure and when, relax and enjoy planning the details!
» » » » » RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Weekend Trips to Take to Explore the Southwest « « « « «
Engage with each other and talk about what everyone wants to do during the trip. This is so much fun, and it creates a deep sense of excitement and anticipation.
There are a couple of things that I recommend keeping in mind:
- Put together at least a loose itinerary of activities so that everyone knows what to expect.
- Take the time to create a packing list. Your future self will thank you.
- Do NOT bring your laptop (or anything work-related).
- TRUST that whoever you left in charge of your kids and home will have everything under control during the time that you’re gone.
Ultimately, please remember that it’s much less important if the trip is far or close, if you spend a small fortune or you travel on a budget . . . the details are just fluff.
The true soul of a girls trip is spending dedicated time with women who love, energize, and uplift each other. Because of this, I highly encourage you to round up your favorite women and go on a girls trip!
The opinions expressed in this post are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of El Paso Mom, its executive team, other contributors to the site, its sponsors or partners, or any organizations the aforementioned might be affiliated with.
