There’s no denying that I’m a bit obsessed with travel. In fact, I am still unpacking from a recent five-day girls’ trip to Austin. But I had an “a-ha!” moment on this most recent vacation, so I’m sharing it. The laundry can wait.
Taking a long weekend girls’ trip has become our annual tradition. This year there were 10 of us—mothers, daughters, cousins, friends. Everywhere we went, people asked where we were from. (Austin’s a super friendly city, y’all!)
One woman in particular, when I told her we were on our annual family girls’ trip, commented: “I wish I could do that.” And it stopped me in my tracks. Because she can. And so can you.
We started out planning small family gatherings to celebrate milestone birthdays; those first girls’ trips didn’t extend past the Twin Cities. One year, my aunt threw out the idea to go on a beach trip, and before we knew it, we were drinking mimosas in Charleston, South Carolina.
Since then, we’ve gone on a pedal pub tour of Nashville and a hot air balloon ride over the deserts of Arizona. This last girls’ trip had us riding Segways around the Texas Capitol building. But it’s not just about exploring a new city or trying fun restaurants instead of cooking in our own kitchens. It’s about reconnecting as a tribe of women—stepping away from our daily responsibilities, reliving our shared history, and getting caught up to speed on our current lives.
Maybe you have a group of high school friends that you haven’t seen in years. Maybe you lost touch with your BFFs from college. Or maybe, like me, you are blessed to come from a long line of strong, independent women who share a love of adventure, trying new things, and seeing new places. Regardless, isn’t it time to give them a call?
Not only do these girls’ trips make me feel closer to the women in my life, they also give me a renewed appreciation for the loving family waiting for me at home. My husband gets some daddy/daughter time with our girls; they miss me, and I miss them. True, there is the aforementioned laundry that awaits me upon return. But it’s a tiny price to pay—taking a few days away gives me a new sense of gratitude for all the blessings under my roof.
With flight miles, VRBO, and TripAdvisor, planning a girls’ trip has never been easier. You are limited only by everyone’s availability (we are already looking ahead to March 2021) and your imagination. But the quote is true: “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.” So maybe start small, but make the calls. Leave the kids and hit a waterpark in the Dells. Go wine tasting in Door County. See a show in Chicago or St. Paul.
It’s not necessarily about where you go. It’s about who you take along with you for the ride.
Need some travel tips or advice on places to go? Give me a shout in the comments below!
