Tip #1 :: Choosing the perfect cruise line

The first of the Cruise Tips I have for you is in choosing a cruise line. Why? Because they all differ in personality. If you stop to consider what vibe suits you best you will be guaranteed a great time because it will fit your personality.

It has to be said that all of the cruise lines try and provide something to please everyone. But trust me when I tell you :: it is possible to wind up on a cruise ship with food that you’re not happy with, entertainment that doesn’t suit you and people with whom you have nothing in common. There’s nothing worse.

And that’s why my number one cruise tip is to choose your cruise line first. And I always advised that you do your research well in advance. I’ve taken four different cruise lines over the last 30+ years and these are the ones I am sharing with you ::

Carnival 

Known as the “Fun Ships” Carnival seems to be especially focused on pleasing the party-goers, singles and families with children and they make it more affordable so the cost fits into the budget of this demographic. And with the fun also comes a lot of noise. Yes, Carnival ships can get loud. But if you’re all about the fun, that will be perfect for you. They provide a party atmosphere out by the pool all day and night.

Carnival sails to :: Alaska, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal, Transatlantic and Transpacific.

Carnival’s main dining room food quality is fine and it is all included in the price of your cruise so if you don’t like something you can always ask for something else. It’s a lot of fun when you go with a large group to dine together every night. And if you are traveling as a couple you can eat at your own table or ask to be seated with a larger group for dinner. It’s a great way to meet new people. But just remember you will be dining with these same people every night.

There are lots of other food venues on board that are included in the price of your cruise as well such as the ever popular Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint, 24-hour pizza on the Lido deck and many others. When we traveled with our family we spent a lot of time on the Lido deck because who doesn’t like fresh, homemade pizza? They provide lots of choices for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Royal Caribbean

The cost of an RCCL cruise won’t break your bank depending, of course, on what type of cabin you choose and if you opt out of the specialty dining venues they offer. Their large ships never seem crowded no matter where you go even though their largest ship accommodates 6600 passengers and 3000 crew members.

RCCL sails to :: Alaska, Arabian Gulf, Asia, Australia, Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada/NE, Caribbean, Europe, Pacific Northwest, Panama, South Pacific, Transatlantic and Transpacific.

The entertainment on board is fabulous – their broadway productions are magnificent. The main dining room food quality is good. Their specialty dining restaurants are great.

Celebrity

Celebrity sails to :: Alaska, Asia, Australia/NZ, Bermuda, Canada, Caribbean, Dubai, Europe, Galapagos, Hawaii, Pacific Coast, Panama Canal, South America, Transatlantic and Transpacific.

With moderate cruise pricing they also offer good main dining room food quality. I would rate them a notch above Royal Caribbean for their food. And their itineraries are pretty spectacular.

They have a tendency to cater to the the older British crowd out of the UK (we left out of Southampton) where the entertainment is also focused on the Brits. That’s what we discovered at least. But it’s party time almost anywhere else.

We took Celebrity Equinox out of Istanbul when they still included that port. Since the US Embassy bombing in Ankara in 2003 cruise lines have removed Turkey from their itinerary altogether. But this was truly the best cruise I’ve ever taken. Istanbul to Barcelona and 12 stops in between. I would do it again in a heartbeat. And Celebrity was the perfect cruise line for it.

Norwegian

Norwegian sails to :: Africa, Alaska, Asia, Austrialia/NZ, Bahamas, Canada/NE, Caribbean, Europe, Hawaii, Mexico, Pacific Coast, Panama, South America and Transatlantic.

The Norwegian cabins have a tendency to be a bit smaller than the average cruise ship but you won’t be able to tell. We couldn’t. Their main dining room food quality is better than average as is their on board entertainment. They have really stepped up their game when it comes to on board entertainment. Their ship Norwegian Bliss even has a race track!

I loved cruising with Norwegian – we’ve taken the Escape and the Epic and they were both fabulous!

So there you have the run down on four of the top cruise lines IMHO and the ones I personally have experience with. I have enjoyed each one and they each have their strengths so it just depends on what you are looking for in a cruise. But wait, I have more cruise tips for you ::

Tip #2 :: Choosing the perfect ship

Choosing a ship is my next priority and one of the most important of my cruise tips for you. It’s probably because I’ve had so many to compare that I am more persnickety about the ship I want to take on my next cruise. Once you’ve sailed a few times you realize what you like and what you don’t like so my opinions come from my experience ::

SIZE / AGE

I have found that the size and age of the ship is the number one priority for me. Yes, destinations are important too but if the itinerary is great and the ship is old and doesn’t have all the amenities I like having then it makes for a dull time while at sea. The newer ships tend to be not only larger but also have better amenities onboard to make the cruise much more fun.

The smaller ships can get to places the larger ships can’t such as rivers and canals. But they are also not as stable as the larger ships so you will feel the movement of the waves a lot more. And I find that they also target an older crowd with less amenities than do the larger ships.

CLASS

The class of the ship also determines how much will be available to you while you are onboard. The higher the class the more expensive but also the more comfortable and luxurious your experience will be. Many times the class will also determine the ship’s age.

AMENITIES

Amenities are important if you are going to spend any time at sea at all. For instance, depending on the destination, on a 7-day cruise you could be spending half of the time at sea. And if your options only include a crowded pool outside or crowded restaurants inside you may not enjoy your cruise as much as a larger ship. Consider how much you would be willing to spend to upgrade your class of ship so that amenities are plenty.

Tip #3 :: Choosing the perfect itinerary

It almost isn’t as important to me to choose the specific itinerary because once you decide what kind of cruise you want there are so many different ports you have to choose from each hold something special and many different options. I’ve been to the same ports two or more times and I always find new places to explore so consider this as another one of my important cruise tips ::

DESTINATIONS

Whether you want to spend your port time in the water or on a beach or taking land excursions, choosing your destination is very important. Take time to explore all the different options, there are many!

TIME OF YEAR

Just as above and of course very important when considering a cruise, you will want to keep the time of year in mind. Before June and after September you can expect cooler weather and even some rain and the ocean water tends to be colder in places like Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean. I don’t think a little rain is always a bad thing, especially in places like Pompeii or Athens where the heat can be overwhelming. But just consider that when choosing the time of year for your cruise.

PORTS

Consider the location you will be sailing out of. West Coast, East Coast or even a destination port. Because that can be really fun!

LENGTH OF CRUISE

Cruise length ranges anywhere from 3 days to 21 days on a regular cruise itinerary so one of my tips is to consider length. It all depends on where you want to go and what your budget is. Personally I have taken so many cruises that a 3-day cruise seems just too short. Sometimes even 7 days isn’t long enough for me anymore. My personal preference is a 14-day cruise or longer. And I love Europe and the Mediterranean so that time frame is perfect for those destinations.

Also consider how much time you prefer to be at sea as opposed to stopping at ports. There are lots of activities on board a larger ship in case you are spending several days at sea. But if you’re an adventurer you may opt for a cruise that includes several ports. There is no wrong or right. The choice is yours. But one of my tips for choosing a cruise is to consider how much time you want to be at sea.

EXCURSIONS

You can choose and reserve your cruise excursions when you are onboard your ship but one of my tips would be not to waste your precious vacation time doing this. There are always very long lines for Guest Services because other people haven’t planned ahead and booked online. I suggest you do all of your research prior to your cruise and book your excursions well ahead of time. You will have more choice before they are sold out and you can enjoy your cruise time doing fun things on board.

Another one of my tips is to spend time doing some research and trying to find reputable cruise excursions by companies who are not necessarily affiliated with your cruise line. Chances are your excursion will be cheaper and many times you can find a better choice for you and your friends/family. Make sure you do careful research on the company offering excursions. Although there are many reputable ones, there are also some that are not. Cruisecritic.com is a valuable forum resource where you can get others’ recommendations of excursions you are thinking of booking. My personal preference is finding local companies to those offered by the cruise line. It is their business to show you a great time and get you back to the ship in plenty of time. We have experienced some fantastic excursions by researching those with rave reviews and high ratings found on cruisecritic.com and tripadvisor.com.

Tip #4 :: Choosing the perfect cabin

When it comes to a cabin it really is a personal preference. When I cruise I like my cabin to feel like I’m at home so another one of my tips is to consider what kind of cabin you’d like. I prefer a higher middle deck and I prefer a balcony because of the views and the fresh sea air. But if you’re not picky and you want to keep your budget to a minimum you may opt for an inside cabin. Again, the choice is yours ::

LOCATION

The location of your cabin may be important to you if you have a tendency to have motion sickness. Low and middle is my recommendation if the “sway” of the ship will hinder your ability to have a good time and/or sleep.

If motion sickness is not a problem, consider the area of the ship you will be spending a lot of your time. Go online and check out the map of your ship. If you like to go to the pool, try and get a room nearer to that side of the ship so it will be easy and less time-consuming getting to and from your room. If you want a great view of the sunrise, sunset or land check out the route of the ship to see what side of the ship will give you the best views.

TYPE

There are several choices of cabins available depending on your budget and your preferences. Inside cabins are the cheapest rooms available but you will not have a view and they have a tendency to feel smaller and closed in without windows. The cabin choices go up from there all the way to outside and balconies and suites. Think about what’s important to you when traveling and make sure to choose something that will be comfortable for you. This is definitely one of my best cruise tips. Don’t just go for cheap :: the difference is only dollars so be sure you get what you will be comfortable in.

CLASS

There are also different classes of cabins, some that come with concierge and/or butler service. If that is important to you make sure to look into how much extra it will cost and if it makes sense for your budget.

Tip #5 :: Choosing the perfect embarkation location

I really enjoy taking my time and arriving at my cruise port at least a day early. Sometimes I even arrive 3-5 days early especially if it’s a location I’ve never been to before. And there’s also the option of lengthening your vacation by staying longer. One thing I’d love to do is take back-to-back cruises but I have yet to experience that so I can’t give you input on that. So here is what I recommend ::

CITY

When choosing a cruise take into consideration where you will be embarking. The port city may be near other things you are interesting in doing or seeing. Some cruises will embark in one city and disembark in another city. That might be an option. But be sure you check to see which itineraries offer what you prefer.

PROXIMITY

How far is your cruise port from where you live? Take into consideration the cost for your flights and/or other transportation you will need to pay for before even getting onto your cruise ship. And if you are driving make sure you check out where is the best place to park your car for the time you’re gone. They do have parking at the port but from what I hear it is much more expensive than the off-site parking lots, some of which provide shuttles to the port.

Tip #6 :: Planning fun before and after

Once you have chosen your cruise line, destination, ship, destination, cabin and embarkation point you can start researching and planning your time before and after your cruise. This is one of my favorite cruise tips! Take your time :: it’s your vacation so make it last as long as you can!

LODGING

It is good to stay in lodging that is in close proximity to the port, dining options and with other interesting places within a short drive or walking distance to enjoy. Whether you choose a hotel, resort or AirBnb is up to you. Many hotels offer shuttle service to the port or you can take an Uber if they don’t. If you’re near by it won’t cost much.

OUTINGS

Try to find some great things to do that are not far from your hotel. Having a pool at the hotel is always a great way to start relaxing. I chose an Escape Room for us to experience prior to our cruise out of Miami. It was a lot of fun. We also ate at some great restaurants nearby that feature Latin food to get us in the vacation mood.

When we traveled to Istanbul to start on our 14-day Eastern Mediterranean cruise we arrived 4 days early to explore Istanbul itself. And when we disembarked in Barcelona we spent several days there as well. It is so much fun to take advantage of the cities in which you’ve never been before. I mean, who knows if you’ll ever have the chance to return? May as well take advantage of being there if you have the time, right?

I hope some of my cruising tips will give you food for thought as you begin planning! I’m so excited for you because whether this is your first time or you’re a veteran cruiser, I know you will have an absolutely fabulous time!

Let me know if cruising is in your plans for the near future and if some of my tips have helped you to decide some of the details!

Bon Voyage!

Read More ::

Girls Trip :: Come, Let’s Sail Away

How to Pack a Carryon For a Cruise in 10 Easy Steps

Ultimate Guide to Symphony of the Seas

Best Travel Tips After 30 Years of Traveling

The post 6 Cruise Tips to Help You Choose the Perfect One appeared first on Where in the World is Louise?.

We may not realize how important female friendships are… but they really are. We need friends who will help us navigate through the good times and difficult times in life. Whether it’s one best girlfriend or many, we need girl friendships to help make life better just by having them. There are so many benefits :: we make memories or recall those special moments that make us smile or laugh so hard until tears stream down our face, we need hugs of encouragement and joy throughout this crazy life, we need advice in times of difficulty and mostly give us justification to be US. Our girlfriends appreciate us for who we are.

There are so many more reasons to have your besties by your side of course but I’ve come up with at least eight things I find you absolutely must make time for ::

1. Let loose :: It’s important to be able to completely be yourself. Life can be difficult at times. But when you’re with your girls you can forget about your cares and enjoy each other’s company and just be silly.

2. Personal one-on-one time :: girl time is imperative. On our cruises we have breakfast together every morning on our adjoining balconies (in this pic we were waiting for them to take down the partition), catch up on our lives, uplifting one another, sharing spiritual unity, giving each other facials and venting about our family life… there is much, much more. Spending time together is the main thing.

3. Girls just wanna have fun :: it’s always a good time to dance, singing along with songs from the past that bring you back to your younger days, hanging out in the hot tub or pool, snorkeling and boating, laying out on the beach. We don’t need a reason to have fun.

4. Get dressed up and blinged out :: getting gussied up and looking fancy is always a great idea when the girls get together. It’s so much fun! Whether it’s dinner or a show, a celebration or just because.

5. To remind you that you’re not only one person with the one you’re with :: your girls allow you to be who you are, who you are meant to be, encouraging you to rise to the occasion of being you and not disappearing into the wife/girlfriend of him. Be you. Without a care in the world.

6. Girls are still your soul mates whether or not you’re with someone. Boys don’t understand your “girl”-ness and never will. Your girls do. They think the same way you do and will give you a perspective from a girl’s point of view that is impossible from him. Your soul mates understand you like no boy can.

7. Your girls keep you true to yourself :: there’s no need for pretenses, your girls keep you grounded. Laugh until you cry and maybe even almost to the point of peeing your pants about things that boys have no understanding of. We laughed every minute of every day, from the minute we woke up until the moment we fell asleep. Laughing is good for the soul and for your health. And being reminded and excepted for who you are makes life so much better.

8. Make more friends everywhere you go :: every excursion, every dinner, every night at the casino and at the bar. We had a woman in Puerto Rico stop us to say that our joy is contagious and she wished she was on vacation with us. She wasn’t the only one. At an otherwise uptight dinner venue on board we turned a stuffy night into a night of laughter and had the tables around us laughing with us. Or just waiting for our room (like in this picture) there are lots of people around us that want to be friends! There are lots of opportunities to meet new people and infect them with your joy.

In a previous post 10 Best Girlfriends Getaways in 2019 I mention taking a cruise as one of the best trips to take with your girlfriends. But there are lots of other things you can do so check it out!

So here is the itinerary of our Girls’ Trip 2019 to give you an idea of how you can plan yours! Ours consisted of a 7-day cruise to St. Maarten, Puerto Rico and Haiti sailing out of Miami so we arrived a couple of days early to make the most of our time together ::

Day 1 we arrived in Miami, all met up at the airport (from all four time zones :: California, Idaho, Minnesota and Pennsylvania) and Uber-ed to our hotel. Dinner next door to the hotel at Sergio’s Cuban restaurant after an exhausting day of travel. Talking into the early morning hours just catching up…

Day 2 in Miami we spent all day poolside catching up some more. Lunch by the pool and then dinner at an amazing Peruvian restaurant Cvi.che 105. OMG the food there was uh-MAY-zing! I’ve never had ceviche this way before and they have a full menu of many other choices of Peruvian deliciousness.

Then we did an Escape Room afterwards. We arrived late (it takes more time catching up than you realize!) and didn’t get out in time. Boo. Again a late night but So. Much. Fun!

Day 3 we boarded Royal Caribbean’s (RCCL) Symphony of the Seas (SoS). I have a separate post about this ship, the largest in the world, because it is absolutely incredible. Check it out! We hung out in a latin salsa bar called Boleros until our rooms were ready.

We then attended the poolside Sail Away Party where there happened to be a group of girls and their mothers celebrating their Quinceanera. There must have been about 20-25 14-year-old latin girls and their mothers (no men allowed, apparently) who danced the cruise away. It was the biggest and best Q party they could have ever had! And we enjoyed watching them enjoy this important celebration of life.

Dinner at Wonderland. OMG I need a separate post on this specialty restaurant. I think I’ll do that! Because this is truly an experience I highly recommend should you decide on an RCCL cruise on the SoS!

I had to include this video of the Chocolate Bomb we enjoyed… probably one of the best desserts I’ve ever had in my life… Oh. Em. Gee!!!

The balloon drop at midnight was crazy fun and we sang along to music from our past and to which we danced for the last couple of hours of the day. The band was pretty terrific! As if that wasn’t enough we then spent time in the casino and ate pizza at around 3am before heading up to our cabin. Yes, we were exhausted!

Day 4 we leisurely explored the ship, had our lunch in the Solarium (adults only) for lunch and laid out in the sun in our own cabanas most of the day. We attended an Art Auction wherein two in our group purchased some beautiful pieces.

We enjoyed our dinner at 150 Central Park specialty restaurant (this is the stuffy place I mentioned earlier). The food was magnificent and the staff was wonderful as well. We ended up closing the place down. LOL!

We then went back to Boleros to watch the salsa dancing again – those girls and their families had so much fun every night! Such a blast! We ended the night in the casino and pizza, of course.

Day 5 we had our breakfast and long, long meaningful discussions on our adjoining balconies…

…lunch at Park Cafe (our fave)…

…and then a slot tournament and bingo.

We had our dinner in the Main Dining Room (the only day we ate here LOL!!!)…

…and then attended the first of four shows onboard :: Hairspray. It was a fabulous Broadway performance and every bit quality! Back to the casino and pizza at 2am before heading to bed.

Day 6 was our 3rd day onboard and our first port stop :: St. Maarten – we took a private snorkel adventure with Captain Alan to 3 islands with Elisa and Jervais ::  Ile Tintamarre, Creole Rock, Ilet de Pinel – had a simple yet delicious lunch of sandwiches, salad and fruit onboard between the stops.

After re-boarding SoS we freshened up and were so tuckered out that we opted for a casual dinner at Johnny Rockets for hamburgers and fries – just the ticket! We finished the night at the casino bar meeting some people who were playing craps. He grew up in Long Beach and now lives in Orange County in Southern California with his family! It’s a small world.

Day 7 was our 2nd port :: Puerto Rico :: where we took a coach tour of old and new San Juan.

We did a little shopping at an outdoor market and had lunch at a recommended restaurant Mojitos and had mofongo for the first time.

Here is the woman we met that I spoke about earlier who wanted to join our group. She came to hang out with us for a while.

Once back onboard the ship we had dinner at Chops Grille specialty restaurant…

…and attended our second show Hiro which is an aquatic performance. Amazing!

Afterwards we went to Dazzles to see a Beatles tribute by the main band who also played at the balloon drop the first night. We actually came back later that night when everyone was gone and talked until the cleaning crew came in and worked around us.

Day 8 we docked in Labadee, Haiti which is owned by RCCL and we had another snorkel adventure, a nice lunch provided by RCCL there (while watching the zip-liners zip by over us) and leisurely shopping for souvenirs.

Back onboard we freshened up and had time to just hang together in our adjoining cabins until dinner which we grabbed at the Solarium Bistro and took out with us to eat in Central Park.

Afterwards we enjoyed the fabulous Ice Skating Show. They used 40 drones in the opening of the show which was pretty spectacular! And after that we stayed for the Battle of the Sexes game as well as the Quest game. Very entertaining! We ended up back in the casino and pizza again in the early morning hours.

Day 9 was our final day at sea. We had breakfast in the Windjammer, played our final slot tournament. I got in the finals but then lost. Boo!

We finally caught up with the traveling piano man, had lunch at Park Cafe (our very fave) and watched the Flowriders for a while. Then we spent time chatting it up with the girls in the jacuzzi.

In the evening we attended “Flight – Dare to Dream” which is an original RCCL production chronicling the evolution of air and space travel and which included for the first time in history on stage :: zero gravity (as you can see in the video above)! It was absolutely magnificent!

And if that wasn’t enough they used 3-D technology to fly this biplane over the audience. Absolutely breathtaking show!

To read more about this production and all the productions on Symphony of the Seas, click here. It is totally worth taking SoS if only for their stage productions if not every other state-of-the-art technologies they use throughout the ship!

After the show which was completely unmatched, we had a very low-key dinner in the Solarium Bistro and couldn’t stop talking about the amazing shows and ship we had experienced all week. We spent our last night in the casino and casino bar with our new found friends and had our last pizza night before bed. A tradition we just couldn’t break.

Day 10 we disembarked, the easiest disembarkation ever, by the way, RCCL does an amazing job of getting us out seamlessly! We found our way to the Uber station along with 4000 other people! That was a crazy experience! Trekking through the crowds and finding our Uber driver was a challenge but we did it! We ate at the Front Porch in South Beach before heading out to the airport to meet our flights.

Such a wonderful girls’ trip and the perfect vacation for us all to catch up, laugh, get silly, make friends, renew our friendships and have an absolutely fun time! 

It’s funny that I am actually the only one in our group who doesn’t drink alcohol. That was absolutely no deterrent to our enjoyment. Luckily I have no inhibitions and don’t need alcohol to let go and get a little crazy. And luckily my friends are not the type to get inebriated and sloppy and inappropriate. All on a vacation of fun and letting go and being unafraid of doing and saying anything without judgement. These are the kinds of girlfriends we all need. 

I encourage you to find them and start the tradition of girls’ trips on a regular basis. Or if you live in different time zones like our group, set intended dates of getting together on girls’ trips throughout the year. Whether it’s once a year or every other year like we do, just make sure to do it. You will be so glad you did!

**Warning :: You will need a vacation to recuperate from your girls’ trip … it took me a couple of days to adjust to my “real” life. LOL! But I can’t wait for the next one!

Read More ::

10 Best Girlfriends Getaways in 2019

How to Pack a Carryon For a Cruise

My Favorite Travel Products :: Top 50

The post Girls’ Trip :: Come, Let’s Sail Away! appeared first on Where in the World is Louise?.

Whether you’re single or married or have a family there is no better time to be had than when you gather up your besties for Girlfriends Getaways. Whether it’s just for a long weekend or even better if you can manage an entire week, I highly recommend taking time in your busy life to slow down with your girls for a great time to breathe, re-energize and find yourself again.

In no particular order these are just some ideas to inspire you ::

#1 :: Eat Beignets in New Orleans

Of course there is much more to do in N’awlins than eating beignets but it sure is a great place to start! Cafe du Monde is iconic in the French Market and Cafe Beignet serving what they call the “original” beignets is competition for sure. But it doesn’t really matter where you go because You’re in New Orleans with your girls!

Go out for breakfast in one of the many adorable restaurants and cafes in town. Enjoy a self-guided walking tour through the Garden District and take in the history and architecture that IS New Orleans.

Have a muffuletta and red beans and rice for lunch and gumbo for dinner in that good ole N’awlins style.

Go out at night and listen to some really great jazz on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter…

…or go to a piano bar and sing along!

New Orleans. One of the great girlfriends getaways for sure.

#2 :: Go snorkeling in Belize

You may not know but Belize has the second largest coral reef in the world. And snorkeling it is pretty amazing. Unbelievable underwater beauty for sure.

There are lots of other options in Belize however :: visit the Mayan Ruins, eat some jerk chicken, snorkel with Manatees at Ambergris Cay, take a helicopter over the Blue Hole (way pricy at $500+ per person but if it’s on your bucket list I hear it is well worth it)…

Of course you can just as well lay on one of their beaches and soak up the sun…

…and enjoy a Belizian daiquiri… that won’t cost much!

And when you’re surrounded by your girlfriends it can be one of the best getaways ever!

#3 :: Tour Magnolia Silos in Waco

Even if you’re not necessarily into Joanna and Chip you will have so much fun at The Silos! Shop for the cutest housewares, get ideas for your own home…

…eat delicious delicacies in the Silos Baking Company…

…sit in the sun and listen to wonderful music while watching kids playing on the lawn. It’s all to be had here.

The town of Waco is bigger than just Magnolia although the town is on the map because of the Gaines’ but here are some of the things they recommend you see in Waco ::

Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum, Dr. Pepper Museum, Hippodrome Theater, Waco Mammoth National Monument. And if you want to live it up big and you’re lucky to get a spot, book one of the two Magnolia Stay Bed + Breakfast homes for your lodging!

#4 :: Take in the Shows in Las Vegas

Vegas may have a reputation for setting the perfect atmosphere for girls to get into trouble together. But if you’re anything like me that’s the last thing you want to do with your besties. Instead get all dressed up for a night out on the town to enjoy a concert or Cirque du Soleil show…

…dine at a fancy restaurant…

Rent a cabana at the pool…

…play Bingo together…

And just laugh until your sides ache!

There are so many great getaways to do with your girlfriends in Las Vegas :: but being together is the best.

 #5 :: Go Dunebuggying in Cozumel

What a blast you’ll have no matter how big or small your group… take dune buggies out for a spin around the island of Cozumel.

Drive out to Punta Sur…

…and out to the southern point to the lighthouse…

Take a dip in the ocean to do some amazing snorkeling…

…then duck out of the sun for some shade + some relaxation…

Exploring + snorkeling in Cozumel + then relaxing in the sun + the water. What better girlfriends getaways are there?

#6 :: Go Parasailing in Maui

You’re in Hawaii + surrounded by that beautiful blue water. And the weather is perfect nearly all year long. Perfect for parasailing!

Talk long leisurely strolls along the water + stop for stories + laughter…

Wake up super early to catch the sunrise atop Haleakala

Spend all day on the beach, stand up paddle boarding (SUP) + enjoy the sun…

And attending a luau is a must!

The list of things to do (or not do) in Hawaii is endless. Isn’t this one of the best girlfriends getaways you can imagine?

#7 :: Keep it Weird in Portland

I used to live in Portland when I was younger + I have so many fond memories… But things have changed so much since those days! Portland has gotten so trendy over the last decade or more.

But the things I remember are still cool :: check out Multnomah Falls… so beautiful + glorious. Drive out there + spend time hiking up to the top or at least to the bridge. Amazing views.

Whether you’re a bookworm or not a visit to Portland is not complete without checking out Powell’s Books. Browse, sit + have a latte in the cafe.

One of my fave places to meet with friends is Salt + Straw. Ice cream at its finest.

Portland is a fun place to meet up with the girlfriends :: with such a variety of things to do to catch up you can start planning one of your getaways today.

#8 :: Hang out in LA

LA has lots to do + see. And with the girlfriends you’re sure to have a great time! The Getty Center is an awesome place to start!

Maybe stop at Grand Central Market for a bite to eat…

Joining an audience of a talk show is always a fun time with the girls!

It’s not too far to the beach for some relaxation.

LA is a fun town + a great place to have some time with the girlfriends!

#9 :: Take a California Coast Road Trip

I feel pretty blessed to live in California. I have the best of all worlds here. I’m not far from the beach, the mountains, the river + the desert. There are a plethora of absolutely amazing things to do + see in California. But when you take the time for a road trip along its beautiful coastline you get to know California in a whole new way.

Malibu is a wonderful place to stop :: the views of the ocean are pretty awesome + there are lots of little restaurants along the way

Stop to see the elephant seals just north of San Simeon

Hearst Castle is a cool place to visit :: you can even stop to see some zebras on the property!

Morro Rock up in Morro Bay is such a beautiful place :: take a walk + enjoy watching the surfers + otters. You’ll find clean restrooms here also

Depending on how many days you have you can include tons more things to see + do along the California coast!

A road trip with the girls is one of the best ways to get to know each other better + to enjoy each other’s company. Blast the radio + sing at the top of your lungs, stop wherever you feel like it for as long as you want, a spontaneous trip up the coast can provide memories that you can’t make any other way.

#10 :: Take a Cruise

Just decide where you want to go + when. Then let the cruise line do all the leg work for you! Just relax (or not) + have a great time together!

Whether you want to see places you’ve not seen before or lay under the sun all day…

…or get crazy on the dance floor or sing karaoke with abandon or take on Casino Night…

Taking a cruise with your best girlfriends is one of the best ways I know to catch up + have fun without having to really plan much. You can do as much or as little as you want. Your lodging + meals are all taken care of. You just need to decide what onboard activities you want to participate in + maybe sign up for an excursion or two. The rest is easy peasy.

Spending time with your girls is the most important thing. As women we need this more than we know. But once you start planning a trip or two you will realize it is a necessity that all of us girls not only want but absolutely need!

Take all the time you need with your besties! You won’t regret it!

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