These getaways are just for girlfriends
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Let’s be clear: Sometimes it’s OK to take a man along on a trip.
Your honeymoon, for instance.
Or when you need someone to spot you on cross-country journeys with the kids.
But sometimes you need your girlfriends and only your girlfriends (mothers and daughters count,too).
Because being in the company of all that estrogen — whether it’s old college classmates or all your wacky sisters or your BFFs from the office — is the perfect departure from the day-to-day.
Like a slumber party without the sleeping bags.
A chance to catch up on three years — or 30 — over one long weekend and then make plans to do it again next year.
To help you plan your first trip — or your next — female Journal Star staffers have gathered the best of the best from their all-women trips.
Enjoy.
We ask just one thing: Don’t quarrel over the check at the restaurant.
It gives girl trips a bad name.
St. Helena, Napa Valley, Calif.
This getaway is all about fine wine, fine dining and friends basking in the sun.
WHERE TO STAY: Harvest Inn, One Main St., (800) 950-8466, www.harvestinn.com. This AAA four-diamond retreat features stunning views of the surrounding vineyards and the Mayacamas Mountains. The “country estate” ambience will cost you upwards of $240 per night.
WHERE TO EAT: Terra Restaurant, 1345 Railroad Ave.; (707) 963-8931; www.terrarestaurant.com. Noted for its innovative and eclectic New American fare with classic European touches and flair of Asian flavor, this is a favorite of locals and has a stellar wine list.
WHAT TO DO: Wine tastings at the area wineries, of course. Two of the best are Navarro Vineyards, 5601 Highway 128 in nearby Philo, (800) 537-9463, www.navarrowine.com, and Franciscan, 1178 Galleron Road, (707) 967-3830, www.franciscan.com. The Navarro winery has one of the best views of the valley, and the Franciscan is known for its award-winning wines. But you can’t really go wrong with a trip to any of the wineries in the valley. To see more options, go to www.napavalley.com.
SHOPPING: St. Helena is a mecca for those seeking antiques and boutiques. Just stroll down Main Street and you can’t miss.
OVERRATED: Bicycle tours. Don’t bother. You’re there to relax, right?
— Vicki S. Reynolds
New York City
Could there be a better (or more expensive) place to hang out with women? I’ve been on two all-female trips to Manhattan, both with family. The first time my mom took my sister, my sister-in-law and me to NYC in early November, when the trees were changing and the crowds had thinned. We walked everywhere we could, saw “Cabaret” at Studio 54, ate New York cheesecake and great Italian food.
On the second trip, three generations — my daughter, my mom and I — spent a long weekend celebrating Anna’s high school graduation. We shopped at the teenage girl stores — and in a Soho dressing room, I discovered my sweet 17-year-old had gotten a tattoo without my knowledge. Priceless.
WHERE TO STAY: Depends on whether you want to be close to museums or Broadway or Wall Street.
I can vouch for the 414 Hotel, 414 W. 48th St., (212) 399-0006, www.414hotel.com, a nice converted brownstone between Eighth and Ninth avenues.
The Crowne Plaza is pretty posh (stay there when your mom offers to pay). It’s right in Times Square.
I’ve also stayed at The Hotel Edison, 228 W. 47th St., which has an amazing art deco lobby and first-floor lounge. The rooms are pretty basic (old hotel), but it’s near all the Times Square action without being in the middle of it.
Check out rates online at www.edisonhotelnyc.com or by calling (212) 840-5000.
WHERE TO EAT: It might be the tourist in me, but I love John’s Pizzeria — good pies, not too pricy. There is one in Midtown, the original on Bleecker Street and at least one more. Check it all out at www.johnspizzerianyc.com.
We stumbled on Ideya, a restaurant with a Latin vibe, in Soho, described by Zagats as a “fun place to go with the girls.” The food was good and not too pricy, but, really, all the neighborhoods have little hole-in-the-wall restaurants. Be adventurous and try one.
WHAT TO DO: Walk through Central Park or just sit in the sun and watch people.
The New York Public Library. Grant Park. One of the weekend green markets in Union Square or Bryant Park.
The usual art museums. Try the Lower East Side Tenement Museum for something different, 108 Orchard St. When you’re finished, check out the street scene — vendors, foods, all the rest.
SHOPPING: Everything from Tiffany to street types hawking phony Kate Spade is at your fingertips. Indoor shopping/flea markets seem to be the rage. Check out this one in Hell’s Kitchen: www.hellskitchenfleamarket.com.
And for some reason, I kept a card from The Lively Set, a store of antiques and decoratives at 33 Bedford St. Try it. It’s in Greenwich Village, a great place to stroll with your girlfriends.
OVERRATED: Dare I say the boat tour to the Statue of Liberty?
— Cindy Lange-Kubick
Las Vegas
This burg is all about the nightlife, so prepare to stay up all night and sleep in the next day.
WHERE TO STAY: The Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Boulevard S., (888) 987-6667, www.bellagio.com. Many celebs stay at the Bellagio, with its gorgeous rooms, jaw-droppingly beautiful Chihuly glass ceiling in the lobby and its many amenities. And don’t miss the fountains out front, which are choreographed to “dance” to music all through the day and evening.
WHERE TO EAT: Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. in the MGM Grand Hotel, (702) 891-7374. It seems kind of oxymoronic to open a seafood place in the desert, but Emeril Lagasse makes it work. The bam-tastic fare features fresh, top-quality ingredients flown in from the Gulf of Mexico. Dress is business casual.
WHAT TO DO: Take a walk down the Strip, see the “Pirates of the Caribbean” spectacle on the sidewalk, stop in at the Venetian and take a ride on a gondola on the “canal,” and, of course, try your luck on one of the plethora of one-armed bandits that litter every public space in town. Or pretend you’re a Bond Babe and take your turn at a roulette table.
Cirque du Soleil at the Bellagio, (888) 488-7111. You’ll never see another spectacle like this dance (?) troupe.
Spa day at the Bellagio, (702) 693-7472. Those late nights eventually will catch up with you, so sign up you and your friends for hours of pampering, massages, facials, etc., with such services as the Pamper Party or the For the Ladies package.
Harrah’s entertainment, www.harrahs.com/casinos/caesars-palace/hotel-casino/property-home.shtml?source=OGY0000007247. Performers on tap in the next few months include Elton John, Cher, Bette Midler and Jerry Seinfeld.
SHOPPING: The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., www.caesarspalace.com. The grand pedestrian plaza features more than 160 boutiques.
OVERRATED: The Fremont Street Experience. Just a bunch of lights and noise.
— Vicki S. Reynolds
Kansas City
A quick two-day trip that includes the September Plaza Art Show in Kansas City can be expanded with stops in small towns along the way.
Start early Friday morning and take the Parkville, Mo., exit.
This small town is lined with clothing and home decor stores interspersed with a few galleries.
It’s a great stop for a few hours of shopping and lunch before getting to Kansas City.
There is a good brew pub and a tiny French restaurant called Cafe de Amis, which is upstairs and offers a view of the city and surrounding area.
Nearby small towns Weston and Atchison are good alternatives to Parkville, with many of the same kinds of offerings.
When you get to Kansas City, the Plaza Art Fair usually begins around 4 p.m. and runs Saturday and Sunday.
Instead of planning on a sit-down dinner Friday night, eat from an assortment of the many food/restaurant vendors that line the street.
Main ingredients of this girl trip: Good restaurants, unique shops, easy access.
This year’s art show dates are Sept. 19-21. If you are even considering a trip, book a room in Kansas City now. If you can’t get one near The Plaza, look for better rates in the suburbs.
— Kathryn Cates Moore
Platte River State Park
It’s no Vegas or New Orleans, but a few nights in a cabin at Platte River State Park can be just as much fun.
For several falls in a row, two dear friends and I have spent a couple of nights at Platte River State Park.
The place is beautiful, peaceful and comfortable. We always tried to rent one of the cabins with a screened-in deck, and we’d sit out there and play cards or Yahtzee! and talk.
The trips made for great memories of great friendships.
The housekeeping cabins sleep six to eight people and come with fully equipped kitchenettes, linens, fire grates for outdoor cooking and picnic tables. Some of them have fireplaces, too.
The park’s 31 “camper cabins” are grouped around central shower-latrine buildings, with four to six units in a pod.
HOW TO GET THERE: Take exit 426 off Interstate 80 between Omaha and Lincoln, then Nebraska 66 east toward South Bend. The park entrance is six miles from the interstate, or 2½ miles south of Louisville on Nebraska 66.
HOW TO RESERVE A SPOT: Call (402) 234-2217 or e-mail prsp@ngpc.state.ne.us. Go to www.ngpc.state.ne.us for more information.
WHERE TO EAT: Cook inside or out at the cabin, or take a quick drive to Louisville and the Good Times Bar or South Bend and the Around the Bend. Stop in at Jeff’s Jack and Jill Grocery in Louisville to stock up on supplies.
WHAT TO DO: Take a walk on the trails, swim, ride horses, hike or bike, take out a paddleboat, try your hand at archery, climb the observation tower or just relax.
— Catharine Huddle
New Orleans
Vegas may get all the hype about letting loose on wild vacations, but it originally was New Orleans where the good times began rollin’.
WHERE TO STAY: Le Richelieu in the French Quarter, 1234 Chartres St., (800) 535-9653, www.lerichelieuhotel.com. Sir Paul McCartney once made this charming hotel home for two months, so it’s got star power behind it. If you go with a group of four or more girlfriends, reserve the VIP Suite and split the cost. The three bedrooms, three baths, parlor, dining room and kitchen are worth the expense, plus the casual elegance and quiet intimacy — not to mention the ideal location — will have you sighing in pleasure.
WHERE TO EAT: NOLA, 534 Saint Louis St., (504) 522-6652, www.emerils.com/restaurant/2/NOLA-Restaurant. Funky, informal and affordable, this eatery owned by famed chef Emeril Lagasse does fresh takes on classic Creole cuisine. The smoked duck pizza is divine.
Commander’s Palace, 1403 Washington Ave., (504) 899-8221, www.commanderspalace.com. Reserve your spot now for the famed Sunday jazz brunch. The food at this restaurant in the heart of the Garden District is indescribably delicious. Dress is upscale; no shorts allowed. And when you’re done with brunch, take a stroll around the Garden District with its beautiful historic homes and gardens.
Antoine’s Restaurant, 713 Rue Saint Louis, (504) 581-4422, www.antoines.com. Antoine’s has been delighting gourmands since 1840, and with good reason. The fine dining — and I do mean fine dining — is perfect for special occasions or when you just want to feel pampered. The food is French-Creole, but very upscale and Old World. Dress up for this night on the town.
Cafe du Monde, 1039 Decatur St., (800) 772-2927, www.cafedumonde.com/main.html. There’s nothing better after an afternoon of shopping than to stop by this coffeehouse and enjoy a good gossip with friends over the world-renowned beignets.
WHAT TO DO: Blaine Kern’s Mardi Gras World, 233 Newton St., (800) 362-8213, www.mardigrasworld.com. This is where three-fourths of the floats are made for Mardi Gras, and tours of the collection at the warehouse include getting to see artisans working on next year’s entries. Bring your camera, because visitors are allowed to try on bejeweled costumes.
Cemetery tours, (504) 861-2727, www.hauntedhistorytours.com/Voodoo.htm. You can’t leave New Orleans without seeing its above-ground cemeteries. Haunted History Tours offers everything from ghost tours to Garden District tours, voodoo tours to vampire tours.
SHOPPING: Canal Place, 333 Canal St., (504) 522-9200, www.the shopsatcanalplace.com. This mall in the French Quarter offers high-end goods from such retailers as Saks Fifth Avenue.
French Market, 1008 N. Peters St., #2, (504) 522-2621, www.frenchmarket.org. This open-air market with an Old World feel features a flea market as well as farmers market.
If it’s unique and antique you’re seeking, then wander up and down Bourbon, Chartres, Royal and Decatur streets, where street musicians serenade you as you pass by.
OVERRATED: Pat O’Brien’s Bar. The home of the Hurricane is crowded, noisy and basically a meat market.
— Vicki S. Reynolds
Little Rock, Ark.
Little Rock isn’t exactly a girlfriend vacation destination hot spot, but it IS where my BFF, Jill, lives with her fiance, Jake, who happens to be a very good (and very generous) cook.
So last fall, two other girlfriends and I convened at Jill’s place, where we mostly drank wine, watched “America’s Next Top Model” and feasted on food prepared by Jake.
But we also explored Little Rock a little (ha ha) and ran across some gems.
WHERE TO EAT: The Satellite Cafe, a great brunch place where the waiters are hot and the food is awesome, especially the thick, soft multigrain toast.
Boulevard Bread Co., a quaint bakery catering to yuppies and staffed by hipsters. Great sandwiches.
SHOPPING: Poor Little Rich Girl, a consignment store that contains things such as Coach bags and Prada shoes (Jill bought some there on my last visit). The South does seem to boast better shopping than the Midwest, which makes consignment stores that much better.
WHAT TO DO: Big Dam Bridge is a 4,226 foot-long pedestrian bridge completed in 2006. It’s a nice spot for an afternoon walk and makes for excellent people watching. And its name is Big Dam Bridge.
The Clinton Library is in Little Rock, too, but we skipped that in favor of watching reality television. Maybe next year.
— Cara Pesek
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TravelAgent wrote on April 21, 2008 12:25 pm: