5 Ingredients for a Perfect Girlfriend Getaway

Although I don’t do them nearly often enough, I absolutely love a great girlfriend getaway.  There’s just something about packing up and getting out of town with a few of your BFFs that rejuvenates the soul and makes you feel somewhat human again.  {Because let’s get real, most days as moms we feel like a robot…or a fairy godmother…or the creature from the black lagoon…but rarely just HUMAN.}

So when the City Moms Blog Network national team announced a few weeks back that we would be going on a three day retreat, my bags were packed and my car was loaded before I even got the full details.  See, what some of you might not know is that along with wearing the hat of Houston Moms Blog founder, I’m also a Sales Ambassador for the entire national network.  Yes, that means I wear many hats on a day-to-day basis, and yes, my job is crazy busy and H-A-R-D. But hands down, the best part of this gig is that I get to work alongside some of my absolute best friends.  These ladies make me laugh til I leak, lift me up when I’m down, and bring so much light and positivity into all that I do.  And you know what — our three day work retreat seriously felt like the best girlfriend getaway I never had to plan.

So it got me thinking, what can make or break a girlfriend getaway?  And how on earth can I recreate that time together again…and again…and again… with all my various groups of girlfriends and all across the globe?  And while I’m sure it’s not a perfect science, for me, there were five key ingredients that made for a PERFECT girlfriend getaway, and of course – I want to share them with all of you…

Perfect Girlfriend Getaway:: Photo Credit – Laura Haley Photography :: 

1} Amazing Accommodations

This is pretty much a no-brainer, but if you stay at an amazing place, chances are, you’re going to have an amazing time.  For me, this means luxurious rooms, great amenities, and top notch customer service.  Basically, I want to pull up on property and instantly feel like I’m royalty…if only for the weekend.  At our recent retreat, I was over the moon to learn that we had partnered together with one of my absolute faves — JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa.  And ya’ll, if you have yet to stay there, you must.book.now.  Heck, even if you have stayed there before, you still must.book.now.  They are in the middle of a massive expansion on their outdoor water park set to open this spring, and while that means more pools and slides for family-friendly vacations, it also means more poolside lounge chairs, private cabanas, food and drink service, whirlpool spas…  Yup, it’s pretty much a little slice of heaven right here in Texas and the most ideal girlfriend getaway locale.

Girlfriend Getaway 3

2} Delicious Foods

Okay, so obviously we all have to eat to fuel our body, but did you know that calories totally don’t count when you’re away with your girlfriends?  It’s true…or at least it is in my head!  When traveling with my best gals, I love to throw caution to the wind and indulge in nothing but delicious foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Which was all too easy on this latest retreat to San Antonio.  Brooke, one of my dear friends and the co-founder of Alamo City Moms Blog, was absolutely amazing in showing off a few of her faves and planning almost our entire itinerary around what to eat and where.  We tried a little bit of everything from pork belly and bubbly at Boiler House to sweet treats at Lick to – of course – sizzling fajitas at La Margarita in El Mercado.  Mmm…my mouth is watering just thinking back to those days of yummy food.  But moral of the story here is, go all out and eat what you enjoy.  Then, soak up every minute of not cooking…or doing dishes afterwards.

Girlfriend Getaway 4

3} Perfectly Crafted Cocktails

And of course, you’ve got to wash down all of those delicious eats with some cold drinks.  Amiright?  In my circle of friends, no girlfriend getaway is complete without it’s fair share of adult beverages, and I’ve managed to pick up a few tips and tricks to make it easy and safe along the way… First, pack a bottle of wine or two to keep in your room – perfect for when you’re getting ready to go out for the evening, and much more affordable than room service {just don’t forget the bottle opener!}. Second, take advantage of hotel specials and offerings.  For instance, our stay at the JW Marriott came with a coupon for two free drinks tucked in with our room keys!  Third, and this one is the absolute most important, be safe!!!  If you’re leaving the property, take turns with your girlfriends being the designated driver, or better yet, call an Uber and leave the driving to someone else.  It’s fun to let your hair down and enjoy yourself on a girlfriend getaway, but don’t let that cloud your judgement or put you in risky situations.

Girlfriend Getaway 1

4} Fun Outings

Wherever you may go or whatever your intentions may be, it’s always good to have a general idea of some fun outings to fill your days.  For me, I feel like it is always a bit of a tightrope walk — where you don’t want to completely overpack your day and set yourself up for failure, but at the same time, you don’t want to spend half your trip staring at your smart phone just to come up with a plan.  My suggestion – do your research ahead of time, jot down a list of must do’s and might do’s, and then play it by ear once you get there.  While this latest girlfriend getaway was actually nose to the grindstone from sunrise to sunset, we still managed to carve out some time for fun along the way.  And I have to say, this strategy worked out perfectly.

Girlfriend Getaway 5

5} Great Company

At the end of the day {or getaway, I should say}, nice accommodations are great…good food is lovely…and cold drinks are a definite plus, but it all comes down to who you choose to surround yourself with.  Choose women you are comfortable around, choose women you can laugh hysterically with, choose women who will lend a shoulder for you to cry on, and choose women who adore you right back.  It’s crazy to think that my retreat included women from every corner of our country and a few of which I have only seen in real life a handful of times.  But they are my tribe and some of my absolute best friends, and I am so incredibly grateful for those three glorious days we got to spend together.

Girlfriend Getaway 2

Bottom line – it’s amazing what a few days away can do for a tired, old mom.  Trust me.  I’m speaking from experience on this one.  I know it’s not easy to leave the kids, and I know it’s not always fun to do ALL the prep work it takes for your departure.  But it is so worth it, and it will make you a better wife, mom, and woman in the long run.  So what do you say?  Time to call up a few of your best gal pals and put these five ingredients into play??  Do it.  You won’t regret it.  I promise!

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Kelly D
Kelly is the founder of Houston Moms Blog and has lived in this beautiful city nearly all of her life. She has a degree in education from Texas State University and was honored to teach special education for eight years to some of the cutest little kiddos you could ever meet. While teaching, Kelly met Cody – a tall drink of water and country boy to the core – and together, they fell in love, got married, and decided to start a family. In March 2011, they welcomed Hayes into the world, a silly but smart little boy with a story you have to read to believe. And in April 2013, their family was complete with the addition of Hadley, a super gregarious and oh-so-cute baby girl. Now, Kelly devotes her days to caring for her own little ones…and would not trade this new job of hers for the world! In her not-so-spare time, Kelly loves meeting up with her girlfriends for margaritas, failing miserably at Pinterest projects, and exploring this big old city with her two favorite little side-kicks in tow.

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