Life never slows down. It’s time to stop procrastinating…gather your girlfriends and plan the perfect girls weekend getaway!
If you have been following us on Instagram you know that we just recently got back from an epic girls weekend getaway. It was the first one I have ever attended and I gotta say…I’m hooked! As a busy mom, wife and business owner it seems like there is never enough time in the day.
So with the help of Old El Paso we decided it was time to stop making excuses and make a girls weekend happen. My sister in law Holli (aka my right hand gal in my business) and I had an amazing time. I learned a ton about must do’s and a few tips of things to avoid that I am excited to share with you.
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Pick a gorgeous location. Consider one that is centrally located.
We stayed at an amazing wedding manor called Mountain View Manor in Enumclaw, Washington. It was the perfect setup because we all had our own rooms, but we had access to some amazing common spaces and a gourmet kitchen. Having had a ton of hotel experiences I have to say, this was a far better setup.
It was also super close to home for 3 out of the 5 gals. We had the longest trip in at 5 1/2 hours but we could have grabbed a cheap flight that would have had us there in an hour if we had wanted to fly.
While we aren’t ruling out other locations in the future, it was so nice to not have to travel super far from home and we are thinking of sticking within a few states to keep travel time reasonable.
2. Learn something new
Whether it’s a photography class, learning to throw your own pottery or geeking out a history museum, learning something new is an incredible way to bond with your friends and pick up some new skills on your trip. Check out the local colleges and the cities websites if you aren’t local to see what is happening while you are there.
3. Schedule a massage
We booked a couple who traveled to our location to do massages and it was perfect! On site or in a spa it’s definitely a must do event. We all came out feeling so relaxed and refreshed.
Tip: try to schedule your massages at the end of the day when you don’t have any other responsibilities or just before lunch and a nap. We had to jump back up for activities after we were done and we all wished we could have rested after or taken a nice bath.
4. Get your hair and makeup done.
Okay I will admit, this was one of those “do we really have to spend money on this” events for me at first. But after seeing how much fun it was to have all of us being primed and pampered at the same time I definitely think it is so worth it. Especially if you are going to be photographing each other or having photos done, it’s so nice to feel really gorgeous when you see those memories.
5. Take a walk.
Getting out and walking the streets in the location you are at is such an easy way to feel like you have seen some of the new town you are at. There are plenty of towns that have official walking tours with maps (or check out the ale trail if you ever make it to our home town of Bend!) but you can also just head out exploring and see what you find!
6. Try out the local foods.
Finding all the best hole in the wall places to eat is one of our all time favorite events no matter where we are. These gyros from the food carts in Portland were incredible!
7. Consider hiring a professional photographer/videographer
One of the best things we did on this trip was to hire Eric and his fantastic assistant to come assist us in the video production and behind the scenes photography. At first it felt a little strange but once we got to know them they had us laughing and totally comfortable. If you are needing to document your weekend well for work or just sentimental reasons these photographs and videos are some of my favorite memories. It was the best decision ever because we could just relax and enjoy ourselves and when we came home we didn’t have tons of hours of video editing.
8. Cook easy simple recipes together
If you have a great kitchen like we did you know that we wanted to cook together! On Saturday with the help of Old El Paso we put together a super simple taco bar that was so gorgeous!
From the baja fish seasoning to the taco shells and beans Old El Paso made it a complete cinch to pull this off. And after our big morning of exploring, we were all starving!
Need more recipe inspiration? Here are some awesome ones from us and the other amazingly talented gals we spent the weekend with:
Slow Cooker Beef Tortas
Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
Healthy Grilled Mexican Corn
Steak Tacos Recipe
Healthier Seven Layer Dip Recipe
Healthy Chicken Sweet Potato Layered Enchiladas
Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Quinoa
Easy Cheese Enchiladas
9. Make a simple cocktail bar and cheese platter.
After a long day my favorite meal to put out is a cheese board and a simple cocktail bar. Everything can be prepped easily in the morning or set out with no cooking just before. It’s the perfect food for munching on between the stories and catching up that is a must on these trips.
Need cocktail ideas? Here are a few we love:
Watermelon Limeade Punch
Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail
Pomosa: The Perfect 2 Ingredient Cocktail
10. Only pick people who don’t have drama and know how to laugh.
This one might sound silly but it’s so important to really think through who you invite to your trip. Picking friends with great energy who are laid back and ready to jump in and help makes the entire trip fun and exciting even when things go amiss. We had such an amazing time and can’t wait to do it again!
Be sure to check out the amazing video that Eric and Diana put together from the weekend!
This trip was made possible by Old El Paso. We are so grateful for their support. Huge thanks to Mountain View Manor for hosting us on our ladies weekend.
These are fabulous ideas for a getaway. It is making me wish I had one scheduled. Time to get planning!