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5 Great U.S. Cities for a Girlfriend Getaway

Sunday, May 29th, 2011

If you’re anything like me, every now and then you crave a little bit of good, old fashioned girl-time. Of course, you love the husby or boyfriend and children dearly, but there’s really something special about getting away for a weekend of non-stop gals-only goodness. I’ve put together a list of five U.S. girlfriend getaway destinations to tempt you and your friends, no matter what type of vacation you seek.

Las Vegas Girlfriend Getaway

Las Vegas Strip (Photo by Carolyn Coles, Flickr)

Parties & Pools - Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is a hot spot for girlfriend getaways. Exploring the amazing hotels and casinos is always a thrill, even if you’re not a gambler. Of course throwing a few coins into the slot machines can certainly take the edge off – and might just buy you a round of cocktails (like it did for me)! If you want to try something a little adventurous, you can sign up for a G-rated pole dancing class for girls only, where a professional dancer will give you a workout and help you learn to let loose for a few hours all in good fun. And really, what better way to relax with your best gals than over a big, pink cocktail in the sun around one of America’s most glamorous pools?

Chicago Girlfriend Getaway

The City of Chicago (Photo by Andrew E. Larson, Flickr)

Culture & Shopping – Chicago, Illinois
If you and your girlfriends have a more cultural bent, make a weekend of it in Chicago. The Windy City has a huge number of institutions where you can expand your mind and artistic sensibilities, including the famed Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art and the Art Institute of Chicago. And then there’s the shopping. Chicago has a lot of great shopping, from the high-end stores along the Magnificent Mile to the unique, bohemian boutiques in the Wicker Park neighborhood.

California Girlfriend Getaway

One of California’s Plentiful Beaches (Photo by Mike Baird, Flickr)

Relaxation & Cheap Thrills – Los Angeles, California
With L.A.’s strange mix of ultra-glam and gritty, there’s a lot of wonderful ”no good” in the City of Angels for a group of fun-loving girls to get up to. For starters, you’ll want to give Hollywood at least a passing glance – maybe stick your hands in Johnny Depp’s handprints on the Walk of Fame or try to catch a glimpse of George Clooney getting his morning paper in Beverly Hills. Beyond those cheap thrills, though, Los Angeles is a great city for relaxation. You might also want to get to the beach for a bit of tanning time, maybe take a surfing lesson, or even do a grown-up’s tour of Disneyland in nearby Anaheim!

Nashville Girlfriend Getaway

Nashville’s Music Scene (Photo by jramspott, Flickr)

Live Music Scene & Long Chats – Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is a happening city that makes a good central destination for girlfriends hailing from different parts of the country. The obvious thing to do in Nashville is check out the live music scene, with several musical genres on tap for friends of varying tastes. Nashville is also full of gorgeous little cafes, diners, bistros, and coffee shops where you can easily while away afternoons over fresh salads, a glass of white wine, or a foamy cappuccino during long chats with your best friends.

Las Vegas Girlfriend Getaway

New Mexico’s Ten Thousand Waves Spa (Photo by Lori Grieg, Flickr)

Rejuvination & Nature Appreciation - Santa Fe, New Mexico
The mountainous capital of New Mexico is a perfect hideaway for ladies that want to rejuvenate. Santa Fe is small, but packed with great shopping (especially if you like the Southwest style, like handmade turquoise jewelry), a massive number of restaurants per capita, and a relaxed nightlife. The city is nestled into the base of the Rocky Mountains, so there are a lot of outdoorsy activities if you want to get away from it all. During the winter, you can make it a cozy ski holiday. In the summer, take a hike or visit some ancient Native American pueblo villages. Santa Fe has tons of spa options, including Ten Thousand Waves, a luxurious Japanese-style spa tucked away in the mountains above the city.

No matter which of these destinations you pick, you are sure to find delicious food, excellent spas, and fun shopping to share with your besties. And really, you’ll be so busy giggling and gabbing that you might just forget where you are!

Travel writer and wanderluster, Megan Eaves is the author of two travel guidebooks and runs the Irish travel website www.irishjaunt.com. Having traveled to 25 countries and lived in four, she is an expert on Ireland, China and the American Southwest, where she grew up, and also often writes about her adventures around Europe, especially Prague, where she is currently living. More about Megan and her writing is on her website, www.meganeaveswriting.com.

What is your favorite destination for a girlfriend getaway? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Las Vegas with Children?

Monday, May 11th, 2009

Is it a good idea, or even possible, to turn sin-city into kid-city? I pondered this question during a five-hour road trip to Las Vegas last month. I knew the city’s usual activities – the gambling, the shows, and the bar-hopping – would not be the focus of a trip with a four-year-old and a one-year-old. I did not realize, however, the “child-friendly” entertainment on the Strip was geared almost entirely toward older kids and teens.

My preschooler, Karissa, was thrilled when we pulled into our new “home” – the blue and red turreted castle, Excalibur. The magic ended there. Since Excalibur is one of the older hotel casinos, the air filtration system seemed woefully less efficient than that of other casinos. The scantily-clad female dancers gyrating on a low stage near the front entrance forced us to take the long route through the cigarette-smoke-filled casino to our room each night, which worsened toddler Leo’s asthma.

There are kids’ carnival games located one floor below the casino, but our visit to the Fantasy Faire Midway was brief due to the carcinogenic smoke wafting down the stairs. Visiting Krispy Kreme each morning at the Castle Walk was the highlight of our Excalibur stay. My daughter enjoyed witnessing the circles of freshly-fried dough being doused with glaze even more than eating the donuts.

Our first night’s dinner at the Rainforest Cafe at MGM Grand was fun but a wee bit scary for my young kids. The indoor waterfalls and animatronic elephants provide a happy diversion for the kiddies while parents nibble on coconut crusted shrimp or spicy pastalaya, a cajun-style pasta dish. Beware of make-believe tropical storms, which boom and flash menacingly throughout the restaurant from time to time. Entrees range $11.99-$31.99. Kids’ menu items are $9.99-$10.99, including a drink.

The next day we followed our guidebook’s recommendation for kid-friendly activities and drove to Circus Circus. Of course, the guidebook also recommended Excalibur for children, so we should’ve known better. We wound our way through throngs of people to the Adventuredome, an indoor amusement park that charges $4-$5 per ride. I admit my daughter loved the carousel and mini Ferris wheel, but I found their selection of rides for children under 42 inches meager and ho-hum. As a Disneyland Annual Passholder, perhaps my expectations were a tad high.

If carnival games are imperative for your family, preschooler-friendly attractions are available at a more affordable price in a smoke-free environment at Chuck-E-Cheese in three Las Vegas locations. Visit their website to join the Chuck E-Club for discounts on food and tokens before you go.

After hotel room naps, we toured the Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes. My daughter delighted in placing a dollar at the foot of one of the “living statue” street performers. The gondolas and their often-singing gondoliers fascinated my children. The live opera performance in St. Mark’s Square enchanted the kids. My one-year-old laughed and clapped as he watched the performers sing and juggle. He shook his head vehemently saying, “Nay, nay, nay!” (his version of, “no”) when it was time to leave. Live performances are free. Tickets for gondola rides are $16 per person, with children two and younger riding for free.

That night we dined at Celebrity Chef Mario Batali’s Enoteca San Marco, the less expensive of Batali’s two Italian restaurants at the Venetian. To start, my husband and I split a salad of mixed greens served with pomegranate seeds, shaved parmesan, and prosciutto. It was just a salad, but wow, what a salad! Then I gobbled up my entire plate of spaghetti carbonara, a creamy pasta dish made with eggs and pancetta that I discovered during my travels through Europe as a foreign exchange college student. I can rarely find prepared properly stateside. No wonder Mr. Batali is an Iron Chef! Salads are $14; dinner entrees are $16-$30. While there is no children’s menu, Enoteca will happily prepare a small plate of pasta with butter or marinara sauce for your little one. However, with a pricetag of $15 you may want to pack a sandwich or feed the kids elsewhere beforehand.

We asked our friend, Frank Seidman, a Las Vegas resident and father of four children, where to go for off-Strip affordable family fun. Per his instructions we steered clear of the Southern Nevada Zoological-Botanical Park, about which he said, “Only go if you want to see a handful of half-dead animals in tiny cages.” No thanks!

Instead, we followed Frank’s advice to drive the 15 minutes to Ethel M’s Chocolate Factory and Botanical Cactus Garden in nearby Henderson. During a brief walk-through tour we witnessed workers swirling apples in tubs of caramel and boxing up chocolates. Then we indulged in a few sweets from their chocolate shop. Don’t miss the PB & J-filled milk chocolate, Ethel M’s tasty bestseller. Roaming the four acres of neatly manicured cacti and succulents that surround the factory was a welcome breath of fresh air after the artificial, indoor activities of the Strip – literally! Entrance to the factory and garden is free. Individual chocolates start at $1.50.

Afterwards we stopped by another Seidman family favorite, Silverton Casino, just a few minutes from the Strip. Silverton’s aquarium of colorful fish, stingrays, and sunken pirate treasure mesmerized the kids. Attached to the casino is Bass Pro Shop, a huge sporting goods and outdoor recreation store featuring an indoor waterfall and live ducks. The aquarium and shop provide a pleasant, free diversion for all ages.

That night we drove to Caesar’s Palace for more shopping and food. A giant fountain in the style of Rome’s Trevi Fountain impressed my children, if briefly. For dinner we chose another restaurant owned by a celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck’s Spago. Our German waiter was a delight, chatting up my daughter and providing multiple spoons for my son’s entertainment. Adult entrée salads and pizzas start at $12, with more fancy-schmancy items going for up to $52. Mickey-Mouse-shaped pizza and other kid favorites are available for $7. Noisy families (like ours) may feel more comfortable seated on the patio than in the upscale dining room.

After dinner we visited FAO Schwartz, one of Caesar’s Forum Shops. A two-story wooden Trojan horse juts forth from the store’s entrance. An array of toys, including a nursery of adoptable lifelike baby dolls, provides entertainment for the kiddies at no cost, if you can resist making a purchase.

I have visited Las Vegas numerous times, and while I enjoy the city of a million lights, I am always ready to head home after a few days. Not so for Karissa, who cried the morning of our departure, “I don’t wanna leave Las Vegas!”

Apparently, Las Vegas is for children after all.

What are your favorite attractions, restaurants, and accommodations when traveling with children in Las Vegas? Leave a comment below!