What You Need for Your Next Girls Getaway

So I just got back from an epic girls weekend that was loooong overdue! We hit up Montreal (read about our trip here) and it was incredible. I’m lucky that I have some amazing ladies to travel with but I think the overall success of traveling in a group was helped out by a few things:

Water & Sunblock

STAY HYDRATED. This might seem obvious but y’all might need a reminder. I definitely didn’t drink as much water as I should have the first day and I paid for it. If the whole gang is chugging water everyone will be better off. Also, bring sunblock. Lots of sunblock, regardless of your destination. Friends don’t let friends get sun burnt.

Bring a water bottle – just don’t forget to bring it out with you or you’ll end up buying a water like I did and feeling laaaame.

White Noise Machine

I can’t take credit for this one but my girl Jane is a genius! If you’re sharing a hotel room this makes a huge difference and most certainly kept two of us from waking up the third when we were creeping back in at 3:30am….*ahem*

Positivity & Flexibility

A positive outlook can make or break a trip, especially if you’re in a group or if things go awry. For example: on our drive from RI we had to drop off my friend’s kids in Boston before heading on to Montreal. She, being ever prepared, had gotten her oil changed the day before so the car would be 100%. When we got to Boston & parked, however, the car was smoking under the hood. Come to find out the oil cap was never replaced (!) and oil had spewed out all over the vehicle and we were almost out. Thanks in part to a neighbor (I see you, Mr. K!) we were able to let it cool, add more oil and get it in for an emergency oil change at a local shop. The biggest takeaway from this was that everyone kept their cool and pulled together. Nothing was going to keep us from our trip!

Oil was everywhere! Luckily we didn’t blow the engine, we stopped just in time.

Flexibility is also good. We went in with a loose outline of what we wanted to see/do on this trip but everyone was able to go with the flow. It also helps when you take turns being the leader, be it trying to figure out maps, ordering an Uber or figuring out plans.

A safe word

Not a joke! We agreed on a word that anyone could use at any time for any reason. Creeps? Use the word. Bad situation? Drop that word. Want to tap out with no explanation necessary? Throw up your hand and yell the word. The agreement was that no one needed to explain why it was used and no one could get upset if it was used, and it worked well. It also became the hill I was going to die on for our last night – we wandered forever looking for a couple things (dumplings, a good drink, etc) and it wasn’t going to happen. I used my resistance to the word as motivation to keep it pushing. Sadly, the 2am dumplings never came to be but we got a serious late night walking tour of Montreal.

Curious what our word was? You’ll just have to ask me…….

Last night of the trip with my ladies!

I’m sure there are a bunch of things that could make a trip with the ladies better but these were the bare essentials and worked well for us – pretty sure the ladies would agree! What are your essentials for traveling with your squad?

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Maria
August 5, 2019 at 4:10 pm

Great tips on having a great girls weekend! I never would have thought to bring a white noise machine.
1. Morgan
  August 5, 2019 at 4:20 pm
  
  Right?! It’s never crossed my mind but it was amazing to have. Thanks for reading!
Adriana Renee
August 5, 2019 at 5:17 pm

A safe word is such a good idea! You never know what can happen when you’re out and about.
1. Morgan
  August 5, 2019 at 6:46 pm
  
  Agreed! It was also good to have on hand in case someone had just had enough of whatever we were doing (i.e. walking in the sun).
Stephanie
August 5, 2019 at 7:03 pm

Oooh the safe word isn’t something I’d ever thought about, but definitely something to keep in mind for any occasion – not even just a trip. Love that. It sounds like despite the car issues, you had a really great time!
1. Morgan
  August 5, 2019 at 7:16 pm
  
  I actually felt like the car issues set the tone because of how well we all handled it! It really was an amazing time. Thanks for reading!
Jordyn
August 5, 2019 at 11:45 pm

Having a safe word on a girls’ trip is genius!! There are so many weirdos out there! Now I am craving a trip with my girl friends!
1. Morgan
  August 7, 2019 at 12:14 pm
  
  Thanks, Jordyn! It came in handy for sure.
Katie
August 6, 2019 at 9:10 am

Love all of these tips!! The one about staying hydrated is sooo important! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
XO, Katie | http://www.meshkomoments.com
1. Morgan
  August 7, 2019 at 12:14 pm
  
  It would definitely be the #1 thing on the list (at least for me). Thanks for reading!
Lecy | A Simpler Grace
August 6, 2019 at 7:35 pm

It’s been so long since I’ve been on a girls getaway, but I need to take one soon. Thanks for sharing these tips!
1. Morgan
  August 7, 2019 at 12:15 pm
  
  Thanks for reading! I think we could all use a girls getaway more frequently than we actually do.
Lauren
August 7, 2019 at 10:45 am

These are all really good and practical ideas, especially the safe word one. I hadn’t thought of that before.
Becky
August 7, 2019 at 1:54 pm

My girls and I go on a girls trip every other year! A white noise machine is a good idea as two of us snore too, lol. One thing that has helped us is not putting pressure for all of us to stay together/do the same things all the time. If we want to split up for a bit sometimes it’s good to have a little alone or “introvert” time.
1. Morgan
  August 7, 2019 at 6:59 pm
  
  That’s incredible that you guys get together to do that! I’m hoping to do the same each year with my girls. I totally agree about the flexibility of going off/splitting up – we were similar in breaking off into smaller groups (or solo) to do things and it worked out well. Cheers to having such great friends!
Kileen
August 8, 2019 at 1:56 am

Sounds like so much fun!! Love that you guys had a safe word, definitely curious as to what it was!

Kileen
cute & little
1. Morgan
  August 9, 2019 at 11:20 am
  
  *Rolex*
Annaliese
August 12, 2019 at 1:45 pm

LOVE Montreal- it’s the best! I did a girls trip there a few summers ago with one of my good friends. Great tips you have here too!

xoxo A
http://www.southernbelleintraining.com
1. Morgan
  August 13, 2019 at 8:06 pm
  
  It really was a great setting for a girls getaway! Thanks for reading.
Nipa
August 12, 2019 at 2:19 pm

The white noise machine is a great idea. I always have trouble sleeping in new places so that would help… xo Nipa @fashionipa
1. Morgan
  August 13, 2019 at 8:07 pm
  
  It really made a huge difference and I never would have thought about it (my friend is a genius)!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
August 12, 2019 at 4:51 pm

We always used safe words! Such an important thing to do!
1. Morgan
  August 13, 2019 at 8:08 pm
  
  Yes, a woman after my own heart! It came in handy quite a bit on our trip.
Melissa
August 13, 2019 at 12:01 pm

Omg totally agree about flexibility – I had a horrible time traveling with a friend and promised myself I would be more flexible in the future. Every travel since then? Awesome because I just go with the flow!
1. Morgan
  August 13, 2019 at 8:08 pm
  
  That’s great to hear! I had a similar experience years ago and told myself to CHILL OUT and it’s worked out pretty well. Thanks for reading!
Perri
August 13, 2019 at 1:30 pm

Great tips! I ALWAYS forget the sunscreen, but thankfully my girls always have my back! And I love the idea of a sound machine. So smart, especially if a couple of the girls want to stay up talking and some want to go to bed.
1. Morgan
  August 13, 2019 at 8:09 pm
  
  I will actually never be group traveling again without a white noise machine! Glad you enjoyed the tips, thanks for reading!
Marisa
August 13, 2019 at 5:25 pm

A Girls getaway is always a good idea! I’m hoping to go on one this Fall or Winter!! Great Ideas!!
1. Morgan
  August 13, 2019 at 8:11 pm
  
  I hope that you get to take one soon! I had no idea how much I needed it until we finally made it happen. Thanks for reading!
Cindy
August 13, 2019 at 8:36 pm

Great tips! A white noise machine is genius!!
Molly
August 14, 2019 at 10:29 am

Such great tips for a girls’ trip! I’ll definitely keep these in mind while planning our next trip!
1. Morgan
  August 14, 2019 at 6:59 pm
  
  Glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for reading.
Amanda | Sushi and Gelato
August 22, 2019 at 11:56 am

You are right about positivity and flexibility being important when traveling with others–whether friends or family. Give each other a little grace, too. Let things go that would normally upset you. I love the safeword idea! I will definitely use that tip. Great article!
1. Morgan
  August 22, 2019 at 1:46 pm
  
  I absolutely agree about giving each other grace – it really can change the whole outcome of a trip! Thanks for reading, glad you enjoyed it!
Khushboo
August 22, 2019 at 7:20 pm

That’s a great list for planning a trip with girls. I will keep this in my mind for my next trip.
Laurence
August 22, 2019 at 7:25 pm

Water and sunblock is a must for us, especially going on a trip! I haven’t heard of white noise machine, got me thinking and will googles it now. Enjoy your next trip wherever that is!
1. Morgan
  August 23, 2019 at 10:51 am
  
  The white noise machine was the dark horse of the trip for sure! I would recommend one though. Thanks for reading!
Gervin Khan
August 22, 2019 at 8:29 pm

Nice tips and looks like everyone are having a great time during that trip. I can still remember the days that I’ve been with my friends doing the same things that you do in this trip. LOL!
Kristine Nicole Alessandra
August 23, 2019 at 2:15 am

Oh goodness. I cannot even remember the last time I had a girls’ getaway. I am not sure if having a late lunch with high school friends would classify as a getaway. Anyway, thank you for sharing your tips. I am still hoping I can go on a “real” girls getaway and have some relax time.
1. Morgan
  August 23, 2019 at 10:50 am
  
  Late lunches are great, too! I hope that you’re able to get away with your girls sometime in the near future.
Dianne Salonga
August 23, 2019 at 4:28 am

Usually in my travel and getaway; I have my sunblock with me since I usually run and walk. Flexibility? Will try that soon haha depend on who I am with.
1. Morgan
  August 23, 2019 at 10:49 am
  
  I applaud the sunblock, it’s one of my staples!
Wren LaPorte
August 23, 2019 at 1:03 pm

I take regular girls trips, and as my circle grows so do the number of people that come on the trip. A safeword seems so very important to have in those situations. When it was just me and my bestie, we just had a look, but in a bigger group, you need something more!
Dalene
August 24, 2019 at 3:41 pm

You made me wish I’d have a weekend getaway with my girls. In the past, we’ve gone on road trips , spa days or wellness retreats. And definitely, water and sunblock was a must-carry!