No boys allowed: Renew friendships on girlfriend getaways

Whether you spend a girlfriend getaway horseback riding in the mountains, relaxing oceanside, indulging in spa treatments or laughing until the wee hours, the trip can end up being more than a vacation.

“A girlfriend getaway enables women to set aside uninterrupted time together to reconnect and form new memories that will strengthen the foundation of their friendships,” explains Irene S. Levine, a friendship expert, author and professor of psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine.

Levine notes that a number of studies link friendship with improved health and emotional well-being. Having close girlfriends, she explains, also alleviates stress, lowers blood pressure and reduces the risk of depression.

“Because there are issues that women can only talk about with each other, these getaways offer an emotional release,” Levine says. “Being away from the routines of home and work enables friends to relax and really focus on their relationships.”

Getting away with friends also leads to more shared memories, she notes. This year’s stand-up paddling excursion or late-night dance party will become the experience you reminisce about next year.

Here are four destinations that can truly cater to a girlfriend getaway.

A Taste of California Wine Country

Indulge in some of your favorite things in Napa Valley. At the Silverado Resort & Spa, you’re close to over 400 wineries in one of California’s premiere wine regions.

Try a Lavender Herbal Sugar Scrub or Rose Warm Candle Massage at the spa. If your group has four or more, consider a treatment package with complimentary sparkling wine.

The resort’s Farm to Vineyard to Table package takes groups, along with the hotel chef, to a farmers market to select ingredients for dinner. Then it’s off to a wine-blending seminar at an area winery, where you and your friends will experiment and even compete to create a blend that will be bottled and served with your dinner that night.

Ready for some exercise? Biking is a convenient way to see the valley and visit the vineyards (try the popular Silverado Trail).

For accommodations with a European flair, the charming Villagio Inn & Spa, designed after a town in Tuscany, features Italian-style gardens and cobblestone courtyards. Located in the town of Yountville (a paradise for foodies), this Napa Valley inn is close to a number of Michelin-starred restaurants in addition to wineries.

Set up a tour and tasting at Domaine Chandon (known for its sparkling wines), which is only a 10-minute walk from the inn, or take a walking historical tour through town.

At Spa Villagio, the Viva La Diva Girlfriends Getaway includes time to relax in a private spa suite, complete with an infinity soaking tub and facial and body treatments.

For women who love horses or draw strength and inspiration from nature, here’s a chance to saddle up and reconnect in spectacular settings.

Cowgirl Fantasies Out West

The all-inclusive Yoga and Horseback Riding Retreat offered by The Home Ranch in Clark, Colo., gives women of all ages and abilities the opportunity to focus on their health and wellness while enjoying a more meaningful riding experience.

The retreat in the beautiful Elk River Valley splits time on horseback with yoga sessions on the mat. The aim is a calmer and more balanced you. Communal dinners provide an opportunity to share your stories.

In the spectacular mountains of Montana, Triple Creek Ranch is out to unleash your inner cowgirl on the Women’s Rocky Mountain Rendezvous. Whether you want to round up calves, pan for Montana sapphires  or hike the scenic Rockies, the ranch offers a variety of activities to engage you during the day and luxurious accommodations and meals to look forward to at night.

Triple Creek also holds a fundraising event exclusively for women — “100 Klicks for Chicks.” Riders cover 100 kilometers, or 62 miles, over four days in support of Summit for Parkinson’s, a nonprofit that raises money and community awareness (Triple Creek Ranch donates $1 for every mile ridden). You’ll return to the ranch each evening for gourmet food and drinks.

A Foodie Trip Southern-Style

If “girl time” to you means catching up over dinner and drinks, Charleston, S.C., is your kind of town.

Zero George Street, a contemporary boutique hotel tucked away in a classic Charleston private courtyard garden, offers twice-weekly cooking classes for hotel guests and visitors.

In the circa-1804 restored kitchen carriage house, you and your friends can watch and interact with the chefs, including award-winning chef Vinson Petrillo, as a multicourse meal is prepared for you. Take notes, ask questions and pick up culinary tips (along with a dessert recipe) to try at home. Meals focus on locally sourced, seasonal ingredients.

Charleston Culinary Tours runs six different food and drink outings that showcase the city’s quaint charm and yummy flavors.

Most famous is its Downtown Culinary Tour, which explores the historic downtown area and stops at several restaurants for a taste of the city’s more traditional dishes, such as shrimp and grits and she-crab soup. Two drink-based tours turn the spotlight on specialty cocktails and Charleston’s micro distilleries.

Chilling Out on Delaware Beaches

For a beach vacation away from the hotel scene, the Delaware coast, well-known for its seaside charms and attractions, provides tons of attractive rental options.

Situated along Delaware’s southern coast, each town, from Rehoboth Beach to Fenwick Island, has its own character — you can be as active, or as lazy, as you want. Both Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach made TripAdvisor’s 2015 list of Vacation Rental Picks: 10 East Coast Beaches Making a Splash.

When looking for a beach rental, Lynn Atchison, CFO for the vacation rental website HomeAway.com, offers the following advice:

• Start your search soon. “The really great properties get booked up pretty early.”
• Discuss as a group whether it’s more important to be closer to the beach and outdoor activities in areas such as South Bethany and Fenwick Island or more central to restaurants and shopping in towns such as Rehoboth Beach.
• Space matters now that you’re a grown-up — so no more pullout sofa! Look for homes with enough bedrooms and bathrooms.
• Read reviews and correspond with the homeowner about payment options and any items you should bring, such as towels and cookware.