Tips for Planning a Girls Weekend + Our Carmel Highlights

This past weekend, my college best friends and I went on a girls' trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea. We decided when I was there in January that we'd do a girls' weekend away when I came back in April. We typically stay at one of our houses, but wanted to do something a little different this time. I've been on plenty of girls' trips and love to plan them! Today, I thought I'd share my tips on creating the best girls' weekend, plus share the highlights of our trip to Carmel.

Tip #1: Determine the distance you're willing to travel.

I've had girls' trips that are two hours away and six hours away. When you're only doing a weekend, you don't want to spend too much time in the car. If you're planning on staying two nights, then farther away is fine. If only staying one, I recommend capping the distance at 3 hours. We chose Carmel-by-the-Sea because we could get there in 2.5 hours (and there was a beach).

Tip #2: Plan the big things first.

Once you've determined the destination, plan the big items. This can include the hotel, transportation, or guest list. It helps to get the big things out of the way so you can start planning the fun bits.

Tip #3: Book some things to keep structure, but not the entire weekend.

For our trip, we made reservations for tea, as well as dinner. It bookended our trip, as well as gave us a couple of things to look forward to.

Tip #4: Honor traditions you've created.

What began in our first year of college has continued to this day, nine years later. Each time we get together, we try and go out for one fancy meal. We all know to pack something special for dinner when we see each other.

Tip #5: Leave room for exploration.

The fun thing about going away is seeing all the city has to offer. We left time in our itinerary to walk around the downtown, popping into local shops and seeing what the town had to offer.

Tip #6: Plan things that give an environment for conversation.

Girls' weekends are so special because of quality time with your favorite ladies. Making sure that you're leaving space to catch-up and enjoy each others' company is crucial. For our trip, one of the things that gave us time to connect was when we went wine tasting. Plenty of time to chat, while sipping unique wines.

Tip #7: Do something fun on the last day.

Often times, activities take place on the first day you're in town. Remembering to include something fun before starting your journey home will be a great way to end the trip. We chose to go for brunch and then to the beach.