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Plan Your Girlfriend Getaway

Thinking about taking a trip with your best girlfriends? Read this first.

By Rachel Pomerance

According to Renee Werbin, publisher of travelgirl magazine, women are continuing to travel in new territory – whether that's hiking in Eastern Europe or taking trips traditionally reserved for men, like golfing excursions.

Werbin, whose vacations have ranged from a mother-daughter hot-air balloon ride over Amish country to a horseback riding excursion with eight friends at the Tanque Verde Ranch near Tucson, offers some tips for planning your own girlfriend getaway:

• With many travel agents specializing in women-only travel, choose one that's a member of the American Society of Travel Agents or is otherwise accredited. "You have to be sure of what you're buying."
  
  
• Ensure your group is "on board" with the program and shares interests and schedules. For example, golfers tend to rise early, and younger women gravitate toward nightlife.
  
  
• Safety first. Introduce yourself to the attendant at the hotel's front desk and take a business card from the hotel in case you need transportation. Request a room near the elevator so no one can follow you down a hallway, and ensure that the hotel attendant does not announce your room number. Also, e-mail your itinerary to yourself and a friend.
  
  
• A girlfriend getaway can range from two women to 100, but 10 or fewer is best for bonding.
  
  
• Keep it stress-free.