I don’t know about you but sometimes it’s quite nice not to do the ‘couply thing’ and instead go somewhere when it’s just the girls. For me this usually involves a chick-flick & popcorn round a friend’s house, hitting the bars or clubs or booking a city break and jetting off somewhere new for a few days. Through working in the travel industry, I have found that there are so many other ideas out there should you wish to spend some time with your girlfriends. Check out my list below and maybe consider doing something a little different the next time you wish to have some girly fun!
West End Shows
Nothing beats a trip to London with its cosmopolitan air and multitude of shops, eateries and visitor attractions on every corner to keep everyone entertained. London is also brilliant when considering theatre breaks so why not grab the girls together and catch a top West End show? There’s a wide variety available from musical classics like Les Miserables and Phantom Of The Opera to newbies such as Legally Blonde, Shrek and the Wizard Of Oz. London theatre breaks are perfect as they usually include all your coach travel, accommodation and ticket to the show of your choice. Whilst in London, you could enjoy a glorious meal at the Oxo Tower and maybe have a cocktail or two before taking your seat in the theatre. Do what girls do best and check out the shops on Oxford Street or head to Westfield to grab a bargain. Perhaps get more out of your London theatre break by adding some sightseeing to the mix with visits to the Natural History Museum, Tower Of London, Buckingham Palace…..the list is endless of what you can get up to in London.
Shopping
Us girls are famous for our passion for fashion and shopping is our ultimate pastime. Not sure about you, but I can quite happily wander around shopping centres such as Bluewater even if I have no money to buy anything – window-shopping is rather therapeutic don’t you think? Those of us that do have money to burn have a wide variety of shopping opportunities available to us from the hustle & bustle of our hometown London to New York – the ‘Big Apple’ that never sleeps. Follow in the footsteps of ‘Friends’ favourite ‘Rachel’ and visit Macys, Bloomingdales or 5th Avenue and grab a bargain if the exchange rate is in your favour. Head to fashion capital of the world, Milan, where you’ll find chic-boutiques and the designer flagship stores for Armani, Versace, Prada and more. Stick closer to home and visit Europe’s biggest shopping Mall that’s Bluewater or if you’re a fan of your labels head to Westfield where you’ll find both designer clothing and the usual High Street brands. Christmas Markets also provide a perfect shopping opportunity where you can find traditional handicrafts and local delicacies in a wintry setting!
Gardens & Flower Shows
Those green-fingered girlies among us will love Gardens and Flower Shows as not only can you catch up with what one
another have been up to but you can also see what’s hot and what’s not in the gardening world too! It has to be said that Chelsea and Hampton Court are the popular ones but there are a few others out there that are certainly worth a visit too! So next time you are planning a girly catch-up consider visiting the Harrogate Flower Show, the Malvern Autumn Show or the Tatton Park Flower Show as an alternative to Chelsea. On a nice sunny day, there’s nothing better than strolling through stunning gardens where you can admire amazing foliage, get inspiration for your own gardens and perhaps enjoy a girly picnic with friends. The UK is full of wonderful gardens to explore from the Eden Project in Cornwall to RHS Wisley in Surrey and not forgetting the many other stately homes & gardens dotted all over the country. It could be said that you and the girls may have difficulty deciding on which one to visit – let’s hope the weather is great for you whatever you ecide to do.
Spa Weekends
Fancy a bit of pampering and relaxation whilst catching up with the girls at the same time? Spa weekends could be the way to go! Not only do you get to stay in a luxurious 4 or 5 star hotel but you get to try out the many beauty treatments on offer as well as having full use of the hotels leisure facilities. Escape busy city life and spend the day relaxing and rejuvenating yourselves whilst catching up on what everyone else has been up to since the last time you met. After you’ve all been pampered and beautified, you could finish off the evening with a luxurious meal in the restaurant and a few cocktails at the bar.
City Breaks
Sometimes it’s just nice to get away from it all and who better to
travel with than with your girlfriends? As you are probably aware, there are so many awesome cities out there to visit whether you wish to stay closer to home or venture a bit further afield. Have you ever wanted to follow in the footsteps of Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Charlotte York and Miranda Hobbes? Why not create your own ‘Sex & The City’ style break with a trip to ‘The Big Apple’ and go shopping in NYC – who knows you may even find your own ‘Mr Big’? But NYC is not the ‘be all and end all’ when it comes to girly city breaks – oh no! Head to the other side of the world with a city break to Sydney where you and the girls can climb the Harbour Bridge, spend a sophisticated evening at the famous Opera House or simply top up your tans on the beach. For an unusual city break, head to Tokyo and sample the sushi or learn how to samba during carnival time in Rio. You shouldn’t forget the UK when considering city breaks either as there are many fabulous cities here too. Obviously, London is at the top of any girls list with its buzzing nightlife, cosmopolitan cuisine and outstanding West End Shows but there are many others to consider too. Budding sleuths will love Oxford, not only is it the ‘city of spires’, but you can also follow the ‘Inspector Morse Trail’ and visit locations featured in the popular TV series. Fans of The Beatles should head to Liverpool and join a Magical Mystery Tour but if they wish to party then head to Brighton, Cardiff or Leeds – all of which have a vibrant nightlife that could rival London. Join in Hogmanay celebrations whilst in Edinburgh and don’t forget to check out the shops on Princes Street. I think it’s fair to say, when considering girly breakaways, you should definitely think outside the box and you’re sure to find some hidden gems that you wouldn’t normally think of!
Sporting Events
It’s not just men who love their sports, some of us girls have a passion for sports too and it’s not just because we love
watching physically fit men in shorts run about on the pitch – many of us actually know the sports inside out and back to front! If you want to get glammed up and have a fancy hat hidden in storage then dig it out for a day out at the races with Ascot Ladies Day. Head over to SW19 for champagne or Pimms and sample the famous strawberries & cream whilst watching the tennis action at Wimbledon. Maybe you and the girls are fans of fast cars? If so, get together for all the racing action at Silverstone with the British Grand Prix and see if Sebastian Vettel can retain his world championship status! If you’d rather rub shoulders with the rich and famous, you should head over to Monaco and catch the racing there. Whilst there, maybe nip into a casino or see if you can board one of those beautiful white yachts and watch the Monaco Grand Prix from there?
Concerts
Many girls across the country (who like me) probably squealed with delight when all 5 members of man-band Take That
announced that they were going on tour and will play a series of dates across the UK and Europe in 2011. Along with many others, it felt like an eternity trying to get hold of those sought-after tickets but after almost 3 hours and with the help of a very dear friend of mine, we finally got hold of ours and will be seeing the man-band of the year at Wembley Stadium in July 2011 – six of my girlfriends are coming with me and we can’t wait! BUT it’s not just Take That who have announced a tour in 2011, pop/rock legends such as Barry Manilow, Daniel O’Donnell and Eric Clapton will be touring too. Also, if you’re a fan of The X Factor, as am I, you should get the girls together and head over to London or Birmingham to see the finalists perform at the ‘Live’ tours in 2011. Those looking for a more sophisticated girly evening should maybe check out the musical extravaganza that is Andre Rieu or spend the evening with James Last and his orchestra. Whoever you decide to see, I’m sure that you and the girls will have a wonderful time and if you were lucky to get Take That tickets too – maybe I’ll see you at Wembley in July!