The best places to go for a girls’ weekend in the U.S. coming at you!
I’m not an expert on travel, but I can say with certainty that I’ve had some really great girls’ weekends over the last decade or so.
Every year, when it’s time to plan my next girls’ weekend, I end up researching “the best places to go for a girls’ weekend.” So if you’re like me and you’ve ever wondered where to go, I’ve got you covered in this one!
Enjoy this list of places, with some trip-planning tips at the end.
And these are the best places to go for a girls’ weekend in the U.S. …
Las Vegas, Nevada
(Fun, wild, over the top)
Las Vegas, Nevada is one of my favorite places to visit.
I’ve been to Las Vegas five or six times, and I’ve almost always had an amazing time. (Outside of that one time I was there for a fitness conference, staying in an older hotel where we had to walk through a smoky casino to get to our fitness sessions.)
In Las Vegas, you can hang by the pool, you can go to the spa, you can go shopping, you can see a show, you can walk around casinos (or gamble, but I never do that), you can go to night clubs, and you can do some amazing people watching.
Everything is opulent and over the top in Las Vegas, and I love taking it in. I had my own bachelorette party in Vegas, I’ve been to a bachelorette party in Vegas, I’ve been on a couples trip in Vegas, I’ve been on a friend’s 40th birthday trip in Vegas, and as mentioned, I also went to a fitness conference in Vegas.
So why is Las Vegas so fun for girls? Because you can stay in a nice hotel, get all glammed up, have a delicious meal, and enjoy some adult beverages, with some optional dancing too. Las Vegas is on the dressier and pricier side for a girls’ weekend, but it’s a place to let seriously loose, and I’m so due for a trip there.
I would say two nights is plenty, and remember that it’s very hot in the summer, and there are big temperature dips at night due to the desert climate. Spring or fall is ideal if you can swing it.
It’s easy to fly in and out of Las Vegas, which is always a good thing on a short girls’ weekend.
Las Vegas trip tips:
- Things I highly suggest you consider adding to your Las Vegas girls’ weekend agenda: a Cirque du Soleil show, the beautiful flowers in the Bellagio lobby, a beverage at The Chandelier bar in The Cosmopolitan and maybe even a pool party, if it’s warm enough.
- You can have a glam team come to your hotel room and do your makeup and hair pretty affordably. I’ve done that with friends, and we loved it.
Nashville, Tennessee
(Fun, wild, live music)
I’ve only been to Nashville, Tennessee one time, and it was for a girls’ weekend with my long-time friends from Florida. Honestly, it felt like nearly everyone was there for a girls’ weekend, and there were so many girls groups all around us.
We had a total blast for two nights, and I loved the vibe of the city. It felt like everyone was visiting Nashville to have a good time, much like Las Vegas (which may be why people call it Nash-vegas).
Nashville is much more casual than Las Vegas and more affordable as well. The cool thing about Nashville is that there are tons of bars with live music. The live music may have been my favorite part of the trip. But we also did some walking, shopping and eating.
When we were in Nashville, we walked around to little boutiques, we ate great food, and then we bar hopped at night. I couldn’t believe the quality of the live musicians in Nashville. It was so good. Because of that, I would say Nashville is one of my top girls’ weekend destinations, and I want to go back.
It’s easy to fly in and out of Nashville too, and I think that’s a big benefit.
Nashville trip tips:
- Things I highly suggest you consider adding to your Nashville girls’ weekend agenda: walking and shopping around the 12South neighborhood and some seriously great live music at Legends Corner on Broadway.
- Have a fancy meal and take in the live lounge music at the Twelve Thirty Club Supper Club. This supper club is perhaps one of my favorite dinners I’ve ever had. The vibe is top notch, the food is good, and the music is truly fantastic. I’ve told literally everyone going to Nashville about it, and they’ve all tried it and loved it too. It’s a don’t miss.
- More details on my Nashville trip can be found here.
Charleston, South Carolina
(Chill, charming, good food)
I’ve only been to Charleston, South Carolina one time, and it was for a girls’ weekend. I loved Charleston!
It’s a much more refined and buttoned-up city than Nashville, but with the same Southern hospitality. While I was a little disappointed in the nightlife in Charleston, I was very impressed with the shopping, sightseeing and overall atmosphere, and the food was so, so, so good.
My girlfriends and I enjoyed walking around the downtown shopping and dining areas, and we also explored the historical neighborhoods, where you could basically see into people’s homes or courtyards. It was very hot and humid in August, and if I went back to Charleston, I’d try for a slightly more moderate time.
If you like walking, exploring, eating and shopping, then Charleston is the place for you. We never even got in a car during our weekend there, and were able to explore everything on foot.
It’s fairly easy to get to Charleston, and the airport is close to the city center. I drove to Charleston from Charlotte, and it was the easiest direct drive of just under three hours.
Charleston trip tips:
- Things I highly suggest you consider adding to your Charleston girls’ weekend agenda: shopping on King Street, the Rainbow Row historical houses and taking in some harbor air at Charleston Waterfront Park.
- If you want the most ultra-feminine pink tea experience, you must book a high tea at Camellias in Charleston. I did this with my girlfriends, and we loved it so much.
- More details on my Charleston trip can be found here.
Key West, Florida
(Chill, but rowdy, very casual)
I’ve been on two girls’ trips in Key West, Florida, and both of them were such a great time.
You can wear flip-flops and a sundress all day and night in Key West and fit right in. While this is a “beachy” place, you actually may not find you spend a ton of time at the beach, because Keys beaches aren’t like most beaches.
Both times I’ve been to Key West, we’ve casually bar hopped, gone to pool parties, eaten delicious meals, and even been to two drag shows.
I love how friendly everyone is on the streets of Key West. It’s another one of those cities where most people are there to have a good time, although on a much more chill level than Las Vegas or Nashville.
There’s not a ton of shopping or spa options here, so this is more about hanging out. (Although, it has been several years since I’ve been to Key West, so maybe things have changed.)
Transportation to Key West is not as easy. While there is a little airport there, most people fly into bigger cities like Miami or Fort Lauderdale and make the long drive (about four hours). Honestly, because Key West is so south, it does put this place lower on the list of best places to go for a girls’ weekend to me. But once you’re there, it’s great.
Key West trip tips:
- Things I highly suggest you consider adding to your Key West girls’ weekend agenda: some pool time at Dante’s and perhaps a drag show at The Birdcage Cabaret.
- No trip to Key West is complete without a visit to live-music bar Sloppy Joe’s on infamous Duval Street. It’s truly a must do.
- More details on one of my Key West trips can be found here.
Additional best places to go on a girls’ weekend
- New York City, New York – I’ve been in NYC multiple times and had a mini girls’ weekend there a long time ago. It’s always a good experience, but it’s also very big and weather dependent.
- Miami, Florida – Honestly, don’t sign me up for the Miami trip, but a lot of people do love to do girls’ weekends there. I’ve spent plenty of time in Miami, and I went to a bachelorette party there that was really fun. You’ve got beach, food, clubs and some super humid weather. I also have some weird memories from Miami, so it’s just not high on my list.
- Carmel-by-the-Sea, California – I’ve spent many weekends with Dave in Carmel-by-the-Sea and this is definitely on the chill side for a weekend for girls, but it’s a truly lovely place. Not quite as easy to get to, but so worth it, if you have the time and budget.
- Napa and Sonoma Valley in California – I’ve spent many wonderful days and weekends in California’s wine country, but that was a lot easier to do when I lived in San Francisco. For West Coasters, a trip to Napa and Sonoma is much more doable for a weekend than for East Coasters. There’s so much lovely wine to be tasted, and if you can swing this, it’s an amazing getaway for a girl’s weekend for sure. I’ve not been back since we left California four years ago, and I do hope to return to Napa or Sonoma one day.
- North Carolina beaches – I’ve gone on two truly incredibly enjoyable girls’ weekends in Holden Beach, North Carolina, which is a beach town I likely never would have heard of, had it not been for my girlfriends’ parents owning a place there. We bring our own food, we wear bathing suits and pajamas, we keep it low-key, yet somehow, we stay busy having a blast. I don’t always choose beach towns for trips, but Holden Beach has been so good to me. As you’ll see in my tips below, it’s all about the people you travel with anyhow.
I’ve heard great things about Austin, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; and Savannah, Georgia for girls’ weekends, and I would like to check them all out with girlfriends in the near future.
What’s important when planning where to go on a girls’ weekend
Let’s be honest, the most important part of a girls’ weekend is the girls you’re going with. If you’re getting away with friends or family, then who you are with matters most. Honestly, you should be able to have a good time anywhere you go, if you’re with the right people, you know?
I think it’s incredibly important to have a conversation with your travel-mates before the trip to decide on the pace you want when you get there. Are you all go-go-go? Or are you chill-chill-chill?
Do you like a lot of downtime or do you like to see all the things? I definitely fall into the “see all the things” category and expect to spend little to no time in my hotel room on a trip, especially a girls’ weekend.
Make sure you set all of that out with the people you’re going with, and that will help you decide where you should end up. I also think that places that are easier to travel to are better for short girls’ weekends, so you can maximize your time in the destination, rather than the journey there.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post about the best places for girls’ weekends! This is your sign to plan your next girls’ trip! And come say hi to me on Instagram and let me know where you went and how you liked it!
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Questions of the day
What city do you most want to visit next?
What’s the best girls’ weekend you’ve ever been on?
