Girl getaways at home and abroad

updated 10:34 a.m. ET April 18, 2008

Book by: ASAP
Travel by: Various through 2008

The deal
With Mother’s Day coming up on May 11, it’s time to plan that lifetime trip with mom or simply celebrate womanhood by taking a vacation with your favorite girlfriends. Whether it’s a weekend away with your sister, a bachelorette party for your best friend, or an outing with your dearest lady friends, there’s nothing like a little female bonding. We scoured girl getaway specials at home and abroad and found five deals worth booking today. If you want to stay close to home, you can live it up in the Big Easy; get outdoorsy and spiritual in Sedona; or go wild in New York. Willing to travel further? We suggest an art tour in Mexico City or a European holiday in Paris and London. These land-only and air-inclusive deals start at just $210/night.

Enjoy girly fun in the Big Easy
For fun in the Big Easy, we recommend getting together with a group of girlfriends and booking the special now on offer by Royal Sonesta Hotel in New Orleans. The Just Us Girls two-night package is priced from $349 per person for midweek stays ($379 on weekends) and comes with a variety of inclusions. Those are deluxe accommodations; limousine transportation to and from the hotel; a welcome packet complete with masks, feather boas, and a directory of Magazine Street and Royal Street Shopping; coffee and breakfast breads; French Quarter coupon book worth over $150 in discounts for area attractions; and lunch in Desire Oyster Bar.

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Get spiritual & outdoorsy in Sedona
For outdoorsy girls who like to get pampered, Sedona is the place to go. Spend a few days with your girlfriends surrounded by spectacular scenery of this wonderful Southwestern town with a spiritual vibe and plenty to do. Climb the red rocks, get in touch with your inner self on a psychic reading, indulge in spa treatments, and peruse art galleries. The Amara Resort and Spa in Sedona offers a two-night Girls Get Grounded Getaway package for two for $868. It includes a $20 food credit per person each day; a personal crystal and a Vortex guide book; complimentary wine and cheese; and your choice of the following: a facial, a yoga class or a psychic reading.

Go wild with girlfriends in New York
A trip to New York is the ultimate girls’ getaway. The city is simply exhilarating, whether you want to shop till you drop; hit the coolest clubs and restaurants; or just soak up the adrenaline-filled streets. So we suggest you leave the guys at home and hit the Big Apple! The deal we found on New York City Vacation Packages lets you do that for a song. The Girls Night Out special starts at $421 per person for a two-night package, packed with inclusions such as: your choice of 25 Midtown Manhattan hotels; a guided bus tour of Sex and the City hotspots; a manicure and pedicure; lunch at Tavern on the Green; free admission to several attractions; and more.

Art tour in Mexico City this August
How about paying tribute to one of the world’s most recognized female artists, the Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, by booking a Mexico City art tour? Tia Stephanie Tours offers a seven-night Mexico City package, The Life and Legacy of Frida Kahlo, this August. This unique foray to the dynamic capital of Mexico is priced at $1,865 per person and, except international airfare, covers all the following: hotel accommodations; transfers and local transportation; several meals; and guided sightseeing to Frida Kahlo-related sites. Those include a studio she shared with Diego Rivera, the Frida Kahlo Museum, the Palace of Fine Arts, and a day trip to the cities of Puebla and Cholula.

Video
Mother-daughter destinations
Need to get away for some girl time? Nilou Moutamed of Travel + Leisure magazine has suggestions.
Today show
Summer trip to London and Paris
Girls are bound to have plenty of fun in the two brightest capitals of Europe: London and Paris. We recommend booking the six-night combination package that will get you to the British and French capitals this summer for just $1,349. Valid for departures in July and August, this Virgin Vacations deal covers roundtrip transatlantic airfare; three nights in each city, at midrange hotels conveniently located to the city center; continental breakfast daily; and the continuing flight between the two cities. This is an excellent way to take in the urban charms of England and France without spending a fortune.

The dollars
See details above for each deal. Note that the first four specials are land-only. We checked regular rates at the properties in New Orleans and Sedona and they cost almost as much as the featured freebie-filled packages. It is, indeed, the inclusions that make these specials such great-value. The Mexico City tour is on the pricey side, taking into account the airfare is additional, but it provides a unique perspective on this huge metropolis that’s better not explored independently. The extensive planning of the trip and the interesting twist make this package worth booking. The foray to Paris and London is the only airfare-inclusive package —the transatlantic flight only could easily cost you up to $1,000 during the peak summer season!

The catch
You better get those girls together and starting planning a fun getaway!

Girl getaways at home and abroad

From New Orleans to Mexico City, Paris & London, from $210 per night

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