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Top 10 girl getaways
Need some real girl bonding? Go wild, sip it up, shop til you drop and more
 | Luck be a lady! With its ever-growing array of ultra-chic nightclubs, lavish spas, world-class restaurants, and over-the-top entertainment options, Sin City is built for the ultimate girlfriend getaway. |
Laura Rauch / AP file |
You're all grown up now, so it's time to leave the slumber parties in the past and take a real vacation with your favorite ladies. Plan a weekend with your sister, a once-in-a-lifetime trip with mom, or a bachelorette party for your best friend — no matter the occasion, there's nothing like a girl getaway to bond women together. Whether it's surfing, clubbing, pampering, cooking, or shopping that gets you and your friends going, we've found the ten places for you to do all that and much more.
1. Art-viewing in Florence
For girls who crave culture, Florence has it all. Some of the world's most important works of art and architecture — think Michelangelo's "David", the Palazzo Vecchio, and Botticelli's "Birth of Venus" — reside here. Do it on your own or take a tour, but after you've gotten your fill of art, get your fill of Florence's culinary delights. Start with the requisite cup of creamy, delicious gelato — after all, no girly getaway is complete without sweets. Near the Ponte Vecchio, order a cup of chocolate-hazelnut gelato at Carrozza and enjoy it and the views of the Arno River and Tuscan countryside while you stroll over the bridge.
Book it: Gate 1 Travel has six-day Florence vacation packages, including round-trip airfare and breakfast, from $929 per person through October.
2. Club-hopping in South Beach
Girls who like to see and be seen flock to Miami's South Beach, where a sexy, 'round-the-clock vibe promises gal pals a chance to perfect their tans by day and party all night. This sprawling, sun-splashed Art Deco district boasts plenty of superior shops where you can play with your plastic, plus fantastic opportunities to show off your fabulous finds: You can model your new bikinis for rollerbladers and volleyballers on the city's sugar-white-sand beaches, then flaunt your new evening wear for celebrities and hipsters as you bounce between the clubs that define Florida's capital of cool.
Book it: Miami Beach's Gansevoort South offers a two-night "Girls Escape Package" which features VIP access and complimentary cocktails at Plunge rooftop bar and lounge and two VIP passes to either The Opium Garden, Privé, or Mansion. It also includes discounts at area boutiques, a beach-side yoga or Pilates class, salon treatments, breakfast, and a welcome beach bag starting at $395/night (based on double occupancy).
3. Cooking in Provence
Expand your culinary repertoire beyond Rachael Ray recipes with a pilgrimage to France's foremost food region, where you'll encounter sun-drenched fields of fragrant lavender, rustic hillside villages, and a culture that revels in marathon four-hour meals. The land that nourished Cézanne and van Gogh is ripe with interactive cooking classes, many taught in 18th-century stone farmhouses. You'll gather local ingredients from centuries-old markets, learn how to construct blue-ribbon bouillabaisse from master chefs, and wine and dine with friends at Michelin-starred restaurants.
Book it: Turn off the Food Network and join The International Kitchen for a six-night "Week in Provence" that includes accommodations, most meals, five cooking classes, and excursions around Provence for $3,250 per person.
4. Going wild in Las Vegas
Luck be a lady! With its ever-growing array of ultra-chic nightclubs, lavish spas, world-class restaurants, and over-the-top entertainment options, Sin City is built for the ultimate girlfriend getaway. Gamble the night away as unlimited cocktails materialize, indulge in a Swarovski crystal body-art treatment at the Qua Baths & Spa inside Caesars Palace, shop ‘till you drop at the Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes, and sling catcalls during the Chippendales show at the Rio. Just be sure to remind your gal pals that whatever happens, it all stays in Vegas.
Book it: De-stress from all the debauchery at the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas, where you get a 50-minute spa treatment and $50 food and beverage credit with every night's stay when you book their "Spa Package" from $620/night.
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5. Shopping in New York City
Vacations can be a perfect opportunity for girl-bonding. Travel writer Valarie D’Elia has some great suggestions for girlfriend getaways.
From high-priced designer fashions to discount chic, electronics to rare books — New York City has it all, a dizzying array of choices from the exclusive boutiques of SoHo and Madison Avenue to the jewelers and department stores on Fifth. Whether fighting the fashionistas at the sale rack at Henri Bendel's or perusing designer knock-offs in the back room of a Chinatown shop, you'll love pounding the pavement in search of bargains. You'll also have new duds to show off when you go out on the town to experience the city's exciting nightlife.
Book it: New York City Vacation Packages offers a two-night "Shop New York Package" from $279 per person. The starting price includes accommodations at your choice of three- , four-, or five-star hotels, a Shop Gotham SoHo and NoLita tour with visits to hidden boutiques and celebrities' favorite stores, discounts at several major department stores, and free admission to your choice of attractions, including the Empire State Building.
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