Why You Should Plan A Trip With Your Girlfriends Every Year

Meaningful friendships are one of the world’s greatest gifts, but when life gets busy, it can be hard to properly nurture those relationships. One day, you’re sharing a college dorm room with your bestie, and the next thing you know, you’re both married with kids, living halfway across the country from one another. Just like romantic relationships, friendships require time and attention, and an annual girls’ trip can be the perfect way to give your friendships the TLC they deserve.

If you’re feeling a little distant from your long-lost best friends, call them up and start planning a weekend away to relight that friendship spark. We promise you’ll leave feeling refreshed, reconnected, and realigned with the best parts of yourself—a great friend can do that for you after all. Here are seven reasons to plan a trip with your girlfriends every year.

You’ll Get A Much-Needed Break

Anyone who has ever traveled with kids or parents—or any combination of the two—knows that vacations aren’t always relaxing. In fact, sometimes they’re downright chaotic. Between all the planning, prepping, and packing, it can hard to find a minute to sit back and enjoy your incredible surroundings. On a girlfriend trip, you can split the planning duties so no one person feels overwhelmed with the task. You’re also only beholden to yourself; no your kids or husband asking how much longer you plan to soak in the tub. Your gals will be waiting for a late-night chat after you’ve completed your full bath routine.  

You Can Remember Your Identity As A Friend

Our identities as mothers, wives, and employees (just to name a few) get exercised plenty on a daily basis, but it’s only on select occasions that we get to lean into our roles as friends. A dedicated time every year to remember this important but oft-forgotten part of ourselves is an absolute must. A yearly girlfriend getaway is a way to turn back time and revisit every female friendship you’ve made since you were old enough to find a playmate on the playground. From middle school besties to college companions that turned into lifelong confidants, you’ve been someone’s friend for longer than you’ve been almost anything else, and it’s important to celebrate that.

You Probably Have Similar Travel Taste

You’re friends for a reason, which means it’s very likely that you and your gal pals have similar taste in travel. Maybe your crew is all about relaxation and lounging on the beach, or maybe you all have a strong appreciation for a great meal. Planning is 10 times easier when your preferences align, and you’re likely to get that when traveling with friends. And even if they don’t—no big deal. Your friendship has survived your differences, and the trip will too. You might even learn to love something you didn’t think you’d like because someone you love very dearly introduced it to you!

It Gives You A Chance To Catch Up

When I first graduated college and moved away from friends, we had weekly FaceTime calls to catch up on the minutiae of our first days as gainfully employed adults. But as the years went on, our responsibilities increased, turning those weekly chats into monthly calls. And during especially busy seasons, we’d go for months with hardly any communication at all. A yearly girlfriend getaway gives you ample time to reconnect with friends and catch up on all the little things you may not have time to properly address on the phone or over a quick text exchange.

You Need A Reason To Get Together

When you’re in the era of weddings, it might not be as important to plan intentional time with your girlfriends. After all, you’ll see them in a couple months in Vegas or Nashville for the next friend’s bachelorette trip. But once you’re out of that era, there’s not an obvious driver (like a wedding or a party) bringing you together, so it’s up to you to make it happen. An annual girlfriend trip (maybe even one that’s planned for the same weekend every year) means you can escape the never-ending cycle of “we really should get togethers” and finally actually get together!

You’ll Feel Encouraged

There’s no one like your bestie to hype you up and make you feel like the most capable woman in the world. Whether you’re working up the courage to go skydiving or just to leave your kiddos at home for the first time, traveling with your girlfriends means you get a built-in support system and the ultimate encouragers who will push you to be your best self.

You’ll Make Memories To Last A Lifetime

Whether it’s something bucket-list worthy (think riding horses on a beach, summiting a fourteener, or seeing the synchronous fireflies in the Smokies), or just a late-night gab session where the entire group was laughing so hard no one could breathe, every moment spent with your girlfriends is worth remembering. Some of our favorite stories to tell involve the friends who have been with us it all. That type of loyalty, no matter the shenanigan or situation, means you’ll never have a dull moment and you’ll be making memories together until you’re well into old age.