The 15 Best Girlfriend Getaways On The Coast
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Family vacations are wonderful and getaways with your honey are great too, but sometimes your soul calls for quality time with your besties and nothing else will do. If you and your girls have always talked about taking a trip together, but find yourselves stuck in an endless circle of waiting for a “calmer season,” now’s the time to break the cycle and finally get the trip out of the group chat. Like any relationship, friendships take work to maintain, and an uninterrupted weekend of togetherness is just the investment you and your pals need to keep your friendship strong for years to come. The memories you’ll make are guaranteed to keep you going until your next reunion, so the only thing left to decide is where to go. If you and your gals can’t resist a view of the water, then check out these coastal destinations that also offer great shopping, excellent dining, comfortable stays, and endless things to do. Here are the best girlfriend getaways on the coast in the South.
Anna Maria Island, Florida
We’ve often called this barrier island off Florida’s western coast—just south of Tampa—the ultimate mother-daughter destination, but it’s also the perfect place for a girlfriend trip for all the same reasons. With three distinct beach towns, the entire island is awash in local flavor and hospitality. Spend afternoons strolling along Pine Avenue and stopping into charming boutiques, galleries, bakeries, and cafes housed in brightly painted restored homes and commercial buildings. Easy public beach access abounds, so when you want to escape, the serenity of sand and surf is just steps away.
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Florida doesn’t get to have all the fun! Alabama’s Gulf Coast is another great place to take your girls for a weekend on the water. Oceanfront home rentals are reasonable here, so everyone can have their own space but enjoy being together under one roof. Pack a picnic and spend your entire day catching up while you watch the tides change. Treat yourselves to an excellent dining experience and gorgeous sunset views at Cobalt Restaurant, and if you’re not quite ready to hit the hay, make the pilgrimage to the Flora-Bama, a world-famous dive bar that’s been voted as the state’s best.
Savannah, Georgia
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With a nickname like Hostess City of the South, the kind of vacation you’ll have if you take your girlfriend trip to Savannah is pretty self-explanatory. Everything about this charming Southern city on the Savannah River makes it uber dreamy for a girl’s trip, from the historic downtown filled with cobblestone squares and oak-shaded parks to the first-class boutique shopping to the excellent Southern dining. First-rate boutique hotels like The Alida, Drayton Hotel, and Hotel Bardo give you and your girls a restful retreat and a luxurious place to recharge.
Ocean Springs, Mississippi
With a backdrop of the beautiful Biloxi Bay, this artsy little town is the perfect lowkey locale for you and your girlfriends. Treat your besties to the ultimate sandside picnic with a little help from Coastal Picnic Co., who will create an unbelievable setup complete with cozy pillows, plush throws, and impressive charcuterie spreads. Boutique shopping, gallery hopping, a multicourse tasting dinner at Vestige, and a room in a gorgeously designed floating cabin complete the dream trip.
Port Aransas, Texas
If you and your ladies are ready for a little adventure, this is the coastal destination for you. Don’t leave the deep-sea fishing to the dudes, charter a boat with Deep Sea Headquarters and see what underwater treasures can reel in. Head to Mustang Island State Park to enjoy the beach, bird watch, or even take a kayak out on their 20 miles of water trails. Looking for the perfect place to stay? The luxury residential and vacation community has options for every group size. Town homes, condos, cottages, and large homes with Gulf views abound.
Lauderdale-By-The-Sea, Florida
Robbie Caponetto
You can get anywhere you want to go on two feet (or two wheels) in this cheery beach town just south of Fort Lauderdale. As part of the community’s charter, no new buildings in town can exceed 33 feet tall, so you won’t have to worry about high rises blocking your view of the turquoise waters. Instead, retro renovated hotels dot the shoreline and a bustling downtown emanates from the oceanfront drive. Sit down for drinks, dinner, and live music with your toes in the sand at Aruba Beach Café or take the gals for dinner and dancing at Mickey’s Downtown piano bar. Don’t feel like making the trek home when the night’s over? Call the town’s free shuttle to pick you up and deliver you to your door.
Charleston, South Carolina
There’s not much that hasn’t already been said about this South Carolina coastal charmer, but we couldn’t resist adding it to this list because it really is such a bucket list place to visit with your best friends. Of course, the food scene is vast and accomplished, but art enthusiasts, history buffs, and nature lovers will adore Charleston too. If you go, make sure you hit all the iconic high points, from top-notch shopping on King Street to pastel-hued houses on Rainbow Row to the legendary fried chicken at Leon’s.
Wilmington, North Carolina
LISA CORSON
The lush, naturalistic landscapes of Airlie Gardens have been open to the public since 1999.We’ve been singing the praises of this North Carolina town nestled between two waterways ever since our readers named it the year’s top city on the rise. And the more we get to know Wilmington, the more we want to visit—and bring our closest friends along for the ride. We’d spring for a couple of rooms in the ultra-cool, design-focused Dreamers by DW bed and breakfast (housed in a grand Victorian home), then spend a long weekend strolling along the Wilmington Riverwalk overlooking the Cape Fear River and making short drives to nearby beaches like Wrightsville, Carolina, and Kure. And we’d definitely make time to visit the cinematically beautiful Airlie Gardens, where scenes from Nicholas Sparks’s The Choice were filmed.
Fairhope, Alabama
One of the prettiest places in the entire state of Alabama, the panoramic bayfront views and storybook sweet downtown of Fairhope (not to mention the absolutely stunning Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa) are worth writing home about. (Our longtime columnist Rick Bragg loved the place so much he bought a home there.) With its very on French Quarter, a bookstore that doubles as a bar, and hundreds of dreamy beach bungalows tucked around ancient live oaks and brilliantly blooming hydrangeas, no one escapes the charm of Fairhope. We wouldn’t be surprised if after one visit, you and your friends decided to make the trip an annual occurrence.
St. Simons Island, Georgia
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Getty ImagesGeorgia’s barrier islands are a real treat and the state’s Golden Isles (a trio of communities consisting of St. Simons, Jekyll, and Brunswick) are the cherry on top. The girl group will love exploring the island. Start by finding a home away from home at The Park, a retro, motor-court-style stay that features a lovely pool surrounded by peach loungers and black-and-white-striped umbrellas. Rent beach cruisers so you can get around town in your own private fleet, then get a selfie from the top of the St. Simon’s Lighthouse, which was built in 1827. The fashionistas among your group will be surprised and delighted to find out that this unsuspecting Southern town is home to one of fashion brand Tibi’s only outlets.
30A, Florida
Pick your paradise on this Gulf Coast stretch of sand and surf. From laidback Grayton to cheery Seaside to regal Alys Beach, each community on Scenic Highway 30A has a personality all its own. Poll your group and see which would be the best fit, then come back next year to try out another. No matter where you choose to plant your chair and umbrella, you won’t find prettier beaches anywhere. We’re talking sugar-white sand beaches and water as brilliantly turquoise blue as the Caribbean.
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Like 30A, this string of oceanfront communities on North Carolina’s Atlantic Coast are each known for something different. If you’re looking to make memories that will last a lifetime, this is the place to do it. You and your friends will never forget the time you saw wild horses running on the beach in Corolla, or the time you took hang gliding lessons on the giant sand dunes in Nags Head. If you prefer a slower-paced getaway, consider Duck, where you can take a leisurely boardwalk stroll with views of the Currituck Sound over one shoulder and boutique shops over the other.
The Northshore, Louisiana
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Covingtonâs quaint homes and historic downtown make it a must-visit destination.New Orleans may be a hoot and a half, but just across Lake Pontchartrain is another Louisiana locale to consider for your next Bayou excursion. The Northshore, also known as St. Tammany Parish, is home to nine charming towns known for their excellent culinary scenes, walkable downtowns, charming neighborhoods, and variety of outdoor adventure. A stay at The historic Southern Hotel in Covington is a treat in and of itself, but when you add in everything else this area has to offer, The Northshore can’t be beat.
Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
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The Palmetto State’s beloved resort town was also named our readers’ favorite island in South Carolina this year. Folks have been known to big-wheeled beach cruisers right onto the graham cracker-colored sand on Hilton Head’s 12 miles of unspoiled beaches. The gals will love shopping in Harbour Town, then climbing to the top of its iconic red-and-white-striped lighthouse for stunning views of the yacht basin and Calibogue Sound. Before you head home, make sure to snag a table on the expansive deck of Hudson’s on the Docks, which overlooks the sparkling Port Royal Sound.
Annapolis, Maryland
There are 350 years of history (and counting!) behind this idyllic coastal town on Chesapeake Bay, which means there are layers upon layers to get to know. Your group will adore the nostalgia of the 18th century brick storefronts and stately U.S. Naval Academy campus. And since Annapolis is known as the Sailing Capital of the U.S., you’d be remise not to take your pals for a cruise on a classic wooden schooner. After a long day of exploring, learn about another Annapolis specialty: crab cakes. Dock Street Bar & Grill and Carrol’s Creek Café are just a couple places to sample the local delicacy.
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