We recently talked about 5 great trips to take with your family. Now we’re going to transition right over to girls’ trips!  Here are 5 girls’ trip destinations that I know you will absolutely love. They fall into every budget and travel style. Let’s start by living the “Pura Vida” in Costa Rica.

Jacó, Costa Rica – Rainforests & Nature

I had 2 or 3 of my friends tell me that Jacó, Costa Rico wasn’t that great of a destination. I was told about it having an out-of-control nightlife and other things to discourage me.  It definitely has a vibrant nightlife.

And some regular stores did turn into other more adult establishments at night. However, if you’re not walking around at 3:00 am, you have nothing to worry about. Walking around in the evening I felt safe. I was glad I decided to go anyway.

There are lots of stores and restaurants to explore in the downtown area. There were supermarkets to experience what local life was like. Then there was a nice shopping center, called “Jacó Walk.” It featured little shops and I was able to find nice shoes for my mother at a Brazilian shoe store.

Costa Rica is known for zip lining and its rainforests. Exploring the rainforest should definitely be on your girls’ trip itinerary. You can decide to go zip lining, or you can simply take a gondola up to view the rainforest canopy. Experience the waterfalls and beautiful tropical birds. Check out my rainforest adventure post to see my trip to the rainforest.

Dubai, U.A.E. – The Desert & Shopping

When people think of Dubai, the Dubai Mall or the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, comes to mind.  Those things are definitely on your list when you visit Dubai.  However, my favorite part of my girls’ trip to Dubai was visiting the desert.

There is nothing like seeing sand for miles and miles. There are so many things that you can do in the desert.  Experience dune bashing, which is when you ride an SUV through the sand dunes. It’s like a sand roller coaster. Then there are boards that you can use to surf down the sand. Companies also rent out 4×4 vehicles for you to ride through the sand.  Let’s not forget rolling in the sand and it not sticking to you because it’s not wet. My friends and I had so much fun.

Most desert excursions also include camel rides and dinner with entertainment.  Imagine watching a flame blower underneath a blanket full of stars. You’re seated the way people have lounged in the Middle East for thousands of years.  It’s definitely an unforgettable experience if you go to Dubai on your next girls’ trip.

San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A – Great Food & Dancing

San Antonio ended up being an impromptu girls’ trip. It was really a trip with one of my closest friends to see the area before she decided to move there. I had known nothing about the area, so I had zero expectations.

I was so pleasantly surprised! There is so much to do in San Antonio. Start by seeing the downtown with the river walk. Walk past the Alamo building. The one where everyone always says, “Remember the Alamo.” It’s that building. Then, don’t get me started on the food.

Proximity to Mexico means you will taste some of the best Mexican food of your life. I tried Mole (pronounced “Molay”, below) for the first time.  It’s a Mexican food that I can’t even begin to describe, but it’s delicious. San Antonio is also a great place for Texas barbecue, which I was not familiar with before. There were so many different great restaurants that I visited.

You can also take day trips from San Antonio to other local places. Gruene, Texas, (pronounced Green) has a lot of history. I ate at this beautiful restaurant called Gristmill, that was a former mill.  Gruene is also home to the oldest continuously operating dance hall in Texas.  Speaking of dance halls, there was a great one right in San Antonio.

That dance hall is where I learned how to do Texas line dancing, and it was a lot of fun. I also got to ride a mechanical bull.  I was terrible at it and fell off almost immediately. There is so much to do in the city, and the food will make you not want to leave. San Antonio, Texas is definitely perfect girls’ trip material.

Tokyo, Japan – Sightseeing & Eating

Where do I even start when talking about taking a girls’ trip to Tokyo, Japan? Japan is a bucket list destination for so many people. And rightfully so. There are so many prefectures and cities to explore.

On my girls trip, we did go to both Tokyo and Kyoto. However, in this post I’m only going to talk about Tokyo. For my thoughts on Kyoto, check out my Kyoto blog posts.

Tokyo, Japan is the perfect girls’ trip destination because there are plenty of places to shop, eat and explore.  Let’s start with food.

I feel that in Japan, people take pride in everything they do, including the food they serve. I did not eat any meal that was not excellent. I don’t usually eat at McDonald’s, but the McDonald’s in Japan needs to be experienced. The shrimp burger is amazing. There’s obviously more than McDonald’s.

I enjoyed going through malls and underground stores. There were lots of food stalls that would sell anything from delicious sweets to grilled chicken on a stick. Then there were chain restaurants such as one called Ootoya, which was normal “run of the mill” for the Japanese people, but the food was exceptional for a foreigner.

Your favorite thing to do if you visit Tokyo, Japan on a girl’s trip will literally be just exploring. It took me and my friends forever to find the Shibuya Crossing. On the way there, we were able to experience so many other things. We would not have been able to see those things, had we not got turned around so many times. There are so many shops and restaurants. We also enjoyed people-watching.

Shibuya, Harajuku, Asakusa, Shinjuku and Ginza are popular tourist areas. Shibuya has the famous Shibuya Crossing. Harajuku is great if you’re interested in buying souvenirs. I was not able to visit Shinjuku. Ginza is a great shopping area where I purchased Onitsuka Tiger sneakers. A Muji flagship store is also located there. It reminds me of Gangnam in Seoul, South Korea, which is considered a more high-end area. Wander through any neighborhood and you will enjoy yourself.

Corning, New York, U.S.A – Relaxation & Shopping

This is the perfect girls’ trip if you are into cottagecore or baking. The irony is that when I went on this girls’ trip, over 10 years ago, I wasn’t into either cooking or baking. I followed the lead of my friends and had no idea what was in Corning, New York.

I went to a beautiful vineyard in Corning, New York, so I definitely recommend booking a winery tour. I don’t remember exactly which vineyard we went to, but there are a few in the area.

If you are into museums and art, pay a visit to the Corning Museum of Glass. Learn all about glassblowing and also how Pyrex dishes and Corning Ware were first made. It’s very interactive and you can create glass items. I designed a beer glass that has sand etching on it (I use it to store fans.). There was also a show where we could witness glassblowing. It’s definitely a fun experience. Then it’s time for shopping.

There was an official Corning Ware store in the Historic Market Street area. It was there that I purchased a square baking dish for my mother. She loved it, because she had nothing like it, and still uses it to this day. Unfortunately, while researching the area for this post, I learned the Corning Ware store is no longer located there. However, you can find vintage Corning Ware and Pyrex on Historic Market Street at vintage stores.

Girls’ Trip Tips

Getting the input of the other girls is so important. Two of the most interesting experiences I had while traveling to Japan were picked by one of my friends. I had no idea about these places and one of them ended up being my favorite meal of the trip.

Take your time with picking your accommodations. Make sure there are enough rooms and bathrooms so that everyone is comfortable.

More important than the destination is the people you travel with. Make sure to travel with people who have the same traveling style as you.

Can you see yourself going on any of these girls’ trips with your friends?