Between the responsibilities of family and work, sometimes a woman just needs to get away! If you've been looking to book some vacation time with your favorite group of gal pals, you're in luck. There are a lot of different ways to enjoy a girlfriend getaway. With a little planning, you could be just weeks away from your next vacation with friends.



1. Before you start planning, figure out what kind of trip you want to take. Are these fellow moms who need some time to be pampered? Are you seeing old friends for the first time in years? Is someone celebrating a birthday? All of these occasions call for a different type of get together.

2. Take a poll of your fellow travelers to figure out what each person wants out of the experience. Some may be looking for a weekend full of drinks, games and good times. Others may want a relaxing spa weekend. If you're lucky, everyone will be looking for the same type of experience. But if that doesn't happen, you can come up with some activities that will meet everyone's needs. As long as you cover all of the bases, each of the members of your party will get what they are looking for.

3. If your friends aren't sure what they are looking for, offer them some ideas. You could have a craft/scrapbooking weekend, a mountain retreat to a cabin, a few days at the beach, a spa getaway or a tropical vacation, just to mention a few. Send a formal poll out with these options or others to gauge interest for the weekend.

4. Figure out how far you want to travel and how much you want to spend. The price and distance are going to be a big factor in who can come and how far in advance you need to plan the trip. Don't be discouraged if you all can't take the cruise you've dreamed about. You can have just as much fun by visiting the next town over, or traveling by train to a tourist destination. If you're meeting with a group of old friends, it might be better to stay local and visit all of the old places you used to go together.

5. Along with setting a location and a budget, figure out how the finances will be handled. You can save a lot of money by buying package deals at hotels, rental houses and other common vacation destinations. If you aren't interested in sharing a room together, you can rent a house that has a common area and individual rooms. This way you can each have your own space but still keep costs low.

6. Many different locations and travel agencies now offer girlfriend getaways, women's weekends and other similar packages. These often cover room, board and activities. These packages offer discounts on all of the parts of your trip so that you can save money. Browse through options from different travel agencies to see if something suits your needs.