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Let’s be real—when was the last time you packed a suitcase that didn’t contain snack crumbs, mismatched socks, or toys for your tiny human? It’s most likely been too long. Enter: the glorious, life-giving, sanity-saving girls’ trip. You might have excuses like – I’m too busy, my kids are young, I can’t get schedules to line up with my friends, and on and on. Follow along to learn why you need a girls’ trip and hopefully you’ll work through all the excuses to make a trip happen!
I just returned from Cozumel, Mexico, where I spent a few days with 10 other mom friends. No diapers. No dishes. No eye rolls from teenagers. No “Mom” interruptions. No schedule. No drama or judgement of each other. Just sun, laughter, dancing, and guacamole that I didn’t have to share! We spent some days from sun up to sun down in the sand. And let me tell you—it was exactly what I needed to recharge.
This group of moms, which fluctuates in number each year, prioritizes time with friends for a trip once every 12-18 months. We leave our collective 26 kids (ages 6 months to 17 years old), our husbands, and our responsibilities behind.
You Don’t Need a Reason—Just Go!
People think you need a milestone event to justify a girls’ trip. Nope. No birthdays, no bachelorette parties, no elaborate excuses necessary. Our reason for getting together year after year is simple: friendship and relaxation.
The Benefits of a Girls’ Trip (AKA Why You Shouldn’t Feel Guilty About Leaving Your Family Behind)
- Relaxation Without Distractions – Remember what it’s like to sip coffee while it’s still hot? To sit on a beach without worrying that someone is about to drown or eat sand? Yeah, that.
- Friendship Therapy – There’s something magical about late-night convos with your best friends, uninterrupted by little people demanding snacks. You laugh until you cry, share deep thoughts, and maybe even rediscover who you are outside of the mom/wife title. We’ve even had a prayer circle in the middle of the ocean that lasted a good 20 minutes. Jesus, friends, and the ocean – what better combination?!
- Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder – Your family will survive without you. In fact, they might even appreciate you more when you return. And let’s be honest—seeing your husband attempt to manage everything while you’re away is its own kind of entertainment.
- Vitamin Sea (or Mountains, or Wine Country) – Nature heals. Whether it’s a tropical paradise, a cozy cabin, or a city escape, getting away from your usual surroundings helps you reset. Plus, no one will judge if you take a nap at 2 PM.
- The Post-Trip Glow-Up – You come back refreshed, recharged, and ready to tackle life with a little more patience and a lot more stories. Bonus: you now have inside jokes that will make you smile at random for weeks.
Girls’ Trip Destination Ideas
Here are some of the destinations we’ve visited in the past that worked well for our group size.
Cozumel, Mexico all inclusive – we stayed here for our most recent beach trip. The food was great, resort was quiet (we went in February), the staff was friendly, and the property was spread out. I walked 3 miles with a friend every morning! The rooms were more on the budget side. My roommate and I booked a Premium Ocean Front room and LOVED the location! We were steps from the sand, had the most amazing views from our porch, were close to the beach bar and snack shack. This is a family-friendly resort so if you’re looking to get away from kids, this might not be the place for your group. Since we visited in February we didn’t see many kids; they kept to the pool and kid’s play area.
Riviera Maya, Mexico all inclusive – this resort was great for our group, and I would love to visit again with my husband! The resort was quiet (we went in September), the property was spread out, the food was good, and we had the best service. There are several parts of the resort – a budget/hotel room side, a part with suites that all face a swim-up bar and the beach (we stayed here), and a kid-friendly part. The kids are not allowed to come to the adults-only side, but we were allowed to go dine on the family side. Our room had a large soaking bathtub and an outdoor shower! We had a balcony that overlooked a lazy river, the swim-up bar, and we could see the ocean from our balcony.
Fort Worth hotels – we went to Fort Worth, Texas for an IF Gathering conference and stayed near the Stockyards. If you haven’t been to Fort Worth (it’s about 45 minutes West of Dallas) it’s a great destination! The downtown area is country cute with a more relaxed feel than the fast-paced Dallas. The Stockyards has the World’s Largest Honkey Tonk, Billy Bob’s, that is 100,000 square feet. This makes for a fun night of country music and dancing. Eat at Joe T’s for a true Fort Worth experience. Be prepared to wait in line, sometimes for 2 hours, as they don’t take reservations and bring cash. I highly recommend staying here if it works with your budget. If not, at least go eat a meal here and walk around the gorgeous property!
Santa Rosa/30A beach houses – one of my favorite destinations in the states is the white sand stretch of the 30A highway in the Florida panhandle. It has become quite popular, so I would suggest visiting here in September/October to miss the massive crowds. I’ve stayed in Destin, Miramar, Seagrove, and Seacrest. I’ve also visited Rosemary and Alys. I don’t have a favorite – the area you pick depends on what you’re looking for from your trip. Do you want to be walking distance to restaurants and shops (Seaside), do you want to be in a gorgeous beachfront multi-level house (Seacrest or Inlet), do you want a luxe house with bikeable streets (Rosemary or Alys), or do you want a busier area (Destin)? Whatever area you choose, you will have the softest, whitest sand and the most beautiful emerald green water.
Stop Overthinking It—Just Plan the Trip!
If you’ve been waiting for a sign, this is it. Gather your friends, pick a destination, and make it happen. No guilt, no excuses, just much-needed fun. Because a happy, well-rested mama is a better mama—and let’s be real, you deserve a vacation where the only person you have to take care of is yourself.
If you need ideas of things to pack, I got you! Here’s a link to my favorite girls’ trip essentials. Here’s a link to my favorite beach reads.
Come find me on socials @maverickfamilylife to let me know when you take that girls’ trip!
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