Woohoo! It’s a rejuvenating girlfriend getaway to the land of big sky, rodeos, rafting, and…pilates? This is a girlfriend getaway for ladies who want to be challenged and pampered.

by Casey Wohl

Our destination this month is Livingston, Montana for a Girls Getaway (and Boot Camp).  This quaint town is located in Park County where the Rocky Mountains give way to the plains that stretch to the horizon, blue-ribbon fishing streams turn to the Missouri River, and the “Big Sky” opens up.

Livingston came into being in 1882 in consequence of planning by the Northern Pacific Railway, which deemed it a good location for railroad shops to service its steam trains before their ascent over the Bozeman Pass.  Though Livingston is a small town, it is popular with tourists and is a small art haven, filming location (A River Runs Through It, The Horse Whisperer), fishing destination, railroad town, and writers’ and actors’ colony.  Actors Peter Fonda and Margot Kidder call Livingston home, and Jimmy Buffett fans will recognize the town named in several of his songs.

Rise and shine, Mountain Mamas!

We wake up thrilled to see the incredible view outside the Flatpenny Inn (our home for the next few days) of the Abrasoka Mountains. It is absolutely beautiful here.  Despite our long day yesterday, we are ready for our early, four-mile mountain hike.  Our host, Lisa Celentano, oozes high energy that is contagious and almost infuses you (I will stress “almost”).  I feel really out of shape when I get winded after the first mile, but Lisa assures us it is mostly the mountain altitude.  Regardless, I love incorporating exercise into my getaway experience!

After showers and a delicious pasta lunch of Sun Dried & Artichoke Hearts over Angel Hair (thanks Lisa), we drive to downtown Livingston for some shopping, sightseeing and bar investigation…with one brief stop at the famous Paradise Valley Pop Stand for the renowned huckleberry ice cream…YUM!  Livingston is a very cute town, and when roaming the streets, you feel as if you have gone back in time about 50 years.  We make purchases at Wild West Clothing and the Livingston Merchantile (www.LivingstonMerchantile.com), and then stop at The Office Lounge & Liquor Store for a drink.  After their power goes out, we re-locate to The Sport, where owner Chuck Tanner has just re-modeled this great local hangout.  We once again re-locate to the Hiatt House for a sneek peek at the band playing there all weekend, The Max.  After the band takes a few of our requests so we can sport our moves, we order a pizza at the bar, eat it in five minutes and head home completely exhausted after a grand Girls Night Out. Read the rest of this entry »

Dog-friendly vacations abound these days and we love the idea of girlfriends getting together with their pampered pooches. Dog ownership is an interest that can help you make new friends or strengthen the friendships you have. Getaway Girl Casey Wohl is back with some ideas for a girls and dogs vacation in sunny Miami. Enjoy.

by Casey Wohl

My girlfriends and I were so excited to arrive at Miami’s new Epic Hotel for a Girls Getaway with our dogs. Liz brought Stella (a Cocker Spaniel/Shih Tzu mix) and I brought Zoe (my Weimeraner). Emily also joined us minus a dog. Upon arrival, the dogs were thrilled to find the room stocked with toys, their own beds, bottled water, food, snacks and water bowls. Zoe and I quickly found a grassy area that was located just beyond the bridge a minute from the hotel. Each time we passed the bridge, there was a different modeling photo shoot taking place, and each time, Zoe was asked to be in the photos. I think she has a solid future as a dog model now that she has perfected her “looks.”

With the dogs comfortably situated in the hotel room, the two-legged girls headed to the pool for some R&R. The Epic has two pools and several cabana options. Guests can even get a massage in a private cabana poolside. They also offer some uniquely designed (and comfortable) pool furniture. Very nice!

Later we drove to South Beach’s Lincoln Road, known to be a great hangout and dog-friendly. We found Zeke’s Roadhouse where they offer more than 200 beers each at $4. Don’t expect a menu or table service. You must go inside to see what they offer and to place your order. They do provide outdoor seating so you can people watch (note the sunglasses at night fashion trend) while you enjoy a unique brew. Liz and Emily (and even Stella) enjoyed a Philippine beer, San Mig Light…very tasty! We also tried on clothes at BCBG Max Azria.  Zoe didn’t see anything in her color and none of their shoes came in sets of four, so we left empty handed. Read the rest of this entry »

Here’s a quintessential summer experience for U.S. girlfriends: The Hamptons! Read on for Casey Wohl’s report about this perfect girlfriend getaway and then plan your own.

by Casey Wohl

I was so excited about our Girls Getaway to the Hamptons that I could barely sleep the night before.  We were going for Memorial Day weekend, which is “opening” weekend of summer vacation for the Hampton-ites.  I had heard so much about this great place…the celebrities, huge vacation homes, and summer beach parties galore!  The Hamptons refers specifically to the towns of Southampton and East Hampton on the South Fork, Suffolk County, New York. This strip of Atlantic coast on Long Island’s eastern end has long been a favorite summer escape for city residents. I was meeting my friend Liz and her girlfriends from Miami.  I knew this would be a very “festive” trip since most of the girls were single.   
 
We arrived in the Hamptons Friday night and ventured to our first stop, a bar/night club called DUNE (while very unassuming from the outside, the place was filled with people starting the holiday weekend). We had a great Girls Night Out (GNO) and decided that what happens in the Hamptons, stays in the Hamptons…On Saturday, we took a taxi to the Southampton Village. We ate lunch at 75 Main (www.75Main.com), along Main Street, and then browsed the shops along Main Street and Jobs Lane. This is a quaint shopping area with unique boutiques and outdoor seating at several restaurants and a great place to spend the day with your girlfriends. We discovered a fabulous designer consignment store, Collette (www.ColletteConsignment.com). She has several clothing and home decor consignment stores in Southampton, East Hampton, Sag Harbor, and Bridgehampton. On Saturday night, we attended the Social Life Magazine (www.SocialLifeMagazine.com Party. There were several reality stars there, including Whitney Port from MTV’s The Hills and Alex McCord from Bravo’s The Real Housewives of New York City.  Champagne, martinis and delicious appetizers were served to the “Who’s Who” of the Hamptons. We had a great time, especially when Liz borrowed Gerard’s flute to play a tune for everyone there. Good times! 

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Travel opportunity alert! Girlfriends, are you up for some travel to Big Sky Country? Are you looking for a fabulously relaxing girlfriend getaway this summer? Our contributor Casey Wohl (the Getaway Girl®) has put together a reasonably priced girlfriend getaway in Montana that sounds absolutely heavenly. One weekend is completely sold out, but spots remain for two other weekends in July. We know it will be just the trip some of our Girlfriends are looking for; this sentence in particular caught our eye: “The July 4th weekend will host the Livingston Roundup Rodeo and hundreds of professional cowboys will inundate this charming town.” Read on for the awesome details:

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[Hello Girlfriends! Enjoy our belated Christmas present to you: this "aaahrticle" about a girlfriend getaway to warm and sunny southern France! Our contributor Casey Wohl bring us another great girlfriend travel destination, and sent along some glam pics of her journey. Happy reading!] by Casey Wohl From Orlando to London, then London to Marseilles, my girlfriends and I finally arrived in the South of France for an amazing vacation!  We stayed in an ocean-view villa managed by the Best Western Hotel Provencal. Although the majority of the trip involved some much-needed R&R, we did take some fun side trips during our time there.
One day we went to a nearby farmers market to browse the French goods. They had some amazing items, including fresh bread, fresh cheese, fruit and textiles. We later drove to St. Maxime, which is a small town located in the Gulf of St. Tropez and surrounded by the Maures Mountains. A popular attraction is the La Tour Carree (the town square) and the harbor, but we had fun just relaxing and enjoying the view.
By the third day, we were up for an adventure, which entailed a 20-minute ferry ride to the island of Porquerolles, which is a mostly un-inhabited island of Mediterranean forests, rocky coastline, nature reserves, beaches, boating and one little village.  We rented bikes and explored the island’s beauty, including its farm fields of figs and olives, lighthouse, gorge and beaches.  It was a fabulous day, but I’ll admit that my bottom was sore from the bumpy bike riding.

Biking on Poquerolles

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[Editor's Note: We are excited to have the Getaway Girl, Casey Wohl, sharing her expert travel tips for girlfriend getaways. Casey knows her stuff and she knows how to have girly fun, so we know you'll enjoy her writing. This is another in our series of articles on girlfriend travel destinations. Hope you are planning your next girlfriend getaway!] By Casey Wohl  The country-music capital, Nashville, Tennessee, offers good times for girlfriends! Even if you are not a country-music fan, you will find a fantastic time awaiting you in Nashville. My very first visit to Nashville was in April 2005.  My divorce was final two months before the trip, and I encountered my first anniversary, post-divorce, the end of March.  Needless to say, I was in desperate need of a girls’ getaway.  I flew to Nashville with my good friend Erin, who was experiencing her own personal troubles.  Erin is a huge country music fan, so we knew this trip would be just what we needed.  She was excited to hear country music played live in the airport and see various guitar monuments scattered throughout the city. During our visit, we managed to visit just about every cultural attraction, and even attend a celeb party with actor Billy Bob Thornton and Nashville’s finest musicians at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel.  We met up with my good friend and Nashville resident, Mandy, for one fabulous girls getaway! 

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