Best Cities for Girls Trips – Episode 6

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Best Cities for Girls Trips

Summary

It’s time to learn about the best cities for girls trips!! In this episode, Rachel and Rosa explore various cities ideal for girlfriends’ getaways, sharing personal experiences and recommendations. They discuss destinations like Nashville, Savannah, Miami, Quebec City, Paris, Granada, Barcelona, San Juan, Scottsdale, and San Francisco, highlighting unique attractions, food, and activities that make each location special for a fun trip with friends. The conversation emphasizes the charm of smaller cities, the excitement of cultural experiences, and the joy of traveling with friends.

Takeaways

• Nashville is perfect for live music and fun activities.
• Savannah offers ghost tours and beautiful scenery.
• Miami combines beach vibes with nightlife.
• Quebec City provides a French atmosphere without the long flight.
• Paris is a picturesque city with rich culture.
• Granada is known for its stunning Alhambra Palace and free tapas.
• Barcelona offers a mix of art, architecture, and beaches.
• San Juan is a great tropical getaway without needing a passport.
• Scottsdale has beautiful resorts and outdoor activities.
• San Francisco is close to wine country and has diverse attractions.

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The Best Cities for Girls Trips, According to Us

There is nothing quite like a trip with your girlfriends. Whether you’re celebrating something big, recovering from something hard, or just desperately need a change of scenery, the right city can make all the difference.

On this week’s episode of Bon Voyage Besties, Rosa and I sat down to share our personal picks for the best cities for girls trips, all amazing destinations we’ve actually been to, loved, and would go back to in a heartbeat.

This is far from an exhaustive list, but it’s an honest one.

Nashville, Tennessee

Rosa’s pick for an easy East Coast weekend getaway, Nashville checks every box for a fun girls trip: live music around every corner, incredible barbecue, and an energy that’s equal parts rowdy and welcoming. Rosa was initially nervous the crowd would skew too young, but found the vibe surprisingly inclusive. Broadway puts everything within walking distance, bars, jazz clubs, restaurants, shops, and you never feel pressured to drink to have a great time. Just walking in and catching a cover band is enough.

The secret highlight? Those pedal-powered party bikes that cruise through the streets with groups singing karaoke on board. Rosa saw one and immediately thought: I need to come back with my girlfriends. Consider it a standing invitation.

Nashville is just a two-and-a-half hour flight from the New York area, making it one of the most accessible of the best cities for girls trips on this list.

Savannah, Georgia

Savannah is the city that I am obsessed with even as a solo traveler. It’s beautiful, walkable, and dripping with character … literally, with all that Spanish moss hanging from the trees in the squares. The food scene is fantastic, the people are warm, and if your friend group has any love for the spooky side of life, the ghost tours are genuinely great fun. Rosa and I are both fans of a good haunted house, and Savannah delivers.

For the beach lovers in the group, rent a car and head out to Tybee Island for a laid-back beach day that rounds out the trip perfectly. Savannah is only about two hours from Newark, easy to do over a long weekend, and one of the most photogenic cities in the American South.

Miami, Florida

Miami is Rosa’s go-to for when the group wants that mix of beach, nightlife, food, and a little sophistication. South Beach is the obvious draw, but the Wynwood arts district, with its world-class murals and incredible restaurant scene, is where the trip really comes alive. Rosa had what she describes as the best tacos outside of Mexico at a spot in the area, and the Cuban food is equally unmissable.

Quebec City, Canada

If your group has been dreaming of Paris but can’t swing the transatlantic flight right now, Quebec City is the answer. It’s a 50-minute flight from Newark, feels unmistakably French, and has an art scene, food culture, and general charm that rivals anything in Europe.

For example, the lower town is lined with galleries where you can browse and buy directly from local artists. In summer, street performers fill the city on a schedule you can actually plan around. Perfect for a weekend escape.

Additionally, in winter, the city transforms into something magical: Christmas markets, New Year’s festivities, and the famous Ice Hotel day trip just outside the city. My personal favorite was the Nordic Spa overlooking the St. Lawrence River, where an outdoor infinity pool steams against a backdrop of floating icebergs. It’s as dreamy as it sounds, and absolutely perfect for a girls wellness weekend.

Paris, France

Yes, Paris. Ignore anyone who tells you it’s overrated. We LOOOOOOVE Paris. 

Paris is a big, vibrant city, not a theme park, and if you go in with realistic expectations and a few words of French ready, it is genuinely wonderful. Rosa went for the first time recently and found it incredibly photogenic and fun to explore neighborhood by neighborhood. I went with friends in April and we loved every second of it, from the people-watching at sidewalk cafes to discovering a tiny men’s skincare shop in the Marais whose owner remembered us weeks later.

The Moulin Rouge show is a splurge worth making. Rosa came away breathless. And if you can tack on a day trip to the Champagne region, just an hour by train, the vineyards and village atmosphere add a gorgeous contrast to the city.

Granada, Spain

Spain is one another fantastic option for a girls trip, and Granada specifically is one of my favorite cities I’ve visited anywhere. The Alhambra Palace alone is worth the flight, but definitely plan a full day for it, not an hour.

The city around the Alhambra Palace is equally wonderful. Granada is young, artsy, and one of the last places in Spain where restaurants still bring free tapas with every drink. Order a glass of wine, get a plate of something delicious, move on to the next bar, repeat. It’s the best possible way to spend an evening with friends.

San Francisco, California

For West Coast girls trips, San Francisco is hard to beat. The city itself has something for every type of traveler, history, food, art, neighborhoods that feel entirely distinct from each other, and the day trips are exceptional.

For instance, Napa and Sonoma are both easy to reach, and there’s actually a wine train that runs through Sonoma so nobody in the group has to be the designated driver. Alcatraz is one of the best audio tours either of us has ever done, and the views from the Marin Headlands across the bay are unforgettable.

Bonus pick: Tokyo, Japan

We had to include it. Tokyo is, without question, one of the best cities for girls trips on the planet.

It just requires a longer flight. … But still go!!

The karaoke alone is worth it. Add in the shopping (Don Quixote is a multi-hour adventure every single time), the food in Osaka, the temples, the KitKat flavors you’ve never heard of, and the general sense that around every corner is something you couldn’t have imagined, and you have a trip that your friend group will be talking about for years. Just bring an extra bag. You’ll need it.

Whatever your group’s vibe, beach and poolside cocktails, museums and gallery walks, ghost tours, wine regions, or all-night karaoke, there’s a city on this list for you. Tag us in your planning and trip photos at @BonVoyageBesties, and let us know which destination you’re adding to the group chat first.

Listen on APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE

Listen to the full episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeart. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at @BonVoyageBesties.