HOW TO PLAN A GIRLS WEEKEND
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you. Please read the full disclosure here.
When is the last time you got together with your girls for an entire weekend?
If you took longer than 30 seconds to think about that, then it’s been too long!
Now, while I am the queen of recommending a girls trip as a nice getaway, you don’t always need to go too far to have a good time.
With proper planning, you can make a weekend get-together feel like the vacation that you didn’t know you needed.
But planning is not everyone’s cup of tea; trust me, I get it.
This blog post will provide you with an itinerary and ideas that you can customize to work best for you and your friends.
Let’s take the guesswork out of planning and put together a super fun girls weekend!
FWI Note: We’re going to use a full weekend here for our example, so you and your friends can either plan to meet up Thursday night, or gather together early Friday morning to maximize the fun.
Before The Weekend Begins
There is always a level of pre-planning that needs to happen before you can dive right into the fun.
Here are a few things you need to do in advance to prepare for your girls weekend.
Pick a date that works for the majority
Decide where you and your friends will stay (A friend’s house, hotel, Airbnb, etc.)
Discuss some high-level budgeting topics (How you all will split shared costs)
Plan for food and drinks (Whether or not you all will cook, hire a chef, dine out, order in, and if the group needs to BYOB or split bottles)
The tips found in the blog post, How to Plan A Girls Trip, are a great resource to assist with these pre-planning activities.
Friday: The Link Up
This day is all about resetting, refreshing, and connecting.
Because it’s the end of the week, you and your friends may be exhausted and not ready to jump right into overly-stimulating activities; and that’s perfectly okay!
Let this Friday be easy-going, but still energizing.
This is also a great day for catching up and checking in with one another.
The Friday Itinerary
Daytime
Food
Brunch at a restaurant (Bonus points if it’s aesthetic, has great food reviews, and amazing lighting!)
Popular cuisine options:
Mexican
Italian
Soul Food
Mediterranean
Indian
Activities
Shop/thrift (Explore a main street with local businesses to support)
Go for a walk in a scenic area
Read at a park
Go to a museum (Check for any pop-up or special exhibitions)
Grab coffee (Or drink of choice) and people-watch in a popular area
Nighttime
Food
For dinner, either order in or cook together (dessert too)
Group dinner ideas:
Pasta, garlic bread, salad
Taco bar
Pizza
Homemade burgers & fries
Chili
Activities
PowerPoint night - Life Updates: Each of you gives a fun presentation about what’s been going on in your lives. You can find this cute trend all over social media. Click here for a great example.
Game night: Have everyone pack their favorite games and enjoy a night of laughter with your besties.
Game Recommendations:
Spa at home: Hair and makeup tutorials, skincare routines, and nail maintenance will forever be tried and true fun for the girlies. Share all the tips, tricks, products, and looks that you love!
Series binge-a-thon: Have you ever started a TV series from episode 1 with your friends? Sharing commentary in real time and being locked in together is such a vibe. The best part? If you don’t finish, you can always watch the episodes together virtually.
Book club: if you and your friends are bookish, this is a great opportunity to start a new book together and enjoy a good discussion!
Saturday: The Big Fun Day
This day is filled with more high-energy activities and things to do that will get you all moving and grooving!
It’s a great opportunity to try new things together and add new pages to your friendship scrapbook (Whether that’s physically, digitally, or simply stored in the depths of your heart).
The Saturday Itinerary
Morning Time
Food
Cook breakfast together; it’s the easiest thing to make and super budget-friendly.
Breakfast options:
Eggs
Bacon/sausage (Turkey, pork, beef, or whatever)
Toast/biscuits/croissants
Waffles/pancakes/French toast
Fruit
Activities
Workout together (before or after breakfast)
Do strength training/weight lifting at a gym
Take an exercise class (Pilates, spin, yoga, etc.)
Go for a morning jog/run together
Daytime
Activities
Mixology class or wine tasting
A group teamwork activity
Craft classes
Candle making
Perfume making
Tufting
Cake decorating
Pottery painting
Charm bracelet workshop
Custom sign workshop
Embroidery lesson
Glass art workshop
Pressed flower art class
Day party
Seasonal Activities
Freshen up
Shower the day away and get cute for the night! Put on some hype music and get dressed together.
Afterwards, before you prepare for an evening out, have a quick photoshoot, take pictures of each friend individually, and don’t forget the group photos!
Please look up what to do with your hands before the photo!
Nighttime
Food
Dinner out (Let’s go for a grown & sexy vibe or at least a great ambiance)
Dining Ideas:
Steakhouse (Get even fancier with a Brazilian steakhouse)
Hibachi/sushi
Seafood
Asian fusion cuisine
Afro-Caribbean cuisine
Activities
Comedy show
Concert or live music outside
The club or bar hopping
Theater show or play
Karaoke (If your friend group is a little shy, try reserving a private room.)
Sunday: The Unwind Time
This day is all about making those last moments together special, and not just rushing to hit the road and get back to adulting.
I know it’s hard to stay later when you want to get ahead and prepare for the work week, but I promise you won’t regret spending a little more quality time with your friends before you go.
Allow yourself to soak in as much love as you can from the friends who love you the most.
FWI Tip: Prepare for the work week before your girls weekend, so when you return home, you’re not stressed
The Sunday Itinerary
I combined this itinerary because it’s the shorter day, so it’s best to be more focused to get the most out of the last bit of your time together.
Take a morning walk together
Enjoy breakfast at a cute café
Share favorite photos, videos, and moments of the trip
Engage in any last heart-to-hearts, express anything you want to say before you go, any prayer requests, have a real honesty hour
Start talking about the next get-together, and make it someone’s responsibility to bring it back up to ensure the planning gets started
5 Ways To Make Your Girls Weekend Amazing
1| No big life updates until everyone is present
I got this tip from Hitchedtobex.com. I like this tip a lot because one, you don’t have to repeat yourself, and two, you can get all the support you need at once.
2| Let your hair down
Be silly, be your childlike self!
We become so buttoned up as we get older, but your friends should be your safe space where you can be carefree and lighthearted.
3| Minimize distractions
Be present and intentional.
Focus on those who are right in front of you. Listen, learn, and experience your friends and who they are in this moment, in this season of their lives.
4| Be vulnerable
Don’t hide behind a façade of a life you want people to believe you’re living.
Again, your friends should be your safe space; lean on one another for love and support.
Cast your cares on one another because you genuinely want to see each other happy, healthy, and whole.
5| Respect differences
You and your friends are changing daily.
Lifestyles have changed, hardships have taken place, romantic relationships are complicated, and how you walk, talk, and simply do life is different.
They are not who they used to be, and you are not who you used to be. Respect the changes and celebrate growth.
Don’t be judgmental because your friends aren’t who you think they should be or want them to be.
If there are concerns for their safety or well-being, express them respectfully and graciously, not in a passive-aggressive manner, not in an embarrassing way, but from a real place of care.
The focus of the weekend is the sisterhood of it all. 🫶🏽
What do you and your friends like to do for a girls weekend? Share your recommendations in the comments!
