Nothing can be sweeter than three girls at the beach, having a girls' day together. It offers a great foray into extended travel with girlfriends.

 

You only have to watch "Judge Judy" to find all the girlfriend getaway vacations that went bad. Somebody did something, or didn't like something and was unhappy. She wants her money back for a trip that didn't pan out. Girlfriend closeness is best, when tested in increments, such as an afternoon at the beach. 

 

In the picture above three girls watch the phone to see who's calling them at the beach. Life moves at a relaxed pace when you go to the beach. A call that might normally seem so important is just a matter of curiosity as you lay on blanket or towel, surrounded by sand, bathed in the sun's rays and and lulled by the ocean waves.These girlfriends enjoyed a summer afternoon with no school, fewer cares and a fascination of the little things such as who's on the phone. 

 

They were very sweet. When two pre-teen girls wanted their picture taken, these girls did so. When a 10-year-old boy wanted a photo with them, they said, "sure."  A mellow afternoon at a beach sharing time with your girlfriends is one thing. But try taking an extended trip where you share hotel rooms, or a cruise where you're in the same cabin of seven days. Things can fall apart quickly if you don't know the idiosyncrasies of your travel mates. After experiencing one of these trips where things fell apart right away when a roommate wanted lights out and silence at 9:30 p.m., I am here to tell you that you need to proceed with caution when taking a girlfriend getaway vacation.

 

Tips for  planning a Girlfriend Getaway Vacation or Trip

 

Tip #1 - Make a check list of items that are part of your travel ritual and arrange discussion or even send an email to discuss them with your upcoming travel girlfriend. Include physical places and items of interest you hope to explore while on the road. Also include your goals for the trip. Are you hoping to have fun, do some club-hopping, shopping, museums, or just relax at the beach? Discussion before a trip will allow the travel companion time for research to plan accordingly if her interests are different.

 

Tip #2 - Discuss your hours and routines for sleeping, waking up and eating out at restaurants. Ask upcoming travel companions about their willingness to compromise.

 

Tip #3 - Discuss commitment and consequences for canceling a trip. If one person backs out (happened to me), the consequences can nearly double your cost of the trip. On short California road travels, this may not be a big deal but on a cruise, a non-refundable flight with car rental and hotels, or vacations that include expensive tickets to concerts and theater, you can find yourself in a bind when your girlfriend backs out at the last minute.

 

Tip #4 - Start with small trips whenever possible, and build up to larger vacations with pleasant travelers. While a girlfriend or acquaintance may seem quite amiable and pleasant throughout a relationship, you can receive some unexpected surprises when your sleep habits, TV preferences and even room temperature become issues.