A Getaway Just for the Girls

It's time to leave the slumber parties in the past and take a real vacation with your favorite girlfriends. Plan a weekend with your little sister, a getaway with mom or a bachelorette party for your best friend, because there is nothing like a girls' getaway in Northeast Florida. Whether it's pampering, clubbing, lounging or shopping, the city of Jacksonville has all you and your gal pals need to cement the bonds of friendship.

WHERE TO STAY
Time spent with mom away from the everyday routine is a special occasion and demands a cozy setting to catch-up.  Just outside Jacksonville's city limits in Orange Park is the charming Club Continental Suites.  The luxurious and private inn offers 22 bed and breakfast rooms overlooking the St. Johns River.  Built in 1923 as the Palmolive Family estate, the suites offer beautiful accommodations in timeless elegance.  Imagine an afternoon chatting by the pool or challenging mom to a tennis match at the private club.  

For a quaint setting minutes from Downtown and the funky arts district of Five Points is the House on Cherry Street Bed & Breakfast and Retreat Center.  This quaint, four-room inn features an organic riverfront garden, perfect for relaxation and meditation.  Innkeeper Victoria Freeman serves a Florida-inspired breakfast each morning using ingredients from the garden and other local sources. 

When it's time to hit the road and celebrate a girlfriend's final days as a single gal, you must hit the beaches.  Get kitschy and stay at the newly refurbished The Palms Retro.  Centrally located to all the action of shops, restaurants and nightlife is The Palms Retro has themed-inspired rooms, including "The Bad Girls" room, featuring a larger-than-life photo of Marilyn Monroe.  Who knows - maybe you'll find some inspiration for a wild night out! 

WHAT TO DO
Nearby, the Riverside Arts Market offers more local flavor.  Browse local, hand-crafted art beneath the Fuller Warren Bridge in the historic Riverside neighborhood each Saturday.  Live entertainment and freshly prepared foods will have you lingering into the afternoon.  Make sure to leave time for the funky Five Points District, where you can shop for yoga gear, trendy boutique apparel or flashbacks from earlier decades.  And you simply can't pass up lunch at Cozy Tea which features an entire menu of tea selections and delectable sandwiches and entrees. 

For evening entertainment with mom, try your hand learning something new together.  Yes You Canvas! is a fun new art experience where you paint along with an artist to create your own masterpiece - in about two hours.  Bring your own refreshments or a bottle of wine and have some fun exploring your creative side. 

With the stress of daily life or planning a wedding, the girls are need of some pampering.  Head to Ponte Vedra Beach for traditional, classy pampering at The Spa at Ponte Vedra Inn & Club or at The Spa at Sawgrass.  Or stay inside and skip the morning makeup routine.  Invite Body Tech Mobile Massage Spa Services to the hotel for a spa indulgence that comes to you.  Body Tech offers the pleasure of massage in the comfort of your room! 

Create a night your girlfriend will always remember and something she can talk about when she goes home.  Reserve space in a cooking class at one of Jacksonville's top restaurants, Matthew's Restaurant, Jacksonville's only AAA Four-Diamond and Mobil Four-Star Chef, Matthew Medure is passionate about creating an unsurpassed dining experience.  Learn from the master himself or if you prefer to be served and keep the cooking a mystery, the restaurant, located in historic San Marco Square, offers a private room on the second floor. The newly revamped lounge is the perfect place to start a ladies' night out with appetizers and cocktails that will make you swoon. 

Fill the days of any girls' getaway with shopping at fantastic stores found at St. Johns Town Center.  The unique outdoor mall has an endless variety of retail choices with stores such as Louis Vuitton, Banana Republic, Anthropologie, BCBG, Lucky Brand Jeans, Hollister and DSW Shoes.  After a long day of shopping, take a break near the Koi pond or curb your hunger pains at restaurants serving Italian, steaks, seafood and American varieties. 

Go Back To Itineraries