Girlfriend Getaways

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San Antonio's River Walk (Randy Faris/Corbis)

Hawaii
Holualoa
After a tour of Holualoa Kona Coffee Company (konalea.com), browse the shops and galleries of this up-country village. The handmade hats and baskets at Kimura's Lauhala Shop are irresistible (808/324-0053). Pheasants wander the 30 acres of gardens at Holualoa Inn (holualoainn.com, from $270).

Idaho
Coeur d'Alene
On the pine-rimmed banks of its namesake lake, Coeur d'Alene is the kind of town where you can spot deer, blue herons, and eagles while kayaking—then brag about it over margaritas at Las Palmitas (208/664-0581). If Coeur d'Alene Resort's spa treatments, such as wildflower facials, don't impress you, its golf course, with a floating green, certainly will (cdaresort.com, from $159).

Illinois
Galena
The Galena Artists' Guild (galenaartists.com) hosts monthly receptions as well as an annual member show at the Galena Cellars Vineyard & Winery (galenacellars.com). Save time for a stroll past the 19th-century Italianate and Greek Revival mansions on the banks of the Galena River. Opened in 1855, the DeSoto House Hotel channels the Victorian age with high-ceilinged rooms and floral wallpaper (desotohouse.com, from $80).

Indiana
Michigan City
After a day of swimming, sailing, or hiking at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore (nps.gov), try your luck at the Blue Chip Casino (bluechip-casino.com). Then head to Carlson's Drive-In for hot dogs and homemade root beer (carlsonsdrive-in.com), and to Bubbles Ice Cream Parlor for a sundae (219/872-1024). Reverie Spa Retreat's five-room, prairie-style farmhouse is surrounded by 50 acres of woodlands; the hotel's spa has an ayurvedic focus (spareverie.com, from $140, with a two-treatment minimum).

Iowa
Maquoketa
More than 150 dealers will entice you with Tiffany-style lamps and carved walnut tables at Banowetz Antique Mall (banowetzantiques.com); when it's time to let your credit card cool off, duck into the 13 limestone caves at Maquoketa Caves State Park (563/652-5833). Squiers Manor B&B sweetens evenings with complimentary desserts (squiersmanor.com, from $80).

Kansas
Manhattan
Fuel up on gumbo at the Hibachi Hut (hibachihut.com) and hit the shops in the Aggieville neighborhood. Wind down with a summer beer special—vodka, light beer, and lemonade—at the Rock-A-Belly Bar & Deli (rockabellydeli.com). Three Boston terriers welcome you to the Morning Star B&B (morningstaronthepark.com, from $99).

Kentucky
Paducah
Paducah offers visitors free trolleys, great barbecue, and a stellar quilt museum, in addition to all the studios and galleries in its Lowertown Arts District. Pick up a coconut meringue pie at d. Starnes (270/442-2122) before holing up at the Fox Briar Inn at Riverplace (foxbriarinn.com, from $145).

Louisiana
Breaux Bridge
Roots music reigns in Breaux Bridge: Café Des Amis offers a zydeco breakfast on Saturdays (cafedesamis.com), Whiskey River Landing hosts a Cajun party on Sundays (whiskeyriverlanding.net), and Coffee Break has a Cajun jam on Saturdays (337/442-6607). Head to Isabelle Inn—if only for the afternoon treats, like baked Brie and pecan pastries (isabelleinn.com, from $130).

Maine
Ogunquit
The town's dramatic granite cliffs have long attracted fishermen, artists, and tourists. Marginal Way, a one-mile path along the coastline, leads to Perkins Cove, home of the Lobster Shack, which has some of the best lobster rolls in the world (lobster-shack.com). The Cliff House Resort & Spa will combine overnight stays with dinner and gift certificates to the L.L.Bean store in Freeport (cliffhousemaine.com, from $175).

Maryland
Ocean City
This quintessential beach town boasts 10 miles of sand and a boardwalk lined with arcades, saltwater taffy shops, and mini golf courses. She who gets the first hole in one has to buy the first round of drinks. The Princess Royale resort just renovated all 310 of its suites—most of which have ocean views (princessroyale.com, from $59).