Girlfriend Getaways

Austin, Tex.: I'm going on a long weekend getaway with three girlfriends to Boulder Colorado in September. We're staying at the St. Julian, and looking for fun things to do within walking distance. All of us are in our 40's. Any ideas?

GG Editors: You're in luck; there is plenty to do in the area! Head over to Pearl Street Mall to shop at the popular women's apparel store Chelsea or the spiritual gift shop Old Tibet. You can also take in the art at the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art or at one of downtown Boulder's 30 art galleries. You may be in town for the Downtown Boulder Fall Festival, which is taking place Sept. 19-21. Aside from a lot of food and brew, local bands will showcase their talent and artisans will sell early holiday gifts.

Outdoor activities are endless, but if you are interested in hiking, you can get onto the Boulder Creek Path across the street from the hotel and take it up to the canyon or into the Flatirons. It may be worth it to catch the N bus (which stops just outside the hotel) to Boulder Falls, where North Boulder Creek drops 70 feet to create a stunning waterfall. Also, if you're willing to walk a couple miles (three, according to mapquest.com), the Boulder Beer Company offers a free one-hour-tour where you'll get to see the brewing process from start to finish. A tasting is included! Enjoy!

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New York City, N.Y.: My girlfriends and I just returned from a historic trip in Philadelphia and we are looking for a fun, "arts-n-crafts" type weekend trip in the Northeast area. Any ideas? Thanks.

GG Editors: Hartford, Connecticut has its fair share of art and craft. If you're keen on seeing the works of masters, Connecticut Art Trail has getaway ideas specific to the River Valley area. The Escape! Cultural package includes one night's accommodation at the new Downtown Hartford Marriott, two tickets to the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, with paintings by Dali, Monet and Picasso, and breakfast and dinner for two (Marriott.com, $249). For a chance to purchase crafts from artisans around the country, 250 vendors will showcase their wares—which include everything from jewelry to bow knives—at the Sugarloaf Craft Festival from Nov. 14-16.

To get your own hands dirty instead, the Brookfield Craft Center is just an hour away from Hartford (and about an hour and a half away from New York City) in Brookfield, Connecticut. The center has weekend classes that include glassblowing and Navajo weaving (203/775-4526, brookfieldcraftcenter.org, from $265 for a two-day class).

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Lanexa, Va.: My girlfriends and I are having a 20 year reunion in October. We were college roomies and although we've kept in touch we haven't seen one another in years. We are headed to the Berkshires for a long weekend and will be staying at the Garden Gables Inn. While we are there we want to relax: we'd love a massage and a yoga session, we want to enjoy the fall scenery and catch up with one another. Are there any wineries in the area? Any advice to create a memorable relaxing weekend?

GG Editors: Sounds like a blast! With massage sessions right in the Garden Gables Inn—and the affiliated Furnace Brook Winery a short drive away—you can easily hang around the B&B grounds all weekend. But October is the perfect time to jump in the car and explore the region.

If there's one thing I've learned from growing up in New England, it's that an autumn drive in the Berkshires is about much more than getting from Point A to Point B. The 30-minute drive to Les Trois Emmes Winery and Vineyard will afford plenty of opportunities to enjoy bright slopes of yellow, orange, and red leaves (ltewinery.com, $5 tasting, free tours). If you and your girlfriends feel a bit more adventurous, check out the blueberry wine at Chester Hill Winery, about 45 minutes from Lenox. The dry drink is made from fermented blueberries (no grapes) with just a touch of sugar. With no men around, who cares if you all leave with Smurf tongues?

A brisk one-mile walk down the road from Garden Gables, Rhythms offers drop-in yoga classes at $15 a pop. Their friendly staff can start off your day with early Vinyasa classes focused on slow stretching and breathing practices.

And no Berkshires vacation would be complete without a daytrip to nearby Stockbridge—its mountainside steeples, maple trees, and small shops epitomize quaint New England. A visit to the town's Norman Rockwell Museum is sure to stir up some fond memories of days gone by with its 550-plus paintings and illustrations of twentieth-century American life. On your way out of town, pick up some souvenirs at Charles H. Baldwin & Sons, an 110-year-old general store in the heart of West Stockbridge. They age their house-extracted vanilla in large oak barrels and ring up the bottles on an old-fashioned brass cash register.

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Haltom City, Tex.: My daughter (age 30), my best friend and I are going to Maui on August 30 to celebrate my birthday. We're staying a week and neither of us have ever been there. Please give me suggestions on what to see, where to go, eat, do, everything. I am celebrating my 60th birthday but I don't look, feel or act 60—so you might keep that in mind too! Thanks for any help you can give! —Kathy

GG Editors: If its fresh you're after, you've chosen the right destination. There's nothing like a Hawaiian sunrise to mark the dawn of a new era. One of the best places to catch the view is at the summit of the Haleakala volcano crater. Be sure to get there at least thirty minutes before sunrise, and dress warmly! It gets chilly at 10,000 feet.

Paia, a cute town with multi-colored storefronts and lots of local art, is right off the serpentine Hana Highway. Along Paia's waterfront is Mama's Fish House, a must for anyone who wants to taste of the finest Hawaiian food. The menu even tells you the body of water where your seafood was caught and the name of the fisherman who reeled it in.

Of course, you'll want to explore some of Maui's gorgeous beaches. Further down the Hana Highway, you'll find one of the more interesting options: Honokalani Black Sand Beach in Wai'anapanapa State Park, where the sand is composed of smooth, black volcanic rock.

Lahaina, on the island's westernmost point, has great restaurants and bars. For upscale fare, try the Asian-inspired lemongrass coconut fish at Pacific'O on the south side of town, then browse through the martini list at its sister restaurant I'O. And where better to taste the state's signature fruity rum mai tais than at the Lahaina Mai-Tai Lounge, whose open-air rooftop has some of the island's best sunset views over the Pacific?

Feeling really daring? Sign up for lessons HST Windsurfing School. Best of luck to your daughter keeping up!

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GG Editors: Unfortunately, that's all the time we have to take questions today. We regret that there were a few we weren't able to answer. We hope you have fun on your girlfriend getaway, and check out our site, girlgetaways.com, for more useful information.