Whether it's a mother-daughter bonding trip or time for the girls to escape the stress while leaving the men at home, a girlfriend getaway is the perfect opportunity to relax and indulge. Grab the important women in your life and head down to Monterey County for a weekend that will bring you all closer together.
Friday
7:30 pm
Once you've checked in to your perfect hotel, gather the girls and head down to the perfect location for cocktails: the Lounge at the Sardine Factory. The Sardine Factory is renowned for its fabulous food, ornate decor and dense wine list. The retro vibe in the Lounge is enhanced by the excellent cocktails and live piano player.
8:30 pm
Walk down toward the water for dinner at the Fish Hopper, a great seafood restaurant with some of the best views of Monterey Bay in town. Forget about the calorie count for once and indulge in fried calamari, a great steak or Monterey Bay's seafood specialty, sanddabs. Leave room to indulge in one of the restaurant's great desserts!
10:00 pm
No matter what the age range of the girlfriends on your getaway, Monterey has nighttime entertainment to keep you busy. For a laid-back evening, return to the Lounge at the Sardine Factory for more cocktails. Stay out as late as you'd like. Tomorrow you can enjoy one of the most luxurious parts of a girlfriend getaway - sleeping in!
Saturday
10:30 am
Put on your cutest outdoors outfit and rent a bike for a ride down the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail. You can check out the coastal views (and some of the buff athletes riding or jogging in the opposite direction).
11:30 am
Just off the bike trail is Toasties, Pacific Grove's favorite breakfast spot. One reason it's so loved is that its breakfast continues until 3 pm! You got a workout this morning, so indulge with a crab and avocado benedict, fluffy pancakes or corned beef hash.
1:30 pm
After you return your bikes, it's time to be pampered with an afternoon at the spa in one of the world's top spa destinations. In 2009, Condé Nast Traveler named three spas in Monterey County (Big Sur's Spa at Post Ranch Inn and The Spa at Ventana Inn and Carmel Valley's Spa at Bernardus Lodge) to its list of top U.S. hotel spas. They're not the only spa options in the area; Monterey County offers spas for every style and budget. Click here to find your perfect spa.
7 pm
After a spa day, you don't want heavy food to weigh you down. Dine on delectable sushi and Hawaiian-fusion cuisine at Roy's at Pebble Beach. The restaurant has panoramic views of The Links at Spanish Bay. At the right time of year, you can watch the sun set over the course - or watch the golfers try to make that perfect putt.
Sunday
11 am
Bask in the ambiance at the Mission Ranch Resort Restaurant's famous jazz champagne brunch. Request a table outdoors to watch the surf crash on the rocky Carmel coastline while you eat made-to-order omelets, French toast and great bacon.
12:30 pm
Finish your weekend with hardcore shopping in one of the country's greatest shopping destinations: Carmel-by-the-Sea. This onetime bohemian artist's colony is now known for its tony shops as well as its art galleries. Carmel Plaza, an understated shopping mall with over-the-top options, is your perfect starting point. Don't miss The Barnyard and The Crossroads, both loaded with unique boutiques and located on Highway One just outside of Carmel-by-the-Sea proper.