Friendships, just like marriages, need rekindling too.  There are times when we all find that we have taken a friend for granted.  Or, perhaps we have let time overwhelm us and have not invested in the friendship like we once did.  Innocently enough, friends drift apart as other aspects of our lives take priority—kids, husbands, careers, extended families.

While all of these priorities inevitably take away from the time and commitment we are able to give our girl friends, we still need those bonds of sisterhood.  We still need to nurture, cultivate and protect those bonds only women understand.  An occasional girls night out may do the trick, but there are times when it takes a little more time and effort to reinforce those very important bonds of sisterhood.  After all, it is a fact women live longer than their husbands and our children will grow and create families of their own.  Our girlfriends may be all we have left when we need that closeness the most.

One way to ensure those unbreakable bonds stay relevant through the tough times is to take a vacation together.  While most of us typically think of family vacations when we have the time and money to escape, a girl friend vacation is much deserved also.  It doesn’t have to be a two week cruise or a hike across Europe either.  A girl friend vacation can be the perfect reason to spend a weekend somewhere your group of ladies has always talked about visiting.

If you and your girlfriends are spa crazy, book a suite at an exclusive spa resort, sharing the cost between you makes this even more affordable.  Book the treatments that you otherwise would feel are too indulgent.  Spend the weekend relishing in the pampering and the renewal of your bodies and friendship.

Wineries are also ideal for a weekend getaway with the girls.  Walking through the vineyard, sipping samples of your favorite vino will surely get the conversations flowing again between the people who know you inside and out.  You will have the chance to explore varieties of wines you may never have purchased and also learn a lot about the wine making process.  There are usually affordable and picturesque accommodations close to many wineries.

If you and the girls like to take risks and long for something more exciting than chardonnay or Bordeaux, a weekend of gambling may be what you and the girls need to get you bonding again, laughing and chanting lucky mantras while blowing on dice.  If Vegas isn’t doable as a weekend getaway, there are other options. Find a casino resort within a day’s drive and let the chips fall where they may!

Maybe the big city beckons you and your friends.  You can take a bus to the nearest urban jungle and make a weekend out of shopping all of those designer label stores that just are not found in your local mall.  If you do a weekend in the city, consider taking in a show that you have all always wanted to see or splurge on a restaurant you have always heard about but never thought you would have the chance to visit.

Regardless of where you live or what your budget is, you and your girlfriends can find the perfect weekend adventure.  Remember, the more the merrier and the more the cheaper!  Splitting the cost of a luxurious suite or even a modest room in an exclusive hotel will help all of you afford a little vacation.  Even though we women are tempted to schedule and plan each moment of our days, remember the reason you are going in the first place is to relax, rekindle, and rejuvenate cherished bonds.