In the past few years, more people are trading experiences for material possessions and that is definitely a trend I can get behind on. For the past 5 years, I have been travelling for any big celebration in my life and I’m able to experience my money instead of using it on a material possession that you’re going to give away in the next few years. The next few destinations are those I feel are the top destinations to have the best girls/guy’s weekend or bachelor/bachelorette celebrations. Some have been obvious and others you probably wouldn’t have thought of but the main thing each of these cities is ready to show you and your friend’s a great time.
Puerto Rico
One of the best things about Puerto Rico is if you’re a U.S. citizen you don’t need a passport to enter the country since it’s a Common Wealth of the US. If you’re coming from the east coast it’s a short flight, another plus about Puerto Rico is the majority of the population speaks English so there is no fear of a language barrier for those that don’t speak the language. I might be a bit biased but Latinos they know how to party, and the food is to die for. I’m not talking about the fancy food you’ll find on the Las Vegas strip that will cost you a week’s paycheck, I’m talking about good old-fashioned home cooked Hispanic meals at every restaurant and as any good Hispanic restaurant there’s live entertainment. After dinner everywhere there’s a party.
Starting on the Thursday night, in the Palacio de las Princesas, the streets shut down and all of the bars and restaurants open their doors. There are bands playing in the middle of the street, people dancing right where they are, bartenders taking orders in every which way and kiosks serving food, water, and beer. There’s enough going on to keep you busy for hours on end.
Before we keep going, I’m going to let you in on my little secret the best place to stay in Puerto Rico. I’ve been to Puerto Rico several times and I’ve stayed on different parts of the island however, the absolute best place to stay in Puerto Rice is El San Juan Hilton. They have 3 separate buildings each with their own views and categories depending on your price point. A casino that can compete with those on the Las Vegas strip, 3 separate pools with swim up bars. During the day there is a live DJ `1which means there are pool parties all day and at night you have access to the best club in Puerto Rico called the Brava nightclub, which gives the hotel guests free entrance. Wait did I mention this hotel is on the beach? As if it needed another selling point. With this resort you have all the makings of a perfect girl’s weekend.
Napa Valley/ San Francisco
What’s better than picking a location completely based on your beverage of choice? Napa Valley is just that. Flying into San Francisco and spending at least 1 day exploring the city is ideal. There’s plenty to do, from Fisherman’s Wharf to Muir Woods to Alcatraz there’s something for everyone in your group to enjoy. After exploring San Francisco for a bit head over on the 1-hour road trip to Napa. There are some many wineries to choose from it can be a bit overwhelming. I suggest not taking any structured tour but hiring a driver, so there’s no impaired driving, and there’s a chance that they can even get you into some of the wineries for free.
Wineries will usually give you snacks to pair the wine with, but as soon as lunch time rolls around there are plenty restaurants or deli’s all around to grab a quick lunch to continue on with the tastings. All day it’s as if each winery is like a different bar with new people, wine and your best group of friends.
NCL Sky/ Bahamas Cruise
I know what some of you are thinking, it’s what I get 50% of the time from clients, which is I’m not a cruise person. I’m here to tell you that everyone will enjoy this type of cruise. The NCL Sky has dubbed itself the “party cruise” and it definitely lives up to its name. I’m here to tell you why this cruise is a great idea.
To begin with, there’s free alcohol. Yes, you read that correctly, there is unlimited alcohol, all day, every day as long as you’re on the ship. They don’t put a limit on how many drinks you’re allowed to have at one time. Or how many you can have in a day. They advertise unlimited drinks and they mean it. Also, being on a cruise means everything is being done for you. There’s food at every corner, there’s someone taking you to your destination so no need to worry about driving, and there’s literally a party throughout the whole ship all day.
My first time sailing on the NCL Sky to the Bahamas, I was a bit skeptical on how their drinking package worked and the environment on the ship. I was pleasantly surprised everyone has the same attitude. The guests are all there with the same expectation to party and not have to worry about anything.
The ship also has plenty of amenities for you to have an amazing time. Just as any other cruise ship, they have several massage packages and an incredible spa to relax in. The ship also offers plenty of excursion options to take advantage of once you’ve reached the Bahamas. From swimming with dolphins and sea lions to relaxing on the beach with a drink in your had, there’s plenty to do.
Las Vegas
I know this one seems pretty obvious but honestly, it has been spoken about for so long and has become such an obvious location for celebrations that I was worried about being disappointed. Once again, I was wrong. It’s true what they say in Las Vegas there is no sense of time or responsibility and for this type of trip that was fine with us. We stayed at the Aria hotel and for us it was absolutely perfect. At the time we went it was one of the newer ones which meant that everything was brand new. Also, the casinos didn’t reek of cigarette smoke.
Being that Las Vegas there isn’t much sight-seeing to do besides the Grand Canyon, we spent the rest of the weekend going out, from different hotel club to the next and gambling. During the day because we were staying at the Aria, we had free access to the Liquid Lounge Pool Party. Seeing how each pool party can cost anywhere between $100 and $300 this was a huge savings for us. It was also a great way to meet people, from there we went to another pool party at the Wynn hotel the XS night swim.
Las Vegas can never steer you wrong. From the shows, to the parties, hotels, and the different events each resort has, you’ll never be bored.
Austin
Austin has become very popular in the past couple of years, just with the fact that there always seems to be some sort of festival going on bringing new crowds to it every season. There are plenty of activities during the day to enjoy as the ever-famous bat cave, the views from kayaking through Lake Travis, and Austin’s famed Graffiti Park. However, I think my favorite part about Austin, was that every restaurant had entertainment in the form of table games or live music.
Austin has also become the city famous for its food trucks, literally there’s something for every palate. During my visit to Austin, I had never seen so many food trucks and it was literally a random Saturday. Downtown Austin does 1 main thing to set itself apart from every other downtown. Around 10 p.m. the main streets are closed down so that everyone can go from club to club without having to worry about cars or any other vehicles.
Regardless, of where you decide to spend your next friends’ trip either one of these destinations is sure to be a hit. As long as you are with people who you enjoy, they’re company there’s not much that can go wrong.