The 100 Best Affordable Vacations (79 page)

 
AdventureWomen.
Adventure and nature trips; some center on physical activity such as hiking, rafting, and horseback riding, others focus on exotic destinations such as Africa and Mongolia.
800-804-8686,
www.adventurewomen.com
.

 
Gutsy Women Travel.
Offerings include short city trips in North America and tours of a week or more in Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Africa; most are moderately priced.
866-464-8879,
www.gutsywomentravel.com
.

 
Sports Travel Adventure Therapy.
Active and culture trips around the world, incorporating spiritual activities such as yoga.
203-618-0854,
www.stattrip.com
.

 
The Women’s Travel Club.
Reasonably priced trips to spas and destinations around the world including Europe, Asia, and Africa.
800-480-4448,
www.womenstravelclub.com
.

Today a number of companies specialize in trips for women, and many general-interest tour operators and outfitters offer women-only trips. If you don’t have a traveling companion in mind, these trips often offer the option of pairing you with a roommate; others try to keep single supplements to a minimum. Choices include culinary tours to Italy, rafting tours down the Colorado River, biking tours in Vermont, surf-and-yoga retreats to Costa Rica, sea kayaking in Nova Scotia, fly-fishing in Alaska, and cultural tours to Asia and South America.

For women who have friends at the ready, women’s travel expert Marybeth Bond has two books that can help:
Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide
and
50 Best Girlfriends Getaways in North America
(both from National Geographic Books). She suggests the following budget-friendly trips because of the abundance of inexpensive lodging nearby:

Asheville, North Carolina.
For a girlfriend gathering replete with shopping in locally owned craft stores, nature, and a superior selection of lovely accommodations and restaurants, look to this mountain town set in western North Carolina, edging the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. Long a haven for craftspeople, Asheville has drawn contemporary artists as well in recent years, giving the town an upscale bohemian feel. Stroll the art deco–era downtown, wander through antiques shops, then drive or bike up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Be sure to stop in at the moderately priced
Tupelo Honey Café
(12 College St., 828-255-4863) in downtown Asheville for a home-cooked Southern breakfast served any time of day.

Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority,
828-258-6101,
www.exploreasheville.com
.

Door County, Wisconsin.
This 80-mile peninsula jutting into Green Bay on the west and Lake Michigan on the east offers 300 miles of coast with dunes and historic lighthouses, earning it the nickname “Cape Cod of the Midwest.” Cozy towns showcase antiques and local crafts and artwork. The county is also home to 2,000 acres of cherry orchards, a handful of apple orchards, five wineries, and miles of dairy farms, making for excellent gourmet food shopping. May brings the cherry blossoms; for the best of local produce, visit between mid-July and October. If you’re up for outdoor activities, rent a kayak or a bike. Don’t miss the jams, jellies, and pies at
Seaquist Orchard Farm Market
(11482 Hwy. 42, 920-854-4199), 2 miles north of the town of Sister Bay.

Door County Visitor Bureau,
800-527-3589,
www.doorcounty.com
.

Tanglewood Music Festival, Lenox, Massachusetts.
The Tanglewood Music Festival, held by the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the Tanglewood estate, set in the lovely Berkshire Hills, 120 miles west of Boston, is just the thing for ladies in need of the curative effects of music, nature, relaxation, and shopping. Pop stars like James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt and the Boston Symphony Orchestra appear at concerts throughout the summer in a variety of venues. Come on a weekend and get a bargain ticket for space on the lawn around the open-air Koussevitzky Music Shed; bring your own chairs and picnic, too. When the music ends, you can explore 7 miles of trails along Lenox Mountain in the
Pleasant Valley Wildlife Sanctuary
(472 W. Mountain Rd., Lenox, 413-637-0320,
www.massaudubon.org
) or visit
The Mount
(2 Plunkett St., Lenox, 413-551-5111,
www.edithwharton.org
), the estate and gardens of author Edith Wharton.

Tanglewood Music Festival,
617-266-1492,
www.tanglewood.org
;
Berkshire Visitors Bureau,
800-237-5747 or 413-743-4500,
www.berkshires.org
.

TIPS FOR TRAVELING WITH A FRIEND

Whenever and however you travel with a non-romantic friend, consider the following:

Before you go

 Talk honestly about your travel styles—especially if you’re not going in a group. If one of you is always late, or one has to be in charge all the time, you’re in for trouble. And if one of you has strong preferences for food types, you’ll want to know that in advance.

 Set a basic itinerary—especially if your trip doesn’t have a set schedule. Manage expectations about how much time—and money—you expect to devote to activities like museum visits, concerts, hikes, spa services, etc.

 Map out a budget. If you’re not going on a tour, be sure you agree on the rate you expect to spend per night on lodging and on meals. Talk about your philosophy regarding tips for meals and services.

 Decide how much time you expect to be together. Are both comfortable if one of you strikes out for the afternoon on your own or with a new friend?