Chicago Auto Show

With the Chicago Auto Show in full swing, Road Trips for Girlfriends got in on the action with a “country to city” road trip review of the Buick Regal Hybrid. Road trip divas, high on our list of priorities include safety, fuel efficiency, comfort, and—let’s state the obvious, ladies—looking good behind the wheel.

On the 150 mile drive through farmland, down interstate, and rounding the final bend into a rush hour headwind, feedback for fuel economy and power flow is instantaneously available on the car’s tricked out Infotainment System.

Eco Gauge

Standard with 2013 models, eAssist technology pairs a lithium-ion battery pack with a small electric motor to assist the standard engine during times when fuel conservation is possible (red lights are a good example). Taking care to drive with the needle in the middle of the green zone on the ECO gauge also helps resist the urge to leap out of the starting gate when the light turns green.

On the subject of safety and smart driving, note the ability to pair to a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone makes incoming and outgoing calls hands free. Equipped with OnStar to assist with directions (not to downplay travel emergencies), navigation routes are automatically uploaded to the center panel using voice commands (or speak to an operator if you’re feeling particularly overwhelmed on North Michigan Avenue).

Double rainbow!

Portable devices like iPod and MP3 can also be connected to the vehicle’s audio system for full access to music and photo collections (if you love to geocache, watch why this is a brilliant idea). For those of you living in a temperate climate, this would be a good time to open the sun roof and turn some heads to a backdrop of your favorite road trip soundtrack.

Comfortable and luxurious inside and out, in saving the environment Buick has compromised trunk space with placement of the battery pack. A bit cramped for more than two suitcases, plan to fold down a back seat for weekend shopping or ski trips. OR maybe its time to pack light and breathe some clean air.

When it comes to snow skiing, you automatically think of Vermont, Colorado or Utah, right? Well, push aside any preconceived notions you may have about the South, and re-think your answer. In the high country of North Carolina, three ski destinations offer visitors an experience not unlike that found in the country’s more well-known ski resorts.

What sets these resorts apart is their ability to produce ideal ski conditions without the necessity for natural snow or constant sub-zero temperatures. Each resort is equipped with its own snowmaking technology, which allows each one to create prime ski slopes practically overnight.

Appalachian Ski Mountain

Appalachian Ski Mountain features 12 slopes and three terrain parks, perfect for skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skill levels. Photo courtesy of High Country Host.

Located in Blowing Rock, Appalachian Ski Mountain offers skiers and snowboarders 12 slopes and three terrain parks to choose from for testing their skills. The site’s base elevation is 3,635 feet, while the peak elevation tops out at 4,000 feet, with a vertical drop of 365 feet. Slopes open at 9 a.m. and run until 5 p.m., with a night session from 5 to 10 p.m.

Home to the French-Swiss Ski College, Appalachian Ski offers the perfect location to learn how to ski or brush up on your skills, which is exactly what I did. And, I believe, I did quite well. I made it down the small, short hill as instructed. Several times in fact. As a result, I felt pretty good about my progress and was looking forward to my next lesson at my next ski stop. Turns out, that was my first mistake.

Sugar Mountain

A short drive away in Banner Elk, Sugar Mountain features 20 slopes and trails situated on 115 acres. Base elevation is 4,100 feet, while the summit reaches 5,300 feet, with a vertical drop of 1,200 feet. Thanks to such a large vertical drop, Sugar Mountain is home to North Carolina’s only double black diamond trail: Whoopdeedoo.

Snowshoeing is a great alternative to skiing when it comes to exploring the slopes of Sugar Mountain. Photo by www.bushphoto.com.

Since the slopes are open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., plus a night session from 6 to 10 p.m., you can work up your courage on the less difficult trails before tackling Whoopdeedoo. For those new to the sport or wanting to tweak their skills, ski and snowboard lessons are offered for all ages.

It is here that I take my next ski lesson. However, unlike my previous lesson, this lesson took an immediate turn for the worst. Unlike at Appalachian Ski, where I donned my skis and walked – yes, walked – up my small, short hill, at Sugar I was quickly directed to the ski lift. I knew this wasn’t going to go well, and I was right. First, I fell trying to get off the ski lift at the top of the mountain – yes, mountain.

Once I regained my footing, a new fear set in: How was I going to get down this mountain? I drew upon my limited ski knowledge obtained in yesterday’s lesson and tried desperately to implement it. Unfortunately, my knees quickly rebelled. Since I was at a much higher elevation, my speed increased much faster than I expected, and my knees were not able to catch up.

In moments I knew I wouldn’t make it down this hill via skiing. Thankfully, my instructor was understanding and did her best to help me get down without ripping my knees apart. Once I was back at the lodge, I traded my skis in for something a little more comfortable: snow shoes. For those without the skiing gene, this is a great way to hit the slopes without fear of running wild into a tree. Trust me! Sugar Mountain offers one-hour snowshoe tours across the mountain four days a week, and I highly recommend it. You get to check out the slopes and see some of the view without risking life or limb.

Beech Mountain Resort

Eastern North America’s highest ski resort, Beech Mountain Resort welcomes skiers and snowboarders to test their prowess on 15 different slopes.

In the town of Beech Mountain, Beech Mountain Resort welcomes visitors to display their skiing and snowboarding prowess on its 16 trails, day or night. The highest ski resort in Eastern North America, base elevation is 4,675 feet, while the peak elevation reaches 5,506 feet, with an 830-foot vertical drop. With seven lifts, including a high-speed quad chair lift, you’ll be back at the top of the slopes ready for more in no time. However, after my experience at Sugar, I decided to forego the skis and see what else the resort had to offer.

For something different or while taking a break from the slopes, take a spin on the ice skating rink located in the middle of Beech Tree Village or peruse through the village’s gift and clothing shops. If you’ve worked up an appetite or simply need to refuel, stop by one of the resort’s four dining destinations for a snack or a meal.

As you can see, there’s no need to head out west or up north for a great winter vacation. So the next time you’re planning a snow ski trip, think outside the norm and consider a visit to North Carolina’s high country.

Disclosure: Karon Warren visited these ski resorts as a guest of High Country Host.

Vitrana by Dominick Labino

Never on my bucket list of road-trip destinations, it wasn’t until I actually went to Toledo, Ohio that I understood why so many Midwesterner’s defend their beloved city. Friendly, affordable, and accessible by plane, train, or automobile, I can’t wait to head back out Toledo way with my estrogen entourage in tow.

The fourth largest city in the state of Ohio, Toledo is a water-loving town. Located at the western end of Lake Erie, downtown Toledo is built along the banks of the Maumee River that spills out into the Great Lake. Fed by the automotive and glass industries, urban Toledo has embraced the brownstone architecture revitalization that cities like Chicago and Milwaukee have done so strategically.

Home to over 600,000 Ohioans, greater Toledo offers many of the cultural venues, sports teams, and educational opportunities that come as a rite-of-passage with this population density. Known as the “glass city,” beaming high rises are constructed of materials melted from the sands of Lake Erie. Ornamental as much as functional, Toledo showcases its glass heritage in galleries, museums, and retail shops. Enough to make you want to carry Windex in a hip holster, here are two “glassy” venues for seeing Toledo clearly.

Pill Spill by Beverly Fishman

Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion

Affiliated with the Toledo Museum of Art, the Glass Pavilion is located in a mostly transparent (no surprises there) 74,000 square foot building across from the main art museum on 2445 Monroe Street. Featuring the works of world-renowned artisans including Dale Chihuly and Dominick Labino, the museum is segmented into galleries, conference space, a coffee bar and gift shop, and two state-of-the-art glassblowing studios. Providing materials, demonstrations, and instruction on glassblowing techniques, class schedules and event information is best found on the Glass Pavilion website. A work-of-art in itself, even the bathroom sinks are hip-and-trendy. Admission to both the Toledo Museum of Art and the Glass Pavilion is free.

Libbey Glass Showroom

Libbey Glass Showroom

With the invention of the world’s first automated bottle-making machine in 1903, Edward Drummond Libbey and Michael J.Owens set the glass industry’s revolution into motion. Significantly contributing to the both the local job market and the studio glass movement, people around the world have been decorating their tables with Libbey Glass for over a century. Located at 205 South Erie Street in Toledo, the 60,000 square foot Libbey Glass Showroom is a bargain-hunters paradise. At prices below suggested retail value, the outlet store features glassware, flatware, candles, dinnerware, decorative glass and porcelain, and gifts including towels, cards, and seasonal tchotchkes. Ideal for special events and celebrations, leave a corner of your trunk unpacked if you plan to stop at Libbey.

For more information on Toledo area glass artists and resources, visit www.ACGT.org or ask for assistance from the friendly folks at the Toledo Convention and Visitors Bureau.  For the serious glass enthusiasts, plan to leave your stones at home and take the toddlers just learning to toddle to the Toledo Imagination Station or The Toledo Zoo.

Returning home to Michigan to spend some time with my mom this summer, I noticed a newspaper article she had clipped and tacked on the bulletin board next to her refrigerator. Written in June, the story Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood had published in the Grand Rapids Press featured Lavender Hill Farms in Boyne City. Inspired by the idea of an “Up North” adventure, we packed a picnic basket and set out on a rural road trip.

At the southern tip of picturesque Lake Charlevoix and west of Michigan’s beloved Leelanau peninsula, residents of Boyne City find themselves in a terrain suited to drought-resistant plants or roots that grow deep and determinedly towards the water table. Creating her own purple patch of lavender heaven, farm owner Linda Longworth has been adding to Lavender Hill Farms each year since she and her husband purchased the land on 07534 Horton Bay Road N in 2003.

With over 6500 lavender plants of 30 varieties, Longworth also keeps bees on the farm, processing and selling the honey at the end of the season at the quaint gift shop just to the north of the barn and neatly kept lavender fields. A sign reading, “bees at work,” reminds you to respectfully appreciate nature in harmony (Ackerman-Haywood explains that lavender acts as an antiviral and antibacterial agent for the bees).

A trip to Lavender Hill Farms can be as quick as popping by to purchase tea or essential oil or as long as you need to cut your own bunches of lavender from the fields. Open seasonally from June15 – September 15, the farm offers group events and tours (by appointment), classes (herbal skin care and making lavender wands and wreaths were offered this season), and special events like afternoon tea and book talks. Peaking  in late July, photographers should plan their color tours accordingly.

Accompanied by young children not as impressed (or immediately relaxed) by our destination, rope swings kept them outside while we admired the plants and other hand-made items in the gift shop. A lovely way to boost your immune system or keep your calm during traffic jams, keep some lavender oil handy in your glove box. If you can’t make it to Boyne City by September 15, place an order online and put Michigan on your road trip itinerary next year.

Understandably, I travel a lot, and that travel takes a toll on my cell phone. From numerous runs through airport security to dropping it while trying to carry 10 things at once from the car to the hotel room, my cell phone gets its fair share of hard knocks and scratches. So when the folks at Uncommon asked me if I wanted to try out their case during my trip to the BlogHer ’11 conference, I thought I might do it. When they told me it would be custom decorated with the Road Trips for Girlfriends logo, I knew I couldn’t resist.

It’s a simple process. You select the case you want (currently, it’s only available for iPhone 4 and 3GS and iPod Touch), upload the artwork (a favorite photo or choose from the online image gallery), and position and scale it how you want it on the case. Unlike a decal or sticker, the image itself is actually embedded into the case with what Uncommon calls the “3D TATT™ (Thermo-Active Transdermal Technology)” printing process. Therefore, your image actually wraps around the case if you use the entire print area.

When I received my case, I immediately loved how the logo looked. The case is in two parts, and after slipping it onto my phone, I did have some concern about it staying on. It seemed at times that the bottom half of the case was sliding off. However, now that it’s been on the phone for a while, it feels more secure.

My only complaint with the case is that it is slippery at times. It’s very smooth and fits the phone snugly, but at times it slides right out of my hands. Thankfully, the phone hasn’t suffered any damage when dropped. Uncommon states the case is constructed of impact-resistant polymers, and so far they are holding up to my abuse.

Overall, I think it’s a great case as well as an affordable one. The price point is, I think, quite reasonable ($39.95 for iPhones, $34.95 for iPod Touch plus shipping), especially compared to ones I saw while shopping that were $60 or more. If you’re looking for a sturdy phone case with a bit of personality to it, I definitely recommend the Uncommon case. You can get your own at getuncommon.com.

Disclosure: Uncommon provided the above pictured case for this product review; however, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are entirely those of the author. 

Located near Tampa, Fla., Innisbrook, a Salamander^® golf and spa resort, welcomes girlfriends to explore its 900 acres situated just a few miles from the Florida coastline and the Gulf of Mexico. From the top-notch spa to the relaxing nature walk to the many swimming pools, this resort provides more than enough offerings to keep you and your girlfriends entertained.

The first, most obvious draw of Innisbrook is the Indaba Spa. Encompassing 18,000 square feet, Indaba embodies all the elements that comprise a pampered experience: a comfortable lounge, a relaxing steam room and plunge pool, and, of course, soothing treatments. During my visit, I enjoyed the Indaba Signature Citrus Massage, a combination of a full body massage and a scalp treatment infused with citrus massage lotion and oils that left me feeling completely at ease. My mother tried the Coco-Luscious Manicure and Pedicure, which includes a warm coconut milk bath, a refining coconut scrub and a massage with a rich tropical butter. She told me she could have endured that treatment all day long.

When not at the spa, you and your gal pals can pass the time lounging at one of the property’s six pools, although I would steer clear of the family favorite, the Loch Ness Monster Pool, if you want a more adults-only experience.

If you want a more active itinerary, Innisbrook delivers. Addressing the obvious, Innisbrook is a golf resort, boasting four courses on the grounds. Perhaps the most well-known, the par-71, 7,340-yard Copperhead Course hosts the annual PGA Tour Transitions Championship. However, the par-72, 7,310-yard Island Course also garners praise from pros and casual golfers alike for its demanding fairways, challenging water hazards and dramatic elevation changes. The North Course and South Course also test players, so if you and your girlfriends enjoy a round on the links, schedule enough days to hit all four courses.

Other activities include biking, tennis, racquetball, volleyball and miniature golf. One of our favorite activities was taking the nature walk, which travels across a boardwalk through a 2-acre nature preserve, ending at a deck overlooking a pond. On the advice of Arica Haro, Innisbrook recreation director, we brought along some bread to feed the turtles.

Innisbrook is just as varied in its accommodations, so regardless of your travel party size, you’ll find rooms that will leave everyone in comfort. For instance, during my trip, I shared a two-bedroom suite with my mother and my daughter that included a full kitchen, a spacious living room and a large balcony. Other accommodations include deluxe guest rooms, executive suites and one-bedroom suites.

Likewise, the property features five dining options that will sate your appetite whether large or small. While I enjoyed everything I sampled, my overall recommendation goes to the flatbread pizzas available at the Market Salamander Grille. If you have any room left over after finishing one of these delectable pies, I suggest filling it with the bread pudding. The patio at the Market Salamander Grille also is a great place to enjoy a pre- or post-dinner cocktail with your best friends.

As you can see, Innisbrook is the perfect choice for your next girlfriend getaway. To add to its appeal, check the website for the most current girlfriend getaway specials.

Who doesn’t love getting away with the girls now and then? It’s a wonderful time to relax and recharge, and San Antonio offers a prime spot to do just that. Whether on the go or kicking back for a while, this South Texas provides exactly what you need.

You know when the girls get together the itinerary will include shopping. In San Antonio, you’ll find something to suit every style and budget. To find that perfect vacation souvenir, head downtown to Historic Market Square, which includes 34 shops at El Mercado, the city’s authentic Mexican market, and 53 specialty shops in Farmers Market Plaza. Wares range from the usual novelty knickknacks such as hand-painted picture frames to unique, handcrafted jewelry. Market Square also is a great place to sample traditional Mexican cuisine. In fact, don’t miss a visit to Mi Tierra Café & Bakery, where you can try traditional Mexican pastries.

For those who just can’t live without their traditional “mall” shopping, The Shops at La Cantera offer a variety of upscale merchants artfully arranged in a relaxed outdoor setting located about 20 minutes from downtown. Anchored by Dillard’s, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom, other tenants include Apple, Brighton Collectibles, Gap, Lacoste, Pottery Barn, Sephora, and Tiffany & Co. The mall also boasts an eclectic food selection, such as Brio Tuscan Grille, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro and Z’TEJAS Southwestern Grill.

For a relaxing lunch or to sample the nightlife, head to San Antonio’s famous River Walk. Just below street level, this famous destination is full of restaurants, clubs and bars, many with outdoor patios along the water. A fun way to enjoy the River Walk is on a river cruise, a narrated tour that shares the history of the San Antonio River and shows off some of the city’s architecture and art. If you just can’t shake the shopping bug, there’s also a selection of curio shops tucked in amid the eateries.

Of course, no girls’ getaway is complete without a day at the spa, and the Castle Rock Health Club & Spa at The Westin La Cantera Resort is the perfect place to have it. Featuring a myriad of treatments such as massage therapy, facials, and manicures and pedicures, the spa is the perfect place to relax and catch up with close friends.

In fact, The Westin La Cantera Resort provides the perfect setting for a girls’ getaway. Located in close proximity to The Shops at La Cantera (a free shuttle runs between the hotel and the shopping center) and a short drive to downtown San Antonio, The Westin La Cantera Resort is the ideal spot to call “home base” during your visit. However, with such great amenities, you may never want to leave the property. Featuring 508 guest rooms outfitted with the popular Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath, The Westin La Cantera Resort is the perfect place to relax with friends. While the rooms are spacious, for a more intimate experience, book one of the 38 villa-style guest rooms in the resort’s Casita Village. And when you’re ready for some sun time, head to the six swimming pools and two hot tubs.

When you’re ready to enjoy a glass of wine and a satisfying meal, head to Francesca’s at Sunset. Working with nearby Uncertain Farms, the restaurant features a farm-to-table menu with dishes such as corn crepe-lobster enchilada, sustainable salmon and grilled wagyu rib-eye and Texas strawberries. Be warned: Seating is limited, so reservations are highly recommended.

Yes, we all love a good rendezvous with the girls, and San Antonio provides a great locale for just such an occasion.

With the arrival of the Summer Solstice, many of us are enjoying thick deciduous forests, raspberries ripe for the picking, and hours without parkas, scarves, or snowshoes. These few precious months of warm weather are prefect for a hike in the great outdoors.

Today’s guest post comes to us from our friends at Roam The Woods, a women-only backpacking company designed to get you out of the car and into, well, the woods. Focusing on the outdoor experience with us gals in mind, we asked Roam The Woods to explain what they do in their own words.

Roam The Woods trips are designed specifically for women. How are these experiences different then a mixed-gender hiking experience?

Roam was created because in the owners personal hiking endeavors, they saw a lack of women on the trail. They wanted to create a space where women could overcome fears, un-certainty, or inexperience about the outdoors and get a chance to fulfill their own backcountry endeavors.

Our clients are true participants in the adventure, which provides the opportunity to learn while doing. Typically, our clients feel more comfortable learning and sharing their own knowledge from day one, alongside other women. We are also able to focus on the group s needs as well as focus on concerns our clients may have as women that are active in the outdoors. A true learning vacation in gorgeous outdoor  classrooms!

Speaking a little bit more on the mixed-gender hiking experience, at Roam we believe that it is important to have guides that are compassionate, knowledgeable, and hard working. We do not hire guides based on gender alone but instead on the qualities and skills they possess. So you will see both male and female guides out on trips. With this being said, there will always be at least one female guide on all Roam trips. We provide our clients with professional, experienced guides that strive to create a unique, dynamic trip that focus on group and individuals needs, allowing you to walk away with the confidence to adventure out on your own.

What do hiking vacations have in common with a road trip?

Both are expeditions in and of themselves. One is accomplished by your own horse power and the other by fossil fuel. Neither is better, both are worthy in their own way. These treks provide you with opportunities to explore beautiful places and meet new people, challenging old perceptions that you may have.

What is a thru hike and why do you call it an  epic journey  on your website?

There are a wide variety of long distance trails in the U.S.  Some range from 273 miles like the Long Trail in Vermont to well over 2,000 miles like the Continental Divide Trail that starts at the Mexico border, spans New Mexico, Colorado, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana, finishing in Canada.  A thru hiker is someone who hikes a trail from end to end in one calendar year.  On our website we denote our three week and longer trips as  thru-hikes, some of them will be traditional thru-hikes, like walking the Long Trail end to end in one trip, and others will be  section  hikes on longer trails like the Appalachian Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail.  A section hike is breaking up a longer trail into smaller chunks and segments, knowingly not trying to complete the trail in one calendar year. Our hope for offering a section hike of the A.T. or the P.C.T. is that we will prepare our clients for a true  thru-hike  of the 2,000+ mile footpath if that is what they desire.

One great thing we offer to our clients, within our section hikes is, if they are bitten by the true hiking bug, they have a personal choice now to attempt a thru-hike on one of the national scenic trails. We use the verbiage  epic journey  because the human experience gained after 6 months (average thru-hiking time) on the A.T. gives you a renewed sense of self and a personal sense of accomplishment. At the very least you just achieved something completely on your own two feet, literally! Less people complete the A.T. then summit Mt. Everest.

Tell us more about your custom trips and hiking seminars.

Although we focus specifically on offering trips for women, we want everyone to get outside!  If you have a group of friends, that includes male counterparts, we offer these custom trips to meet those needs. We will still focus on outdoor skills and building self reliance in the woods on these trips too. You tell us where you want to go and we do the planning for you.

We offer low cost and free hiking seminars whenever we can. The hiking community has taken care of Roam in our personal outdoor ventures and it is time for us to give back to this community. We offer customized hiking and backpacking seminars to help fuel that passion for people to get outside.  These seminars are flexible and can be co-ed. To keep costs down we offer these in our local area, Savannah, GA and areas where we will have trips running during our hiking season. Anyone is welcome to request a customized seminar; you never know where we will be next.

There are many companies on the market today offering similar outdoor trips as Roam the Woods.  What makes Roam The Woods unique?

Roam was established in 2009 and even know we are a young company, the Roam staff has 10+ years of professional field experience.

Roam’s passion is getting more women out and enjoying the outdoors. We offer trips all over the U.S. in some of the most spectacular National Parks and gorgeous Wilderness Areas with the goal of a true backpacking experience. We want our clients to come away from our trips with a taste for adventure and the confidence and skills to go out on their own, with their girlfriends, sons, daughters and husbands! If we do our job right, we should have no return clients because our clients will be taking the initiative to share with others the outdoors. We joke that it is a poor business model but an honorable mission!

If a Roam the Woods Trip sounds like a worthy girlfriend adventure, mention this article or Road Trips for Girlfriends, and Roam the Woods will take 10% off your chosen trip for you and a friend!   Please keep in mind, trips are run with a minimum number of 3 participants and a maximum of 8 per trip.

If a gal wants a fun girlfriend retreat or if mom wants to score some points with her daughter (tween or teen), take your gal buddy or daughter to Renee’s of Sharyland in Mission, Texas. This fun, quirky, cool, hip, cafe-restaurant and boutique is the ultimate in pampering the feminine side of your girlfriend or mother-daughter twosome.

Located just outside McAllen, Texas, in the heart of some of the world’s most spectacular birding destinations, lies this little gem that blends great food with good shopping. It carries “nothing a girl needs and everything she wants.”

Last month, two girlfriends and I stopped in for a delicious lunch on our way to go birding at one of several nearby birding centers. We had the Nordstroms’ Mixed Berry Chicken Salad, which was superbly served with chicken, mixed greens, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, blue cheese, candied pecans and dark cherry balsamic vinaigrette. A warm and buttery croissant served on the side added to the goodness. Paired with a large iced tea, we were in pure luncheon heaven.

It was one of the best salads we’d ever enjoyed. But the best part was the shopping! This place is wonderful, and its adjoining “girlie” boutiques carry many outstanding brands like Vera Bradley and Brighton, plus a full line of jewelry, footwear, luggage and handbags. While you are delighting in your lunch at this adorable little eatery, you can browse the catalogs or just dive right in and shop the boutiques–before, during or after your meal.

And if that’s not enough, there’s even a salon and spa so girlfriend or mom-daughter pedicures and massages also might be in order.

Moms, with all the cool stuff in this boutique, this is your chance to score enough points to earn you “mom of the month” status. And, girls, treat mom to a chair massage or facial, and you just might get a little time for a shopping spree while mom gets pampered. Are you catching my drift, girls? This would be the perfect place to take your best girlfriend for her birthday–hint, hint, hint!

With its airy, garden-like décor, pretty setting, truly awesome food and shopping to boot, this place makes a great road trip stop. So the next time you’re in South Texas, make some time for a girls’ afternoon out at Renee’s.

Carmel L. Mooney is the editor of Road Trips for Couples.

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Guest Post: Traveling with Tweens and Early Teens

Many of us in the Midwest already know that kayaking and archery are growing more available and more popular as silent sports picks for women. Regardless of where you call home, if you’ve never feathered a paddle or shot an arrow, head to the The Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on Saturday, June 25 (9AM-noon) and get a little Joan of Arc out of your system.

In its third year, the annual Women’s Try-It Day allows participants to try their hand at paddling, archery, geocaching,outdoor cooking, and using a BB gun. All activities are lead by trained and certified instructors with no cost to anyone (don’t bother pre-registering either, it’s not required).

“We want women to try all the outdoor activities they’ve always wanted to try,” Thea Miller Ryan, The Outdoor Campus director, said. “We have many activities set up to be fun and non-intimidating. Last year we had lots of girlfriend trips planned around the event and the ladies had a great time.”

“It’s a drop in event – stay for a half hour or stay for all three hours,” Ryan said. “Bring your sunscreen, bug spray and wear clothes you can get dirty.” For more information, call The Outdoor Campus at (605) 362.2777.