Explore New Places on a Great Getaway with Friends

Creating memories on an adventure with friends in a new place, whether sharing moments of serenity or wild and crazy fun — or both — often takes relationships to the next level. If you’re ready to hit the road with your BFFs and are looking for inspiration, here’s where to go.

PHOTO: © CHASE AVERILL

BIGFORK, MONTANA
There’s something for everyone in your group at Flathead Lake Lodge, an all-inclusive, 2,000-acre dude ranch in Bigfork, Montana. Mountains, the lake, cozy cabins, cottages and suites await. It’s ideal for biking, hiking, water sports, laser tag, canoeing and horseback riding. The quiet side includes the pool, a cruise around the lake, yoga atop a cliff and the spa. Evenings bring fireside live music, barn dances and more. See who gets bragging rights for doing the best in archery, skeet shooting or pickleball. Feast on hearty grub (fine dining with a Western touch: Think pork shank with Parmesan risotto, kale, maitake and huckleberry pasilla gastrique). For the Wednesday night steak fry, hop on a horse or vintage fire truck and head to a scenic mountain meadow for the cookout.

PHOTO: © VARIETY CRUISES

FRENCH POLYNESIA
Set sail on Variety Cruises’ small-ship Panorama II for a seven-night adventure, departing from Papeete in Tahiti and stopping in Moorea, Raiatea, Taha‘a, Bora Bora and Huahine. Fill your days with water sports, villages, archaeological and religious sites, 4×4 safari tours, and more. The reefs make this trip heaven for snorkelers and divers, and the mountains, flora and fauna provide astounding beauty. With fewer than 50 passengers, you will feel like you’re having your own private party.

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
Consider St. Thomas. Downtown St. Thomas offers cobblestone streets, centuries-old buildings, jewelry stores and boutiques. The culinary scene is vibrant. Locals love the conch fritters and curry chicken at Gladys’ Café. If you want to break away from your BFFs for a romantic dinner, head to Oceana Restaurant & Bistro overlooking Baye de GriGri. Get your water fix, too, at Magens Bay Beach or Smith Bay Beach Park and Eco Reserve. Parasail, jet ski, kayak and paddleboard. Go for the Sunset & Harbor Lights Dinner Sail.

As for where to stay, The Hideaway at Hull Bay proves great for groups, with two-bedroom cottages, full kitchens and large porches. You all will want to catch the ferry to St. John for a daytrip to Trunk Bay, one of the world’s best beaches. The Beach Bar & Snack Shack serves elevated beach fare, pulled-pork sandwiches, mahi mahi and more, plus an impressive drink menu. A sign indicates happy hour is 9–11 a.m. — why wait? St. John is a dream for hikers with Virgin Islands National Park’s more than 20 hiking trails.

HOUSTON, TEXAS
Want a big-city vibe? Houston should top your list. There’s little you can’t find here, including 19 museums in the Museum District alone. Foodies, Houston boasts more than 10,000 restaurants representing cuisine from more than 70 countries. You can golf, find nightlife, go to plays and concerts, and more. A trip to Houston isn’t complete without a visit to NASA’s Johnson Space Center and Hermann Park. When it comes to accommodations, go boutique with the sophisticated Hotel ZaZa and recently opened Hotel Vesper, Houston, with its French flair. If you want, dash off for a couple of days to the small coastal town of Rockport. Fish to your heart’s content; enjoy the beach, the artwork all over town and the excellent food; and stay on the water’s edge at the retro, 1950s-feel, boutique Reel ‘em Inn, complete with a private pier.

PENSACOLA BEACH, FLORIDA
Pensacola Beach glistens like Caribbean waters, and without crowds. Hang out at Salty Rose Beach Bar and Grill at The Pensacola Beach Resort. Bands play on the beach during summer. You can also cross the bridge to Pensacola. This small town delivers big on food, be it fine dining, pub grub or food trucks. Put Angelena’s on your list, headed by Food Network personality Chef James Briscione, as well as George Bistro + Bar; and Atlas Oyster House. On the Seville Savories Food Tour, owner Duel hips you to great eateries and offers a history lesson, too. Pensacola’s Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival combines art, music and food each November. In Pensacola Beach stay at Surf & Sand Hotel; in Pensacola, Celestine Bed and Breakfast feels elegant, historical and special the minute you step inside.

PHOTO: © ALIAKSANDR KAZLOU | DREAMSTIME

PARIS AND NORMANDY CRUISE
If you and your friends love history, art, food and Paris, set your sights on this eight-day Viking voyage. Start in Paris, exploring hipster neighborhood Montmartre and sites such as the Church of the Sacred Heart. Foodies can sample patisseries, chocolatiers and eateries for savory bites and wine. Or take a bus ride to glimpse Palais Garnier opera house, the Arc de Triomphe and more. Next up: fairy-tale villages such as La Roche-Guyon and Vernon with cobblestone streets, castles and the Monet gardens.

Sail the Seine to Rouen, where you’ll see Rouen Cathedral, the subject of a series of paintings by Claude Monet. Rouen also offers museums, galleries, cafés and great shopping.

No doubt the highlight of the trip will be Normandy with the D-Day Landing Beaches; Caen Memorial Museum, which tells the story of the invasion of Normandy; and Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in Colleville-sur-Mer. It is a somber, powerful journey that you’ll never forget.

Upon return to Paris, take a night cruise of the city, tour the Palace of Versailles, go to the Louvre and enjoy dinner at a café. You and your friends will talk about this trip for a long time.

ANGUILLA
The small Caribbean island of Anguilla boasts more than 30 beaches. If you and your friends are water lovers and want every water sport imaginable, Anguilla fits the bill. Dive shipwrecks, snorkel, kayak, sport fish and kitesurf. Take a boat to serene Sandy Island to enjoy the amazing uncrowded beach and dig into great food at Sandy Island Restaurant, known for its coconut shrimp, crayfish and lobster. Groove to the band playing reggae favorites.

Anguilla’s fun goes beyond the sea. Golf, tennis, gallery hopping and cave trekking await. Stay at Zemi Beach House on Shoal Bay. The palatial, beach- front, three-bedroom presidential suite sleeps eight and features a full kitchen, pool and private terrace with outdoor shower. Pamper yourselves at Zemi Thai House Spa set in a 300-plus-year-old Thai house from Thailand. Enjoy the hammam, sun deck, outdoor showers and vitality pool. Dine like royalty at Stone on favorites such as lobster bisque and New Zealand lamb chops.

© TONY BOSSE | DREAMSTIME

KEY WEST
Key West is for BFFs who like to party. Visit Duval Street for all the live music, drinking and eating you can handle. Do stop in at legendary Conch Republic Seafood Co. for the callaloo dip and the royal reds (the beautiful pink shrimp straight from Key West waters, some of the best you’ll ever have). You don’t want to miss Tennessee Williams Museum, where the collection of the playwright’s works and artifacts tell his life story. Similarly, The Hemingway Home and Museum offers a walk into the writer’s world. Don’t miss the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square, where musicians, jugglers and contortionists create a festive vibe. It’s a lively way to give thanks for another day. One evening, though, take a sunset sail. Like most things in Key West, it’s one big party. As for where to stay, a favorite is Southernmost Beach Resort. Relax on the beach or in the resort’s three pools. Start your day with beach or aqua yoga on site. If, after a long day, you’re too tired to hit the streets, settle in for a lovely meal alongside the water at Southernmost Beach Café.