Ever since I was a tween obsessed with Britney Spears in the timeless classic that is Crossroads, I have wanted to experience my own girls' trip to the USA. Well, if only young Tara could see me now because it finally happened!
I’m just back from five days in St Pete-Clearwater in Florida with four incredible women from different parts of the world and it felt like a true tonic for the soul.
St Pete-Clearwater is a stunning beach destination outside Tampa, just over two hours from Orlando. We flew into Tampa but doing a fly-drive into Orlando would be a great option too if you want to spend a couple of days at the theme parks before chilling by the beach.
Clearwater beach has actually been named as one of the top 15 white sand beaches in the world.
While we did search the turquoise waters in clear kayaks for manatees, we’re not the type of girls to just chill by the beach, especially when there’s so much to do!
We danced to Pitbull (no bald caps, unfortunately) on a floating Tiki bar at sunset. We forged rings and friendships at a silversmith class. We even learned how to blow glass at the Morean Arts Center. Cheese boards were demolished, far too many selfies were taken and the world was put to rights.
I returned home restored and reminded of the importance of friendships. But not only that, I was also curious about the scientific benefits of a girls’ trip, because there had to be a reason why I suddenly felt more capable of dealing with whatever life decided to throw at me. Here’s what I found.
Five reasons to plan a girl’s trip
1. You’ll live longer
A Harvard study conducted over 85 years found that strong friendships were associated with increased life expectancy and improved overall health. A study conducted in Sweden also concluded that lonely people were 27 per cent more likely to die earlier than people who had a good social life. So, medically speaking, a trip with the girls is really a matter of life or death!
2. Mental health benefits
Any woman will tell you that a good yap session with their besties can make them feel brand new. But it’s not just a feeling, science backs it up. Research from the American Psychological Association says that platonic social connections can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
Spending time with friends literally triggers the release of oxytocin (the "love hormone"), which explains why I always feel like there’s a ball of light beaming out of me after I’ve spent time with the girls.
3. Less stress
Leaving the stresses of everyday life at home and taking a few days to focus on you can make you feel happier and more relaxed, even if it’s just a weekend. According to The Mayo Clinic laughing with your friends reduces cortisol levels and releases endorphins, helping us to combat stress.
It’s not just a tan and a fridge magnet you’d be bringing back from a girls’ trip, it’s a whole new attitude.
4. Lifelong memories
We all have a story or two from trips with friends. I’ve been stuck up the mountains in a snowstorm with my bestie because we followed Google maps, I’ve been asked to be a bridesmaid, I’ve gotten tattoos and so much more. Girls’ trips inevitably lead to ridiculous inside jokes and unforgettable adventures that you can reminisce on forever. Not to mention, a whole bunch of photos that you can break out at any big life event in the future!
5. Confidence
Your friends should be your biggest hype crew. Spending a few days with your girls in a new destination will have you stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things. On my recent trip one of the girls didn’t know how to swim and was very nervous about kayaking, but we all reassured her and cheered her on. She did great and it ended up being her favourite part of the trip.
A girls’ trip can be truly empowering. So, for very important health reasons, it’s in all of our best interests to make sure that the trip finally makes it out of the group chat.
And if you can’t get your friends to agree on a date then why not join me on a group trip? I’m off to Nashville in November and you can come with me.
There’ll be line-dancing, live music, southern food, cowboys and, of course, plenty of endorphins. You can check out all the details here.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
