The Getaway Girl® Tells All

Requests have been coming in almost daily for The Getaway Girl® Casey Wohl to speak about her amazing Career Reinvention story. Casey will share with your group how she learned to “Leave Her Baggage at Home” and help your audience think about their own reinvention.

Liz Bollinger, founder of biz-e-chicks, from Tampa writes: “It was great to meet you last night at Conversations and Cocktails! The girls at my table and I loved hearing about your travel experiences with your friends and your thoughts on friendship. Thanks for being so open with us, too, about the circumstances under which you got started with writing the Girls Getaway Guides. It's always fantastic to hear a story about how something so awesome can come after a time of great sadness and confusion. You're inspirational, girl!”

If you have an event you would like Casey to speak at, please contact us at Info@GirlsGetawayGuide.net.

Simplify Your Girls Getaway Planning

Need a Girls Getaway but never enough time to plan your trip? The Girls Getaway Guide takes the time-consuming hassle out of researching great Girls Getaway hotels, resorts, tours and packages. Our website http://www.girlsgetawayguide.net/ features a brand new travel section, Getaway Girl Travel (http://www.getawaygirltravel.com/), which helps busy women getaway and makes planning your trip as easy as 1, 2, 3. First, select a location. Second, pick your accommodations or tour getaway. Third, book your vacation.

Partnering businesses include resorts, bed & breakfasts, hotels, tours, guest ranch, cruise and a castle from California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Europe.
Many thanks to the following partners for joining us as we launch this exciting new concept: Blessings on State B&B, California Castle, Doubletree Grandkey Resort, GirlsOnACruise.com, Fairville Inn, Hotel Monaco Chicago, Kingston Plantation, Orlando Vista Hotel, Reunion Resort, Saddlebrook Resort, Sylvan Dale Guest Ranch, Tenon Tours and The Islander Resort.

Start clicking at http://www.getawaygirltravel.com/ to see the fabulous Girls Getaway hotels, resorts, tours and packages we have to offer!

Submit Your Girls Getaway Photos

This month’s girls’ getaway photo was submitted by Vania Walters from Avon Park, FL. She writes: “The picture was taking in Savannah, Georgia on the Riverfront (Savannah River), while enjoying the historical sites & cute shops. The trip was basically a get out of dodge themed trip, considering we could all use a break from work, reality and a town where everyone knows your name. I think we all left our hearts and figures in Savannah, thanks to the friendly people, wonderful food, and military men by the masses! Savannah is perfect for a girls’ getaway for girls of all ages. Places to go while in Savannah include Savannah Smiles Dueling Piano Bar, Wet Willies on the Riverfront and Ghost Tours via hearse.

Pictured from left to right: Brooke McClelland, Andrea Bass, Vania Walters, Jamie Allen & Cori Murphy.

To submit your girl getaway photos, email us at info@GirlsGetawayGuide.net.

What do Vera Bradley & Barefoot Wine have in common?

Love to win free stuff? Looking for prizes to help you getaway and have fun with your gal pals? Be sure to visit the recently-updated “Win Free Stuff” section of the Girls Getaway Guide website at www.GirlsGetawayGuide.net/win.html where you will find nearly $1,000 in fun and travel-related prizes. Every few months we will post new and exciting prizes for Girls Getaway Guide fans, so be sure to check back regularly.

How to Shop "Off Retail"

Hello Getaway Girls! Here is some great shopping advice from my friend Kelly Machbitz:

Learning how to shop "off retail" stores can double or triple your buying power. Follow these tips to get the most out of your shopping experience:

1. Take a tour of the store. New merchandise is usually placed at the front of the store and starting there will give you first hand advantage to grab up the fresh merchandise while there is still a selection. Then walk to the back of the isles and along the outer perimeter where the end caps are located and where a majority of discounted items can be found. Don't forget to make your way to the back of the store where the clearance merchandise is located.

2. Know when to go. Does the store offer senior or military discount days? If so (and it applies to you), plan to do your shopping on those days to maximize your savings.

3. Shop on a weekday. By shopping mid-week you will fight fewer crowds and get more assistance from sales staff if necessary. Also shopping between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm, while most office workers are still on the job, leaves the isles freer for you to browse.

4. Dress comfortably. Wear shoes and clothing that are easy to slip in and out of so you can easily try things on and spend less time in the dressing room.

5. Plan ahead. If you see something you know you'll eventually need, like holiday or formal wear, buying it now will save you lots of money down the road.

6. Be patient. If you find an item you want but it isn't discounted deeply enough for your budget, return in a week or two. The price should have dropped by then--if the item isn't sold out completely.

Remember, the keys to discount shopping are persistence & patience. Shop frequently and buy when the price is right.

If you have questions or suggestions for a future Better Beauty Blog, email Kelly at AskKellyQuestions@yahoo.com.

Fall After 5 & Monogram Launch Party at Banana Republic

Join me on Thursday, Aug 13 from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the International Mall’s Banana Republic in Tampa as we celebrate the launch of their new monogram line. Attendees will receive 25% off all purchases of regular price merchandise (plus an additional 5% if you use your BR card) of $100 or more, and preview the exciting new Monogram collection. Tea will be served by Hooker Tea Co. from St. Pete. For more details, call (813) 348-0952.

Great Places for Generational Getaways

When many people think of generational getaways, they may envision the nightmare vacation experienced by the Griswold family in the Chevy Chase movie Vacation. (grandma on the car roof and the dog accidentally left tied to the car). But getaways with various generations don’t have to be so traumatic. Many people think a great generational vacation is piling the entire family into an RV and driving across the country. Not a wonderful idea for most of us. Because of all the different ages, generational getaways are typically better when the participants go to and stay in one place versus the added stress of being confined in a small space and packing/unpacking several time.

The one exception is a cruise. My family did a Caribbean cruise a few years ago for my grandparents’ anniversary. Ages ranged from 75 to 10 years of age. It worked really well because everyone could go at their own pace, yet we still came together as a group during key times like dinner.

As far as destinations, I love traveling to historic places with any senior travelers who accompany me. I learn a lot from their past history, knowledge and experience and I get a whole new appreciation for the historical attributes of the area.

Great places for this are Europe, Boston, Charleston, St Augustine and Washington, DC.

The entire continent of Europe is full of culture and history, so you cannot go wrong (Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Germany). It is also a great place to trace your family’s roots, which makes for a fantastic generational getaway experience.

In Boston, check out a Red Sox game at Fenway Park, take in the natural world at the New England Aquarium, and walk the Boston Freedom Trail where you’ll see Paul Revere’s house and the Benjamin Franklin statue.

In the Southeastern U.S., Charleston has strong historical roots with unique places to visit such as Middleton Place and Fort Sumter National Monument. It also offers carriage rides, which are fun ways to see the sights for kids of any age.

Aside from the lovely Florida beaches, St Augustine, America’s oldest city offers many cultural and historical attractions for every generation, such as Fountain of Youth Discovery Park and the Oldest House, as well as many annual events throughout the year.

There is no better place for U.S. history that our nation’s capital. All 19 of Washington's Smithsonian museums are free. At the Air and Space Museum, kids of all ages enjoy climbing into the nose of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet or touching a piece "lunar moon."

No matter where your generational getaway takes you, be sure there is a variety of activities for all ages and all attendees are well aware of what the trip entails. Have fun!