Gather your girl gang for a weekend of pre-wedding bonding. From watching polo and hitting the trails to chilling at the spa and of course, wining and dining, we’ve got the coolest new ways to celebrate the final fling before the ring with the girls who are always by your side.
Hike & Sip
(above) Get back to nature in luxury by checking into Sonoma Valley’s Calistoga Ranch. Tucked off the Silverado Trail and up a private, winding road among ancient oak trees, this Auberge resort is perfect for the outdoor-loving bride who wants to camp, but also yearns to be pampered. The guest rooms feel like luxe tree houses, with spacious indoor-outdoor vibes (even down to the private outdoor shower located off each well-appointed bathroom) and large outdoor patios (complete with hot tubs) for communing with nature. Burn some calories before wine tasting by arranging to go on the Wellness & Wine hike, which takes your squad on a trek along the ranch’s exclusive wooded trail to Davis Estates winery for a private tasting.
Glow Party
Pamper your ladies with a custom spa party at Illuminate Face and Body Bar, a luxury medical spa with five Southern California locations: Brentwood, Calabasas, Newport Beach, Santa Clara and Irvine. the spa offers an extensive list of wellness and noninvasive medical treatments, such as facials and state-of-the-art body treatments which include CoolSculpting, cellulite reduction and more—all administered and overseen by nursing staff. Create a unique experience with a “bubbly and Botox” night out or get in tip-top shape with a wellness day that includes vitamin IV drips, meditation, HydraFacials and kombucha on tap. Connect with your local Illuminate to add pop-up shopping or Champagne, and you can even coordinate appointments with nearby hair salons for blowouts.
GIN-TASTIC
(above) Go boho in style at Solage, an Auberge Resort, located within walking distance of downtown Calistoga. This modern resort, covering 15,000 square feet, features whitewashed bungalows with complimentary bikes for zooming around the property, whether that’s to the Solbar, where chef Massimo Falsini creates culinary goodness from farm-fresh, seasonal ingredients; the spa for the signature Mudslide treatment; or finding Zen at one of the geothermal baths, which includes a female dipping pool where clothing is optional. Take a break from grapes and opt for the Gin-Tanicals class, during which a local distiller teaches botanicals 101 and offers everyone the chance to pick their own herb and floral garnishes from the resort garden.
SADDLE UP
Santa Barbara’s polo season is a bucket-list experience for anyone whose idea of a good time is posting up to the polo lounge, enjoying local wine and beer tastings, and participating in the famous mid-game divot stomp à la Pretty Woman. Plan to attend one of the season’s most celebrated events, the Belmond El Encanto Robert Skene Trophy, or take in a match any Sunday from May through October 14 at the historic Santa Barbara Polo Fields. Special experiences and packages can be arranged through Belmond El Encanto which serves as a perfect retreat for relaxing after a day at the fields, with its sublime spa and mountaintop pool boasting forever views of the city below.
GIRL’S WEEKEND GIFT BAG
Curate a gift bag filled with treats such as The Little Market’s handmade coconut and chamomile bath bombs, CircCell’s collagen eye treatment, Moroccan oil lip balm, Dermovia dry mask and Wallaroo Hat Company’s “Tahiti” hat, all tucked into The Little Market’s Purposefull Everyday Tote.
