Girls night, ladies getaway, GNO—however you word it, I’ve searched it. In fact, if there were an Olympic sport for planning gatherings that involve females, gifts, and cocktails—and no fiancés, spouses or children—I’m pretty confident I’d be on that podium.
Now a third sibling is set to walk down the aisle and I’m back on the hunt for ways we can celebrate in a unique way. The general formula I follow is setting, fun, food, but above all, relaxation. (Because let’s be honest, we’re no longer in our 20’s, and wedding planning—or just life in general—can be exhausting.) Along the way, Lanesboro, Minn., keeps crossing my path, so I decided to investigate.
Canoe Rental, Todd Buchanan
More than anything, it’s known for its surplus of quaint accommodations, from the Historic Scanlon House to Hilcrest Hide-away, Cedar Valley Resort, Grandma’s Inn, and every B&B, motel, and resort in between, earning the naming rights as The Bed & Breakfast Capitol of Minnesota. Yahoo! Travel/Forbes Traveler also listed it as one of America’s Prettiest Towns, and our own magazine mentioned it as a Hidden Gem worth a Minnesota day trip.
And the activities are abundant: Go biking. Golf. Float down the river. Get a massage. See a show. Or just meander through the small town and trails, and do what ladies do best with few distractions: talk and toast! It’s even a good getaway come the holidays (but we won’t talk about that now, it’s eons away, right? Hushhh…).
Ultimately, this particular getaway may be a little too rustic for my sister (though she was a childhood Anne of Green Gables fan), but it’s now in my arsenal. Who knows when I’ll need it!
