FUND FACTS
State from the start what you're willing and able to spend, then pick a fair amount that works for everyone. "What you don't want to do is sucker punch anybody," says Donna Scicolone, owner of Astro Travel in Solon.
ACTIVE DUTY
Allow one person to plan for transportation, while others tackle lodging and entertainment. Then keep everyone in the loop via Facebook or travel tools such as Yahoo Travel's Trip Planner.
BOOK IT
Get group input and plan things that require reservations, such as spa treatments, shows and dinner in advance. "You get to that indecisive stage where somebody's going, 'Well I don't know, what do you want?' and then it takes an hour for anyone to decide and everyone's mad," reasons Scicolone.
SLEEPING BEAUTIES
Renting a cottage or condo? Discuss who's sleeping where before you arrive. "Sometimes in the planning stages people might say, 'Any of us will be fine on the sofa bed,' but I know better," says Scicolone. "No one is going to be fine with the sofa bed."
SIZE MATTERS
While it's easiest to arrange a trip with one gal pal, inviting more can multiply the fun factor. Just don't travel with more than six. "It can be cumbersome to get six theater tickets in the same row or reservations for more than six in a restaurant," says Scicolone. "Or if you're piling in a cab, you're not all going to fit."
NO GUILT TRIPS
Girl getaways are healthy — and there is research to prove it. "One problem with modern ... committed relationships is that we actually put too much pressure on that one relationship to provide for all of our intimate and emotional needs," says Medora Barnes, a sociology professor specializing in gender studies at John Carroll University. "It is actually good for your marriage to maintain those female relationships, such as taking a weekend to get away."
