Let’s be honest: A girls’ weekend sounds fantastic in theory, but the actual planning can become a group project nobody asked for. Where are we staying? Is there a good restaurant nearby? Do we need a car? What are we doing Saturday afternoon? And, most importantly, is there somewhere to get a really good massage?
We recently got to put all of those questions to the test at Henderson Beach Resort in Destin, Florida, where we were treated to a two-night stay so we could experience the resort for ourselves. And we came away thinking this is exactly the kind of place that belongs on the girls’ trip short list.
Located right on the Gulf, Henderson Beach Resort has the kind of setting that makes you immediately want to cancel whatever you had planned for Monday. The resort has direct beach access, white sand and gorgeous Gulf views, plus plenty of ways to spend the day without ever getting in the car.
For a girls’ weekend, we particularly loved the fact that you can make the trip as active—or as gloriously lazy—as you want. Want to float in the pool and catch up with your friends? There’s a meandering lazy river on site! Prefer sand between your toes? Head straight to the beach. Want to do absolutely nothing for several hours? Honestly, that counts as an activity too.
And if your version of vacation includes a little peace and quiet, Henderson has both a family pool and an adults-only pool and beach access. That means you can choose your vibe for the day. The adults-only pool is particularly appealing for a friends’ getaway when the goal is conversation, cocktails, and uninterrupted lounging.
Start With Champagne and Fries
One of our favorite details has to be Flutes et Frites, Henderson’s Friday afternoon champagne experience at Horizons. Because apparently someone finally realized that champagne and gourmet French fries are a perfect pairing. Every Friday from 4–6 p.m., Flutes et Frites brings Veuve Clicquot and gourmet fries to the Sunset Terrace, with panoramic views over Henderson Beach State Park. It’s exactly the sort of thing you want on a girls’ trip: festive without being fussy. Grab a glass of bubbly, order the fries, settle in with your friends and let the afternoon stretch into evening. No itinerary spreadsheet required.
Dinner With an Italian Accent
For dinner, make a reservation at Primrose Coastal Italian, the resort’s signature restaurant. The menu brings together Italian cooking and Gulf Coast ingredients, with house-made pastas, locally caught seafood, Mediterranean flavors and thoughtfully selected wines. This is where you want to put on the slightly dressier dinner outfit you packed but weren’t sure you’d actually wear, although more casual diners were welcomed as well. Primrose has a polished but relaxed feel, making it a great choice for a celebratory dinner, a long catch-up session, or simply an excuse to order another glass of wine. And because it’s right at the resort, nobody has to figure out who is driving afterward. That is what we call vacation efficiency.
Then Take It to the Rooftop
After dinner, head upstairs to The Rooftop Bar for cocktails and a sunset with panoramic views of Henderson Beach State Park and the coast. The cocktails were yummy and I highly recommend the Dragon Roll sushi.If you aren't up for a longer sit-down dinner, this might be your ideal evening formula: sushi, rooftop drinks, a gorgeous view and plenty of time to talk.
Make Room for the Spa
Of course, no girls’ trip is complete without a little spa time. The Henderson Spa is a 10,000-square-foot retreat with treatment rooms, a Himalayan salt suite overlooking the trees of Henderson Beach State Park and a menu of massages and other treatments. The massage options range from a relaxing Coastal Calm massage to a more intensive Deep Tissue Renewal treatment. Friends can even book side-by-side massages in the same private treatment room, which feels like a particularly good way to spend an afternoon together.
The Best Part? Nobody Has to Overplan It.
That may be what we liked most about Henderson Beach Resort. You can have a full weekend without turning your vacation into a military operation. Beach in the morning. Pool or lazy river in the afternoon. Spa appointment. Champagne and fries. Dinner at Primrose. Cocktails on the rooftop. Maybe another beach walk before breakfast. Or skip half of that and simply sit by the water with your best friends. Because the best girls’ weekends aren’t necessarily the ones where you see and do everything. They’re the ones where you have enough time to laugh until your stomach hurts, talk about things you haven’t had time to discuss in months, wear something fabulous to dinner and remember that you are, in fact, a person outside of your family calendar.
Henderson Beach Resort makes that kind of weekend remarkably easy. And honestly? We’re already thinking about when we can go back.
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