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Plan in advance for some girls night out ideas!
By Estee Kahn — Written on May 05, 2022
The key to surviving the insanity of life is friends. They are there to cheer us up, support us, make us laugh, and comfort us when we cry. They make life interesting, fun, and just better overall.
And every once in a while, you and your friends just need to do something together and catch up on life.
That's why every group of friends needs a girls' night out. Even if you’re happily taken or have a family of your own, sometimes you just need your girls.
However, this can be anything but easy once you hit the real world. We know how hard and stressful it can be to plan a girls' night.
With everyone having their own lives, it can be hard to find a time and day that works for everyone. And then you have to pick something to do which can be frustrating (especially if you feel like you’re the one to always to do it).
Oftentimes, it ends up being the same thing on the same day at the same time, which helps — but can get boring after a while.
It can also be tough to agree on new ideas. One friend wants to do a booze cruise. One votes chick flick movie night. Another insists on a Harry Potter book club. You know the drill. Talking too much about having a good time with your gal pals is not a lot of fun.
Plus, it can be financially draining to spend so much money all in one night. All the drinks, food, and activities easily add up, and it's easy to want to bail on a night out for fear of spending way too much!
But you really have nothing to be afraid of during your girls' night out, because we are here to help.
No matter what stages of life you and your girls are in, and no matter how much money you want to spend, there are plenty of different options for a girls' night out (or in — whatever fits your lives).
Girls' Night Out Ideas
1. Go to the beach.
Whether you spend a day or go for just a couple of hours, the beach is a great place for a group of friends to hang out together (and get your tan and beach waves on!). What's not to love?
2. Go to an amusement park.
Head over to Six Flags, Disney (if you're lucky enough to live close by), or a nearby boardwalk for some fun, games, and rides.
3. Attend a wine tasting.
Splurge and go out to a wine tasting event or check out a few local wineries. Drink, discuss and enjoy, and maybe even find a new wine you just have to have.
4. Go to a concert.
You know that band you all love belting? Find some cheap tickets and go see them together. Or find a new upcoming band that is playing for free somewhere and maybe you'll discover the next big thing. Either way, concerts are a lot of fun and a great experience.
5. Try an Escape Room.
If you haven't heard of Escape Rooms, now you have! You are "locked" inside a themed room with a back story as to why you're trying to escape, and it's a great way for you and your friends to be the detectives you've always wanted to be!
Note: this is something you can do even if you've already done one! There are so many different companies that do it with so many different themes, so no two rooms are exactly the same.
6. Be tourists for the day.
Find something (either in your hometown or in a nearby big city) that all tourists do but you've all never actually done. Now go do it! Or find a tour that's cheap and will take you to some famous sites. When was the last time you actually did something touristy?
7. Check out a karaoke bar.
Even if you don't get up yourself to sing, it's always fun to sing along with those brave enough to take the stage.
8. Accomplish two goals at once and exercise together.
Take a group Zumba class, go on a hike, or do some yoga. Make your girls' night the push to work out and have fun with your friends as you stay healthy.
9. Go shopping.
Whether you actually buy things or just try stuff on or even just go window shopping, retail therapy is more fun when you do it with your friends.
10. Embrace your creativity.
Design some glassworks, go to a paint night or make your own pottery. Search for some local art classes and see what strikes your fancy!
11. Make it a spa day.
Spend a night taking care of yourselves! This is a great option because it can be as expensive or as inexpensive as you guys want. It can range from you all going to an actual spa together to just getting your nails done together.
12. Take a class together to learn something new.
It can be a cooking class, surfing lessons, or learning how to pole dance (yes, they have classes for that). Trying something none of you have ever done before is a great way to make new memories because you are all starting at the same place: the beginning.
13. Explore a museum.
If you and your friends are into art or history, find an inexpensive (or better yet, free) museum to walk around in and then go out to eat afterward so you can discuss it all like the sophisticated ladies you are.
14. Do something sporty.
Go ice skating or rollerblading or take a trip to the bowling alley. It's probably been a while since you guys have done any of those things, so remind yourselves how fun they can be.
15. Take a road trip.
If you can't coordinate vacation time for a multi-day road trip, wake up early and make a day out of driving around to sightsee. It's not just about the destination, but also the people you're spending the time with. No matter what you choose, make sure you go ready to have a lot of fun and take lots of pictures so you can all remember it forever.
16. Get competitive at a local arcade.
When was the last time you let loose and got to play some old-school arcade games? Winner takes all!
17. Go to a speakeasy.
Do some sleuthing to find out if there are any speakeasies in your area. Take lots of photos and leave everyone guessing where you had all that fun!
18. Visit a psychic.
Interested in finding out more about the future? Get a tarot reading or have your palm read and then compare readings.
19. Go to a comedy show.
With all that's going on in the world, it's good to have a funny, lighthearted time every once in a while. Check out a local comic, go to an improv show, or splurge on tickets to see a comedian you all love.
20. Go stargazing.
Take some time to get reacquainted with nature. Take a drive out of the city for a nighttime picnic under the stars or visit a planetarium near you.
21. Plan a staycation.
Whether it's for a weekend getaway or just a night, book a room or Airbnb with your besties and take full advantage of all the amenities.
22. Go to a break room.
We all have some aggression that needs to be let out every once in a while. Break rooms allow you to take that aggression out in a fun and safe way by breaking glass, old furniture, and other things with full protective gear.
Girls' Night In Ideas
23. Host a baking party.
Everyone can bring their favorite recipes for you all to cook or bake together. Sample them all and vote on your favorites.
24. Have a movie marathon night.
Relive your childhood with everyone's favorite animated movies. Feed your fantasy addictions with "Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter" marathons. Get out the tissues for everyone's top favorite Nicholas Sparks movies. Or better yet, you can just have a man-crush marathon (because who doesn't like an excuse to watch hot men for hours?).
Whatever your group is interested in, this is sure to appeal to everyone.
25. Have a photoshoot.
Bring your own props and outfits and glam up! Give it a theme or just make it glamorous and let loose as you all take pictures (together and of each other). No one will be the wiser that it's all staged and you guys will all come out having amazing new profile pictures.
26. Have a throwback sleepover party.
When was the last time you guys had a sleepover — the kind you had when you were little? Bring back some memories. Watch some makeup tutorials and see who does it best. Do each other's makeup as you talk about guys. Embrace your inner kid!
27. Have a Pinterest party.
You know those DIY arts and crafts thing you've all always wanted to try to make? Or that article you saved about homemade body care products? Have everyone bring a couple of their favorites and you can all try them out together.
28. Play board games.
When was the last time any of you sat down to an intense game of charades or Monopoly? Trust us, it can be just as fun now as it was when you were younger.
29. Have your own wine tasting night.
Have everyone bring a bottle of wine and have your own tasting at home. Don't forget to pair a cheese with each wine!
30. Host a karaoke night.
Getting up on stage in front of strangers can be daunting. But it's never embarrassing to sing your heart out in front of your closest friends!
31. Have a DIY spa day.
Light some candles, break out the nail polish and face masks, and play some relaxing music for your own spa-like feeling.
32. Organize a slideshow night.
Have each person put together a slideshow presentation describing each person in the group a certain way. For example, rank everyone's most recent ex from best to worst or compare each person to an animal based on personality traits.
33. Have a dance party.
Choose a decade and have everyone dress accordingly or create a collaborative Spotify playlist that includes everyone's favorite songs for the ultimate dance party.
34. Have a food board night.
Have everyone prepare a themed food board, such as Mexican, sushi, or fried food, and indulge!
35. Have a DIY cocktail party.
Each person creates, names, and presents their own cocktail for the rest of the party to try.
36. Play a Jenga truth-or-dare game.
Put truth-or-dare questions on some of the bricks of a Jenga game. If you pull out a brick that includes a question or dare, you have to do it.
37. Learn a TikTok dance.
Turn your home into a Hype House and perfect your favorite TikTok dances.
38. Have a movie-themed party.
Pick a movie and have each person dress as a character. Round out the night with themed decor, food, and drinks!
39. Have a thrift store runway show.
Go to a thrift store together or separately and pick out some pieces. Roll out the red carpet at home and show off what you got!
40. Do a DIY paint night.
Get some paint, brushes, and canvases, and paint your hearts out. You can each paint the same picture, paint portraits of each other, or take the artistic license to paint whatever you want.
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Estee Kahn is a dreamer and a romantic who writes all about love — dating, relationships, friendships, yourself, and family.