Four Ideas for a Girl’s Day Out (or In!)

 If you’re not into wandering through a meadow with your fellow girlfriends like I do, here are some ideas for getting out and about safely or plan something at home to catch up with your close friends:

Simple Brunch + Coffee Bar (and/OR mimosa bar)

I absolutely love to host friends and pre-COVID, I’d try to get a group of friends over quite often and that’s not the case so much now, but I’d feel comfortable inviting 3-4 friends over for a simple brunch and coffee bar.

For brunch, I love an easy casserole like this or this plus some hot and cold coffee options (I have a coffee pot, Nespresso machine and cold brew coffee in the refrigerator at all times!) and then add a selection of creamers, milk and extra toppings like whipped cream, sprinkles or add hot chocolate and tea for non-coffee drinkers.

An Active Day Out

I love to make walking plans and to go lunch or coffee with friends, especially during a global pandemic–this seems most safe. Pick a coffee shop or restaurant with outdoor seating and then walk and catch up.

This could work with bike rides, kayaking, running, horseback riding, etc. Even where I live there are places to rent kayaks, plenty of trails for walking and running and horseback riding/trail riding for riders at all levels.

Book Club (in-person or virtual)

It’s easy for me to become a hermit and not connect with people, but making it a reoccurring event keeps me in touch with friends, following through and doing something fun like reading a new book (and actually finishing the book.) You can spice this up week to week with dinner themes or cocktail themes! And if you’re not ready to connect with friends in person yet, this can easily be done virtually too.

Day Trip Adventures

I love a day trip and no matter where you live, there’s a town or city to explore just an hour or less away. And since I’m avoiding air travel, a road trip is a great way to get around safely! So grab some snacks, a couple of your friends and hit up a new restaurant for lunch and check out the local shops. My favorite weekend activity is doing a little research on a cute town nearby I’ve never explored and then just wandering around.

You could even look a few hours away and make it an overnight or weekend trip! In Michigan, I love visiting Saugatuck, Traverse City, Petoskey, downtown Detroit and downtown Grand Rapids for girls trips.Photography by Emily Mata