"On one of the beaches by one of the lighthouses that we had visited before, we had our own little memorial ceremony," Ayers says. "We picked some wildflowers, and we just cast them out on the water, and we had our time to be thankful for the time we had with her on all these trips."
Mallonee kept a diary on their trips, and after she died her family included it in a book of her writings. In one excerpt, she wrote: "There are times in our lives for staying home ... tending to careers, the kids, the house, whatever. But, at some point in our lives, there's a time to tend to yourself and to indulge some dreams. It's time for `goin'."
IF YOU GO
PLANNING
Create your own girlfriend getaway by heading for the beach in the off-season, where you'll have lots of time to talk and laugh. Or take advantage of the weekend rates at hotels in Baltimore and Washington, and design a list of fun things to do. Here are some other ideas for local girlfriend getaways:
Turf Valley Resort, Ellicott City:
Includes dinner, room-service breakfast, a spa treatment and a Spa Cuisine lunch. 888-833-8873; turfvalleyresort.com.
Loews Annapolis:
The hotel has a couple of girlfriend getaways, including the Winter Sale promotion that includes an overnight stay, lunch for two and $25 Nordstrom gift card. The package, valid through March 30, starts at $179. 410-263-7777.
Colonial Williamsburg:
The Spa of Colonial Williamsburg has a spa escape package, including a 60-minute facial or massage, that makes a perfect girlfriend getaway. Women can pamper themselves at the spa, play golf, walk nature trails, rent bicycles, shop and dine. Rates start at $209. 800-447-8679.
Fairfax County:
This area of Northern Virginia, with its plentiful museums, arts and shopping, markets itself as a great place for "girlfriend getaways." 800-732-4732; fxva.com.
Hershey, Pa.:
Both the Hotel Hershey and the Hershey Lodge offer the Chocolate Spa getaway, including a massage and a gift certificate to be used toward spa products or services such as the whipped cocoa bath or chocolate fondue wrap. Prices vary depending on lodging. 800-437-7439.
ASSISTANCE
Gutsy Women Travel:
A travel agency that specializes in travel for women. Gutsywomentravel.com for coming tours and itineraries.
BudgetTravel.com and GoGirlfriend.com:
These Web sites have lots of information, including destinations and deals, for girlfriends on the move.
Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide, National Geographic, $15.95:
This new book is the second from writer Marybeth Bond to focus on girlfriend getaways. The book includes suggested destinations, from Thailand to Provence, France, and also tells stories about best friends who have traveled around the globe.
TIPS
Women who wrote in to BudgetTravel.com about girlfriend getaways suggested these tips:
Pool money for group expenses such as taxis and meals so you don't have to figure out each person's share at every stop.
Sarongs are lightweight, washable and morph into everything from a beach cover-up to a picnic blanket to an emergency towel.
Share the planning: Once you know where you're going, make a list of the things you'd all like to do and have each member in the group take responsibility for one item on the list: research, reservations, directions, etc.
[Sheila Young]
