Here’s to the friends who make life fun—even when the car breaks down, the dinner-party chicken is still frozen in the oven, or the babysitter is a no-show. They’re the magicians who turn tears into laughter and make workday woes vanish.

You don’t need to wait for a milestone birthday or special occasion to celebrate the magic of friendship. Let Cape Cod inspire your next girls’ getaway! Houdini would agree: Friends are the greatest escape.   

Getaway Packages
If getting away from it all means not having to plan any of the activities, this autumn's Girls’ Getaway Weekend (October 25-27, 2024) at the oceanfront Red Jacket Beach Resort in South Yarmouth means you can bliss out in the resort's on-site spa in between dance parties, leisurely brunches, a decadent Lobster Bake and yoga sessions on the beach (pictured above). The package starts at $420.50 per person for the weekend; find out more here! 

Spa Retreats
You can’t put off that to-do list forever, but there’s something about sipping a post-sugar-scrub martini with friends while wrapped in a Turkish robe that makes reality a little easier to face.  Retreat to The Beach House Spa at Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster for the Endless Summer Replenishing Body Scrub & Massage, an all-encompassing ocean experience. Or indulge in the ocean-salt scrub at The Spa at Chatham Bars Inn and find your Zen in the Japanese garden.

At Shui Spa at Provincetown’s Crowne Pointe Inn & Spa, you can add a healthy lunch to enjoy before or after your Kiehl’s facial, body wrap or restorative massage. Beach Plum Spa at the Dan’l Webster Inn in Sandwich offers an indulgent Friends Time Together facial-scrub-massage-pedicure package complete with a Cosmo martini, plus a kid’s menu with chocolate and strawberry manis and pedis for your littlest besties.

And sometimes, nothing is more blissful than staying in: Rent a cottage and let Cape Cod Nail Co. handle the manicures and pedicures in your home away from home (they provide everything from the polish to the soaking tubs!)

Stay & Play
Here’s the thing about golf: When your game is on point, enjoy it while it lasts. The scenic courses of the Cape provide a stunning setting for savoring every moment, starting with the sweeping ocean views at Nicklaus-designed Ocean Edge Resort & Golf Club in Brewster and the cranberry-bog-lined fairways at bayside Wequassett Resort and Golf Club in Harwich. At both, you’ll stay-and-play in resorts as spectacular as the scenery. For both beginners and seasoned players, the Cornish-designed Blue Rock Golf Course in South Yarmouth is a picturesque gem, and their 9-holes tee time special means you can quit while you’re ahead.  

Another thing about golf: If it’s not your day, the next round begins with a toast at the clubhouse bar. 

Shopping Excursions
Time with friends can make you feel like a new person, so spend a day browsing for the home décor, wardrobe, or accessories to match.

A stroll along the main streets and village centers of the Cape’s 15 towns will turn up any number of gift shops, boutiques and eateries, but don’t miss out on some detours along the way. In Orleans, Snow's Home & Garden will brighten your day, as will their lovely selection of nautical-inspired home accents, women's fashion and outdoor decor. The playful vibe at Ducks in the Window in downtown Chatham is hard to resist; the unique gift shop features candy and toys, but is best known for its collection of custom rubber ducks, which can be personalized as gifts.

Earn good closet karma at the consignment boutique shop Consigning Women (East Harwich and Brewster) by consigning your barely worn Kate Spade flats before snapping up a near-new Tory Burch blouse. Pair that new outfit with some fashion footwear and accessories from Puritan Cape Cod (Mashpee, Chatham and Hyannis), along with handmade, seaside-inspired jewelry from Ross Coppelman, Goldsmith in East Dennis, Chatham Jewelers in Chatham or Sachs in Mashpee.

For women on a mission, divide and conquer among the mini-village of local boutiques and upscale chains at Mashpee Commons, among them The Black Dog, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma and the Purple Poppy boutique. After you shop to your heart’s content, you’re steps away from some of the Cape’s trendiest restaurants, including Siena Italian Restaurant and Estia Greek Taverna. Or opt for a more laid-back vibe at The Common's Bobby Byrne's or Lanes Bowl & Bistro. 

Adventures
There’s nothing like friends to break you out of a rut. Start at RideAway Adventures, where floating paddleboard workouts or a full moon paddle with glow sticks are an ode to that best friend, who, as far as you’re concerned, walks on water.

Work like a team to  find clues, crack codes, and solve puzzles - all with the objective of breaking out of one of the escape rooms at Upside Down Escape Games in Mashpee Commons. Afterwards, celebrate by heading a few doors down to Color Me Mine, where you can paint pottery and gift each other with creative masterpieces to take home. 

At cocktail hour, play it safe and customize an excursion with 6A Tours. Maybe it's a local craft beverage tour to check out such Cape breweries as the waterfront Tree House Brewing Company in Sandwich or Bad Martha's in Falmouth, along with local wineries including Truro Vineyards and Falmouth's Cape Cod Winery.

You and your friends may have been through high school proms, weddings, and the births of children (and grandchildren) together, but you haven’t seen anything until you’ve taken one of Art’s Dune Tours out over the Province Lands to Race Point Beach to watch the East Coast sunset.  Snap a group photo by the shore as the glowing sky casts its light and see for yourself: Friends are golden.