10 Mother-Daughter Weekend Trips She’ll Remember Forever

Moms and daughters who love the water but want to avoid East Coast beach crowds should head to Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Easily accessible from the DC metro area as well as from Philly and New York, the beautiful, low-key region hugging picturesque Chesapeake Bay includes several historic towns like quaint St. Michael’s, which was founded in the 1600s and is home to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Book a room at the waterfront Inn at Perry Cabin, where you can dine on freshly caught Maryland blue crabs at Stars and indulge in a Three Rivers Massage—a treatment inspired by the Eastern Shore waterways. For something even more memorable, book their Skip the Bridge Package and you’ll get picked up in the hotel’s custom Hinckley yacht, Five Star, and be transported to the hotel in style—Champagne toast on board included.

Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley is a great alternative to the prices (and scene) of Napa. In McMinnville, you’ll find charming independent boutiques along the main street, fresh local food at restaurants like Thistle Restaurant & Bar, and hot design sleeps like Atticus Hotel along with more than 20 tasting rooms in town, which feature bottles from the 250-some-odd wineries located within a 20-mile radius. While you can certainly pop into any tasting room unannounced, for a more nuanced experience, we suggest booking R. Stuart & Co.’s Taste of Place, which takes drinkers through the Valley’s various terroirs one single-estate Pinot Noir at a time. Alternatively, head to the Suzor Wines speakeasy tasting room in the back of Yamhill Valley Dry Goods for their High Tea with Wine on Saturday afternoons. If you need to squeeze in some spa time (we don’t blame you!), book an afternoon at the nearby Allison Inn & Spa for a signature “Pinotherapy” treatment followed by lunch at farm-to-table restaurant Jory.

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For more active duos, a ranch weekend is just the thing. Magee Homestead at Wyoming’s Brush Creek Ranch offers everything from hiking and horseback riding to shooting clays, mountain biking, and fly fishing—all with the benefit of ending your day in a luxurious cabin complete with Pendleton blankets, plush robes, and nightly turndown. Traveling with a yogi? Guests have a choice between morning yoga at the yoga yurt or going on a hike to a plateau for an instructor-led outdoor class. Afterwards, recharge with a treatment at the Magee Spa (we love the indoor grotto cave and cabana-lined indoor and outdoor pool), then bond over drinks and darts at the Saloon.

One of our favorite spa resorts is Pennsylvania’s sprawling Lodge at Woodloch near the Poconos. In addition to luxe accommodations and a massive 40,000-square-foot spa, there’s also a top-notch food program (three daily meals are included in your rate), handmade cocktails, and a large wine selection—something many spa resorts insist on doing without. Of course, the spa is where you’ll want to spend most of your time: it offers more than 40 treatments (the Deep Forest Ritual Treatment provides a unique sense of place) and has multiple saunas and steam rooms along with an outdoor Jacuzzi and float therapy tank that’s large enough for two. If you’re interested in getting a bit more active, you’ll also find aerobics studios and yoga and meditation classes in addition to activities like hiking, archery, kayaking, art classes, and cooking demonstrations. Be sure to check out their Mother-Daughter Getaway package available year-round (except for July/August), where moms enjoy a 30% discount on intro or complete spa packages.

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There’s something about being surrounded by dramatic landscapes that inspires awe—and a sense of togetherness. While Whistler-Blackcomb Resort—the ultimate mountain backdrop—is excellent for skiing, the non-winter seasons are also full of fun. How about a helicopter flight over Rainbow Glacier for a picnic and yoga session at scenic Beverly Lake? Of course, the mountain biking and hiking are hard to beat here, too. For the ultimate view, head to the Cloudraker Skybridge, which spans 426 feet high above Whistler Bowl. After all that adventure, rest your feet at the luxurious ski-in/ski-out Fairmont Chateau Whistler, which has plush rooms, six restaurants, a Vida Spa, tennis courts, and two new outdoor barrel saunas.

We get it, ladies: we all need a little retail therapy once in a while. One of our favorite cities to shop ‘til we drop in is Portland, Oregon, thanks to its scores of independent boutiques—many of which are female-owned. Some of our favorites include Seagrape Apothecary for handcrafted all-natural bath and body products, Kiriko Made for one-of-a-kind clothing made from Japanese textiles, Wildfang for clothing with a conscience, and Colibri for gorgeous flowers and plants. All that shopping can work up an appetite, so continue supporting the ladies while you dine at women-run eateries like Blue Star Donuts, Kachka, Coquine, Nostrana, and Yonder before spending the night at Woodlark. The hotel features 1920s-era photography by Portland native Imogen Cunningham, original abstract paintings by local artist Maja Dlugolecki, and Abigail Hall, which was named after Oregon’s “Mother of Equal Suffrage” Abigail Scott Duniway and occupies the exact space that housed the Ladies Reception Hall—a gathering place for the suffragettes of Duniway’s time.

Sometimes all you want to do is relax on the beach. We’ve got you covered: tranquil turquoise waters, pristine white sand, and balmy weather make Paradise Island in the Bahamas the perfect pick for ladies of all ages. We suggest dropping your bags at the Ocean Club, A Four Seasons Resort, which truly feels like paradise thanks to its five-mile stretch of private beach, 35 acres of Versailles-inspired gardens, three pools, and secluded Balinese-style spa. Heads up for Moms traveling with younger ones (daughters between the ages of 4 and 12): the hotel’s Kids for All Seasons program is complimentary.

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There’s no denying it: one of the easiest ways to connect is over food. While Sonoma County is known for its excellent wine, it’s also a culinary epicenter thanks to thriving farmland and creative chefs. The region is home to acclaimed restaurants worth the splurge like SingleThread as well as more affordable award-winning spots like Della Fattoria and Madrona Manor. With everything from Japanese (Hana Japanese and Ramen Gaijean) to Swedish (Stockhome) to Portuguese (LaSalette), Sonoma County may surprise you with its breadth. Still, there’s plenty of farm-fresh California cuisine to be had at places like The Spinster Sisters, Barndiva, and Glen Ellen Star. Agri-tourism abounds here, too, so if you’ve always wanted to see how to milk a cow (McClelland’s Dairy offers 90 minute tours), learn how goat cheese is made (tour Redwood Hill Farm before a picnic with their chevre), or just eat some fresh peaches (Dry Creek Peach & Produce sets up a farm stand several times a week), Sonoma is the place to do it. Book a room at the Farmhouse Inn for rustic-chic rooms and its own acclaimed farm-to-table fare.

Longing for a European getaway but can only take a few days off? For a French-filled weekend without the overnight flight, look no further than Québec City, whose fortified historic district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site home to churches and chateaus that date back to the 17th century. For the complete chateau-inspired experience, book a room at the Auberge Saint-Antoine, then spend time visiting cultural gems like the The Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec (the province’s largest museum showcasing 400 years of Québec art history) before heading to the top of the Observatoire de la Capitale for 360-degree views of St. Lawrence River and the mountains. If you still have some walking left in you, the cobbled streets of the Petit Champlain District are lined with boutiques and bistros, while you’ll find more modern stores in Saint-Roch. (For something more scenic, the European-style Rue Sain-Jean traverses the old city’s ramparts.) Or, sample another piece of Europe at the thermals baths and saunas of the Strøm Nordic Spa.

Los Angeles might not be the first city that comes to mind if you’re planning an art-filled weekend away, but hear us out. Cinema aside, it’s got flashy-but-substantial modern art museums like The Broad and MOCA, an acclaimed photography center (Annenberg Space for Photography), and a starchitect–designed concert hall that’s home to the LA Phil. If you’re looking to lighten your pockets, pop into the intricately designed bookstore Owl Bureau, the all-pink Glossier flagship, and DTLA’s The Row, home to design stores like Yolk, Still Life Ceramics, and the Poketo flagship as well as Tartine Manufactory—the perfect place to grab a bite between shops. Afterwards, rest your heads at Hotel Figueroa. Originally opened in 1926 as an exclusive women’s hostel by the YWCA, the hotel reemerged from a renovation in 2018 with a lobby art gallery that features a permanent collection by female artists.