With the warm weather approaching and wedding season underway, many ladies are planning bridal showers and bachelorette parties for the bride-to-be. Here are some great places to host these events in the area. Even if you are not hosting an event, these places can also be great for a ladies day/night out!
For A Refreshing & Relaxing Day:
A great way to indulge and have fun with your favorite girls is by going to a spa. The Hudson Valley has some wonderful spas that allow you to enjoy time with your girlfriends as well as have a moment of solo tranquility as you enjoy your spa service in private. One of the most magnificent places for a pleasant spa experience is Mohonk Mountain House located in New Paltz, NY. When you make a spa appointment, you also have access to the grounds. A great way to start the day is with a nice hike, enjoying the beautiful scenery. After that go to the spa and enjoy all of the extra amenities as you wait for your appointment. The outdoor mineral pool is a great place to relax and chat with the other girls. The spa also offers a scenic veranda, a sauna, a steam room, and a co-ed room with a comforting fireplace and rocking chairs that overlook the stunning views. This is a fun and unique way to celebrate as part of a bachelorette party or just as a fun day out with your girlfriends. Here’s the link to the spa menu so you can see what types of spa services they offer:
http://www.mohonk.com/content/download/3170/31762/file/04950-7130%20SpaMenu_r8.pdf
Another unique spa experience can be found at La Tua Bella Beauty Bar, located in Rhinebeck, NY. This beauty bar offers an array of great services accompanied by complimentary coffee, tea, champagne, wine and water while you wait for your service. You can make appointments for individual services of your choice or schedule makeup & spa parties. Visit their website to learn more about their services and the unique parties that they offer:
For Outdoor Adventures:
For the outdoorsy women out there, a fun way to have a ladies weekend is to go camping. North/South Lake in Haines Falls, NY is a prime camping spot. For recreational activities, you can hike, swim, rent a boat, play volleyball, or have a picnic. Get creative and see what kind of delicious dishes you can concoct for dinner. Then, enjoy some nice wine and good conversation around the fire (and don’t forget the s ‘mores!) Here is more information on the campground:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/24487.html
For a more intense outdoor adventure, check out Big Bear Ziplines in Hyde Park, NY. Enjoy the forest as you zipline through. They offer discounts for groups of 8 or more. If you call them about a bachelorette party, they will let you know what else they can offer. This is an adventurous and unique way to celebrate a bachelorette party or a ladies day out!
Here’s the link to the website for more information:
http://www.bigbearziplines.com/
For a Day of Culinary Creations:
Stores such as Sur La Table offer an array of cooking classes, a fun and tasty way to spend time hanging out with your girls! There are two Sur La Table locations in the Hudson Valley. One is in the fairly new outdoor shopping center, Ridge Hill, in Yonkers, NY and the other one is in the mall, The Westchester, in White Plains, NY. No matter which location you choose to do the cooking class, they are both near so many other great places to enjoy cocktails and other food afterward. Here are the class schedules for May for each of the Sur La Table locations:
The Westchester White Plains, NY:
http://www.surlatable.com/browse/storeCalendar.jsp?storeId=115
Ridge Hill Mall Yonkers, NY:
http://www.surlatable.com/browse/storeCalendar.jsp?storeId=104
In addition to stores, there are also many cooking classes that get offered as non-credit courses through Community Colleges such as SUNY Ulster in Stone Ridge, NY and Westchester Community College in Valhalla, NY. Some classes are even taught right within area restaurants so you can see how some of your favorite dining spots make their food!
Here is the link to SUNY Ulster Continuing Education site to see what classes they have to offer:
http://www.sunyulster.edu/continuing_education/
Here is the link to SUNY Ulster Continuing Education site to see what classes they have to offer:
http://www.sunywcc.edu/continuing_ed/welcome/cont_ed_welcome.htm
In addition to cooking classes, there are also other fun classes to try out such as art classes, bartending ones, and dance classes!
Additional Cooking Classes:
I hope you enjoyed some of these ideas. Of course, any of these days/evenings can be concluded with a lovely cocktail from one of the many great restaurants/lounges in the area! Please let me know if you can think of any other great spots for bachelorette parties/bridal showers or a fun girls day/night out.
-Jessi
the elegant hudson 