Friendships aren’t just fun, they’re medicine. A girls’ trip offers more than a break from routine — it lowers stress, lifts mood, strengthens bonds and gives us back a little piece of ourselves. Here’s why time away with your favourite women is one of the best investments you can make in your health and happiness.

So Emma is just back from a trip away with her uni friends to Amsterdam, I’m heading to Palma next month with five schoolies, and so far this year I’ve been to the Lake District with five university friends — with at least three more overnighters already planned: a wee wild sauna escape in Fife, a cool beach break in North Berwick, and a couple of nights at a repeat favourite, Another Place in the Lakes.

This is not a usual year. Both Emma and I have turned 50, and that has been the perfect excuse to celebrate those 30-plus-year friendships with time away where we are not being pulled in all the directions our life responsibilities need us to. It’s not about recapturing our youth (no thank you to clubs and pubs — hello indulgent chats over cups of tea or on the sun loungers). It’s about rediscovering who we were when we first bonded with these like-minded women.

And here’s the thing: the benefits of a girls’ trip go far beyond the fun of getting away. Science tells us that these moments of connection are good for our health, our stress levels, even our longevity.

Stress Less, Live Longer

Studies have shown that social connections are as important for long-term health as diet and exercise. Spending time with close friends reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), lowers blood pressure, and boosts serotonin and oxytocin — the “feel-good” chemicals that help us feel calm and content. In short, that giggle over morning coffee or the belly laugh that lasts for minutes is literally medicine.

Permission to Pause

In our daily lives, especially as women juggling work, family, and care responsibilities, there is rarely a moment when someone isn’t asking for something. A girls’ trip offers a pause button. It’s time when you don’t have to be mum, partner, boss, or caregiver — you just get to be you. That freedom to step out of responsibility, even for 24 hours, is deeply restorative.

Deepening Bonds

Friendships forged in our teens, twenties, and thirties hold a unique power. Shared experiences over decades create a shorthand that doesn’t need explanation. But those bonds need tending, and time away together allows us to deepen connections, share what’s really going on in our lives, and remind ourselves we’re not alone in whatever challenges we face.

Laughter Really is the Best Medicine

Research shows that laughter strengthens the immune system, eases pain, and relaxes the body. On a girls’ trip, laughter is guaranteed — the kind that makes your stomach ache and tears roll down your face. That kind of laughter? It’s pure therapy.

It Doesn’t Have to Break the Bank

One of the biggest myths about girls’ trips is that they need to be glamorous and expensive. The truth? They can be anything you want them to be. Old friends often have different lifestyles and bank balances, and the last thing you want is to add stress by pushing budgets. A girls’ getaway can be a simple staycation somewhere nearby — think a cosy cottage, a spa day, or just one night by the sea. Or it can be all-out luxe in true Sex and the City style. What matters most isn’t the destination or the spend, but the time together. Prioritise the friends, not the price tag.

The Ripple Effect

Perhaps the most important benefit of a girls’ getaway is how it spills back into everyday life. You return replenished, lighter, and more able to deal with the demands at home and work. In other words, everyone benefits when you make space for yourself.

So, whether it’s a big birthday in Amsterdam, a school friends’ reunion in Palma, or just one night of sea air and sauna in Fife, never feel guilty about packing your bag and stepping away. It’s not indulgent, it’s essential — for your wellbeing, your health, and for keeping those life-affirming friendships thriving.

Check out our latest travel feature for our hot tip on a girls’ weekend trip. Or perhaps an extreme day trip is all you can squeeze in.

Why a Girls’ Trip is Good for the Soul (and Your Health)