Welcome back, dear readers. As I mentioned yesterday, I’m not traveling at the moment. I’m just spending some quality time at home with friends and family, working and trying to stay dry … it rained mercilessly today. On or off the road, my goal is to share ideas with you that will help you travel more easily, more efficiently, more interestingly and more stylishly.

Every year, my girlfriends and I plan a girls-only getaway. It’s short (only Friday evening to Sunday afternoon) and it’s usually not too far from home, a two-and-a-half hour drive at most. But we all cherish this time. As our schedules get busier and busier, those two days away feel like a gift, an opportunity to disconnect from the demands of every day, to unplug, unravel, unwind completely.

After flipping through the pages of 50 Best Girlfriend Getaways in North America (Random House, 2009), I’m starting to feel like it’s time we got more creative with our getaway ideas! A National Geographic book, 50 Best Girlfriend Getaways is, as you might imagine, stuffed with fab getaway suggestions across North America. From Spirit Boosters in Nashville, Tennessee and Jackson, Wyoming to Birthday Blowouts in New Orleans and South Carolina, this book really breaks it down, offering travel tips, dining and shopping recommendations and must-not-miss events that are worth a plane ticket.

Peppered with personal stories from a variety of women about their experiences and their travels with friends and family, this book reads like part guidebook, part novel. Even if you’re not traveling in these economically uncertain times, the book offers inspiration for future travels. It certainly set me daydreaming.

Available: May 19, 2009 on randomhouse.ca
Price: $18.95