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Girlfriend Getaway

The Ultimate Girls Weekend in Houston

Ready to revel in a weekend with your favorite ladies? Houston delivers with fabulous shopping, standout spas, to-die-for dining and nightlife that keeps the party going well into the night. Wondering where to begin—let us help.

Whether looking for a place to dance, drink or just have fun, Houston's nightlife scene has you covered.

THE DETAILS

Where to stay: Hotel ZaZa, Hotel Icon, Four Seasons, Hilton Americas, Embassy Suites Houston Downtown or pick another hotel.

Getting around: Traveling from Bush Intercontinental or Houston Hobby Airport, take Super Shuttle or a Metro bus to Downtown ora cab anywhere you need to go. In the city: Take a cab or use the MetroRail to travel between downtown, the Museum District and other neighborhoods. For more information about how to navigate the city, click here.

FRIDAY

Noon: After dropping your luggage off at the hotel, head out for a bite to eat. (After all, you’re going to need that energy for the shopping cardio that’s in store.) River Oaks’ Tiny Boxwood’s is a solid option. Tucked inside the Thompson & Hanson Nursery, the charming café boasts a beautiful garden and patio, along with a well-edited menu of soups, salads and sandwiches. Other casually-cool light-bite contenders: Upper Kirby’s Ruggles Green, Giacomo’s Cibo e Vino (near Highland Village) and Paulie’s in Montrose.

2PM: Before venturing to The Galleria—the city’s holy grail of retail—pay a visit to a few of the city’s most-coveted boutiques. Located near Ruggles Green, Kuhl-Linscomb is an all-in-one gift, home and accessory emporium that regularly lands on the pages of national pubs like Elle Décor, Lucky magazine and The New York Times. A few blocks away, fashion mainstay Tootsies shines in its new 35,000-square-foot West Ave space. Find couture clothing and ready-to-wear fashion by top designers and rising-star names. Other worthy (and nearby) detours: River Oaks Shopping Center, Highland Village and Uptown Park.

The Galleria

4PM: When you’re ready to get down to buying business, venture just outside The Loop to The Galleria.The three-story compound makes room for more than 375 stores, an ice rink, two hotels and several restaurants. Akin to the designer names on New York’s famed Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, The Galleria boasts boutiques like Tory Burch, Valentino, St. John and Yves Saint Laurent. Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom and Macy’s flank the sprawling structure.

7PM:After schlepping those fabulous finds back to the hotel—and squeezing in a quick power nap— it’s time to start getting ready for the night. Wondering where to go in a city with several thousand restaurants? Depends what you’re craving. Upper Kirby’s Kata Robata is a sushi staple among locals, El Tiempo Cantina makes a mean marg and Patrenella’s does Italian right. For modern American fare, try Benjy’s, Sparrow Bar + Cookshop or Haven, which are known for putting fun twists on traditional cuisine.
 
10PM: Keep the party going at Under the Volcano. This Rice Vilage-area hotspot is the perfect place to sip a martini or margarita (especially the signature strawberry basil variety). Looking for something more high-energy? Lucky Strike Lanes calls Downtown’s GreenStreet home, as does the House of Blues and Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar—the latter of which puts a decidedly more interactive spin on the piano-bar concept.

SATURDAY

9AM: Ease into the day with brunch at River Oaks’ Backstreet Café. The local gem—which is set inside a 1930s-era cottage—offers New American cuisine and one of the city’s most-loved patio spaces. Snag a table out back, where mature oak trees curb the summer heat. Go for the brioche French toast, Backstreet Benedict or the Crawfish Grits, paired with a not-too-sweet wild berry mimosa or the pineapple-tinged, fresh-fruit sangria. Make reservations and avoid the wait.

10:30AM: Productivity is overrated. Girls weekend is made for rest, relaxation and plenty of pool time. After brunch, venture to the Museum District-set Hotel ZaZa for a big chill massage or exfoliating body treatment at ZaSpa.The 11,000-square-foot spa features 11 treatment rooms and the Sanctuary—an oxygen therapy room, where guests unwind in plush robes before heading to a treatment room.

12:30PM: Cap off the afternoon at the adjacent pool, which overlooks Mecom Fountain. Available exclusively for hotel guests—and ZaSpa patrons—the outdoor oasis is a hub for pretty young things and the occasional wild antic. For double the fun, book one of the poolside cabanas, which offerprime people-watching opportunities.

2:30PM: Before venturing back to the hotel, pay a visit to the nearby Museum of Fine Arts, Houston or Menil Collection. Both stay open until 7PM on Saturday and contain works by some of history’s most influential artists. The 300,000-square-foot MFAH is dedicated to paintings, sculptures, costumes, photography and textiles dating to the antiquities, while the Menil pays homage to 20th-century works. There, visitors can peruse pieces by Andy Warhol, Henry Matisse and Pablo Picasso, among many others.

4:30PM: Head back to the hotel and get ready for a fun-filled, choose-your-own-adventure kind of night.
 
6:30PM – (Option 1): Channel your inner artist at Montrose’s Pinot’s Palette—a relaxed, teacher-led painting studio that blends creativity and BYOB. Saturday classes start at 7PM and wrap up at 10PM, so you’ll want to bring along some food (and vino) to tide you over. Lucky for you, the Texas-sized Spec’s Warehouse is nearby. Much more than a beer, wine and liquor emporium, the Smith Street Spec’s remains an epicurean destination with its imported food offerings (cheeses, meats, sweets and freshly-made sandwiches). Of course, you could always grab dinner at Gratifi Kitchen + Bar, just across the street, too. (Note: Pinot’s Palette classes fill up quickly, so make reservations in advance.)

TThe Menil Collection - Sculptures

10PM – (Option 1): Afterwards, venture to Boheme Café & Wine Bar. Located just a stone’s throw from Pinot’s Palette,the eclectic, culture-filled café offers light bites (artisan cheese plates, pizzas, quiche) and an impressive drink menu. For those post-painting partiers that want to kick things up a notch, catch the Washington Avenue-bound Wave. For $10 all night or $5 one way, the privately-owned jitney service will pick up passengers and take them on a barhopping excursion along Houston’s three-mile strip of bars, clubs and lounges.

6:30PM – (Option 2): On a clear Houston night, it’s hard to beat a free performance at Miller Outdoor Theatre. Most Saturday events begin after 8PM, featuring everything from Houston Symphony concerts and Theatre Under the Stars productions to professional step shows and works by the Houston Ballet. Before the show, venture to Midtown for dinner at Ibiza, Reef or Sushi Raku, before catching the METRORail to the Museum District-set theatre. (Note: Guests are able to BYOB to performances, but no glass containers or bottles, so plan accordingly.)

10PM-ish – (Option 2): Following the show, catch the METRORail back to Midtown, where nightlife options abound. Looking for your scene? Find culture vultures congregating at the Tiffany lamp-lit Nouveau Antique Art Bar and the professional set at 13 Celsius, where a stellar selection of wines by the glass and small food items keep patrons happy. After it’s all said and done, round out the night with a hearty bowl of pho from Mai’s Restaurant.

SUNDAY

10AM: After sleeping in—it’s called the day of rest for a reason—head to The Heights for brunch at Zelko Bistro.The cozy restaurant is ready to revive party people with chicken & waffles, house-made granola, egg samiches and fresh-squeezed juice. (There’s sangria on offer, too, if you’re feeling up for it.)

Noon: Before everyone says their goodbyes, squeeze one last shopping excursion in along 19th Street. The quaint, locally-owned stretch of shops offers everything from clothing (Jubilee), home décor (Casa Ramirez Imports) and art (Gallery M Squared). For a real treat, venture a few blocks away to Installations—an eye-catching shop filled with covetable antique pieces like a postal service sorter-turned-laundry hamper and 1930s industrial lamps.

By Natalie Bogan Morgan