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After a long and belch-laden football season, February is prime time for women to engage in some quality testosterone-free time. Why not take a cue from last year’s romantic comedy The Holiday and plan a getaway at a place with real character? These days a new trend in road trips is taking shape: eschewing the bland hotel route, many gals are opting to rent vacation homes even for short weekend getaways.

Choosing a vacation rental over a hotel for short-term travel may seem unusual, but it’s become a popular option, according to Christine Karpinski of Home Away, a vacation home rental business. She says that for the most part, vacation rentals cost no more than your average hotel, and they’ve got the added charm of character—not the sterile trappings of a carbon-copied hotel room. Guests are also likely to find that rentals have more special features than do many of the more affordable hotels, including large fireplaces, gourmet kitchens and outdoor hot tubs. “Think about it,” she says. “You don’t spend enough time with your friends anyway, and you’re stressed out and need a break. Going away for the weekend is a great way for women to reconnect with each other, and this girl-time is especially beneficial during the drab winter months when we tend to feel gloomy.”

Women ready to revive their spirits with a gal-pal road trip can check out several websites to find nearby rentals, including homeaway.com, vacationhomes.com and craigslist.org. Depending on region, some lucky travelers will find that owners are often more flexible on pricing during these off-season months.

Need a hook to entice your friends to shell out some money and time? Send out an e-vitation based around one of these tried and true themes.

The Homemade Spa Weekend
Pack your knitting needles, yoga tapes and new-age music-it’s time to pamper yourself. Lounge around in terrycloth, give each other manicures and try some group meditation. If your kitchen’s stocked with a blender, why not make your own face masks? Follow these links for just a sampling of inspiring recipes: makeyourcosmetics.com, healthrecipes.com, selfsufficientish.com.

The Girl Power Weekend
This is the ideal time to celebrate your inner feminist. Blast Alannis, hum along with Joni, discuss the glass ceiling, read Our Bodies, Our Selves or just take some time to honor yourself. Hold a movie marathon featuring Thelma and Louise and other empowering tear-jerkers. Take some quiet time to reflect on the great progress the feminist movement has made, and the work that has yet to begin.

The John Hughes Weekend
Take a trip through time with Molly, Emilio, Andrew and the rest of the Breakfast Club members to recall the days of yore—a miraculous time of no work, no spouse, no kids and no major financial commitments. While many of us recall high school as a vacuum of extreme angst, spending a weekend with our beloved brat pack means you can act like the teenager you secretly still think you are, and then face the office on Monday with, happily, a little less drama.

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