Not into shopping and spas, gather some gal pals and set off for a day at a few unique and fun places that will have you and your friends talking for years to come. As a busy mom of two boys sometimes an entire weekend away gives me more anxiety than joy. It’s one of the reasons Girls Day Away Ideas for Adventurers has been such a pleasure. Here are a few adventurous ideas for your next girl’s trip.
#1 Ax Throwing
Sort of a cross between darts and bowling, ax throwing venues have popped up across the state offering introductory sessions as well as league play. We found ourselves at Victoria Burrow https://victoriaburrow.com/on a recent girls outing. Lanes are reservable and on weekends especially, I’d recommend it. We got a quick tutorial from our guide on technique and mechanics and then we were free to throw as we pleased. It took several attempts, but after a few rounds, we were sticking the blade in the wooden target more regularly. Victoria Burrow also has arcade games and a mini-golf course as well as food and drinks. Maybe it would have been wiser to drink the jar of moonshine AFTER our ax-throwing session.
#2 Curling
Like ax throwing, curling is sort of a cross between darts and bowling as well but this time on ice. Before stepping on the sheet I was like, “How hard can this be? I mean I don’t have to wear skates and all I have to do is coax this hunk of granite to the target. Piece of cake.” Hardly. John Shuster and team make it look easy. I was sweating trying to polish the ice in front of the rock convincing it to land on the button. Even though it’s challenging and a workout, it was a blast. Look for a Learn to Curl event at a local curling club and try your hand at the other game invented by the Scottish.
#3 Relax in a Salt Cave
Halotherapy removes irritants, reduces inflammation and breaks down mucus in your respiratory system. It can be helpful with ailments such as asthma, bronchitis and even the common cold. Plus a 45 minutes session in a salt cave forces you to unplug, put down your device and chill. A friend and I visited the Salt Cave in Minneapolis and came away feeling a little less stuffy and a lot more relaxed. Our session was private due to COVID, allowing us full use of the entire cave. The salt cave provides a sense of calm as guests recline lounge chairs while a halogenerator grinds salt into microscopic participles and pumps them into the man-made cave. Dim lighting adds to the tranquil atmosphere. Halotherapy includes breathing in the salt, however, the salt is also absorbed through your skin. Wear a tank top and go barefoot if possible. If you lick your lips while in the session you may faintly taste the salt. Be advised licking the walls or putting the floor salt in your mouth is not allowed.
photo credit: The Salt Cave 
photo credit: The Salt Cave
#4 Ice Castles
When the temperature dips it doesn’t mean your level of adventure has to. Look for an Ice Castle near you https://icecastles.com/. Makers of these millions of gallons of frozen water creations have erected castles in six locations across the United States and Canada. And they are popular. Book tickets in advance and bundle up for an icy adventure. The Ice Castles are built on site by “growing” tens of thousands of icicles each day, placing and watering them into frozen arches, tunnels and slides. It’s super cool. Our girls adventure was to the castle in Excelsior, MN for an after dark experience. One of the staff at the castle told us the best time to come was about an hour before dark so you can experience the castle during the daylight was well as under the lights. Ice Castle inventor, Brent Christensen, first made the castles for his kids to get them outside in the winter. As a middle-aged, mom who believes in embracing all four seasons, I’m glad he did.
If you’re interested in taking your family to the ice castles, you can read about our experience here.
#5 Dog Sledding
Nothing says, “I love winter” like mushing through the snow behind a team of Siberian huskies. On a Sunday afternoon, a friend and I ventured to Long Lake and Birch’s on the Lake Brew House for a brunch buffet and a sled dog ride put on by Silent Run Adventures. The food was tasty and the short sled ride offered us a taste of darting over the snow covered lake behind a team of dogs. We’d definitely do that again.
#6 Brews with your Crew
Taprooms and craft breweries are trending and so are events at these locations that get your gang together to try something new. I’ve made wreaths, painted pallets and done yoga while sampling artisan beers and connecting with friends. These events, though just for a few hours, leave me with a full heart as I’ve had time away from the daily grind to enjoy the company of others and a shared interest (sometimes that interest is just beer).
#7 Grape Stomp
I recently spent a sunny Sunday afternoon at Carlos Creek Winery at the annual Grape Stomp Festival. We hiked up our shorts and crushed it in the grape stomping competition, or at least we tried to. We didn’t stomp the most grapes the fastest, but we did sample some excellent wines and had a blast building stronger friendships. If you want to stomp grapes, you’ll have to plan ahead and reserve a time. Most time slots will sell out. If you just want to sample wine and eat cheese curds and pork nachos under the pergola while listening to live music, that’s an option as well.
#8 Sweat it Out
Friends that sweat together, stay together. That’s a saying, right? If not, then it should be. Our local community center hosted a Cardio Drumming sampler course to get people moving and introduce this work out trend. Several of us are hooked. A plastic tub, an exercise ball, some drumsticks and a good beat and we were banging out the rhythm of good health and good times with friends. If Cardio Drumming is not available where you live, how about Zumba? The point is to find an activity you haven’t done before and gather your gals to give it a try. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.
Inexpensive, quick and packed with fun these Girls Day Away Ideas for Adventurers will hopefully leave you feeling refreshed and you might even find a new hobby participating in one of them.
Happy Adventuring, Rochelle