Girls' weekend away: round up your friends for one of these four fabulous bonding adventures

Shape, June, 2004

The getaway Strengthen the friendship bond at this world-renowned center for holistic education and spiritual enlightenment. Omega holds dozens of mind-body workshops with visits from inspirational teachers and authors from all over the world. Sign up for a three-day "Rest & Relaxation" retreat and design each day's activities from a list of options, including nature walks, meditation, tai chi, yoga, tennis, evening concerts and a one-hour massage--all included in the weekend rate.

Sleepover The accommodations here may seem spartan, but you can't beat the price--$345 per person for two nights, which includes housing, meals, activities and one 60-minute massage when you share a two-room cabin with three of your friends (800-944-1001, eomega.org).

Girl power Renowned yoga instructors, including Baron Baptiste, Cyndi Lee and Rodney Yee, visit throughout the year, but rest assured that most of the retreats are beginner-friendly. Several traditional yoga styles--kundalini, ashtanga and vinyasa, for example--are offered as well as hybrid styles, including Yogilates, a hatha-yoga-and-Pilates combo. Squeeze in some cardio by canoeing or kayaking on the institute's private lake, joining a dance class or taking an easy hike along the property's two peaceful hemlock-, oak- and pine-tree-lined trails.

Chow down Your "Rest & Relaxation" package includes healthful organic meals daily (from dinner on Friday through lunch on Sunday); typical options are Sesame Noodle Salad for lunch and Mahi Mahi With Tangy Tomato Sauce for dinner (vegetarian and vegan options are also available). Communal meals in the dining hall allow you a chance to catch up with friends and make new ones. Or you can take your meals outside to the shady porch or eat at a picnic table on the lawn.

R & R In addition to the retreat's free massage, the more curious may want to opt for a Shamanic Healing treatment ($95, 90 minutes), a Holistic Health Consultation ($125-$240, 30-60 minutes) or an astrology reading ($75-$110, 60-90 minutes). Afterward, compare results with your friends while taking an evening walk.

Sisterly advice With so many activities, it may be tempting to load up your day's itinerary, but you'll need to pace yourself. Set aside time for lounging, chatting and taking in views of the rolling purple mountains of the Catskills.--Melissa B. Scott

RELATED ARTICLE: You Go, Girlfriends!

If you want to plan your own girlfriend getaway and need help sorting through the details, consider two recent how-to books, Girlfriends' Getaway (Waterbrook Press, 2002), by Kathleen Laing and Elizabeth Butterfield, and The Girlfriend Getaway Guide (Globe Pequot Press, 2003), by Pam Grout. Here, advice from the authors on how to do it right:

* Don't send out too many invites. Mother-daughter team Laing and Butterfield say doing so makes it easier for cliques to form. While there is no "perfect number," the authors recommend taking the pulse of the group to see what feels right. (Laing and Butterfield's groups usually number 13 or so.)