You live your life in the shadow of tall buildings, bustling traffic, buzzy bars, crowded sidewalks, fine dining, galleries, coffee shops and all the other things you love about the city where you live. That’s why you want to gather your besties for a bridesmaid soiree with a different rhythm. You’ve been thinking about some of those bucket list national parks as an antidote for all that urbanity you enjoy every day. Out there, beneath a full moon, surrounded by soaring rock cliffs, proud mountains, piney forests or expansive deserts, something slower and more meaningful might unfold. You might even have the time for a proper conversation as you hike a trail, ride a horse, or sip coffee together on a spacious porch while watching the sun rise. When’s the last time you saw the sunrise? That’s the point. Below, we’ve tested a couple of bachelorette getaway spots near two of the nation’s best national parks.
The Park: Grand Teton National Park
A 310,000 square mile playground of mountain meadows, snowcapped peaks, glacial lakes crisscrossed by an undulating river full of fish. You have a very good chance of spotting moose and bear.
The Place: Snake River Sporting Club, Jackson Hole Wyoming
Collect your wannabe cowgirl clan to stake out the glamorously rustic Tall Timber Cabin (which sleeps eight) at this bonafide, 1000-acre ranch, set smack in the middle of Wyoming’s unspoiled wilderness. An intimate, un-touristy stay defined by nature, this luxury resort and residential community pays homage to the history of the Old West. Besides visiting the park, where you can go river rafting, ride horses, cast for trout, ride a bike or hike a trail, the Snake River Sporting Club offers tennis, skeet shooting, archery, miles of trails, an equestrian program and more. Your 4-bedroom cabin also has —wait for it—four bathrooms, too, so there’s plenty of space to duke it out in front of the mirror.
The Park: Hawaii Volcanoes National Park
An immense, otherworldly park which holds one the world’s most active and mercurial volcanoes. A sacred place, it amazes with rivers of lava, fissures that mottle ancient, stark flow fields, craters and rare flora and fauna.
The Place: Four Seasons Resort Hualālai, Big Island, Hawaii
Spitting distance from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Four Seasons Resort Hualālai lies on the other side of the island, about two hours away. Nevertheless, it provides the ideal oasis from your day-long, fiery foray to see one of the world’s most astonishing sites. After you’ve explored the park and done activities such as the Crater Rim Driving Tour, you can cavort with your gal pack in utmost luxury at splurge-worthy Four Seasons Hualalai, wedged between snow-white beaches and onyx-hued lava landscapes. On the site of a centuries-old Hawaiian fishing village, the resort exudes soulfulness and local culture. Sign your crew up for the Iliahi Spa and Farm experience, where you’ll learn about healing plants during a farm tour, have a picnic lunch, a forest bath and enjoy a sound bath meditation. Swimming, lounging, snorkeling and gossiping go without saying. Take over one of the new, bi-level specialty suites, which feature indoor/outdoor play space and private plunge pools.
