Buddy Systems

Reconnecting with good friends on just-guys/gals trips

Sometimes the best way to get away from it all is to hang out with the people who love you just the way you are: your friends. A long weekend with your buddies can be the perfect escape, whether reconnecting with your college crew or throwing a bachelor or bachelorette party for your best friend.

Vacationing with friends is also a great time to indulge your girly side or inner man's man. As such getaways become more popular, the travel industry is taking notice. Special deals and discounts geared toward men- or women-only vacationers abound.

"If you and your friends are all looking for the same thing, a package deal can be a great bargain," suggested Valerie McDermott, co-founder of Million-Dollar-Mama.com, an online travel resource for women. But there are plenty of destinations that offer a variety of activities to please the most diverse group of friends.

Web sites like GuysGetaway.com help plan trips for groups of men and promote special offers on golf, shark fishing and sports events. Resorts are also catering to women more frequently, offering girl-only golf excursions, fly fishing and other pursuits once targeted only to men.

"Women are coming from hectic business arenas. When they go on vacation, they want to escape. But they also want to be challenged," said Stephanie Oswald, editor-in-chief of travelgirl magazine.

You might not meet many cute members of the opposite sex at these spots, but they are the perfect places to spend good old-fashioned quality time with your pals.

For Guys

If you've been feeling less than manly lately, get an emergency infusion of testosterone at the Aspen Man Camp. Motto: Leave your inner child behind, and unleash the hairy beast within! Grab up to seven friends and customize a high-altitude adventure that can range from riding Harleys to sipping good scotch. Activities include Olympic-style weight-lifting, rock climbing, river rafting and "night-time ninja training."

Take your friends biking through the secluded foothills of Maine's White Mountains with Back Country Excursions, an environmentally inclined mountain-bike touring company that boasts trails for all levels of experience. A full package gets you daily meals, lodge accommodations and guided riding throughout your stay. Campsites and yurts are other options. Special programs include instructor training in May and June, and trail building camp in April.

Get locked up in a futuristic Spanish prison and find your way out in Madrid's live-action video game, La Fuga (The Escape). Set in an immense old bank, the interactive game lets players navigate the high-tech jail through devices strapped to their wrists that track their progress and provide clues to escape. Players get three lives, at 15 Euros a game. La Fuga's creators, local company Negone (Web site in Spanish), have plans to open a similar spot in Manhattan, according to Wired magazine.

And of course, there is always Vegas, the quintessential guys-weekend destination. While it is tempting to spend three days glued to the blackjack table, Las Vegas offers some exciting outdoor fun, as well. Sports cars, baby, sports cars: Get behind the wheel of an indy-style speed machine at the Mario Andretti Racing School and reach speeds of up to 180 miles per hour. Packages include courses for passengers or drivers, at varying levels of experience.

For Girls

From the ranch to the beach, one thing is a given: you can get yoga lessons and a massage almost everywhere.

Learn to ride waves and connect to the ocean with your girls at Las Olas Surf Camp, geared exclusively toward women. All-female instructors take you on surf safaris to their favorite spots near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, using longboards designed especially for women's bodies. There are other optional activities, including henna body art parties, lessons on how to make the perfect margarita, salsa dancing, Spanish classes and, of course, yoga and a massage. Book early: programs are selling out six months in advance.

Rejuvenate your physical and mental spirit in a serene and beautiful location at one of the many top spas around the country. Spafinder.com lists special deals for women-only getaways that will leave you glowing.

Fashionistas can get behind the runway scene on a Global Experiences fashion tour. Visit top design houses in Paris, Milan or Florence, meet industry hot shots and go shopping for the newest looks with an insider's eye. Packages include accommodation, transportation and some meals.

The Women of the West Adventure Travel program at the Tanque Verde Ranch in Tucson, Ariz. offers five days of grooming, feeding and riding horses, with one day of champagne, chocolate-covered strawberries and a massage thrown in to soothe any saddle sores.

Womenonlyweekends.com offers a variety of packages including wine tasting, glass-blowing classes, hiking and art tours in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

And if this all sounds like way too much activity, grab your Snoopy slippers and head to the Ultimate Pajama Party, staged in Canada and Bermuda several times a year. These parties can attract hundreds of women looking to bond with good girlfriends, attend special happy hours, exercise and get spa treatments, all while dressed in their PJs.