We've all been there... you get so caught up in the overwhelm of your day to day life that you lose sight of yourself and start to feel disconnected. Your girlfriends get you. They know how to lift your spirits. They remind you of your true self and some of your happiest memories. And chances are they are going thru the same thing as you. There's a reason that girls trips exist - and are by definition the actual best weekends ever!
Recent studies show that getaways with girlfriends are scientifically proven to improve your mental health. Well, obviously! We didn't need science to tell us that, but we'll take the extra excuse for some quality friend time any day! (To read up on the studies, check out this article from Southern Living).
Bocu is all about friendships and helping you to stay connected - whether that be making it easy for you to gift them from afar or helping you to plan that next get together. I have personally been going through a transition in my life since my husband and I relocated from Philly to Boston this past fall. So in this new year, I have been leaning on my friends more and planning as many trips with them as they will allow me (and I can afford - ha!).
Follow along as I document our trips and highlight my recommendations on where to eat, sip, stay, and shop! Oh - and if you have any suggestions on where to go next, comment below!
First stop....
WHERE TO STAY: The Roundhouse Beacon - this historic hotel has everything that you need for your weekend away and a cozy, modern vibe to go with it. Situated just off of the "end" of the main street (above a waterfall I might add), it is the perfect starting point to start your stroll to all of the boutiques, restaurants, and coffee shops. The restaurant and lounge offer a delicious meal or small bites after a busy day out and about. (visit the hotel site: https://roundhousebeacon.com/)
WHERE TO EAT: With just 48 hours in Beacon, we couldn't fit in all of the great places that were recommended to eat! Sharing the few that we made it to (and highly recommend):
Kitchen Sink Food & Drink
Tito Santana Taqueria
Beacon Falls Cafe
Roundhouse Beacon
WHERE TO DRINK: This deserves a category of it's own because it wouldn't be a girls weekend if we didn't have a drink of some sort in our hands at all times...
For coffee, we enjoyed a daily CBD Oatmilk Latte from Trax Coffee Roasters (conveniently located next to the hotel).
And for a glass of wine, we loved the cozy lounge at Chill Wine Bar (which turns into a jazz club in the evenings). 
WHERE TO WORKOUT: In the summer months, Beacon is a destination for hiking trails and outdoor activities, but because we traveled in late February, we were looking for boutique fitness studios to help us work off the above said food & drinks! We tried these studios and highly recommend!
Barre Body & Soul: a fun yoga & barre fusion class in a clean, airy studio. (Also, the owner is the sweetest human!)
The Studio @ Beacon: an upbeat Spin or Boxing class with a fresh smoothie bar for post-class refuel.
WHERE TO SHOP: This is always my favorite part. Any time that I travel anywhere, I am always on the hunt for the cutest shops. Not only is it inspiring, but I love to support local shop owners, and to find new brands for Bocu. Just a one hour train ride from Manhattan, the Hudson Valley is full of shops & restaurants opened up by former (and current) NYC and Brooklyn dwellers who move to Beacon for respite from the city. The town is full of well-curated boutiques.
Here is a list of my favorites in Beacon:
Raven Rose (pictured)
Sallye Ander (pictured)
Kaight
Vintage Beacon
Loopy Mango
King + Curated
And here are a few favorites that we found in the neighboring town of Cold Spring:
Pink Olive (pictured)
Cold Spring Apothecary (pictured)
Burkelman
Cold Spring General Store