Better Health & Living
Get Outta Town!
Roll up for the mystery tour, girls--it's good for you!
Published in Saint Paul, MN local spotlight | 0 Comments, Talk about this article »
With your BlackBerry on perpetual vibrate, your kids screaming your name, and squeaky toys underfoot as you carry yet another basket of laundry to the washer, you can’t help but wonder if you’ll ever again have time to yourself. The answer is yes.
Twin sisters Marci Turenne Hansen and Michelle Levin started GirlTime Getaways, a mystery bus-tour company, in 2005 after realizing that stressed-out women like themselves need an occasional break. Both understand the challenge of balancing family (three kids each) with career (both worked full-time before becoming stay-at-home moms) and how easy it is to let your own needs come last.
“Michelle and I took a similar trip several years ago and had a blast,” says Hansen. “We wanted to help women get away and let someone else take care of them for a change.”
The premise is simple. Hansen and Levin charter a 55-person deluxe motor coach, pick up their passengers on a Saturday morning, and then head for an unknown destination. Trips, which cost under $200, are unique and within a 300-mile radius of the point of departure.
“We visit out-of-the-way places that you wouldn’t find on your own or that you’ve always wanted to stop and see,” says Hansen.
Whether they pet llamas, tour a historic theater, make candles, sample local wines, or go snow tubing for the first time, Hansen says guests always enjoy the activities they discover during the weekend.
It’s Good For You
Valerie Golden, PhD, a clinical psychologist in Minneapolis who is also part of the Women’s Mental Health Consortium of New York Presbyterian Hospital/Cornell Medical Center, echoes the importance of women carving out “self” time.
“Women often act as caretakers for others. Learning what helps them relax can dramatically improve their own mental and physical well-being,” says Dr. Golden. “The benefits of stress reduction are physical and psychological. Scientists know that stress causes chemical changes in the brain that can influence issues ranging from depression, insomnia, colds, headaches, fatigue, and backaches to heart disease, stroke, and cancer.”
Adds Hansen, “There are very few surprises left in life, so if we can surprise our guests, relieve their stress, and take care of their needs in the meantime, then we’ve done our job. Our philosophy is that it’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey. And our journey starts the second you step on the bus.”
How to Take Off
GirlTime Getaways
Tours leave Saturday morning and return Sunday evening. Included are the luxury motor coach; motel accommodations; lunches, snacks, and beverages; and admission for group activities, tours, and entertainment. Visit www.girltimegetaways.com or call 320-251-4830.
Girls Fun Adventures
Based in St. Cloud, Girls Fun Adventures offers mystery motor-coach weekend excursions, including Girls-n-Guys weekends and Lil’ Girls Adventures for girls ages 6 to 11 and their female chaperones. Visit www.girls-fun-adventures.com or call 320-529-1235.
Secret Scenic Tours
Secret Scenic Tours runs overnight mystery motor-coach tours departing from metro Minneapolis-St. Paul. Getaways are customized for large or small groups and, upon request, preferred or secret destinations. Visit www.secretscenictours.com or call 612-859-4240.
Adrienne Greer Foley is a contributing writer who’s planning to go on her own mystery getaway.
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