Girls Weekend has been a longstanding tradition that started with my cousin and I getting together for one day to do our Christmas shopping the first Saturday of November.
It’s morphed into an overnight, then two overnights, then (why the heck not?) three overnights. Because my goodness, the important women in my life need some uninterrupted time to hang out, catch up, drink wine, enjoy good food, and shop for whatever pleases us.
Our Girls Weekends have taken us to Chicago, Kansas City, Des Moines, Charleston and Folly Beach, and (more often) somewhere in Minnesota.
May I present Girls Weekend 2021, the Minneapolis edition, and a few of our tips/recommendations this year.
Pro Tip: Find a Fabulous Airbnb!
We have decided that staying at an Airbnb makes the entire Girls Weekend experience much more chill. We have space to spread out, a full kitchen at our disposal, and allows us to enjoy coffee and leisurely breakfasts in the morning. (This year, I made these apple cinnamon rolls and my mom brought this turkey sausage egg bake. Both were the perfect way to start our mornings.)
Earlier this year (or maybe it was even pre-pandemic, now that I think about it?), I staked out this absolutely charming Airnbnb in the Linden Hills neighborhood of Minneapolis and I knew we had to stay here.
I mean, this house!
The area was gorgeous, the house was as delightful as pictured, and it turned out to be the perfect location to explore a few nearby shopping areas and also not far from my niece at the University of Minnesota. (She joined us off and on throughout the weekend, which was so much fun!)
Our Airbnb was a easy walk to the cutest restaurants and shops. 
We loved this local art gallery. 
A few fun finds at the art gallery.
It’s All About the Food
Well, plus the wine and the shopping, too. We love to explore the food wherever we go for Girls Weekend and these three options in the Linden Hills neighborhood came highly recommended by our Airbnb host. Clearly she knew what she was talking about!
- The Harriet Brasserie – Wonderful appetizers and wine to kick off our Girls Weekend.
- Martina – Simply fantastic experience at this beautiful space (my cacio e pepe was to die for)!
- Rosalia Pizza – Yummy wood-fired pizzas for putting our feet up on Saturday night at the house and staying in on our last night together, which was the best idea ever.
One evening we also utilized Door Dash for delivery of some Revival fried chicken, mac and cheese, and biscuits with honey butter while we visited our niece’s apartment at the University of Minnesota.
And my cousin came up from Iowa for the weekend and brought with her a bevy of delicious items to make us a charcuterie board, an ideal way to enjoy happy hour at the house – so good!
Rosalia Pizza 
Our own charcuterie board 
A little red wine to go with all the Scandinavian accents in the house
Shopping and more shopping
On Friday, along with all the fun shops in Linden Hills (hello, GoodThings, I’m looking at you!), we also explored the 50th and France Avenue area of Edina, and visited the tried-and-true Southdale shopping mall.
On Saturday, we hopped in the car and headed up to St. Cloud to watch my cousin’s daughter play volleyball for Southwest Minnesota State University against St. Cloud State University. Ahead of the game, we found the most amazing shop, The Copper Pony, in Sauk Rapids, which quickly became our new favorite.
All the Christmas and holiday items were jaw-dropping and the layout is just dreamy. I mean, we wanted everything. Plus, the store has a little coffee cafe where we grabbed sandwiches and beverages before the big game. I highly recommend the gingerbread latte this time of year — it comes with a gingerbread cookie on top!
These photos don’t do The Copper Pony justice but if you peeked at my receipt, you would know I definitely enjoyed my shopping experience. Ha! (On a side note, we hit up DSW Shoe Warehouse — an annual Girls Weekend tradition — in Maple Grove on our way back to the Airbnb and let’s just say we all had quite a bit of success there as well.)
The Copper Pony in Sauk Rapids, MN. 
All the holiday things! 
These garlands, though! (I want them all!)
The gingerbread latte is a seasonal option. 
Most Important … Girl Time Together
I’m sure it won’t surprise you to learn the best part of our annual Girls Weekend is the time we spend together. This is the one time each year that we don’t let anything else get in the way. The schedule is cleared. Plans are made. An itinerary is drafted. And we treasure this weekend together.
Miss A, my niece and a fellow RBG fan 
Cousins 
Post-volleyball game
Cousins 
My two nieces, twinning 😉 
Sisters, stylin’ in some new purchases
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the pandemic, it’s that these moments and memories together are so important. I’m already looking forward to planning next year’s Girls Weekend!
You can read about a few of our previous Girls Weekend trips and some of our GW traditions here:
xoxo – Lara