Southern Living: Tampa

The South's Best Girlfriend Getaways. No meetings, no soccer practice, no to-do lists - and no guys. Plan an escape with your best buds to one of these great destinations: 

Florida, Cruising the Shore: Tampa. 

Talk about a water­inspired city. A river runs through it, bays and channels surround it, and Gulf beaches are just a short hop away. You'll find lots of group entertainment along the Tampa Riverwalk (thetampariverwalk.com), which winds from Water Works Park in Tampa Heights to the South Plaza near The Florida Aquarium and Channel District. (Save on select activities with a Tampa Bay CityPASS; tampacitypass.com). Pilot your own electric eBoat, or charter the catamaran Noshooz, which can take up to six passengers. Both charters are located at the Tampa Convention Center docks. Get your group together to take a Stand Up Paddleboarding lesson with Urban Kai outfitters to get in a workout while you sightsee. Is your gang interested in a beach stay with downtown junkets (or vice versa)? Book a room at the plush Sandpearl Resort on Clearwater Beach (rates from $249; sandpearl.com) or the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay downtown (rates from $229; grandtampabay.hyatt.com).