For Your Next Girls' Trip, Try Sports Travel
Our take
The recent surge in popularity of sports travel, exemplified by the piece detailing a deeply emotional experience at SoFi Stadium, signals a fascinating shift in how women are approaching leisure and connection. It's no longer solely about traditional girls' trips centered around shopping or spa days; instead, a growing number are seeking shared experiences rooted in passion and energy. This isn’t simply about attending a game; it’s about immersing oneself in a collective atmosphere, celebrating a shared interest, and forging bonds through a visceral experience. We’ve observed this trend mirrored in other areas of consumer behavior, like the savvy approach to Prime Day – where strategic purchases, like those detailed in Prime Day Is My Super Bowl — These Are the Best Deals, Including 28% Off AirPods, become a key part of the travel preparation, and even the considered packing lists for international adventures, as seen in I'm Visiting Paris and London This Summer—15 Prime Day Finds Coming With Me. The willingness to invest in travel centered around a sport, often a male-dominated space historically, speaks volumes about a generation’s desire for inclusivity and a rejection of limiting stereotypes.
The appeal appears to lie in the shared intensity and undeniable sense of belonging that a live sporting event provides. The article’s description of waving flags and high-fives with strangers perfectly captures this phenomenon – a temporary community forged through a collective enthusiasm. This contrasts with the sometimes isolating nature of digital connection, offering instead a tangible, shared memory. Furthermore, the increasing visibility of women in sports, both as athletes and fans, undoubtedly contributes to this rising trend. It’s becoming increasingly normalized and even celebrated to see women passionately engaged with sports, and the opportunity to share that passion with friends creates a unique and powerful dynamic. Consider, too, the smart approach to embracing these experiences – prioritizing key purchases and travel essentials, as illustrated by the emphasis on denim during Prime Day Prime Day Is the Best Time of Year to Buy Denim, demonstrating a pragmatic and stylish approach to travel.
Beyond the immediate thrill of the event itself, sports travel offers a different kind of bonding experience. It’s less about curated aesthetics and more about raw emotion and shared excitement. This resonates with a desire for authenticity, a theme we see consistently valued by our audience who prioritize experiences over possessions. The emphasis shifts from projecting an image to genuinely connecting with others through a shared interest. This isn’t about performing femininity; it’s about embracing a passion, regardless of societal expectations. It's a potent reminder that travel doesn’t need to be about finding oneself through solitary exploration; it can be about discovering oneself *within* a community, a collective, a moment of shared humanity. The inherent competition and drama of sports provides a ready-made narrative, a shared storyline that fuels conversation and connection long after the final whistle.
Ultimately, the rise of sports travel signifies a broader cultural shift – a move away from rigidly defined roles and towards a more fluid, inclusive definition of femininity and leisure. It’s a testament to the power of shared passions to forge meaningful connections and create lasting memories. The question now becomes: how will the travel industry adapt to cater to this growing demand for authentic, experience-driven sports travel, and will we see further diversification within this niche, with women’s sports gaining even greater prominence as destinations in their own right?
When I walked into SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 13, my throat caught with emotion. I'd never seen a sports arena teeming with so much fervor. American flags waved high above my head, vuvuzelas blared, strangers high-fived and wished each other luck. The security guards and ticketing staff were all smiles. It hit me then: I was about to watch the US men's national team face off against Paraguay in the World Cup. Having grown up playing soccer, the moment was surreal.
I'll caveat this with an admission: I'm not, in general, a big sports fan. While I support women's teams any chance I get and I do enjoy watching soccer, I'm generally apathetic when it comes to major sporting events. I'll go to one or two games per season for Bay Area teams, but if I'm being honest, I'm mostly just there for the good time.
I'd also never considered traveling for sports before. Plenty of my friends plan trips to see their favorite athletes and teams, whether to catch the US Open in New York City or to splurge on getting a glimpse of Formula 1. And with the World Cup this year in 16 cities across North America, plus the Olympics coming to LA in 2028, sports-related travel is only projected to grow.
All to say, when I was invited by Airbnb on a group press trip to watch the USA vs. Paraguay World Cup game, I felt a bit out of my element. But after a few days in LA, I learned that sports-related travel can be extremely fun — especially when you're surrounded by likeminded friends. Our trip consisted of a group of several women in media, and we balanced getting hyped for the game with massages, hikes, and quintessential LA experiences. I love that this trip brought together a group of awesome women who could rattle off the top international players in one breath and their favorite natural wines in the other.
I also realized that sports travel, when done right, gives your trip a purpose, and it still holds opportunity for all the other things that you might love about travel, like adventure, good food, a healthy dose of relaxation. I'm not the only one: according to a report from Priority Pass, more travelers are pairing sports and wellness for the ultimate travel experience.
Here were the elements that convinced me a girls' trip with sports and wellness elements mixed in is a winning combination.
The Location and Lodgings
If you're a diehard fan, marquee sporting events like the World Cup, Olympics, and Formula 1 can give you an excuse to travel to a place you've never been before for a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
But even if it's a city you know well — I've been to Los Angeles a dozen times — you can still use the trip to explore a neighborhood you've never spent much time in. We stayed in a huge house in La Brea, which was centrally located for a massive city like LA. It meant that we could walk to the famous vintage shops on Melrose (which I hadn't done since high school) or hop in a Waymo to reach the beach. Of course, you also want to take into account the travel to and from the sporting event you're there to see. Thankfully, we were only a 45-minute drive to the stadium.
Staying in a house, versus a hotel, also changed the feel of our trip. Our airy Airbnb allowed enough space for us to spread out, but it also naturally encouraged spending downtime and meals together (I especially loved the communal feel of the kitchen) — and when you're traveling with friends, that's what vacation is all about.
The Event Itself
When it comes to making sure everyone enjoys the sporting event itself as much as possible, logistics are king. Do your research on the best way to get to the arena and how long you'll need for security; also consider booking a car service or reserving Ubers ahead of time. In our case, pre-game performances started two hours before the match, so we left extra early to make sure we didn't miss them.
Having a clear exit plan with the entire group also made all the difference. While some folks in our group arrived separately, we all left together, which made getting out of the packed stadium much more seamless. Logistical snafus can famously bring down the vibes in a group, so giving everyone different roles to make sure you're prepared for the main event is key.
The day of the event, I'd also recommend keeping the rest of your itinerary light. Dedicating an entire day to getting rested, ready, and hyped up for the big game, all together, allows you to truly convalesce around a celebration. Maybe you plan a special activity like decorating T-shirts as a group or you reserve a kickoff brunch at a fun restaurant; whatever it is, this is the time to lean into the inexplicable "collective effervescence" of a sporting event.
The Rest of Your Itinerary
While the game might be the main event, make sure whatever extra time you have on your trip, you're planning the things you genuinely enjoy, both for some solo time and to make memories with the group. Airbnb set us up with several different Airbnb Experiences to craft itineraries that felt true to our travel style. I opted for a Runyon Canyon hike with rescue dogs, an in-home massage, and a yoga class and soundbath that the practitioner set up in the backyard.
But while those were restorative self-care options, the time spent all together as a group was so special. One of my favorite parts of the trip was a private chef dinner at the house: we were all able to eat delicious World Cup-inspired fare in the comfort of our sweatpants.
Ultimately, a sports and wellness trip with friends is about making sure you're able to enjoy a thrilling experience with people you love, a new place worthy of exploring, and downtime for you to unplug. After that initial moment of awe when I stepped into the stadium, I spent the following few hours screaming my head off, jumping up and down whenever the US scored (which was a whopping four times), and genuinely embracing being a fully fledged sports fan, right alongside newfound friends. I surprised myself a little at how much I enjoyed it all, and that was thanks to the gift of the game.
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Lena Felton (she/her) is a senior director of special projects at PS, where she oversees sponsored packages, tentpole projects, and editorial partnerships. Previously, she was an editor at The Washington Post, where she led a team covering issues of gender and identity. She has been working in journalism since 2017, during which time her focus has been feature writing and editing and elevating historically underrepresented voices. Lena has worked for The Atlantic, InStyle, So It Goes, and more.Read on the original site
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