You go, girlfriend.

Byline: Mark Baker The Register-Guard

Wanna get away, girlfriend?

You are 30-something or 40-something, or a woman of "a certain age." Or maybe it's just nobody's damn business. All you know is it's time to get out of here. Time to leave the testosterone behind.

You want to go to Vegas, down the Amazon, taste wines you can't pronounce in Napa Valley, go shopping in the Big Apple. You want to hit the casinos, see a show, get a facial.

Or maybe you just want to hit the Oregon Coast for a night of "girl talk," or downtown Portland for some shopping and lunch.

But why do girlfriends have the urge to split together in the first place?

"To get away from men," says Tina Guard, a civil project manager with Balzhiser and Hubbard Engineers in Eugene who takes an annual shopping trip to Portland with her mother and sister for good eats, a nice hotel and a "spa day."

She's kidding, right? Not really.

"Ladies only," says Merle Wilcox, a travel agent at Journeys by Ambassador in Eugene. Wilcox, who used to own her own travel agency in Junction City, has arranged several women-only trips over the years, from Paris to Prague.

"We do enjoy traveling with our spouses, but it's a different atmosphere. We want to shop where we want to shop. Men don't always like to shop. They sit on the bench."

Oh, really?

"Girlfriend Getaways" are empowering experiences, Wilcox says. Several women in her tours had never before traveled without their husbands.

"And I think they feel safe (traveling together)," she says.

Such excursions are becoming more and more popular, not only for the women who engage in them, but also as a way to market vacations.

Do an online search on "girlfriend" and "getaway" and you'll get something like 832,000 hits.

"Travel for Girlfriends" ... "40 Best Girlfriend Getaway Packages" ... "ABC News: Top 10 Girlfriend Getaways" ... "Girlfriend Getaways: Nation's best spa retreats" ... "Girlfriend Getaways: for a bonding experience with nature that ..." ... "You Go Girl! And I'll Go, Too ..."

Getaway opportunities for women in Oregon include the "Becoming an Outdoors Woman" workshops offered by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that teach introductory hunting and shooting skills, fishing and other outdoor activities to about 10,000 women annually; women-only kayaking and rafting trips on Southern Oregon and Northern California rivers with Kokopelli River Guides; and the Women's Wellness Weekend in October at Sunriver's Sage Springs Club and Spa that includes classes such as `Wine, Chocolate and Your Heart,' `Sexuality and Intimacy: Remember When It Mattered' and `Meditation: Quiet Your Mind, Change Your Life."

There's also the annual Sisters in Sisters getaway in September - workshops, entertainment and spas for you and your sister. Or maybe just someone who feels like a sister.

And if you and your friends are feeling really adventurous, Lexie Hallahan in Seaside says to grab a surfboard and head her way this summer.

Hallahan runs Northwest Women's Surf Camps. This summer, however, will be the first time Hallahan has offered "girlfriend getaway" packages in response to clients asking for them, she says. The packages for groups of four to 12 women will cost a little more, but will be more personalized, she says.

"I've had women calling from Kentucky and Arizona," Hallahan says. You'll get beach yoga in the morning, you'll eat on the beach and stay at the Seaside International Hostel.

"The women get to have a

real experience of connecting," Hallahan says. And they "learn better in a women-only atmosphere. We want to empower women."

When it comes to "girlfriend getaways," there's even a book on the subject - "50 Best Girlfriend Getaways in North America."

According to its listing on Amazon.com, there are sections on "Best City Getaways for Girls Who Just Wanna Have Fun" (San Francisco, Miami, Quebec, New York City, New Orleans); "Where to Celebrate Big Birthdays" (Las Vegas, Northern California wine country, Savannah, Ga.); "Best Places for Adventure Escapes" (rafting the Colorado River, heli-hiking the Canadian Rockies, kayaking and canoeing in Maine); "Best Bonding Vacations" (Ashland, Rocky Mountain National Park, Chicago and Lake Chautauqua, N.Y.) and "Best Places to Heal When You've Been Dumped" (San Miguel de Allende, Mexico and Hershey, Pa. for a "sumptuous chocolate bath."

Wilcox is planning a "Southern charm" trip for a week in October. She's taking 13 friends who've always wanted to experience the deep South where Wilcox, a University of Georgia graduate, was raised. They'll hit Atlanta and Jacksonville, Fla., the two cities Wilcox spent her childhood, and other well-known treasures such as Savannah and Charleston, S.C.

For Julie Lemieux, who works at Marathon Coach, getting away to the Oregon Coast is a twice or three-times-a-year excursion with anywhere from five to a dozen girlfriends. They usually rent a home near Waldport, she says.

Once there, they ...

"Well," Lemieux says. "Usually we put on our pajamas and watch TV. It's all about just being together."

No husbands. No boyfriends. No kids.

Now they're talking about a getaway to Disneyland.

What about Europe? Not likely, Lemieux says.

"My husband would kill me if I went to Europe without him."

GIRLFRIEND GETAWAYS

A recent top 10 list of getaways around the globe from MSNBC (www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18405177):

Art-viewing in Florence: Michelangelo's `David,' the Palazzo Vecchio and Botticelli's `Birth of Venus' - followed by such culinary delights as a cup of chocolate-hazelnut gelato.

Club-hopping in South Beach: Miami is the place for gal pals to perfect their tans by day and party all night. Plenty of shops to plop down plastic at, plus rollerblading and beach volleyball.

Cooking in Provence: Expand your culinary repertoire with a pilgrimage to France's foremost food region, where you'll encounter sun-drenched fields of fragrant lavender, rustic hillside villages and a culture that revels in marathon meals.

Going wild in Las Vegas: With ultra-chic nightclubs, lavish spas, world class restaurants and over-the-top entertainment options, Sin City is built for the ultimate girlfriend getaway.

Shopping in New York City: The Big Apple has it all, a dizzying array of choices from the boutiques of SoHo and Madison Avenue to the jewelers and stores on Fifth Avenue.

Spirituality in Sedona: Spend the day climbing the red rocks and end at a top-notch spa. Chock-full of spirituality and sublime adventures, Sedona is a place primed for women.

Surfing in Bali: With its spiritual vibe and gorgeous surroundings, Bali is the ultimate place to reconnect.

Theater in London: From Andrew Lloyd Webber classics in the West End to Shakespeare at the Globe to avant-garde productions at fringe theatres spread throughout the city, London presents an unparalleled display of stage options.

Wine-sipping in Sonoma: Few things say "girls' night out" like a bottle of wine. Extend the evening into a full-blown getaway when you indulge your taste buds in California's Sonoma Valley, one of the country's best wine regions.

Yoga in Costa Rica: Women who want to get in touch with their inner yogi flock to Costa Rica, where yoga camps and spiritual centers await.