It doesn’t matter if you’re planning a quick spring break trip or a dreamy summer rental. It’s always a great time to go on a girls’ trip. And while there are plenty of destinations to visit – Bermuda, St. Croix, and Iceland – Miami has always been a girls’ trip favorite.
The palm tree-lined shores, oceanfront bnbs, flashy nightlife, world-famous lash spas, and year-round sunshine make the magic city a perfect destination for besties’ getaways and bachelorette parties. No wonder the Real Housewives of wherever often find themselves blowing off some steam there.
But, even with all this magic, Miami has become infamous for breaking even the strongest of girlfriend bonds. Babes have been heading to the white sandy beaches only to return acting like Toni Childs and Joan Clayton in season six of Girlfriends (chronic re-watcher over here).
So, what really happens in this waterfront wonderland? Does jealousy take over? Is there some form of “besties breaking witchcraft” that we don’t know about? Or does this realm of happiness bring out the ugly side of girl groups?
We dove nose-deep into online conversations and came up with the following reasons besties have been breaking up after a quick girls’ trip to Miami.
Keep scrolling for the tea.
Not Communicating Upfront/Planning In Advance
If you’re flying somewhere for a two-week vacation, you need to sit down and communicate about the whole trip’s agenda with your besties. Plan the itinerary together, figure out everywhere you want to visit (jungle island, Miami Beach, Bayside Marketplace, etc.), whether you should travel by plane, train, or the road, or stay at an Airbnb or the Four Seasons.
And if you disagree with a certain hotel, make sure you all voice your opinion. If you think you won’t enjoy the selected activities, tell them! While compromising is the key to every successful relationship, once you land on the soul-soothing beaches of Miami, the little green monster lights a fire and burns everything down!
So, ensure you’re heard, and your preferred destinations are considered. It’ll save you a lot of headaches, arguments, and therapy expenses after your Miami trip.
And if, in trying to make these decisions you realize you aren’t going to be compatible traveling buddies, abort the mission!
One Word. Money!!
Aaah, money. Mulla. Dinero. The one thing that has destroyed nations, world leaders, and picture-perfect families. So, why would you expect it not to ruin the strongest girlfriend bonds?
Say you decide to go on a road trip to Miami. On the way, your designated driver stops for gas. Y’all chip in but one of your friends claims “they don’t have cash at the moment” and asks you to chip in her portion, then she’ll give you a lump sum when you get to your Airbnb.
You get to the Airbnb, but since y’all didn’t discuss the specifics beforehand, another friend gets mad and moody because her budget isn’t cutting it at the Airbnb. She pulls a tantrum, saying she’ll book a hotel, but because y’all want to be together, you pitch in for her.
It’s time to choose where you guys want to “drop it like it’s hot” hey, it’s Miami – clubbing is a must. Your frugal buddies moan about the “hefty price tag,” but based on the research you did ten minutes ago, that’s the safest club for Black women traveling in a group. Again, y’all decide to chip in for them to cover their costs.
At the end of the trip, y’all realize you’re waaayy past your budget (some even took out a loan), and your frugal friends aren’t making any efforts to refund you the money. You get frustrated, confront them, get even more pissed because they’re pulling an annoying carefree attitude, and before you know it, you’re asking Netflix to do a special because your “so-called friends” scammed you off a Miami trip.
Anna Delvey (Sorokin), anyone?
So to avoid the hustle of civil court, devise a plan on how you’ll pay for stuff. Whether that’s contributing to a single fund that needs all your signatures to access money while on the trip (we paranoid. We don’t trust people with other monies) or paying for everything in advance – you need to ensure you’re being fair and not leaving the responsibility to just one or two people.
Unless, of course, one of your besties is a billionaire and offers to pay for everything, then guurrrlll enjoy the heck out of Miami.
The “Carrie Bradshaw” Syndrome
Carrie from “Sex and the City” is the main character in more ways than just one. According to TikTok, Carrie exhibits the “toxic main character syndrome, ” meaning she’s a self-centered individual whose needs tend to be the center of her girlfriends’ attention.
Her main character energy makes her see her friends as the supporting characters in her life. Her problems and relationships come first as her tribe support her, awkwardly smiling and bearing it on the sidelines.
This is precisely what happens in most girl groups. And while it might be as prominent on regular days (given that everyone’s busy), it becomes evident during trips to wherever (in this case, Miami).
You get to your destination, and you realize how selfish some of your pals can be on vacation – always wanting the group to do the activities that best suit them, not considering others’ opinions, expecting others to be at their beck and call, over-reacting when criticized about their behavior and just overall narcissism.
Do y’all remember a story last year (November 2022) when a woman allegedly shot and murdered her friend at the back of an uber? Yap. They might not have been in Miami for a girls’ trip, but Harrell practically shot Borcela because she was having “too much fun” than her. She exhibited toxic main character energy and felt threatened by Borcela. She invited her friend to a party only for her to shoot her because she was “drinking and dancing” as every average person does at a party!
So, before booking your next trip to Miami, check your friends and their personalities. And if there’s one with toxic main character energy, politely let her know that the vacay is for all of you. If she wants to make it all about her, she might want to skip it or do her “preferred” activities alone.
Bad Moods
Yeah, yeah. We can’t be in a pleasant mood all of the time. But you don’t have to ruin everyone’s adventure by being a brat and spreading your fussiness to everyone in your group. Yes, it can be tricky trying to maintain an enthusiastic mood while on vacation – especially when you factor in jet lag, exhaustion from touring the Miami streets, or annoyance stemming from that one friend with “toxic main character energy.”
All we’re saying is that if you’re feeling “meh,” don’t take it out on your traveling compadres. They’re probably just innocent bystanders. Inform them about your cranky mood and take some time alone to cool down (music can help with the bad mood, btw) or just nap – no need to ruin everyone’s spirit.
It’s Like Getting A New Roommate
Someone once said, “Don’t move in with your bestie. You’ll end up hating them.” They were right–ish. And while some of us have survived living with our BFFs (we know how to respect each other’s boundaries), there are 69% that just can’t cut it.
They end up bickering and hating each other’s guts – which is what traveling and vacationing with friends in Miami has turned out to be for most girl groups. Instead of complaining about dishes sprouting mold, you’re literally elbow-bumping your girls when shifting in your lumbar-support-lacking minivan or sleeping next to your “bad-breathed” mate every day for the next ten days.
So rather than letting things boil up and destroying your 15-years-of-friendship anniversary, give yourself space to decompress (where my fellow introverts at), reevaluate committing to that much one-on-one time, or go for a solo date somewhere to take the edge off.
Some Friends Don’t Pull Their Own Weight
Staying at an Airbnb? Clean your own room and do your dishes while at it. Did y’all rent a car? Take equal turns driving. Did your bestie buy the last round of booze? Now it’s your turn. Go for that beer run.
Claiming you’re an “inexperienced traveler” and “don’t really know what you need to do” isn’t fair to your girlfriends. If you live alone, you know d**n well that you do your own dishes. So how do you expect others to clean your messes and booze you up while you do absolutely nothing?
Unless y’all are drunk and it’s your turn to drive everyone back to your residence. We don’t drink and drive here, people! Order an uber and discuss the financials in the morning!
Did we forget anything?
We don’t think so. If we did, check out what people have been saying about these “friendship-ending Miami trips” on socials:
@jareenimam #stitch with @therealkatherine why Miami trips cause friends to break up @jareenimam #CVSPaperlessChallenge #friendshipbreakups #betterrelationships #grownupfriends #growingapart #friendstrip2022 ♬ original sound – Jareen Imam
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You’re coming to Miami for spring break? LISTEN UP! These are my “rules” that you def wanna follow or the trip will be a disaster – I have seen friendships crumble. Men get charged for breathing here.
by u/Icy_Mastodon_3903 in TravelHacks
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TikTok Story:
When last did you travel with your besties? How did that trip go? Are y’all still on good terms?
Spill the tea down in the comment section below!
