How to Plan a Dolled-Up, Excessively Pink Barbiecore Vacation This Summer
Make your summer full of rosy-hued bliss.
This summer, Barbie will be arriving in theaters everywhere on July 21. But, if you need more Barbie vibes than just the one hour and 40 minutes of Greta Gerwig's genius—perhaps an entire week of your summer—consider planning your own Barbiecore vacation. It's a mixture of being an adult living in real life mixed with the fun and fantasy of playing with Barbies. But this time, instead of building a Barbie Dream House that you spent six months begging your mom for, stay in an ultra-pink cottage, castle, hotel, or villa.
For those of you not in the loop, Barbiecore can be defined as the aesthetic and overall vibe that the Barbie universe emits. You can find the #Barbiecore trend on TikTok, where you'll see videos of how to pull off the look: lots of hot pink, glittery eyeshadow, funky prints, and general “in paradise” energy. And while the specifics of the Barbie film plot are still under wraps, it's clear from the trailer that Margot Robbie's embodiment of Barbie in Barbieland is effervescent, bubbly, and bright. Doesn't that sound like the ideal vacation?
When you add in our inherent nostalgia for a simpler time when we could just pick out doll outfits, play at our leisure, and let our imaginations guide the day, the idea of a Barbiecore vacation just sounds sweeter and sweeter.
To live out your Barbiecore summer vacation fantasies, you'll need one thoroughly pink and colorful place to stay, and a packing list that will look like you may have actually robbed Barbie's closet. Below, you'll find everything you need to have the most Let's Go Barbie summer vacation, whether you're going abroad or staying stateside. Grab your Just Ken and get going.
The Barbiecore hotels and vacation rentals you need to see
No matter where you plan to go or what your budget is, this is an extensively curated list of Barbiecore destinations offering beachfront pink stays and neon-lit city bungalows, divided by region.
Out West
Scottsdoll Dreamhouse
Scottsdale, Arizona
Designed for all the Scottsdolls (their joke, not mine) this rental property is covered in pink accents, decor, neon lights, and comes complete with Barbie-themed Funboy pool floats and twinkling lights in the backyard. Reviews on the property say its the absolute best place to have a girls' weekend, and given all the blush pink velvet sofas, plush bedding, and views of nearby Camelback Mountain, it does seem like the perfect place to live out some of your Barbie dreams.
Madonna Inn
San Luis Obispo, California
This is a themed room paradise, and guests will find bright colors and pink accents everywhere—even on the tennis court. The hotel is the perfect blend of whimsy and kitsch, and will make you feel like you've stepped into a 1980s doll house. Madonna Inn is as weird as it is glorious, so if you're looking for a truly one-of-a-kind experience, this might be the Barbiecore destination for you.
La Valencia Hotel
La Jolla, California
It may not be Malibu, but this beach hotel offers oceanside views and offers surfing nearby, which would certainly appeal to Ryan Gosling's Ken. There is also an onsite piano bar and the property is pet-friendly, so you can bring your ball of fluff along. An aerial view of the property grounds will bring to mind that opening shot of the Barbie trailer, with all of those pink beachside accommodations.
El Cortez Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada
This is the longest-running hotel & casino in Sin City, and bills itself to be the embodiment of Las Vegas. The property is home to a secret penthouse suite of the former owner, Jackie Gaughan, and his wife, Bertie (like Barbie) it is the ultimate Barbie-inspired stay. Located on the 15th floor, the pale pink '80s-style room has a big following with visitors and celebrities. Ellie Goulding used the room for her "On My Mind" video and Bad Bunny was photographed in the suite for a Billboard cover shoot.
The Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills, California
This five-star, five-diamond hotel has been a home away from home for celebrities since its opening in 1912. Having been home to stars like Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor, the space now not only looks like a Barbie Dreamhouse, but embodies the fantasy of it as well. The hotel offers 210 guest rooms and suites, including the 23 famous bungalows. This place was Barbiecore before Barbie even existed!
Trixie Motel
Palm Springs, California
It truly doesn’t get more Barbiecore than Trixie Motel, from iconic drag icon Trixie Mattel. Brian Firkus, aka Trixie, and partner David Silver have created a space so thoroughly fun and glamorous, with themed rooms like Malibu Barbara and Atomic Bombshell, and an exterior so candy pink the place almost doesn’t seem real. On top of the stay, you can also purchase Trixie Motel merchandise, which puts the cherry on top of any Barbiecore getaway.
Down South
La Casita Rosa
Dripping Springs, Texas
This pink house took the color assignment very seriously. There are pink knives. Pink candles, pink furniture, a pink Keurig, This place is definitely designed for big groups, with the main bedroom holding two queen beds and the second bedroom holding four. All in, the place is big enough to fit 12 of your favorite dolls.
East Austin Hotel
Austin, Texas
Do you remember the Barbie Camper? It was Barbie and Stacey’s hippie-era home, and while there was no shortage of pink, there was also the kind of nebulous motifs that immediately bring the 1970s to mind. This bright hotel is just like that, and it is right in the middle of Austin. The hotel features a poolside bar and rooftop terrace. Just like at summer camp, all the bathrooms at this place are shared. But what they lack in privacy they make up for in color!
Hotel ZaZa Dallas
Dallas, Texas
This summer for a week in July 15-23 (the Barbie movie premiere week), Hotel ZaZa Dallas will transform its pool deck into a Barbie summer vacation experience. There will be specialty cocktails with Malibu Rum, Absolut Vodka, and Hot Pink Cosmos. A life-size Barbie Box and poolside photo booth will be available to memorialize the experience. There will also be a Barbie package that will feature even more Barbie fun, available to book through the hotel.
Esme
Miami Beach, Florida
Esme is the Miami hotel that pairs pink and prestige. Newly opened in Miami Beach, this boutique hotel is as elegant as it is colorful. All of the rooms are appointed in rich shades of green, pink, and a slew of other jewel tones. The rooftop pool is covered in delicate and poppy touches of pink, and the onsite bar adds to the feeling of classic glamor.
The Don CeSar
St. Petersburg, Florida
If it were a competition on which hotel was most similar to the all time great 1990 Barbie Dream House, the Don CeSar would definitely win. This bright, pink hotel sits right on the beach in St. Petersburg, with a bubblegum pink exterior complete white crisp white finishes. The hotel offers spa services, many beach activities, and two onsite restaurants and bars.
Caribe Royale Orlando
Orlando, Florida
This hotel has a flamingo pink exterior and it promises to be a luxurious resort perfectly suited for fans of Barbiecore looking for a "Magic Dream House" escape. There are one bedroom suites and two bedroom villas, an onsite Island Spa, a pool featuring a 75-foot waterslide, and shuttle access to Walt Disney World Resort (in case you want to trade in your Barbie cosplay for some time as a princess).
Graduate Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Offering a special Dolly Parton-themed room, it doesn't get much more fun and pink than the Graduate Nashville. The entire hotel is dedicated to fun, buzzy design and eclectic art, and the Dolly Suite ups the ante: you've got neon lights, pink patterned wallpaper, velvet bedding and fringe lampshades. You can fully embrace your cowgirl Barbie here.
Up North
Saybrook Point Resort & Marina
Old Saybrook, Connecticut
The property's Three Story Guesthouse has a perfectly pink exterior and is big enough to fit aloof your closest and even less close friends. The guesthouse accommodates up to 16 people and has multiple wrap-around porches, lush private gardens, and richly decorated interiors. This is the perfect place for those of you hoping to live out your Yacht Barbie fantasies.
Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa
Aurora, New York
The Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa is made up of five differently decorated boutique inns along the shore of Cayuga Lake. Request to stay in the Rowland House room 7, which is draped floor to ceiling in pink. The luxurious property promises to offer a decadent vacation. Other rooms offer floor-to-ceiling checkerboard wallpaper, and over-the-top fireplaces. Even the rooms that aren't wall-to-wall pink will make you feel like you're walking the halls of the home in Barbie in the Nutcracker.
In the Midwest
Pink Castle Bae-cation
Hudson, Wisconsin
This place is, like, the pinkest. There are zebra print carpeted stairs, crushed pink velvet wallpaper, a permanently installed pole, glittery pink walls in the kitchen, a pool that can be filled up with all of your favorite floats, pink landscaping, and there's even a pink piano. If I were allowed to build and design my own house at eight years old, this is exactly what it would look like. And as an adult? I'd love to pamper my inner child here.
International
Villa Fugata Flamingo
Playa Flamingo, Costa Rica
For starters, this villa is located on a beach called Flamingo—so it's already fitting our aesthetic aspirations with the name alone. The villa itself is perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and there are floor-to-ceiling windows providing a stunning view of the idyllic landscape. The kitchen comes with professional cooking gear, so you'll be able to combine your Beach and Chef Barbie personas at the same time.
The Pink Palm
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
Newly opened in March 2023, this is a luxury boutique property. A pink neon sign welcomes guests at reception and the color can be found on the outdoor lounge seating, to terrazzo tile on the terrace. The rooftop bar area has views out to the emerald waters surrounding St. Thomas. While the rooms themselves aren't wall-to-wall pink, I do think Barbie would approve of the palm print wallpaper and velvet bed frames.
Cobblers Cove
Speightstown, Barbados
Considered to be one of the Caribbean’s finest and family-owned hotels, Cobblers Cove has received much acclaim and is widely loved. It has one-quarter mile of white sand beach in a quiet cove, and the boutique hotel is encompassed by a coral stone wall and three acres of lush tropical gardens. New this year, Cobblers Cove has partnered with the creators of the world's finest pool floats, Oliver James Lilos, to design an exclusive and completely bespoke collection of chic floats. The pink pool floats perfectly complement the pink umbrellas and sun chairs.
Mount Nelson
Cape Town, South Africa
This is where Bridgertoncore and Barbiecore meet, in my humble opinion. The decadent decor is so fine, it feels like the setting for a deeply passionate and possibly elicit profession of love will take place. The pastel pink exterior is paired with kitschy china and pop art walls. It's where the modern, trendy, totally well traveled Barbie would be staying for a break from her time as the ultimate multi-hyphenate.
Hotel de Cataratas
Iguazu National Park, Brazil
Iguazu National Park is home to some of the most beautiful and expansive waterfalls in the entire world. Hotel de Cataratas is the only hotel in the Brazilian side of the national park (the park connects Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil), and is resplendent with soft pink walls, whimsical murals, and sun-drenched grounds.
The ultimate Barbiecore packing list for you and your Ken(s)
Ok, you've made your very Barbie hotel booking, now it's time to pack. To complete the experience, your own gear should probably be as Barbiecore as your accommodations. To start, you can find your very own Barbie luggage—the new Away Neon Collection features a Paradise Pink luggage line that makes me feel like I walked onto the set of Life-Size. Pair it with the matching sling bag and you'll be on your way to being the most Barbielicious doll at the airport.
Now, for the wardrobe. Picking out Barbie clothes was my favorite part of playing with dolls as a child, and at one point I even learned how to sew so I could make the exact outfit I had in my visions. Fortunately, we're not dependent on my sewing skills for Barbie-inspired fits this summer. Consider this boat neck dress from Gobi if you're looking for that classic retro Barbie look. For those of you feeling more Ken, these button-up shirts in a teal striped pattern or zebra floral print are perfect for lounging at the bar, thinking about Barbie.
Want to more clearly convey the Barbiecore-ness of your vacation? Mattel actually has a whole line of Barbie merch. Personally coveting this Barbiecore baseball hat, which has a complimenting Ken option too. There's also shirts and '80s-inspired fits—these are honestly great options for your Barbiecore vacation or attending the opening night screening of Greta's film.
For comfort and lounging, Revolve offers a Barbie version of its Barefoot Dreams ultra snuggly robe, eye mask, and socks. For poolside lounging, you can pack your own Barbie x Funboy float and towel, and grab a set of colorful waterproof playing cards to break up your hours soaking up the sun. Revolve even offers a Barbie phone case. Going dancing? This shimmery Bronx and Bronco dress and beaded crystal Retrofete bag are the perfect inspiration for Barbiecore club fits.
Finally, Barbie never has a hair out of place, and you don't need to either. The Chi x Barbie travel kit includes a packable blow dryer and hair straightener, so you can make sure you channel that perfectly quaffed hairdo if you so choose.
Thanks to the resurgence of Barbie's popularity and the upcoming film release, there will be ample opportunities to indulge in the spirit of Barbiecore this summer. Whether you are channeling that energy on the beach, at a resort, in the streets, or at home, just remember the most Barbie thing you can do is have fun.
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