The 21 Best Galentine’s Day Ideas

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Yes, V-Day is coming up, but there’s an even more compelling reason to celebrate - especially if the biggest love of your life right now is your gals! That’s right, while we’re all for celebrating romance (stay tuned for your more traditional Valentine’s blog), today is all about planning a Galentine’s Day you will not forget!

1. Get glam in Hollywood

There’s not all that much we really have to say about this, right? But - in the interests of, y’know, writing an article and all - let’s just put this out there: Shopping till you drop on Melrose, celeb-spotting down Sunset Strip and cocktail hopping across luxurious hotel bars. Need we go on?

2. Live in sin in Las Vegas

No matter where the roulette lands, you’ll be a winner in always-hot Vegas. World-class shows, deliciously upscale restaurants, luxury spas and - of course - the strip of 24-hour bars and clubs perfect for any party animal, you won’t have time to even think about the lack of romance, let alone care.

3. Be beach-ready in Miami

Nowhere does beaches like Miami, so pack a bag and spend the day sunbathing, eating, drinking and letting loose! A particular highlight for us in this part of the world is the Keys, and believe us when we tell you there is nothing - but nothing - as incredible as driving down to Key West from South Beach with your girls and spending the day in an immersion of Caribbean culture.

4. Go to a winery

If you and your girlfriends appreciate a nice glass (or seven) of wine, you could do a lot worse than any one of these options:

• Willamette Valley, Oregon. Bursting with hundreds of wineries, a wine-tasting trip backdropped by the most incredible views makes for the most perfect girls’ getaway.
  
• Napa Valley, California. As well as the obvious wine-drinking opportunities here, you can also enjoy a range of other activities, such as a hop-on-hop-off tour - not forgetting all the delicious food to be had! The epitome of wine and dine? We’ll drink to that.
  
• Champagne, France. Enjoy a private tour of the birthplace of champagne, where you’ll get a fizzing dose of art and history alongside a well-deserved tasting session of the world’s most celebrated wine.

5. Answer your Caribbean calling in St. Lucia

As if this type of trip could be anywhere other than in a ‘Best Galentine’s Day Ideas’ article. Because who says you have to be loved-up to enjoy a picture-perfect landscape from the comfort of a white sandy beach, margarita in hand? Book yourself onto a catamaran cruise to enjoy a mud bath at the Sulphur Springs, snap an insta-worthy selfie at the Toraille waterfall, snorkel into the incredible underwater world, feast on a tantalizingly tasty Creole buffet lunch and do a little dance!

6. Get active in Sedona, Arizona

It’s hard to find anywhere better if it’s a mix of art, adventure and dramatic scenery you’re after. Jagged red rocks that are almost always backdropped by clear blue skies make the countless hiking trails all the more enticing, and you can also take part in mountain biking and jeep tours too, before heading into town for a spot of lunch and peruse through the art-lined streets.

7. Take a helicopter ride in Niagara Falls

From take-off to descent, this utterly thrilling experience - where you’ll soar above the turbulent rapids and cascading waterfalls - will definitely be up there with some of the best times you’ve ever had with the girls.

Book now

8. Grab some color in Cartagena, Columbia

A vibrantly eclectic mix waits for you in this tropical getaway - complete with colorful architecture, cocktail-heavy cabañas, perfectly quaint cobblestoned streets and some of the most beautiful islands known to man that you can snorkel in.

9. Lap up some luxury at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Whether it’s world-class spa treatments, lounging poolside at 5-star resorts or a sunset dinner cruise that gets you and your girls excited, you won’t regret splashing the cash here for a night or two!

10. Put your heads together in an escape room … anywhere!

For the ultimate in bonding activities, you’ll never go wrong in a mind-bending escape room. Teamwork makes the dream work and all that. One of our top recs is this pirate-themed one in Tampa.

Read: The 12 Best Pirate Themed Vacations

11. Have a spa day … anywhere!

Ah … just reading those words can send the mind into an oasis of bliss. Make it a reality this Galentine’s Day by booking your crew into a pamper-perfect experience, complete with sauna, steam room and hot tub (obvs).

If you want to, ahem, really push the boat out, you should check out this ocean spa cruise experience in the Dominican Republic. (And yes, it really is as immense as it sounds.)

12. Swap sweetheart for art in Barcelona, Spain

Whether it’s Picasso’s art or Gaudí’s unique architecture that gets you excited, soak up all the culture this Galentine’s Day with a short trip to Barcelona.

13. Do yoga on the beach in Bali

How very Eat Pray Love of you, hey? Oh, and while you’re here, why not book yourself onto the Gates of Heaven tour, where you’ll experience the beautiful Tukad Cepung waterfall, a former majestic water palace, picturesque rice paddies, a coffee plantation and the famed Ubud Swing? Julia Roberts would most definitely approve.

14. Have high tea in London

London is, obviously, the best place to indulge in a spot of high tea, so it should come as no surprise that there are countless ways to truly experience this here. If, however, you’re a bit of an English buff, you may have to sit down for what we’re about to tell you: You can book a tour of Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre before settling down to an afternoon tea at the Swan! To tea or not to tea … it’s not really a question at all, is it?

Read: Tea For Two: The Top 9 Experiences Worldwide

15. Go jazz crazy in New Orleans

Everyone’s up for a party here - no matter when you come - so head to the French Quarter for some bluesy fun. This jazz brunch - where you can touch history, eat some delicious food and listen to some of the most beautiful live jazz music the city has to offer - has been charming both locals and visitors since 1832 and is one of our top picks.

16. Go skiing in Andorra

Where better to hit the slopes than in Andorra’s number one ski resort? With runs to suit all levels, you and the girls will love gliding through the atmospheric snow-capped Pyrenees mountains (and all the après ski accouterments that come with it, too, thanks to this city reportedly boasting the most spas relative to its local population!).

17. Be at one with nature in Joshua Tree, California

If you’re looking for somewhere outdoorsy for a bit of downtime, Joshua Tree’s got you and your girls’ names all over it. Book a half-day tour to tick off all the highlights, then spend some time relaxing with some of Mother Nature’s most soothing views.

18. Be a part of it in New York

Did you think for a second that this wouldn’t make the cut? Puh-lease. Boasting Broadway shows galore, museums to suit any and all tastes, cuisine from all corners of the globe, Central Park and the shopping (oh, the shopping!), channel your inner Sex And The City/ And Just Like That and start spreading the news.

Buy your explorer pass here and save up to 45% on attractions

19. Have a cool time in Reykjavik, Iceland

Rich in culture, folklore, history, spas and the most dramatic glacier-dotted scenery, the capital of Iceland is the perfect underrated yet must-visit Galentine’s Day location. This whale-watching experience is a particular highlight.

20. Make history in Rome

It might sound a bit cheesy, but where better to celebrate some of your longest friendships than in a city that truly appreciates what it means to stand the test of time? Happy girls, happy you.

Book a hop-on-off-bus to get around easily

21. Soak up some Mediterranean charm in Malta

Don’t let the serenity of Malta blind you to the plethora of activities on offer here. Yes, you can happily while away the days relaxing on the beaches, but there’s diving, jeep tours, a 5D cinema experience and a wide selection of wine bars to keep you busy, too!

Grab your girls and get planning … you’ve only got one week*!

*although - let’s be honest - why limit yourself to only one day? These ideas are great year-round - whether you’re in a relationship or not!