6 Safe Valentine's Day Ideas for 2021

With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you may be wondering what kind of day to plan for your friends, family, or significant other. Especially during a pandemic, restaurants may be reserved, indoor dining is still limited and risky, and I don’t know about you -- but it’s freezing outside! That’s why I came up with some creative ways to spend Valentine’s Day in a safe, yet exciting, manner!

**Disclaimer: You should always follow public health and safety guidelines such as wearing a mask, social distancing, and limiting close contacts. These are just some fun ideas I came up with, but please use your own best judgement to make decisions.**

1. Visit a museum

Museums are a great place to explore in the winter because all their magic takes place indoors. Whether it’s art, geography, or history, they give you so much to marvel at and talk about together! My boyfriend and I visited a natural history museum last fall semester and it was not very busy, masks were required, and people maintained social distancing. There were also one-way markers on the floor to follow throughout the building. It was a great way to escape from the hustle and bustle of studying and adulting for a bit!

Life Hack: Check if your college ID gets you free admission to any museums or galleries!

2. Cook dinner together

One of our other favorite activities is to cook dinner together! I love finding easy, new recipes on Pinterest and some of my favorites cuisines to cook are Italian and Mexican. Pick a recipe a few days in advance so you can gather the ingredients and be prepared on the day of. Decide whether you’re just making an entree, or also an appetizer, drink, or dessert. Try to divide up tasks, play some music, and have fun!

3. Dress up and go somewhere with a nice view to take pictures

There’s not very many excuses for us to dress up anymore, so take advantage of this special occasion! Have a photo shoot at home with your friends, or visit an outdoor park or landmark with a nice backdrop of a sunset or city view. Try out new fashion trends, find poses on Pinterest, and test out new features on your phones or cameras!

While you're here, check out this post for

7 Thoughtful V-Day Gift Ideas for Anyone!

4. 4 Course Challenge from TikTok

I’ve been dying to try this trend! Two people play Rock, Paper, Scissors to choose an appetizer, then they repeat it to pick a drink, an entree, and a dessert. If you have a car, you can get takeout and eat in your car or outdoors (if it’s warm enough). If you’re on campus, you can even walk off parts of your meal by walking from one place to another!

5. Get takeout and watch a movie / do a fun activity

A classic. Some of our favorite takeout cuisines are Thai and Chinese, but some fancier restaurants are also offering family, couple, and Valentine's Day deals for curbside pickup these days! After having your romantic dinner with some music and a candle, end the night by watching a movie, binge watching a new show, playing a board game, or doing a puzzle.

6. Have a Galentine’s brunch potluck

As Leslie Knope once said, “What’s Galentine’s Day? It’s only the best day of the year!” Have a small potluck with your close friends or roommates, and have everyone bring different items! You can spice it up with Valentine’s Day decor, cute table arrangements, or even by having a photo shoot at home!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and let me know if you try out any of these ideas! See my post on Instagram for 7 Thoughtful V-Day Gift Ideas for Anyone!