No one told us that growing up meant we'd have less time than ever to see our friends, and that we actually have to add quality time with them into our schedule. That's a bummer! But when the clock strikes five on Friday and we're free to spend the next 60 hours doing all kinds of fun activities, you better believe we're calling up all our girlfriends!
If you're finally catching up with your childhood gal pals for Valentine's (or in this case, Galentine's) weekend, or you want to get to know your new friends on a deeper level, then these ideas are the perfect answer to "What should we do?"
Each of them can be tweaked to be completely free or as fancy as you want! Whichever activity you pick, you're sure to have a great time with your bestie.
Photo by Marina M / PEXELS
Grab Some Coffee Together at a Local Shop
If you and your girlfriends are latte lovers, plan to meet at your favorite local coffee spot to enjoy a heartwarming drink and pastry, over some good casual conversation. Meeting for coffee is always an easy meeting, and if you're both busy gals, then there's no pressure to stay chatting for hours. Sometimes a quick visit is all you need to feel the most connected!
Throw a Spirited Galentine's Brunch
Toast to the girls with the most by throwing a Galentine's Day brunch, complete with handmande cards, heart-shaped waffles, and all of the bubbly. This is your time to really celebrate your friendship, be it with one girl friend or many! Have each invitee bring their favorite snack to collaborate on a big potluck, and just focus on having fun!
Bake Dozens of Heart-Shaped Cookies Together
What delicious food item screams 'Galentine's Day' more than a heart-shaped sugar cookie? Herald your biggest celebrity crushes together with this super cute cookie recipe that's sure to encourage a full-on fangirling sesh.
Host a Girls-Only Movie Night
Bring out your inner child by making a blanket fort with twinkly lights, blankets, and pillows, and turning on your favorite movie (or movie series — we're looking at you Harry Potter!). We recommend stocking up on popcorn and homemade pizza, and it's even more fun if you make the blanket fort comfortable enough to sleep in over night. It's like one big sleepover! The only difference between sleepovers now and sleepovers from when you were little is that now you can have margaritas.
Photo by Jess Bailey Designs / PEXELS
Work on Some Journal Prompts Together
Whether the V-Day season sparks thoughts about potential relationships, or your own creativity, getting together with a close friend and journaling on your internal processes can provide a safe space for each other to reflect with clarity. Try outlining a few journal prompts to work on independently, then set some time aside to discuss, if that's your thing!
Photo by Karolina Grabowska / PEXELS
Have a Board Game Night
Whether you are an expert at chess or you have the fastest time on Dutch Blitz out of all your friends, a board game night is a super-fun way to spend your evening. It's quality time without a screen, and you can have everyone bring their favorite games for a tournament. Don't forget some sweet treats and pink cocktails or mocktails!
Photo by Anna Shvets / PEXELS
Paint Each Other's Nails
There's always time for an at-home Valentine's manicure with your bestie -- and this activity will throw you all the way back to fun middle school sleepovers.Take your time to be creative and give your friend the cutest mani on the block! Since the girls always have your back, you know you'll be getting the cutest nail art, too.
Photo by Antoni Shkraba / PEXELS
Host a Cocktail Party
Get together with your squad and have everyone make a different festive cocktail to enjoy throughout the night! In between those yummy sips, you can watch a fun movie or show, dance to the one and only T-Swift, or play a new game! No matter what you choose to do, or how fancy you make the night, you know you'll always have fun with the girls.
Photo by George Becker / PEXELS
Watch the Sunrise (or Sunset)
You don't have to be a morning person to appreciate how beautiful the sunrise can be. Well, maybe it's better after you've had some coffee. If you live by the water, you can sit on the sand with a book or some music, or if you're in the mountains, you can do a sunrise hike. Not a fan of early mornings? Watch the sunset fall behind the city skyline instead!
Photo by Polina Tankilevitch / PEXELS
Cook a Delicious Meal Together
Regardless of whether your friends like to cook extravagant meals or they prefer to stick some mac and cheese in the microwave, making dinner together lets you spend quality time together, use your hands, *and* you end up with a delicious meal to enjoy at the end. You can try one of these cozy dinners, or check out some other ideas that sound good to you on our Food + Recipes Pinterest board.
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk / PEXELS
Take an Art Class Together
Taking a wine and paint class or ceramics class with your friend is the perfect opportunity to explore a new creative outlet, plus a new experience to get to know each other! You'll both get a fun piece of original art to be proud of, and you'll recall all the memories you made together in the class each time you look at it, which makes it all worth it!
Photo by Julie Aagaard / PEXELS
Venture Out on a Hike
Explore a close National Park or nature preserve near you with a friend! Hiking with a buddy always makes the journey more enjoyable because you have time to chat, plus it can make you feel safer since you don't have to hike alone. Through the duration of the hike, you both can talk about the beautiful natural surroundings, catch up on each other's lives and just have fun!
Photo by Tamara Elnova / PEXELS
Visit a Museum Together
If it's cold where you and your bestie live, visiting a museum is a great way to escape the winter blues and see something new. Museums usually have great, affordable ticket prices, so visiting is made easy. Spend a day perusing the halls of your closest art gallery and pondering the meanings of its artworks together! You might just surprise yourself with how fun it is.
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