From Trips To Gifts. Here’s How To Do Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re currently in a post-divorce relationship, you’re probably looking for a romantic way to enjoy this special day with your new love. Valentine’s Day falls on a Thursday (February 14th), so if you can both take that Friday off from work, you can plan a wonderful three day weekend getaway that involves a bit of travel. Otherwise, it’s easy to plan something special that’s closer to home.
To create a truly memorable evening or weekend, you’ll definitely want to tap your creativity, and put yourself in the shoes of your romantic interest. Plan something that will be sentimental or meet their definition of romantic, such as recreating a first date, or planning a special evening together doing something you both really enjoy. In order to enjoy the perfect Valentine’s Day evening or weekend, pre-planning is essential.
CHOOSING YOUR VALENTINE’S DAY ACTIVITIES
Dinner at a favorite restaurant can be expanded into an entire evening together, if you hire a private limousine for transportation; add some flowers (long stem red roses, of course), chocolates and/or some jewelry; plus plan an additional activity, such as a romantic walk along a nearby beach or through a park. If money is tight, consider cooking a special themed meal at home (featuring French or Italian cuisine, for example), and then decorating your dining room based on that theme using candles, flowers and some appropriate music.
There are a lot of great ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. I personally love little trips away, or even planning a night that feels like you got away. You can find great deals at hotels in your area. If you’re in a new relationship and aren’t ready to splurge on a big trip, or maybe you have little ones and can’t get away for an extended period, just getting away for one night at a nice hotel nearby can be the relaxing and romantic getaway you’re looking for.
“Many hotels will offer romantic, Valentine’s Day packages that include champagne and chocolates with your stay”, explained Michelle Jerson, a producer and spokesperson for TravelZoo.com.
She added, “If you have a few days to get away, you could go to a cozy ski lodge in Colorado. Mont Tremblant, Canada, is also a really nice getaway with its village and heated outdoor pools and Jacuzzis at the resorts surrounding the mountain. If you’re in New York City, why not take a carriage ride through Central Park. In Las Vegas, a gondola ride at The Venetian is always romantic. “At Travelzoo.com, we’re also seeing some great deals to California’s Wine Country, where you can plan a romantic picnic or a wine tasting at one of the vineyards.”
If it’s necessary to stay close to home around Valentine’s Day, it’s still possible to plan a romantic getaway. In addition to reservations at a romantic restaurant, you can see a show or concert, plus book a reservation at a local bed and breakfast (B&B), destination spa, or a small boutique hotel (as opposed to a chain hotel). B&Bs, spas and many boutique hotels offer more intimate settings and personalized service than most traditional chain hotels.
“With all the stress and uncertainty that comes with a new relationship, something that I highly recommend for a new couple to try is a couple’s spa treatment. It puts both people in a relaxed state and is truly a remarkable experience. At The Broadmoor, we have a variety of couple’s treatments to choose from and can even arrange a romantic lunch overlooking the mountains at our spa cafe,” said Shauna Sartori, Director of Concierge at The Broadmoor (www.broadmoor.com) in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
As you make your Valentine’s Day plans, especially if those plans involve travel, be sure to include plenty of downtime in your itinerary. This is a holiday about spending quality time with a loved one. Visiting a different city or popular tourist destination, for example, and then cramming your schedule with sightseeing and other activities, takes away from your ability to truly enjoy each other’s company in a romantic and potentially peaceful setting.
VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT IDEAS
No matter what plans you make for Valentine’s Day, you can show your appreciation and love for the person you’re dating by presenting them with flowers, gourmet chocolates or jewelry as part of your celebratory activities. Godiva Chocolatier, for example, offers its new Valentine’s Day Fabric Heart Gift Box ($85), which contains 40 pieces of assorted chocolates. There’s also the Valentine’s Day All Hearts Assortment ($32), which contains 24 pieces of heart-shaped chocolates in assorted flavors.
Godiva Chocolatier has more than 450 retail stores worldwide. Presenting jewelry to someone you’re dating, even if it’s not an engagement ring, makes a pretty strong statement about your romantic feelings. Companies like BlueNile.com and Tiffany & Company, along with local jewelry stores nationwide, offer a vast selection of inexpensive to mid-priced Sterling silver gift ideas that are suitable for Valentine’s Day.
Some ideas for her include earrings, a bracelet, a necklace or pendant, or a charm. For him, consider a watch, key ring, cuff links, a nice pen (from Cross or Mont Blanc, for example) or a money clip. If you plan to give jewelry as a gift, again tap your creativity to come up with a romantic and personalized way to present your gift as part of your Valentine’s Day celebration. Also, be sure to choose something that’s in line with the recipient’s personal taste, and that does not clash with other jewelry he or she typically wears.
Personalized teddy bears also make a whimsical and romantic gift. You can visit any Build-A-Bear retail location to customize your own Valentine’s Day bear, or order a pre-created bear from a company like The Vermont Teddy Bear Company. If you’re planning a ski trip for Valentine’s Day, you can announce your plans by presenting a teddy bear dressed as a skier, for example, as a prelude to your romantic getaway.
Finally, don’t forget the card. Whether you’re planning a trip or decide to spend a romantic night at or near home with your new love, presenting a Valentine’s Day card containing a hand-written, highly personalized and heart-felt message is the perfect way to kick-off or end a lovely evening. (In other words, don’t just buy a card with a message already printed within it and simply sign the card.)
Ideally, you should make your Valentine’s Day reservations, whether it’s for overnight accommodations, a limousine, flower delivery, or any other service, as far in advance as possible. Also, because it’s a popular holiday, expect to pay a premium for these services on Valentine’s Day.
Another important aspect of a romantic getaway is making dinner plans. Never forget to make your reservations! It doesn’t matter if you are going casual or formal. Where you dine on the eve of Valentine’s Day can set the tone for the entire trip,” added Sartori.
RESOURCES TO HELP YOU ON VALENTINE’S DAY:
To find a Bed & Breakfast anywhere in the U.S., use one of these online directories, several of which offer photos and reviews of each property: www.bnbfinder.com, www.theinnkeeper.com or www.bedandbreakfast.com.
From the Directory of Hotels website, you can access a database of boutique and stylish hotels throughout the world. Limousines or chauffeured town cars can typically be hired by the hour, but there’s usually a minimum.
You can find limousine companies listed in your local Yellow Pages, or visit an online service, such as Limos.com or Limo Seeker.
For flower deliveries, call a local florist, or order more exotic or elaborate floral arrangements using an online service, such as 1-800-Flowers, FTD , Kabloom, or Teleflora .
To order Valentine’s Day chocolates, visit any Godiva Chocolatier location, for example, or order from their website.
If you plan to give jewelry for Valentine’s Day, visit any local jewelry store, the Blue Nile website, or any Tiffany & Company retail store (or their website).
To save money on travel reservations (airfares, hotels, rental cars, cruises, or travel packages), utilize one of the online travel sites, such as Hotwire.com, Travelocity.com, Kayak.com, Orbitz.com, Hotels.com or Yahoo! Travel .
These sites allow you to save 30 to 60 percent off of your travel, even on a last-minute basis. To learn about the best travel deals being offered in mid-February, visit Travelzoo.com .
A personalized teddy bear can be ordered from The Vermont Teddy Bear Company (800-829-BEAR) or Build-A-Bear Workshop (877-789-BEAR).
For a listing of shows and concerts in your city, check your local newspaper’s calendar section, Where magazine’s website, or contact your local Ticketmaster office.
About the author: Jason R. Rich (www.jasonrich.com) is the series editor and author of the Entrepreneur Magazine’s Business Traveler series of city-specific travel guides for business people. Guides are currently available for New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, Chicago and Orlando. He also regularly contributes travel-related articles to the New York Daily News newspaper.
