Valentine’s Day spending moves past predictable roses and mass-produced jewelry, as couples and groups choose shared experiences they can talk about long after the day ends. Spending remains strong, just redirected toward a table for two, short trips away or events that fill a whole day rather than a gift bag. After years of canceled plans and missed moments during the pandemic, time together gets top billing, with fewer things to unwrap and more memories worth keeping.
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Spending habits tied to Valentine’s Day now favor planned experiences over physical gifts, turning dinner reservations and overnight stays in nearby cities into plans worth blocking off on the calendar. Ticketed events and relaxation activities also fill in the schedule, keeping the celebration personal without guessing sizes or return policies.
Experiences over traditional gifts
Valentine’s Day spending no longer centers on the same gift aisle staples that once defined the holiday. While flowers, candy, cards and jewelry still play a role, many couples now treat the day as a chance to plan time together rather than exchange items.
Participation remains strong even as costs rise, with about 73% of people saying they plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day, though their choices look different from those in past years. In 2025, 14% of consumers showed a clear preference for experiences such as travel, spa visits or live events, while just 8% said they wanted flowers and 5% pointed to jewelry. The numbers suggest that for many couples, memories now matter more than traditional gifts.
Dinner plans lead the celebrations
Dining has moved to the top of many Valentine’s Day plans as couples prioritize eating together. More than half of Americans say food preferences matter in a relationship, from liking the same dishes to enjoying shared plates. Finding the right place takes time, with Americans spending an average of 2 hours and 14 minutes choosing a Valentine’s Day dining spot. As availability tightens, that search contributes to last-minute bookings.
Restaurant demand also extends beyond couples, as Galentine’s Day dining on February 13 rose 34% year over year in 2025. At the same time, 60% of Gen Z and 41% of all Americans said they plan to celebrate with friends instead of a romantic partner. Solo dining has gained wider acceptance as well, as 58% of Americans now view eating alone on Valentine’s Day as socially acceptable.
Couples choose shared experiences
Travel continues to draw interest as a Valentine’s Day gift, especially in North America and Europe, where experience-based celebrations already carry strong appeal. Many consumers now favor trips and shared outings that offer lasting memories rather than items meant for short-term use. Valentine’s Day 2025 data supports this shift, with travel interest rising 59% compared with 2024.
Travel-based gifts can take many forms depending on budget and timing. Options include short return visits to a partner’s hometown, weekend getaways tied to food destinations or coastal areas or day trips linked to early moments in a relationship. Some plans focus on overnight stays in nearby cities, road trips along meaningful routes or scenic train rides chosen for the journey itself.
Single-day plans for two
Valentine’s Day spending also moves toward outings that feel planned and personal. Many couples now opt for tickets to live music shows, theater performances or major sporting events tied to their favorite teams. These choices turn the holiday into a set date for an experience they have been wanting to try, with some expecting their partner to plan for them.
Other picks focus on hands-on or relaxed experiences, such as spa packages with massages or skin treatments, that appeal to those seeking downtime together. Cooking classes for couples, guided wine tastings and brewery events offer a social setting with structure built in. Art exhibits, evening museum access and ticketed food festivals round out the mix, giving people a reason to celebrate the day through plans outside the usual gift-giving tradition.
Post-pandemic priorities changed
Spending tied to experiences picked up once pandemic limits eased, with travel, dining out and live entertainment rebounding in 2022 and continuing to grow in the years since. As in-person plans returned, many people leaned toward activities done together as a way to make up for time spent apart and limited to virtual connections.
Months of canceled dinners, postponed trips and missed celebrations changed what people valued. Time together became more important after months without regular social contact, and face-to-face plans now offer relief from screen-heavy routines. Around connection-driven holidays, experiences now hold a different kind of value.
Valentine’s Day gift worth keeping
Traditional gifts are still popular on Valentine’s Day, but many couples now spend their money on dinners, trips or tickets they can enjoy together. Those plans create shared moments that resurface in photos, conversations and inside jokes long after the holiday ends. Over time, those memories deepen the connection by centering the relationship on time spent together rather than one-time gifts.
Jennifer Allen is a retired professional chef and long-time writer. Her work appears in dozens of publications, including MSN, Yahoo, The Washington Post and The Seattle Times. These days, she’s busy in the kitchen developing recipes and traveling the world, and you can find all her best creations at Cook What You Love.
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