Valentine’s Day may be all about couple goals and baecations for some, but Galentine’s Day is all about celebrating the most fabulous love of all: friendship. You and your besties deserve a spontaneous escape, so a last-minute Galentine’s Day getaway is the perfect way to reconnect, recharge, and create unforgettable memories.
And you don’t need lots of prep for this. We’ve got you all the way covered with these last-minute Galentine’s Day trip ideas, from domestic to international. (And if you can’t quite make it this year, you’ve got a whole year to add these to the Galentine’s Weekend Trip group chat for 2026):
Antigua, Guatemala
Less than a five-hour flight for many southeastern U.S. folk, Antigua, Guatemala, has a magic about it, with its cobblestone streets and colorful colonial architecture. You and your friends can enjoy grand courtyards, plazas, museums, and vibrant markets. And Villa Bokéh, a former hacienda that turned into a boutique hotel, is the perfect pick for a base. Enjoy six acres of lush gardens, a private lagoon, and an intimate selection of 15 elegant rooms. Each room has a private terrace where you can enjoy panoramic views that include the sight of the three volcanoes surrounding the city.
Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
From the cool on-site dinner offerings at resorts like Marriott Puerto Vallarta (where their “Jalisco at Your Table” menu that takes diners through a gastronomic journey with tequila tastings led by a sommelier), to wellness immersions for spa days and healing, to boat trips to Playa Majahuitas, where there's a trendy beach club, this destination has something for everyone in the group. It's a one-stop shop that even the most picky or bourgeois in your group will love.
Napa, Calif.
If you’re in the Midwest or on the West Coast, this is the perfect option for booking a last-minute flight, train ride, or making it a road trip adventure for Galentine’s Day. Book the "Love, Napa" package at the Meritage Resort & Spa, a getaway that includes a $200 resort credit, a rose petal and sparkling wine turndown, and a fire pit reservation with a s’mores kit. (It runs throughout February until the 28th.)
There’s also the Unwind Spa Terra, which is an experience inside a wine cave. You and your foodie friends? Well, try the three-course aphrodisiac-infused menu at Ember Steak or Olive & Hay (available Feb. 13–23), featuring oysters, truffles, and a tomahawk steak. There’s also Napa’s Lighted Art Festival through Feb. 16, a great stop for enjoying art and the company of your closest friends.
Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
This option is all about the beach, themed cocktails, reflection and a bit of partying to make new Galentine’s memories. Set on the shores of Medano Beach, Corazón Cabo Resort & Spa, with its chic architecture, large bedrooms with balconies and divine hot tubs and its three infinity pools overlooking the famous Cabo Arc. There are rotating DJ sets every weekend, and the resort is home to Sparitual where you can get those chakra cleansed (if that’s what you’re into). Take advantage of the ‘Love, Cabo’ package, offering a special rate of up to 30% off, plus a daily $50 resort food and beverage credit. You can head downtown (a short walk or cab ride) to bar hop, visit tourist spots, and enjoy some of the best cultural experiences Mexico has to offer.
Bellevue, Washington
Get your luxury foodie adventure on in this destination, which is a short distance from Seattle. Check-in at the stylish W Bellevue, where you’ll be central to shopping and nightlife. Have sunset cocktails at Ascend Prime Steak & Sushi before heading to Civility & Unrest’s speakeasy experience.
To recover the next day, visit The Spa at the Bellevue Club, an athletic and social club where you play tennis or take a fitness classes. If you’re into cold-weather outdoor activities, head over to Meydenbauer Bay Park for rosé and local oysters. Other options include sports like Farsi Cafe for Indian food, sushi at Takai by Kashiba, and refined seafood menu at Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar.
Willemstad, Curaçao
For all the Caribbean travel lovers, take a quick flight to Curaçao. Willemstad, with its colorful pastel buildings and iconic Handleskade backdrop, combines the allure of Europe and the spice of the Caribbean. There are several options for your hotel base, from resorts like Dreams Curaçao, Zoëtry, Renaissance, or Marriott Beach Resort, to locally-owned boutique hotels like Boho Boutique Hotel and Bario.
And this is not a place to forgo the tourist spots to check off your travel bucket list with your girls. Stop at the Queen Emma Bridge, explore the trendy Pietermaai, pause at Serena’s Art Factory, get a bite at an old governor’s mansion, or join the locals at Plasa Bieu. Add an ATV tour with Premium Paradise Tours or take a day trip to off-the-beaten-path Klein Curaçao by private boat charter.
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Featured image by Jess Loiterton/Pexels
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Now, with more than 20 years of experience in professional aviation, starting with American Eagle Airlines and then on to becoming a captain at American Airlines, she has continued to pay it forward. In 2022, she made history as the first commercial airline captain to lead an all-Black, women-led flight crew. She has also written a biography on Bessie Coleman, the first African-American and Native-American woman to earn a pilot’s license, and produced and directed, Discovering Bessie Coleman, working alongside the family to get the project completed. Add to that her role as a founder of consulting firm LadyAv8rBeth, which offers a guide of pathways into aviation, and as a podcast host covering all things aviation.
For Women’s History Month, xoNecole caught up with the busy pilot, in between flights, to talk about her career journey, her role in a Bessie Coleman documentary and book, how she balances self-care and safety, and how other Black women can add to the aviation legacy:
xoNecole: You’ve built an successful career in aviation. And you were only 15 and already had your first flight. Were you afraid at all, or did it feel like second nature to you?
Beth Powell: It felt completely natural. There was no fear, just excitement and curiosity.
Now, it’s what they call STEM, and my teacher at the time thought that I was really good at numbers. He recommended three career paths, and I tried the first one.
I didn't understand why it made sense back then at 15, but as I grew up and met other pilots, I recognized that the reason I liked math and physics was that we were technical learners. So we like to break things apart and put them back together. We like to check procedures. We like to write manuals. We were technical artists.
xoN: That’s such an important message. Many young women and girls are often discouraged from pursuing careers in STEM or aviation, so it’s incredible to hear your story. Now, fast forward a bit—how did you transition into your corporate career with larger airlines?
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BP: After that first discovery flight, I quickly finished my high school classes and graduated at 16. By 17, I had earned my private pilot’s license, and by 18, my commercial license. Then, I moved to the U.S. to attend flight school in Florida. While working on my degree in professional aeronautics, I began working for American Eagle Airlines at just 21. Over the years, I’ve built my career and have now spent 25 years in the airline industry, including 14 years at American Eagle and 11 years at American Airlines. In terms of leadership, being a captain is key.
As a captain, I’m responsible for the aircraft, the crew, and the passengers. It’s a huge responsibility, and you learn a lot about leadership when you’re in charge of so much.
Being a captain definitely teaches you leadership. You’re in charge of every aspect of the flight from the moment you sign in to the moment you sign out. From overseeing the crew to managing the safety and well-being of passengers, you have to make quick decisions and take responsibility. Even when you’re starting out as a first officer, you’re learning vital leadership skills that prepare you for the captain role.
xoN: There's a lot going on with airlines right now that might make someone feel afraid in terms of some of the tragedies that have recently happened. How do you sustain your self-care balance and your resilience in the aviation industry when those sorts of things happen?
BP: I truly believe that aviation is still the safest and the No. 1 safest means of transportation. I say that proudly. For any airline, any pilot, any air traffic controller—anyone who works in the industry—safety is our number one priority. However, of course, we see things happening in the news, and it is concerning to passengers.
What I'm telling everybody to do right now, including myself, is that it's very important to have your source of strength. I'm a Christian, and one of my sources of strength is prayers. I go deep within my prayers every morning, and I pray to God, giving things that I can't control to him, and the rest— I can do my best to deal with.
No. 2 is meditation on the Deepak Chopra app. Ever since COVID happened, that was the first time I thought that I needed something more than just my prayers to help me go through to calm down the noise around me.
And last but not least, I'm really big on self-development. I read, I read, and I read. If your foundation is strong, you have something to build from. And so, when I read, I learn a lot about myself. I learn about what triggers me and when something triggers me. I literally hear the Kendrick Lamar song, "TV Off" in my head, because sometimes you need to shut the noise off.
xoN: That's amazing—the combination of faith and just being excellent at what you do. Now, how did you get involved with the Bessie Coleman project?
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BP: I sit on the board of advisers for an organization called Sisters of the Skies, and was at a gala celebrating with all our Black women of our achievements. At the end of the night, Dr. Sheila Chamberlain walked up to me. She was the first Black woman U.S. combat intelligence aviator in the Army. So, if she's walking up to me, it's very serious. She said, ‘I have a favor to ask.’ I said, ‘Yes.’ I did not hear what the favor was. I didn't know what she was going to ask me, but somebody like that walking up to you saying, ‘a favor’? The answer is yes.
She told me [the project involved] helping the Bessie Coleman family elevate the story. ‘I'd like you to ask your company if they will do a flight in honor of Bessie Coleman.’ I went to the different departments at American Airlines, and the rest was literally history. We did that flight on August 8, 2022, and it became a historical flight because everyone on that flight, from the ground up, was a Black woman.
Gigi Coleman, Bessie’s grand-niece, was also on that flight. We started chatting at the end of the flight. Another night, we were hanging out—Sheila, Gigi, and I—and she kept telling me she wanted to write a book, that she wished there was a movie, and that people approached her about it. Nothing had been done as yet. And I thought, sounds like another mission.
I literally took it on. We do have a documentary with the family sharing their perspective of who Bessie Coleman is. And we do have a book called Queen of the Skies.
xoN: For the young women who are looking for career paths in aviation, what are some skills they need to thrive?
BP: While you don't necessarily have to love math to be a pilot, technical knowledge is important. You’ll need to understand aircraft systems and aerodynamics. This includes weather patterns and instrument training. It might seem daunting at first, but the great thing about flight training is that it builds on itself. The more you learn, the more it all clicks. Also, aviation is constantly changing, and you need to be adaptable.
It’s a field where you need to be ready for anything, from unexpected weather to technical issues. Being open to learning new things and adjusting to change is crucial.
My daughter, who has her private pilot’s license, once said, “This journey is both challenging and rewarding. I feel like I’ve grown so much since starting.” It’s important to keep going, even when it gets tough.
To help others, I’m outlining how they can go from “zero to hero” as a pilot. I offer this information freely on my Instagram account, and it’s something I’m passionate about sharing. I want everyone to have access to the resources they need to follow their dreams.
For more information on Beth Powell, the Bessie Coleman documentary, and aviation career resources, visit LadyAv8rBeth.com.
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