Valentine’s Day is coming! This year do something a little different. Ditch the guys and grab your gal pals instead. It’s Galentine’s Day, ya’ll! In honor of our fellow fictional Hoosiers on Parks and Rec, we’re following Leslie Knope’s advice and you should to!
What is Galentine’s Day exactly? Let’s let Leslie explain:
Sounds pretty good to us. This Valentine’s Day, show your love for your true soul mates…your girls! How should you do that? With a trip to Brown County of course!
We all know Brown County is a great destination for a girlfriends getaway. With tons of shopping, dining, drinks, entertainment, and outdoor adventure, it’s the perfect place to escape with the gals no matter what time of year. Check out below why you should grab your girlies and head our way this Galentine’s Day. Get ready for some serious #squadgoals!
Stay in Style
Don’t just come for a day, make it a full-blown getaway with the girls and stay for a few days! Known for our unique and eclectic lodging options, there are plenty of cool spots to choose from. Inns, hotels, B&Bs, cottages, homestays, cabins…you name it, we’ve got it. A fun route to go is renting out a whole cabin or cottage so everyone can stay together. With plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms to go around, our larger cabins will still give you some privacy with great common areas for late night chats, kitchens for morning coffee or afternoon cocktails, and some even have fireplaces, firepits, and hot tubs!
Top cabins in or near the downtown Village:
Top cabins outside of the Village:
- Adventurewood Log Cabin
- Goat Conspiracy
- Running Buffalo Log Cabin
- Endless cabin options can be found at Moondance and Hills O’Brown Vacation Rentals!
There also are some pretty awesome boutique-style inns that scream Galentine’s Day getaway! Most of these will have you and one friend staying in your own private room while your other gal pals do the same. Cozy, charming, and unique, who knows…if you bring enough friends, you may even have the whole property to yourself.
Top inns/B&Bs for the ladies:
There are more traditional hotels too! Some of these, like the Cornerstone Inn, Brown County Inn, Salt Creek Golf Retreat, and The Seasons Lodge have lots of added amenities too, including dining on site and/or their own bars.
In the end, no matter where you stay is going to be great…after all, you are with your besties who make just about any adventure pretty darn special!
Shop Til’ You Drop
What’s a trip to Brown County without a bit of shopping?! We like to think of our downtown Village as an outdoor shopping mall in the woods. Besides being more than walkable, our Village is chock full of boutiques, art galleries and co-ops, restaurants, treat shops, and even some wineries. There are plenty of places for your shopping, dining, sampling, and admiring pleasure! From clothes and home décor to handcrafted items, such as pottery, glass, candles, jewelry, wooden items, decorative knick-knacks, fine art and more, you can literally shop til’ you drop.
For the fashion seeker:
For the foodie:
For the handcrafted type:
- Just look for an orange leaf in the window…it designates our Arts Village!
For the home decorator:
- Umm…just about anywhere you look! Too many to name, just click here to see!
Be sure to pop in one of our candy or fudge stores, coffee shops, or wineries for an afternoon pick-me up to keep your shopping game on point!
Go on an Adventure
There are no better people to go on an adventure with than your girls and there’s no better place to do it than in Brown County! Even though it’s winter, Brown County still has plenty of adventurous activities to try out, like hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, or zip lining. And to top it off, our scenic hills are still beautiful in winter white! So grab your buds, lace up those boots, and hit the trails this Galentine’s Day.
Hikes you don’t want to miss:
- Trail 6 around Strahl Lake in the Brown County State Park
- Trail 7 around Ogle Lake in the Brown County State Park
- Browning Mountain (give us a call for directions!)
Sip and Sample
For being a relatively small destination, Brown County actually has a pretty big beer, wine, and spirits scene! Cha-ching…jackpot! Spend an afternoon or a whole day sipping and sampling. You can find the Country Heritage Winery Tasting Room, Cedar Creek Winery Tasting Room, Brown County Winery Tasting Room, and Salt Creek Winery all in the Village. The winery loop is totally walkable…and oh so worth it!
Get outside of the Village and you’ll find much more than wine. Check out Bear Wallow Distillery (bourbon and moonshine), Hard Truth Hills (beer, gin, rum, vodka, cinnamon vodka, agave spirit), and the actual Brown County Winery! Do more than taste at these three places…sign up for a tour! Be sure to check out our Sippin’ Trip tour schedule where you can tour and taste it all with transportation provided!
Dig In
We can’t have hangry ladies running around…we know that a girl’s gotta eat! And boy, do we have plenty for you to enjoy. From pizza, pub-style, and upscale casual to country cooking and farm-to-table, Brown County has a place for all tastes! Check out all of our delicious restaurants here.
Tried and true lady favorites:
Not only will you dig in to some delicious, fresh food at these three spots, but you’ll also love their quaint, charming, and unique atmospheres!
Hit Up Some Live Entertainment
Nothing says a girl’s trip like some live music…and maybe even a little dancing! That’s why during your visit, you’ve got to check out our evening entertainment scene. Get dolled up, have some pre-dinner cocktails, then make your way to dinner. Afterwards, hit up one of the many local hotspots for a night of live tunes. Click here to see where you can find live music on most Fridays and Saturdays!
Depending on which days you visit, you may even be able to catch a show at the Brown County Playhouse. And you know what the best part is? Around here we start the party early so you won’t be out into the wee hours of the morning. That way, you’ll get plenty of beauty sleep for shopping, hiking, or whatever you decide to do the next day!
Relax and Re-Charge
We’ve been told that Brown County is a pretty laid-back place…and we tend to agree. Think of it as an escape from reality! Besides hanging with your girls around a cozy fireplace, we have plenty of other activities geared toward total relaxation. Take a yoga class, get a massage, hit up the nail salon…spend some time pampering yourself.
Leslie Knope must know what she’s talking about…this whole Galentine’s Day sounds like a pretty good idea! So, round up the girls and celebrate your love for each other with a Galentine’s trip to Brown County!