Long Distance Valentine's Day Ideas: 12 Ways to Feel Close When You're Far Apart

Long distance relationships are hard. Valentine's Day when you're miles apart? Even harder. But distance doesn't have to mean disconnection. With a little creativity, you can make this Valentine's Day meaningful, romantic, and even fun—no matter how many miles separate you.

Here are 12 ways to celebrate love across the distance.

Virtual Date Ideas

1. Synchronized Dinner Date

Order each other's favorite meal through a delivery app, set up a video call, light some candles, and eat together. It's not the same as being across the table, but seeing each other's faces while sharing a meal creates real connection.

Pro tip: Order from similar restaurants so you're eating roughly the same cuisine, or surprise each other with your food choices.

2. Watch Party for Two

Pick a movie you've both been wanting to see and watch it together using:

  • Teleparty (Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max)
  • Amazon Watch Party
  • Discord screen share

Make popcorn, get cozy, and text your reactions throughout. It's basically a date night—just distributed.

3. Online Game Night

Play games together online:

  • Board games: Codenames, Settlers of Catan on boardgamearena.com
  • Video games: Stardew Valley, It Takes Two, Overcooked
  • Simple games: 20 questions, would you rather, truth or dare over video call

Competition brings out the fun (and the flirting).

Gifts That Cross the Distance

4. Send a Digital Love Experience

Create something personal they can open instantly with iluvyou.app. Build a beautiful digital Valentine that shows how long you've been together, includes custom messages, and gives them something to smile at whenever they miss you.

It's free, takes minutes to create, and they'll have a link they can revisit anytime they're feeling the distance.

5. Care Package From the Heart

Send a box filled with:

  • Their favorite snacks (especially ones from your area they can't get)
  • A hoodie or t-shirt that smells like you
  • Handwritten letters to open on different days
  • Photos of you two together
  • Small inside-joke items only they'd understand

The anticipation of receiving a package is almost as good as the package itself.

6. Matching Items

Get something that connects you both:

  • Matching pajamas for your video call date
  • The same candle to light during your virtual dinner
  • Identical playlists to listen to simultaneously
  • Matching phone wallpapers or lock screens

It's cheesy. It works.

7. Countdown Calendar

If you have a visit planned, create a countdown calendar with a small note or task for each day leading up to when you'll see each other. Each day they open one and think of you.

Experiences You Can Share

8. Take the Same Online Class

Sign up for the same online cooking class, art class, or workshop. Do it together over video call, comparing your results and laughing at your mistakes. You'll learn something new and have a shared experience despite the distance.

9. Start a Shared Journal

Use an app like Day One or a shared Google Doc to write to each other. Take turns adding entries about your day, your feelings, your hopes. It becomes a beautiful record of your relationship during the hard long-distance chapter.

10. Plan Your Future Together

Valentine's Day is a perfect time to dream together. Pull up a map and plan:

  • Where you'll travel when distance isn't an issue
  • What your life will look like when you're finally in the same place
  • The apartment you'll share, the restaurants you'll try, the mundane Tuesday nights you can't wait to have

Talking about the future reminds you both why the distance is worth it.

Small Gestures, Big Impact

11. Time Zone Love

If you're in different time zones, use it to your advantage:

  • Schedule texts to arrive at meaningful times (when they wake up, during lunch, before bed)
  • "Be there" for their morning coffee via a quick call
  • Send a voice memo they can wake up to

Being thoughtful about timing shows you're thinking of their world, not just yours.

12. The Surprise Video Message

Instead of a text, send an unexpected video message:

  • Tell them why you love them
  • Share a favorite memory
  • Read them a poem or sing (badly) to them
  • Give them a virtual tour of your day

Videos feel more personal than texts. They can hear your voice, see your face, and replay it whenever they miss you.

The Most Important Thing

Long distance on Valentine's Day isn't about matching what in-person couples do. It's about finding ways to say: I'm thinking of you. I choose you. The distance doesn't change how I feel.

Whether it's a video call, a care package, or a personalized iluvyou.app experience, the best gift is showing up—even when you can't physically be there.

The miles are temporary. Your love isn't.

Happy Valentine's Day.