Whether you are staying home because you have to, or because you are on a budget, being at home doesn’t mean saying good bye to romance. There are plenty of ways to keep the spark alive and have some essential together time with these stay at home date ideas for couples.
Stay at Home Date Ideas
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Take a cooking class together
There are so many online cooking classes, virtual cooking demonstrations, and video tutorials currently available and I outlined some in my recent article about virtual cooking classes for every budget. The online tutorials are helpful, but for a fun, interactive experience I prefer a live virtual cooking classes so that you can get insights and feedback as you go.
Plan a theme night
Do you have a destination that you love? Or a time period or genre that interests you? Plan a theme night around it — you can dress up, order take out or cook a meal to match, and in the appropriate music or entertainment and you are transported! What about an Italian night (make homemade pasta, watch Roman Holiday…)? Or maybe the roaring twenties (make Prohibition-era cocktails and create your own speakeasy)?
Join a virtual wine tasting
If you are feeling social, join in on one of these virtual wine tastings at home. You will learn about the wines and the winery and most offer the opportunity to order wine in advance so that you can taste along with the hosts.
Do a virtual escape room
How well do you work together? Can you join forces in a challenge to “escape” a game? Escape rooms are a recent trend but many of these have moved online so that you can “play” from home with a virtual escape room. Now may be a good time to “Escape” Manhattan with this fun virtual escape room.
Stream a concert
Dig out your old concert tees and pump up the volume to stream a concert from one of your favorite artists. You will likely find your favorite artists on YouTube, live-streaming on Facebook, or you can find old concerts on streaming services and paid cable channels like Netflix and HBO. See more livestreams and virtual concerts to watch.
Do a blind tasting
You know those old blind taste test commercials? How about trying one at home? See if you partner can distinguish between different types of chocolate. Or, figure out your favorite brand of cookie. The options are endless. My favorite, a “black glass” or blind wine tasting. Your local wine shop could set one up for you to pick up where you “guess the grape”, or you can uncork a few bottles of the same vintage from different winemakers and you can see which you prefer.
Watch a movie — outside
If you are getting tired of the standard Netflix and chill, it is time to change it up a bit. Set up a backyard movie theater, pop some popcorn, and snuggle up together under a blanket.
Enjoy virtual happy hour with friends
Do you miss double dating? You can enjoy a double date at home with a virtual happy hour with friends. Join in via Zoom, Facebook video, FaceTime, Skype, or Google Meet. Invite the whole friend group or just your besties.
Watch your wedding video
Is the romance fading? Maybe you need to remember young love. Relive those early days by rewatching your wedding video or going through old photos of the two of you.
Join a virtual paint and wine night
You know those paint and wine bars that have popped up all over? Well many have gone virtual too. Many studios offer kits that you can either pick up or have shipped home.
Paint Party in a Box offers everything you need for a fun night — a 12×16 gallery-wrapped canvas, paintbrushes and custom paint colors based. a table cover, brush cleaning cup, painting palette, napkins, disposable apron, and even the shipping box converts into a cardboard box easel. Pick your own paintings or chose one of the sets for couples and follow the online tutorial at your own pace.
Get fancy with a formal night
If you are craving the fancy restaurant experience, recreate it at home! Put on your fanciest outfits, light some candles, pour a bottle good wine, and order in from your favorite special occasion restaurant! Or if you choose to cook, may want to print out “menus” or if you have kids, recruit them as servers (they get to clean up too!)
Have a dance party
Turn up the volume and turn the evening into a dance party! You can learn a new dance on Tik Tok or find a YouTube tutorial to teach you how to salsa or swing dance. Or just put on your favorite tunes and jam out!
Camp in the backyard
When you really want to get away, but just can’t, you can try a backyard camp out instead. If you have a fire pit, you can even try some back country cooking over the fire before you settle in to watch the stars.
Give each other a “mystery basket” cooking challenge
Are you a fan of cooking shows like Chopped? You can compete like a you are on Food Network with a mystery basket cooking challenge. Each partner builds a basket with a limited number of ingredients — be sure to include one wacky one! Then the other has to make a dish out of those ingredients.
Design your own charcuterie board
Charcuterie boards are quite the rage. Order some ingredients from your favorite cheese shop or farmer’s market supplier and design your own board with your favorites. Then enjoy an evening of nibbling your way through it!
Join a couples’ workout session
Try a new work out together like a boot camp or yoga. You can even start a new daily workout challenge. Who knows what will happen once you get the blood pumping?
Plan your next romantic getaway
Now is the time to think about where you want to go when you next have an opportunity for a romantic getaway. Brainstorm destinations, start researching hotels, and share the responsibility of planning the trip.
Have a backyard picnic
Pack your picnic hamper with some gourmet treats, spread out your favorite blanket, and use your Bluetooth speaker to add a little ambience. Imagine yourselves at a music festival or outdoor concert.
Test your mixology skills
Pull the bottles out of your cabinet, grab your bartending kit and unleash your mixology skills. You can find cocktail recipes on Pinterest or a handy bartenders guide. The fun is in the taste testing!
Plan an at-home spa night
From sexy massages to couples facial masks, you can plan an evening of self-care and indulgences. Start with a nice pedi spa foot bath, followed by a good moisturizing foot cream. You can help each other wash off the mud masks before taking turns giving massages.
Make lists of the things you like best about each other
Sometimes we forget to give each other compliments and tell them why we still love them. Focus on the positive and create a list of all the things that you appreciate and like best about your partner. Then share your lists with each other. Remember, focus on the positive!
Practice your language skills
Are you planning on visiting another country in the future or just want to practice some language skills? Imagine yourself in a French bistro or Spanish tapas bar for example, and see if you can “order” your entire meal and chat with each other in another language. Brush up using apps like DuoLingo or listen to podcasts like Coffee Break Spanish to learn typical grammar for a restaurant setting. This can be fun to combine with a theme night.
Challenge each other with a game night
Whether you enjoy video games, card games, or board games, see who will be the evening’s champion. Each partner gets a turn picking which game to play. Try out some of these games for couples.
Tackle a home project
Working together on a home project can either mean teamwork and laughter or bickering, so be sure to pick a project that you can enjoy working on together. Paint a room, refinish some cabinets, build a raised garden — just be prepared with all necessary supplies and instructions before you start.
Create a list of all the “out of home” date nights you want to have in the future
When you have had all the at home dates you can handle, it is time to plan for the future. Make a list of all the things you want to do together when you get the opportunity. Then there will be no questioning “what do you want to do tonight?”
