35 Creative Date Night Ideas to Impress Your Partner and Build Romance
1) Set up a romantic picnic.
"Take your date someplace special for a picnic. This could be the park or on top of a building—anywhere with an amazing view," suggests Christopher Ryan Jones, Psy.D., psychologist and sex therapist, member of the American Psychological Association (APA), and host of the podcast Sex Therapy. "Impress them even more by showing them the thought you put into the picnic details!" If you can't find a babysitter, you can set up a romantic picnic in the backyard.
2) Have a stay-in date night.
If you're stuck at home with the kids, try getting creative after they go to bed. "Schedule for a late-night dinner where you order in from your favorite restaurant. Afterward, watch a movie or play a game together," Jefferson says.
3) And go on a virtual date.
Because travel may not be in your summer plans due to the coronavirus pandemic, bring the beach to you with a Zoom date. "Create Zoom virtual backgrounds and go on a virtual date," says Marina Edelman, M.A., L.M.FT. "Through the magic of technology, you can have wine in Santorini or s'mores at the beach." This date night idea works well for long-stance couples!
4) Go for a walk.
A date can be as simple as going on a walk. "But leave your phones behind," suggests Moe Gelbart, Ph.D., psychologist and director of practice development at Community Psychiatry. "Physical closeness and intimacy like hand holding and snuggling close on the couch go a long way."
5) Take a workout class together.
With so many fun fitness classes out there including cycling, yoga, boxing, and more, exercising together is a fun way to get your sweat on while bonding with your partner. Plus, then you'll have more time to cuddle on the couch with your workout out of the way!
6) Try a dance class.
If you want to burn calories and learn some new dance moves, Jones recommends signing yourself and your partner up for a dance lesson. "Always try to find different and unique dating experiences, not just the same dinner and movie," he says.
7) Have game night.
Board games are fun and all, but take your date one step further by playing a bunch. Some friendly competition with various games will leave you both laughing and having a blast. Winner has to buy dinner or ice cream!
8) Kick-off a monthly book club.
Block off some time early in the morning or late at night to discuss a book you've both chosen to read together. A monthly book club guarantees time to yourselves at lease once a month. As a bonus, choose books with themes that reflect what you want to work on in your relationship.
9) Make a museum bucket list.
If you're both lovers of the arts, make a museum bucket list and dedicate extra free time this summer to checking them out. With endless artifacts and paintings to explore, the conversation will keep flowing. Plus, you can show off your knowledge and creativity.
10) Grab coffee.
There's something about a coffee shop that is so relaxing—and romantic. Spend some quality time with your significant other while sipping on your favorite latte. Leave your phones and any reading materials behind and just connect with each other.
11) Have a roaming dinner party.
Dinner at home just got an upgrade! "Set up a roaming dinner party with various rooms representing different restaurants," Edelman says, suggesting that the living room could represent Italy with pasta and red wine, while the bedroom could be dessert with champagne and chocolates in France."If you're feeling particularly creative, you can even decorate each room or play music that fits the theme."
12) Make sushi.
Instead of ordering from your favorite sushi restaurant, consider making the Asian cuisine from scratch. All you need is a bamboo sushi rolling mat, nori, rice, and your vegetables and fish of choice. While you'll both have so much fun making dinner together, you'll get to finish the date off by enjoying a delicious meal.
13) Go wine tasting.
What's more romantic than tasting a selection of wines alongside cheese and crackers with your partner? Even more so, many vineyards offer stunning views so you can sip back, relax, and enjoy an evening to yourselves.
14) Go to a paint and sip class.
While drinking wine at home is great, add another element of fun by having wine while you try to paint a portrait. Paint and sip classes, such as Paint 'N Pour in New York, exist all over the country, teaching couples how to paint while they enjoy some vino. You could also drink wine with your partner and paint each other's portraits at home, which would also be hilarious.
15) Have a chocolate tasting night at home.
Chocolate tasting is not reserved for fancy restaurants and expensive classes. Buy a selection of chocolate and set up a mini chocolate journey right in your home. For added fun, take turns guessing which type of chocolate and brand for each square.
16) Do a bar crawl.
Now that bars and restaurants are beginning to open back up following the pandemic, consider supporting some of your local pubs by creating your own bar crawl. Stop by each bar and ask for their most popular drink. At the end, share favorites.
17) Go on a food truck tour.
Food trucks are hidden gems—anyone in New York City, Austin, or San Francisco can tell you that. The good news is that you can find food trucks in tons of other cities too. Hit up a few in your local area and try small portions of a famous dish from each truck.
18) Go to a farmer's market.
From fresh produce to homemade bread to sweet maple syrup, farmer's markets make for a tasty date. Shopping at your local farmer's market is a great way to support small businesses at this time. Plus, now that it's warm in the U.S., you'll want to spend your afternoons outside in the sunshine.
19) Go hiking.
Whether you hike your local park or travel to the nearest national park, hiking is a perfect way to reconnect with your significant other without any distractions. After spending a full day in nature with just the two of you, you're guaranteed to feel recharged.
20) Go camping.
With little to no service, camping at a campground or a national park ensures that you and your partner will have uninterrupted quality time together. Make memories by enjoying the great outdoors, exploring new locations, and bonding like never before.
21) And make s'mores.
What's camping without s'mores? Bring materials to make a fire at your camp site and pack Graham crackers, chocolate, and marshmallows for the perfect fireside snack. You can also enjoy s'mores right in your backyard or in the microwave, for that matter.
22) Watch the sunset.
Whether you live in a city or the suburbs, sunsets offer a brief moment of wonder and awe. Check out what time the sun is setting and find the best destination in town to snuggle up to your partner and enjoy the magic of a sunset.
23) Go star gazing.
Amid the hustle and bustle of life, so rarely do we slow down and appreciate the simple moments, like star gazing. If you live in a city, take a ride out to the suburbs away from bright lights, set up a blanket, and just gaze up at the stars.
24) Travel to the closest beach or lake.
Summertime is around the corner, so surprise your partner with a fun date at the beach. Ask them to block their calendar and wake up super early to pack the car. Then, travel to the closest beach or lake and soak up the sun.
25) Volunteer together.
Bond with your partner and give back to your community at the same time by making your next date night a volunteer experience. The options are endless: You can volunteer at a soup kitchen, clean up a local beach, or spend time with the elderly at a nursing home.
26) Head to a drive-in movie theatre.
Skip a trip to the traditional movie theatre and go to a drive-in instead. You'll instantly feel transported back to the 1950s! If you haven't heard, Yankee Stadium in New York will turn into a giant drive-in movie theatre this summer.
27) Have at at-home spa day.
While some spas remained closed due to the pandemic, you can bring the spa to your home instead. Jones recommends making the experience extra special by setting out bathrobes and slippers for you and your partner. He also suggests having some refreshments and fruits on hand. "Take turns giving each other massages and there is no telling where things will lead! It's not only a great date idea but a great idea for building intimacy in your relationship," he says.
28) And take a bath together.
Surprise your partner with a night of romance they won't forget: Set up a steamy, intimate bath filled with candles, bubbles, champagne, and anything else to set the mood. Trust us, you'll want to add this date night idea to your list! A bath sounds like a great way to end your at-home spa day.
29) Choose a date you would have done in high school.
"Devise a date night including activities that you did on dates while in high school, grades 9-12 only. Nothing adult thus probably no alcohol," suggests Elliott B. Jaffa, M.A., Ed.D., associates behavioral and management psychologist. He recommends putt-putt golfing or going to a late-night diner.
30) Go to an amusement park.
Unleash your inner child at an amusement park. From playing games to riding roller coasters to eating ice cream, there are plenty activities to keep you and your signifiant other entertained and having so much fun together.
31) Go to an escape room.
Escape rooms allow partners to work together to solve a problem, a.k.a escape out of a room using clues. "Instead of doing to one of your go-to spots, why not test your communication skills with something like this?" Jefferson asks. Although they can be challenging, escape rooms are a ton of fun.
32) Go bowling.
Bowling is anything but lame these days. In addition to bowling lanes, some bowling allies offer alcohol, food, and arcade games to add another element of fun to the traditional sport. Plus, a little friendly competition will keep the flirting constant!
33) Surprise your partner with concert tickets.
Nothing beats summertime concerts. Instead of simply buying tickets for your partner for date night, Jones suggests surprising them with concert tickets on the day of the event. They'll be so shocked and excited!
34) Go to a comedy show.
Similar to concerts, comedy shows make for a night of fun, laughter, and special memories. Usually the shows serve alcohol and food alongside hilarious performances from comedians. Trust me, your partner will not be bored with this date night idea!
35) Fill a Mason jar with ideas and choose a date.
If you run out of creative date night ideas, choose one from a Mason jar that you and your partner create. "Take a Mason jar and write down 50 different ideas on small pieces of paper. Each week, pull out a different piece of paper to keep things fresh," Jefferson suggests. A jar of ideas takes all the hassle out of planning a date, while maintaining an element of freshness and fun.
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Date night doesn't have to be boring! We spoke with experts to come up with a list of creative and unique date night ideas to impress your partner and build romance.