Once you are married and have kids sometimes the spark in the marriage takes a hit. All couples go through it and even the strongest, most passionate marriages will likely hit a bumpy patch. These date night ideas are great for married couples, those in long term relationships, or even new love (awww). I’ve tried to include some unique date ideas, because Idgaf about traditional norms and I think for a lot of couples, finding new ideas for how to connect with your spouse can be an important setting to help reigniting that spark. I also have a few at home date ideas for you to really set your flame ablaze.
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Out On the Town Date Night Ideas
This list is pretty comprehensive in that there are some awesome ideas for those nights when a splurge out and about can be really fun, as well as some stay at home date ideas to help you spark the romance, but also be a really budget friendly date idea.
A Unique Spin on Dinner Dates With Your Spouse
Why go to one restaurant when you could go to ten! My husband and I have a tradition when we have a date night of doing an “around the world” experience. If we’re lucky to get a babysitter, we hit up one restaurant for a drink and an ap. Another restaurant for a main course. Yet another for dessert, and if we still have time, one last restaurant for a final drink.
Be safe when you do this and be sure to use an Uber or Lyft if you’re drinking. Consider this a slightly more mature version of a classic bar hop where you can walk to several different spots. It’s a fun adventure to restaurant hop like this and always keeps things fresh and exciting.
Movie Roulette
Ever hear of people showing up at the airport without a destination? They book their flight based on the next available flight leaving and their destination is relatively unknown? Movie roulette is a little like this, except a lot cheaper and it doesn’t require you to pack a bag.
Head to the movie theater and whatever the first movie is that’s playing, that’s what you’re seeing! It’s a really weirdly fun way to see something that you may not otherwise have a desire to see. There’s also a bit of adrenaline involved if you’re not a big fan of scary movies, or if your spouse doesn’t love rom coms, or if you end up in a children’s movie and if you do…sorry?
Ghost Tours
Depending on where you live, check your local chamber of commerce website to find a local ghost tour. This is a fun way to get your adrenaline pumping. It’s also a really fun way to connect physically…you know…because of all the scary ghosts.
Escape Room
Every single day you and your spouse must work together to figure out the complicated jig saw puzzle that is your life…why not make it into a fun game. Escape Rooms are in most major cities under one name or another and are sure to give you an adventure in solving some sort of mystery or puzzle to get out of the room successfully.
Go Hiking/Rock Climbing
If you’re lucky to live near any trails, go on a day-date and get back in touch with nature.
Visit a Local Winery or Brewery
Craft beers and even local wine tasting rooms seem to be popping up even in the most rural areas. Check out the local stock of crafted wine or beer and experience what your town or city has to offer.
Paint, Pottery, or Cooking Classes
There’s something very bonding about trying a new creative craft with your partner. Especially if you’ve never done this before. It brings on a feeling of unity and as if you’re in this together. Plus it gets all those beautiful creative juices flowing which can make you both feel especially amorous.
Spa Date
Treat yo’self and get a couples massage at a local fancy spa. Check out spa finder to find deals and recommendations for local spas in your city.
Recreate Your First Date
Where was your first date? Re-enact the whole thing, or go to the restaurant/location of the site of the beginning of this journey to help you remember how far you’ve come from being just a couple of strangers to producing a full blown life together. Talk about reigniting that spark in your marriage!
Date Night Subscription Boxes
Make this whole thing a whole lot easier by having your dates delivered to your door.
To be honest, I didn’t even know this was a thing until Ronni from The Screenwriters Wife told me about it. Check out her full review of the best date night subscription boxes and stop thinking about what to do for date night maybe ever again…or at least until your subscription runs out.
Stay At Home Date Ideas
Finding a babysitter can be super expensive. And even if you’re lucky to have family close by it may not always be possible to lean on them to watch your kids for a date night. That’s why having a date night in can be a quick and cheap alternative for many couples.
Porch/Backyard Date-Night
We’re lucky to have a porch swing at the front of our house which has become our favorite spot to meet after the boys have gone to bed.
We each grab a beverage of choice, and settle into the gentle swaying of the swing. Sometimes we switch it up and sit in the adjunct Adirondack chairs, which can be very relaxing…and we just talk. Talk into the darkness. Talk into the night. Sometimes we drink booze. Whatever, we’re on a date. We do what we want.
Cook Dinner Together
Almost every night before we go to pick up the boys, we make dinner together. This is something we’ve done before we had children so it’s one of our go-to methods for connecting and also feeling like we’re having some fun while doing an activity together. Lately this has been even more fun because of how easy meal planning has become. In fact, because I’ve been able to figure out how to save time each week, we have a lot more time to actually hang too.
If It Looks Like a Date, If It Feels Like a Date, It’s probably a Date
Early in our relationship, going grocery shopping with my husband was kind of a weird silly date. We’re annoying in that shopping is fun for both of us and we like to wander the aisles checking out the new items on the shelves.
If cooking or shopping isn’t your thing, find something that you do in the monotony of your every day that you can do together – fold laundry together? Clean up the kitchen together? Walk to the mailbox together? Whatever! Each of these little moments adds up and if you adjust your perspective and even call it out with a giant proclamation “we’re on a date!” it can make it feel like a sweet moment of connection.
Camp Out In the Living Room or Back Yard
Complete with S’mores, a fire (if it’s safe to do where you live) and plenty of stars. There’s nothing like fresh air to rekindle a romance.
Moonlight Picnic
If sleeping under the stars isn’t your thing simplify it and make it a moonlight picnic. You could do this both at home in your front or back yard, or travel to a local park or look out. Whatever you do, sometimes just looking at the stars, and connecting with how big this world is can create big feelings for you and your spouse.
While your’e out there…
Backyard Movie Night
If you don’t have a projector that’s okay! Set up some bluetooth speakers and snuggle up with your lap top to get extra cozy.
Wine Tasting At Home
Do your best impression of a sommelier and set up a little wine tasting…or whiskey tasting, or tequila tasting. Whatever is your poison. Throw in some cheese or charcuterie to make a dinner event out of it.
We love Winc’s wine of the month club but you don’t need to subscribe to get bottles of unique wine delivered to your house.
Use YouTube to Take a “Class” for Date Night
I have a friend who regularly looks up dancing lessons and she and her husband will learn a routine together in their living room or kitchen every other week. I love this idea because a) they don’t have to hire a baby sitter, b) it’s good exercise, and c) it’s super sweet and romantic!
Here are some videos to get you started:
How To Salsa Dance For Beginners
Basic Elements of Swing Dancing
How to Master 5 Basic Cooking Skills
Snuggle Up and Get Romantic
Sometimes it’s just easier to scroll through iTunes or Amazon Prime to grab a quick movie that you haven’t seen yet (and if you’re a parent reading this I bet you have a long list of movies you haven’t seen yet).
Get even more specific with this awesome list of romantic movies perfect for Valentines Day (or really any date night).
Read A Book
An E- book about date night ideas that is. We’re loving this guide from Real Mom Help that includes a whopping 55 date night ideas to keep you feeling the love with your spouse.
Need More Budget Friendly Ideas?
Check out this crazy long list of budget friendly date night ideas to keep you in that romantic mood all year long!
Do What Works for You
We tend to scrape away our date nights, holding onto them by a thread, but with these tips we’re able to spend some quality time together beyond traditional dinner and a movie. As a married couple, and parents of two time-sucking, energy-sucking, little loveable creatures this works for us.
You know what will make you and your partner feel the love best. Get creative and try out some of the date night ideas above, or start brainstorming time to spice up your marriage with the above date night ideas.
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