Date Night
Creative Date Night Ideas You’ll Love
February 2025
by Elizabeth Skenes Millen
Date nights with your honey are essential to staying connected, no matter how long you’ve been together. But before you even think about your “date,” both of you need to agree to put your daily grind aside, to clear your minds of worries, duties and to-do lists to make way for fun and meaningful times that will nourish each of you and keep your relationship close.
Regardless of your current circumstances—low on money, lack of babysitters, a sick child or parent, too tired, or whatever, your relationship needs attention. Regular date nights to relax, connect, talk, let your guard down, and just have some fun will breathe life and positive energy into your relationship, even if you stay at home. So, if you want to sustain your love life, you cannot not be all work, bills, children, honey-dos, and drudgery. Date nights are the key to sticking together through thick and thin, getting some enjoyment out of life together, and maintaining a strong friendship in order to sustain as a couple and stay connected.
Here are a few ideas for fun and unique date nights
that go beyond the same-old, same-old:
Watch the Sunrise: Pick an unhurried morning to rise and shine and find a spot to watch the sun come up. Download the app “Sunrise & Fall.” It will tell you the exact minute the sun will peak over the horizon. Good Tip: Arrive at your sunrise destination at least 30 minutes before the actual sunrise because the magical colors and beauty usually happen well before you see the sun. Make and take your coffee or pick up your favorite brew on the way. Have a seat or take a walk while basking in the glorious morning sun. Be sure to hold hands—this just makes everything better! Bonus: Learn your honey’s coffee order so you don’t have to ask every time.
Discover Your ABC’s: Let the alphabet be your guide to your plans for date night. This one is good for 26 different dates, and then you can start all over. It works by starting at the letter A and choosing something to do or someplace to go that starts with A. For example, you could go to a restaurant that starts with A, you could go to an arcade or go Ax throwing. You could visit a town nearby that starts with A. Next time, plan your date around the letter B and move through the alphabet for a new experience every time. Bonus: Give each other small gifts, candy or surprises that start with your letter of the night.
You Stay In and Send the Kids to Friend’s or Family’s: When’s the last time you had the house to yourself and took advantage of it as a couple? Bring on the bubbles—both in flutes and in the bathtub! Put on your favorite playlist, open the champagne, run the warm bath water, light the candles, pour in the bubbles…submerge yourself. Good Tip: Make a playlist of songs from when you both were in high school or college or of your favorite genre of music. Bonus: Turn your phones off. At least don’t allow them in the bathroom with you.
Add Some Adventure: Have a travel-inspired dinner date. Pick a region—Italy, China, Japan, Spain—and plot out various restaurants that fall into your geographical choice. Pick your top three and make plans to have an appetizer at one, entree at the next one, and finally, dessert at your third pick. Learn a few fun—even flirty—lines of the language before you go to make it more authentic just between the two of you. If nothing else, it will get some laughs. Bonus: Each of you open a translation app and only speak the language for the night.
If you’re taking the time and spending the money to go out, do a little prep to make your time together extra special. That’s why you’re together, right? You’re extra special to each other! Make it so.