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50 Fun and Romantic Indoor Date Night Ideas for Couples to Enjoy

Bonus: Many of these unique at-home date ideas require little or no money.

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Sometimes you just don’t want to go out. Maybe the weather is bad, or you’re tired from a long week at work. Or maybe you just want to save some money for the future! Whatever the reason, indoor date ideas can be the perfect solution for you and your boo.

Creative date ideas can help boost your bond and break you out of the same boring routine. Dinner and a romantic movie are fun, but sometimes you need something new to help keep that spark going strong. Whether it’s trying a new hobby or cooking together, these date ideas will keep you and your partner laughing and learning together, two essentials to a strong relationship. It’s a bonus that these dates are budget-conscious, too!

"At-home date nights remind you that your relationship can be exciting without artificial or expensive bells and whistles," says Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D., co-author of The Normal Bar: The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples. Some of these dates are for staying in, while others are ideas for indoor dates around town. None of them break the bank, but they are all sure to help you make memories with your partner. So send this to your sweetheart and start planning your next date night!

1

Try an Escape Room

friends looking at wooden rosary in quest room
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Put your relationship to the test with an escape room! How well can you work together as a team? How do you each handle pressure? Can you problem solve as a pair? In just 60 minutes, you’ll know so much more about your partner (and have a lot of fun along the way).

2

Learn Flower Arranging

senior woman at home
Eva-Katalin//Getty Images

The Japanese art of ikebana is meditative flower arranging. It uses blank space and careful posing to create sculptural flower arrangements. Buy a few small bouquets from the grocery store to create your own together. You can use vases and jars that you have at home or grab some floral supplies at a local craft shop.

RELATED: Surprising Flower Meanings Behind Your Favorite Florals

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3

Rock Climb

wide angle view of sportspeople ascending climbing wall
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Feel like a kid at a birthday party again by going to your local rock climbing gym. Cheer each other on as you scale the wall and end the day with a feeling of accomplishment. Even if you can’t climb very high, the exercise will get your endorphins going!

4

Play with Clay

a young boy playing with play clay
Professor25//Getty Images

Embrace nostalgia and buy some colorful clay. Try making a replica of each other or a figurine of your pet. If it turns out lumpy, that's half the fun! It’s a hands-on way to embrace your creativity, with lots of potential to get silly. At the end of the night, bake your creations or let them air dry to preserve them forever.

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5

Build a Kit

young man constructing a ship model
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If you want to do a craft but don’t want to decide what to make, try building a kit together! You can try Lego, model replicas, or any other kind of kit that includes all the materials and instructions. You’ll build something physical together, just like you’re building a relationship. Plus, it’s great practice for that Ikea furniture.

6

DIY a Café Date

midsection of man making froth art in coffee cup on table
Mrs.rungnapa Chantaweesomboon / EyeEm//Getty Images

Love lattes but don’t love the price tag? Learn to make them at home! You don’t need a barista-grade setup to make Starbucks-worthy drinks, just a little bit of DIY. Buy or make specialty-flavored coffee syrups and use a milk frother to whip up some foam. Add a fresh croissant for an at-home café date.

RELATED: Best Milk Frothers, According to Kitchen Pros

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7

Swim Indoors

two senior women embracing together in swimming indoor pool
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It doesn’t have to be warm out to go for a swim! Find a local YMCA and enjoy their heated pool for a day, regardless of the weather. That means you can splash your sweetie, whatever the season.

8

Dance Your Heart Out

indoor date night - mature black couple dancing
MoMo Productions//Getty Images

Learn how to salsa or pick up some burlesque using easy YouTube tutorials. It’s a great way to try something new without paying for a full class — and if you have two left feet, you can rewind the video as many times as you need. Clear a space in front of the TV and dance the night away.

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9

Go Indoor Skating

a white couple wearing winter attire hugging at an indoor skating rink
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This one is a choose your own adventure: You can go ice skating or roller skating. Even if you are slipping and sliding across the rink, it’s fun to hold hands and try your best. Just make sure to bundle up if you’re hitting the ice!

10

Visit a Museum

black man and hijabi woman at a museum using a touchscreen
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You may not think of yourself as a fan of art, or history, or science. But learning is sexy, especially when you do it with the person you love. Go to a local museum and you might be surprised how interesting you find it and how much you learn!

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11

Do Couples' Yoga

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Stretch, strengthen and center yourselves with indoor couples' yoga. Find a studio near you or use a yoga YouTube channel or app to get your vinyasa on at home.

RELATED: Best Yoga Apps You Can Use Anytime and Anywhere

12

Make an Ice Cream Sundae Bar

white couple under a blanket on the couch feeding each other ice cream
Tom Merton//Getty Images

I scream, you scream, we all scream for a delicious date night! Grab a couple of pints of your favorite flavors (or make your own), pick up your preferred sweet and salty toppings and add some hot fudge, like Kevin McAllister in Home Alone.

RELATED: Best Ice Cream Makers, Tested By Experts

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13

Recreate a Favorite Date

romantic black couple with wine glasses and appetizers
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Relive great memories by holding an at-home version of a treasured time. Maybe you order takeout from the restaurant where you had your first meal together, play the same music that was on at the bar where you met or cook a version of the cuisine that brought you together.

14

Get Your Cards Read

fortune teller female hands and tarot cards on wooden table
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Tarot cards are all the rage, and for good reason. Whether you buy into it or not, learning more about yourself, your partner and your destinies will definitely spark conversation. Many tarot readers offer their services online, or you can pick up a deck and begin learning the trade yourself.

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15

Fill in Some Adult Coloring Books

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Coloring isn't just relaxing, it's also a great way to grow closer as you turn off your brains and tune into something creative that doesn't require much artistic prowess. As you work to stay within the lines, watch the conversation start flowing between you two.

16

Redecorate Your Pad

homosexual couple hanging painting on wall at home
Maskot//Getty Images

Shake things up in your home and your relationship by doing a little redecorating. Move the couch to a different wall, swap out some art, give the mantlepiece a fresh look or even paint an accent wall. It'll make your surroundings feel brand new, which may spark a fresh perspective too.

RELATED: DIY Home Decor Ideas for Instant Personality

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17

Learn a New Language

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OK, we know you can't become totally fluent in one night. But learning a new language together is both a fun and educational ongoing project, plus doing it together means you've got a built-in practice partner.

RELATED: 9 Best Language Learning Apps to Broaden Your Horizons

18

Make a Scrapbook

black couple making photo album
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In this age of cell phone photography, many of us don't have a lot of pictures to hold in our hands. Print out some favorites, grab some scrapbooking supplies and preserve your memories for years to come. It'll be even more endearing if it doesn't look professional.

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19

Play Home Mixologist

mature couple making cocktail while using laptop
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Instead of packing into a crowded bar and shouting over the other patrons, learn how to make your favorite cocktails or mocktails at home. Not only do you save money by mixing them up yourselves, it's also a fun way to learn a new skill that you can show off at a future get-together.

20

Go Hallway Bowling

couple bowling with red bottles in hallway
Didier Robcis//Getty Images

Who needs lanes to have a bowling night? Set up some empty plastic bottles, grab a soft ball or make one out of packing materials and see who can get the first strike. Just be considerate of your neighbors if you live in an apartment building.

Headshot of Lizz Schumer
Lizz Schumer
Senior Editor
Lizz (she/her) is a senior editor at Good Housekeeping, where she runs the GH Book Club, edits essays and long-form features and writes about pets, books and lifestyle topics. A journalist for almost two decades, she is the author of Biography of a Body and Buffalo Steel. She also teaches journalism as an adjunct professor at New York University's School of Professional Studies and creative nonfiction at the Muse Writing Center, and coaches with the New York Writing Room.
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