107 Fun and Romantic Dates for Couples That Aren't Just Dinner and a Movie

Coming up with dates for couples sounds easy enough until you've been together long enough to have a standing takeout order, a shared Netflix queue, and absolutely no idea what to do on a Friday night. And while there's nothing wrong with spending another evening on the couch (especially if neither of you feels like putting on real pants), at some point, you might want to actually leave the house together. Or at least do something besides argue over what to watch.

“Even after years together, there is always more to learn about each other,” says Robin Ducharme, president of Real Love Ready and author of Real Love Ready: A Guide to Relational Literacy. And making time for actual dates, even when life gets busy, is one way to keep that connection going. “It doesn’t have to be an elaborate night out to count,” says Ducharme. Which is great, considering the cost of literally everything right now.

So if your date nights have started looking suspiciously like every other night of the week, we've got 107 dates for couples that range from completely free to very much not free. Pick your budget, find something that sounds fun, and maybe put the Netflix remote down.

1. Go on a walk. Explore the neighborhood (and each other's company) without spending a dime.
2. …Or a run? Get those endorphins going together. Besides, a shower together afterward isn't a bad idea, either.
3. Or a hike! It's like walking, but in nature, with better views and a decent excuse to stop for snacks.
4. How about a bike ride? Pack some snacks, pick a scenic route, and see where you end up.
5. Explore a nearby park. Find a quiet bench, people-watch, or scout out a secluded spot to make out.
6. Or a nearby cemetery. Take a walk among the headstones, admire the old architecture, and get a little existential together.
7. Have a picnic. Pack some sandwiches, grab a blanket, and find somewhere nice to eat outside. Bring hot chocolate and extra layers if it's chilly.
8. Go to the nearest body of water with a bottle of wine. It doesn't even have to be a particularly nice body of water or particularly nice wine. There's just something romantic about sitting by the water together.
9. Do some seasonal picking. Pumpkins, apples, blueberries—whatever's in season. Then head home and make something with your haul.
10. Take a workout class together. See if your local Orangetheory Fitness offers a free introductory class and find out how you handle a little friendly competition on the treadmill, rower, and weight floor. Bonus points if you spend the rest of the day complaining about how sore you are.
11. Host a game night with friends. A little friendly competition never hurt anybody. Unless someone takes Monopoly way too seriously.
12. Or play strip poker. It's all fun and games until someone's down to their socks.
13. Go to the library. Browse the shelves together, pick out books for each other, or find a cozy corner to read side by side.
14. Go to a dive bar. Play some pool, order cheap drinks, and claim your favorite songs on the jukebox.
15. Have a movie night. Pick a few favorite romantic comedies, stock up on snacks, and settle in for a double feature.
16. Or go to a drive-in movie. Bring blankets, snacks, and maybe a little extra time for making out before the credits roll.
17. Cook dinner together. Pick a recipe neither of you has tried, pour yourselves something to drink, and see how it turns out.
18. Cook dinner together, but one of you is blindfolded. Have the blindfolded person handle the taste-testing and seasoning while the other takes care of the knives and hot pans.
19. Play hide and seek. Yes, as adults. You might be surprised how competitive things get.
20. Sketch portraits of each other. Artistic talent absolutely not required. In fact, the worse the drawings, the better.
21. Or have a DIY painting night. Grab some canvases, put on a Bob Ross tutorial, and see whose happy little trees turn out least concerning.
22. Volunteer together. Find a local cause you both care about and spend some time giving back.
23. Go to the dog park. If you have a dog, bring them along and enjoy some quality time watching pups run around. If not, find a dog-friendly public spot where you can admire everyone else's.
24. Visit a playground after hours. Find an empty public playground that's still open, hop on the swings, and see whether you can still make it across the monkey bars.
25. Play pickleball! Grab some paddles and find a public court. A little healthy competition can be fun.
26. Make a fort. Grab every pillow and blanket you own, build something ridiculous in the living room, and spend the evening inside it.
27. Have some show-and-tell time. Dig out childhood photos, old yearbooks, or random keepsakes and tell each other the stories behind them.
28. Break out some conversation cards. Grab a deck like {THE AND} from The Skin Deep and ask each other questions that go beyond “How was your day?” You might be surprised by what you still don't know about the person you share a bed with.
29. Hit up a happy hour. Take advantage of discounted drinks and appetizers without paying full dinner prices.
30. Go window shopping. Wander through stores, point out things you'd never actually buy, and judge some truly questionable home decor.
31. Or go thrift shopping. Hunt for vintage finds, pick out outfits for each other, or accidentally bring home a haunted doll.
32. Bake cookies. Pick a recipe, make a mess of the kitchen, and eat at least half the dough before anything makes it into the oven.
33. Do a puzzle. Put on some music, pour a couple of drinks, and see how long it takes before one of you gets weirdly invested in finding a specific corner piece.
34. Go camping. Roast marshmallows, sleep under the stars, and don't forget the bug spray or extra blankets. Kampgrounds of America is a good place to start.
35. Stargaze. Grab a blanket, find somewhere away from the city lights, and see how many constellations you can actually identify.
36. Make a fast-food charcuterie board. Get fries from one place, nuggets from another, and whatever else sounds good. Arrange everything on a cutting board like you're hosting a very questionable dinner party.
37. Give each other massages. Pull up a YouTube tutorial, break out the massage oil, and take turns working out each other's knots.
38. Wander around IKEA. Test out couches, pretend you're furnishing your dream apartment, and finish with Swedish meatballs.
39. Have a karaoke night. Head to a karaoke bar or pull up some tracks at home and sing your hearts out, regardless of how objectively terrible you sound.

1. Rent a boat. A kayak, a canoe, a pontoon boat—whatever sounds fun. Pack some snacks and spend a few hours on the water together.
2. Or just go on a boat ride. If neither of you feels like being in charge of steering, book a sightseeing cruise or a sunset boat tour through a site like Getmyboat.com.
3. Go horseback riding. Book a guided trail ride and spend the afternoon pretending you know what you're doing on a horse.
4. Take a pottery class. Yes, you can absolutely recreate that scene from Ghost. Just don't be surprised if your finished product looks nothing like an actual bowl.
5. Go to a rage room. Put on the protective gear and spend an hour smashing things you're actually allowed to smash.
6. Or try an escape room. Find out how well you work together under pressure while trying to solve puzzles before the clock runs out.
7. Try axe throwing. Book a lane, learn how to throw an axe without embarrassing yourselves, and see who gets the most bull's-eyes.
8. Get competitive at the arcade. Challenge each other to your favorite games and pool your tickets for the biggest, most ridiculous prize you can afford.
9. Try a virtual reality experience. Head to Sandbox VR for an immersive adventure where you can fight zombies, explore another world, or generally find out how well you work together under pressure. It's basically a video game you get to physically step inside.
10. Go on an appetizer crawl. Hit up a few restaurants and order nothing but appetizers. You can even rate each stop if you're feeling particularly competitive.
11. Host a dinner party. Invite a few friends over, cook something ambitious, or make it a potluck if neither of you wants to spend the entire night in the kitchen.
12. Make a film. Re-create a scene from your favorite romantic movie or come up with your own ridiculous short film. You might discover one of you has some very strong directorial opinions.
13. …Or go to a film festival. Check out an independent film screening, catch a Q&A with the filmmakers, or just spend the afternoon watching movies you've never heard of.
14. Spend an afternoon at a museum. Wander through the exhibits, pick your favorite pieces, and debate which artwork you'd actually hang in your house.
15. Go to the fair. Eat fried food, play carnival games, and make out at the top of the Ferris wheel.
16. See a burlesque show. Get dressed up, grab some drinks, and enjoy a night of performances that are a little sexier than your usual dinner date.
17. Play paintball. Nothing says romance quite like chasing your partner around a field while trying to shoot them with paint.
18. Or play laser tag. All the competitive chaos of paintball, minus the bruises.
19. Play tourist in your own city. Visit the attractions you usually ignore, take embarrassing tourist photos, and finally see what all those out-of-towners are so excited about.
20. Or take a random day trip. Pick a town within a couple of hours, get in the car, and spend the day exploring somewhere new.
21. Make a modern-day scrapbook. Scroll through your camera rolls, pick out your favorite memories together, and turn them into a photo book using a service like Chatbooks. Half the fun is remembering all the random things you've done together (and finding photos you'd completely forgotten existed).
22. Go bowling. Order some drinks, rent the deeply unflattering shoes, and see who can actually bowl without bumpers.
23. Find out where you come from. Order AncestryDNA Origins kits, take the tests, and plan a date night around comparing your results once they arrive. You might learn something surprising about each other's family history (or discover you've been arguing about whose ancestors are more interesting for absolutely no reason).
24. Go on a shopping challenge. Head to your favorite store, give yourselves a budget, and pick out a few things for each other. See who knows their partner better (and who comes home with something neither of you actually needs).
25. Take a dance class. Salsa, tango, ballroom—whatever sounds fun. Being terrible at it together is part of the experience.
26. Go to a sports game. Get tickets to a local game, load up on stadium snacks, and spend a few hours cheering for the same team. Or opposing teams, if you enjoy a little conflict.
27. Get couples massages. Book a side-by-side massage and spend an hour relaxing without anyone asking either of you to do anything.
28. Go skating. Ice skating or roller skating, depending on the season and how comfortable you are with the possibility of falling in public.
29. Get a day pass at a resort. Use a site like ResortPass to book a day at a fancy hotel pool, complete with lounge chairs, cocktails, and absolutely no need to pay for an overnight stay.
30. Take a cooking class. Learn how to make pasta from scratch, roll sushi, or master a dish you've always wanted to try.
31. Go on a mall date. Revisit your middle school glory days with a trip to the food court, some aimless shopping, and maybe a pretzel the size of your head.
32. Do a brewery tour. Learn how your favorite beers are made, sample a few, and find a new favorite to bring home.
33. Go shopping at a sex shop. Browse together, talk about what catches your eye, and maybe pick out a new toy or two to try at home.
34. Go to a comedy club. Get tickets to a stand-up show and spend the night laughing together. Even better if you manage to avoid sitting in the front row.
35. Take a glassblowing class. Learn how to work with molten glass and make something you'll probably insist on displaying in your home, regardless of how it turns out.
36. Go glamping. Book a fancy tent, cabin, or yurt and enjoy the outdoors without having to sleep on the ground or figure out how to pitch a tent.

1. Feast at a Michelin-starred restaurant. Book the kind of dinner where there are approximately 12 courses, every plate looks like a tiny work of art, and you have no idea which fork you're supposed to use.
2. Or go to a Brazilian steakhouse. Come hungry, wear something with a forgiving waistband, and prepare to eat an unreasonable amount of meat.
3. Go on a sunset cruise. Book a boat tour with dinner and drinks, and enjoy the view without having to do any of the actual boating.
4. Or book a couples cruise. Whether you're looking for a classic Royal Caribbean getaway or something a little more adventurous, like a Bliss Cruise for couples interested in the swinging lifestyle, there's a sailing for just about every kind of relationship.
5. Visit wine country. You don't have to go all the way to Napa. Find a vineyard within driving distance, book a tasting, and bring home a bottle to open on your next date night.
6. Go skiing. Book a mountain getaway, spend the day on the slopes, and reward yourselves with something warm and boozy afterward. Après-ski absolutely counts as part of the date.
7. Take a helicopter tour. See your city from a completely different perspective. Bonus points if you book it around sunset.
8. Get great seats at a concert. Splurge on floor seats or VIP tickets to see an artist you both love. Or surprise your partner with tickets to someone they've been dying to see.
9. Or get a box to see a musical. Dress up, order drinks at intermission, and spend the evening pretending you're regular theater people.
10. Get dressed up and go to the opera. Go all out with your outfits, grab dinner beforehand, and enjoy a night that's very different from your usual Friday.
11. Visit an amusement park. Get the express passes, ride every roller coaster, and eat approximately your body weight in overpriced theme park snacks.
12. Go to a ball. Yes, actual formal balls still exist. Look for a local masquerade ball or black-tie event and give yourselves an excuse to dress ridiculously fancy.
13. Snag some seats at a charity gala. Get dressed up, enjoy a fancy dinner, and support a cause you care about while you're at it.
14. Rent a limo and go do literally anything. Take it to a fancy restaurant or just hit up Taco Bell and eat Crunchwraps in the backseat. The transportation is the date.
15. Go to a symphony. Look for a performance featuring your favorite movie scores or a special concert that sounds interesting. You might even discover you're classical music people.
16. Order the expensive bottle of wine. You know the one you usually skip over while pretending to carefully study the wine list? Get it. Ask the sommelier for a recommendation if you're feeling especially fancy.
17. Or host a fancy wine tasting at home. Break out those expensive bottles you've been saving for a special occasion (my fave is Cimento Wines' limited-release Cabernet Sauvignon), put together a cheese board, and turn your living room into a tasting room. Bonus points if you pretend to know what “notes of tobacco and leather” actually taste like.
18. Design a custom piece of jewelry together. Whether it's an anniversary gift, matching rings, or something just because, work together to create a piece that's uniquely yours. Sites like Ada Diamonds offer custom designs where you can choose everything from the stone to the setting, so you can make something you'll actually want to wear forever.
19. Book a photographer and get some cute pictures together. You don't need to be engaged or celebrating an anniversary to justify having actual photos of yourselves that aren't blurry selfies.
20. Have a full-on spa day. Book massages, facials, and whatever other treatments sound good, then spend the rest of the day lounging around in robes.
21. Explore an adults-only experience together. Whether it's a sensual couples workshop or a sex-positive event, find something that interests you both, talk about your boundaries beforehand, and try something outside your usual date-night routine.
22. Do the whole Disney thing. Book the hotel, get the park tickets, and spend a few days eating Mickey-shaped snacks and acting like you don't have responsibilities.
23. Hire a private chef for the night. Have someone come to your home and cook a multi-course dinner while you sit back, drink wine, and enjoy not having to clean the kitchen.
24. Book a couples retreat. Look for a resort that offers experiences designed to bring you closer, like Secrets Playa Blanca Costa Mujeres, which partnered with The Skin Deep for a couples retreat focused on connection, communication, and emotional intimacy. Think of it as a romantic vacation with a little relationship homework thrown in.
25. Get cocktails at a fancy hotel. Find a gorgeous hotel bar (looking at you, Don CeSar), dress up a little, and order the drinks you'd normally consider wildly overpriced.
26. …Then check in overnight. Turn your fancy drinks into a full staycation. Bonus points for room service breakfast and a late checkout.
27. Plan a progressive dinner. Have appetizers at one restaurant, dinner at another, and dessert somewhere else entirely. It's basically three dates in one.
28. Have a casino night. Dress up, set a budget you're comfortable losing, and try your luck at the tables or slot machines. Then spend whatever's left on a nice dinner.
29. Go skydiving. If jumping out of a perfectly good airplane sounds romantic to both of you, book a tandem skydiving experience and make a day of it.
30. Or take a hot air balloon ride. Enjoy the views without the whole jumping-out-of-a-plane situation. A sunrise ride followed by breakfast sounds pretty damn romantic.
31. Get cozy at a bed and breakfast. Book a charming little inn, spend the evening by the fireplace, and wake up to breakfast someone else made.
32. Book first-class tickets to Paris. Is it excessive? Absolutely. But if you've been dreaming about a ridiculously romantic getaway, sometimes excessive is kind of the point.