A couple sits on a sofa while drinking from white mugs.

20 Fantastic Stay At Home Date Night Ideas for Couples

by Categories Date Ideas

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You know your relationship needs regular date nights to be its strongest and most fulfilling. But sometimes, you just don’t feel like going out. Or maybe circumstances prevent you from doing so. For whatever reason, whether money is tight or you don’t have a babysitter, or, you know, you just don’t like being around people, you’re looking for the best stay-at-home date ideas. 

Luckily, there is an endless number of wonderful things that couples can do around the house together. Take advantage of your bedroom, your kitchen, your backyard, and all the other fantastic parts of your house to have an adventure of love. 

And while your typical go-to might be Netflix or a basic movie night, if you’re looking to spice things up a bit, we’ve got 20 creative at-home ideas for you that will give a boost to your typical date night routine. 

With these 20 fun and romantic stay at home date night ideas, you can create all the date night magic you need, without ever having to leave the house. 

Why Stay At Home Date Nights Rock

Personally, we think at-home date nights can actually be some of the most fun—and certainly the most romantic. First, there’s the low-pressure of the whole situation. You’re automatically removing annoying potential stressors like finding parking near your favorite restaurant or being stuck in a crowded or noisy movie theatre. This also means you’re probably saving a ton of money. Yay! 

But we also like stay at home dates because they are just relaxing and fun and low-key. At home, pants are optional. Drinking is encouraged. And cuddling is constant. 

So, get ready for a chill night (or day) of laid back fun. 

20 of Our Favorite Stay At Home Date Ideas

Boardgame night (one of the best at home date night ideas)

This is a classic thing to do as a couple. Pull out the boardgames from the closet and challenge each other to a fun evening of competition. It’s best to have a collection of your favorite board games to make a marathon event of it, but you can also just play one or two games.

Need some suggestions for good games to play? Check out our list of the Best Board Games for Couples

Create a stay at home spa night for two

Why go to an expensive spa when you can have a similar experience at home for (practically) free?! We love doing an at-home date night at the “spa Hartle,” where we enjoy massages, facials, and lots of delicious scents, typically with some Enya playing in the background.

We think you’ll agree that having a spa night at home is so much fun, and it is a fraction of the price of going to a regular spa. Just grab the basics from Amazon and get set up for a blissful evening. To up the ante, make your bedroom or living room a “phone-free” zone. Zen is in reach. 

The midnight picnic – a classic stay at home date idea

A nighttime picnic is one of our most often recommended date ideas for couples. Why? 

Not only does a late night picnic allow for sweet romance (what’s better than a starry sky and some wine and cheese?) it’s also super easy to arrange, even last-minute. Best of all, you only need to go outside of your own home to find the perfect picnic spot.

Need some guidance on how to plan a picnic date? Make sure you grab yummy snacks. Cheese, crackers, fruit, and other finger foods are perfect for a picnic. If it’s chilly out, bring blankets, wine, and light a fire if possible. Too cold or bad weather? An indoor picnic is great too, and can be combined with building a cozy blanket fort.

Check out more great late night date ideas here.

Watch a classic film you’ve never seen

There are so many classic movies to enjoy, and they are classics for a reason. Pick one that neither of you have ever seen and get watchin’. For inspiration on a good movie to watch, look at our list of the most romantic movies of all time.

Bonus at-home date night plan: classic movie marathon. Choose a few films to screen together and make an event of the whole thing. Dress up in fancy clothing (perhaps period dress to match your classic movies, 1940’s anyone?) Even better, do a little research and find some vintage recipes you can make. You may be surprised that you already have most of the ingredients needed for a delicious vintage dinner or snack!

Learn something new together, like partner yoga

With the Internet at our fingertips, an endless array of skills is available. For this stay at home date, you and your significant other will tune into YouTube for some instructional videos. Try learning something new together. Learning with your spouse or your partner is an amazing way to connect and create fun memories. 

What should the two of you learn? This can be absolutely anything you like! Try ballroom dancing. Build a birdhouse. Learn magic tricks. Learn how to make homemade soap.

No matter what activity you choose, you’re certain to laugh your way through the evening and also get better at something cool. Hey, you might even pick up a new hobby that both of you can enjoy again in the future.

Slow dance to your favorite romantic songs

You don’t need to head to the club or to a fancy party to dance together. Create a romantic playlist and have your own private dance session. We recommend the kitchen and we suggest pairing your dance sesh with a couple glasses of champagne. Turn down the lights to set the perfect relaxing mood.

Need some playlist ideas? Check out our list of 100 of the most romantic love songs, so you can feel like you’re dancing on top of the world.

Create your signature cocktail as a couple

Do the two of you have a go-to drink? Why not make one up? With a few basic bar ingredients (and lots of creativity) you can definitely concoct something awesome. Be sure to give the cocktail a name worthy of its greatness. 

Not fans of the same liquors? No worries. You can make up a personal signature cocktail to drink as well, one for each of you. PS: This is a really great idea if you’re planning a wedding with your partner, as signature drinks are very popular at receptions. 

Try a DIY wine and cheese party

Heading to a vineyard to go wine tasting is a wonderful romantic date idea, but what if there are no wineries near you? Or maybe money’s a little tight this month. In that case, our suggestion for a terrific stay at home date idea is a DIY wine and cheese tasting! See also, 50 more fabulous cheap and free date ideas. 

Grab an array of wines from the store (cheap is totally fine, just make sure you have a variety). Then sample them together, discussing flavor notes and pairing each wine with a delicious cheese. This date might even be more fun if you know absolutely nothing about wine!

Fill out a book about your love story

Your love story is beautiful and deserves to be told! Grab one of these books from Amazon and fill it out together on your next date night at home. You will love reminiscing about your first meeting and all that’s happened since. 

PS: This can also be a great long distance date idea, if you are in a long-distance relationship. Each partner can take a turn filling out part of the book in between mailing it back and forth. What a nice, tangible way to feel connected with your love when you are far apart.

Relive your wedding or your first date

Speaking of reminiscing about the past, why not take the opportunity to recreate your first date together? You don’t necessarily have to leave the house to do this. Have a similar meal to what you had that first date night. Wear the same clothes you had on. Talk about the same conversation topics you spoke about then.

If you’re married, curl up together on the couch and watch your wedding video or go through your wedding photos. You’re going to love how close and content you feel after this date night.

Camp out in your backyard

Enjoy all the excitement of a couples camping trip without leaving home. Set up your tent, erect a fire pit, and roast smores. Isn’t it awesome to have an adventure in your own backyard? Make sure you make time for some romantic stargazing. 

Don’t have a tent? There are definitely ways to get around this. If you’ve got a screened porch, you might consider setting up a comfy air mattress there for a camping-like experience. Or grab hammocks or sleeping bags and sleep out in the open air. 

Play video games

Pick up those controls and show Bowser who’s boss. (Can you tell I haven’t played video games since the 90s?) For some couples, this might be a typical date night activity, but it can be even more fun if it’s something you don’t do regularly. Have fun! 

Have an at-home paint and sip

Have you ever attended a paint and sip event? They are always a blast! But they cost money, too. Instead, do it on your own together with your partner. 

You’ll need blank canvases, one or two bottles of wine, some paint, and you’re ready to go. Watch an instructional video to help you create your masterpiece. Bob Ross is always a good time. 

Have an ice cream party for two

Splurge like crazy and allow yourselves to have an ice cream feast. Pick up your favorite flavors for sure, but also don’t forget to grab all the options for toppings so you can create enormous, delicious sundaes. 

While you can definitely have separate bowls and make your own tasty treats, it can be cool to try a bunch of different flavors, putting them all together to create one of the world’s biggest sundaes. 

Tie-dye some old clothes

We’ve all got a boring white t-shirt laying around. Get those items, pick up a tie-dye kit, and go to town making some hippie-inspired clothes. Pro tip: play 60s and 70s music while you do your craft. 

Plan a trip

Grab a map, grab your couples bucket list, and grab your brainstorming abilities. Tonight, the two of you are going to dream about your next romantic getaway. You can either plan your dream trip, which is a whole lot of fun (and we’ve got some resources on our site to help you make it happen!) or simply plan a realistic couples trip. Either way, the magic is in working together to create a wonderful idea.

Cook up a gourmet meal and feast like kings and queens 

Become professional chefs…at least for one night. We’ve got 35 romantic dinner recipes for two that you could choose from to create a delicious meal that is super romantic. Plus, everything tastes better when you’ve made it yourself. 

PS: Don’t forget about dessert: 12 Romantic Desserts for Two Perfect for Date Night

Do a puzzle together

Puzzles are an underrated activity for date nights. Best of all, as you work on putting together a puzzle, you can simultaneously have a great conversation or binge-watch your favorite TV show.

Open up a date night subscription box

You don’t need to rack your brain for date ideas when you can have them come right to you! Date night subscription boxes are super popular these days, and you can sign up to get just one box or receive a monthly subscription. 

These are one of our favorite things to do on date nights because each box is a surprise, and they are usually extremely creative and unique. PS: If you’re not interested in a date-themed box, consider a different type of subscription box the two of you will enjoy for your next home date.

Get 50% off your first Datebox here!

Stay up all night (or at least late) talking to one another

One of our favorite date ideas is one of the simplest and the sweetest. When is the last time the two of you stayed up for hours just talking? This is an excellent way to feel like you did when you first started dating your partner. If possible, try to plan this at home date night for when you don’t have to get up early the next morning! 

Get even more creative date ideas on our site: