20 Date Night Ideas

One of the best pieces of marriage advice we got was to never stop dating each other. When I heard it, I remember thinking aww that’s cute and true, ya. Good idea sir. Then life took off and it could have been so easy to let intentionality with one another be the first thing to go. Honestly, Bryan and I had a challenging first 2 years of marriage and putting time every week where we, with purpose, love and discipline, “dated” one another help us connect, talk through things and grow immensely. Amongst other helpful things. I can attest that it has been one of the BEST things that we have done for our marriage. One day a week we slow down, do something silly or fun, or are super intentional with conversation and pour into each other. Bryan and I have been doing a date night every week since we got married about 6 years ago. We built it into our week and other than switching a night if need be we say no to things if it doesn’t allow for a date night. We didn’t want to get into the habit of letting that be the thing that goes as we hold it so valuable and have found the importance in it for us. Life moves so fast and having something built into our week just helps it stay there. We started taking a photo of them every week too, we annoy many of you with them, I mean post many of them, on Instagram and it’s been so fun to look back years ago and see them. 😉

We have a lot of people ask what we do every week, so I thought I would give some ideas and share what we have done over the years. We keep it simple most of the time, but purposeful. Unless it’s a special occasion then we class it up a bit, but we have in our budget date night as a part of something we value investing in so it’s a night I take off cooking and let someone else do the work for us.

We have a rule we stick to for the most part, after we take our pic that is. 😉 No phones. Turn them off or put them away. They don’t help connection. I promise the pic that goes along with the story you’re telling, while you conveniently check your notifications, can wait.

20 Date Night Ideas

1. Picnic- we either go order food or pack a picnic and head the to park often with a board game, Bluetooth speaker and walking shoes.
2. Billiards- Bryan and I really enjoy playing pool or darts at local joints. There is also a local place downtown that has arcade games we have gone to a couple times as well, its so fun!
3. Classic dinner & a movie- we try to keep this one limited as movies don’t create connection, but like I said sometimes we just have a good night doing something fun together.
4. A walk, dinner, backyard campfire- this is one of our favorites. We bought a firepit when we moved into our house and use and enjoy it OFTEN.
5. Board games & Coffee- We grab a puzzle, board game of some kind and head to a local coffee shop and play, laugh, and look like an old couple playing our chess game. I haven’t won yet.
6. Fort Night In- I have a rather childlike spirit so we do a lot of silly things. We often build forts in our living room order food and watch a movie or play a game at home.
7. Target- Just Target. Winter is limiting so we romantically stroll the isles at Target cause that’s where love is.
8. Bake off’s- We give ourselves contests for dessert. Whoever’s dessert was better wins. Nothing. But wins! Bragging rights you nah!
9. Concerts or Games- a lot of time we switch date nights to go see a concert in Indy or a local event or Purdue game!
10. Bookstores- We will grab some grub and head to bookstores…to learn? Sure learn stuff.
11. Project- We always grab dinner together but if we have a project around the house or want to build/make something we do it together!
12. Pay it Forward- we really enjoy going to the store and getting ice cream or making something for other people and surprising them at their door on date night with said goodie! Or we get a pack of googlie eyes from Target and go stick them on friends windshields.
13. Walks- some weeks are insane. Cause life and adulting. We give ourselves a simple night have some dinner and just go on a long walk together with Sam.
14. Drive-In- In the summer we LOVE to pack up the car with pillows, blankets, snacks and go to the drive in movies!
15. Breakfast- sometimes we switch things up and go get breakfast somewhere and do the farmers market on Saturdays!
16. Dinner out and Fro-yo- if you know us at all you know how much we love our fro-yo!
17. Ice skating- in the winter we have gone to the local ice skating rink for a bit then gotten Hot Coco after!
18. Forget the Night make it a weekend- a couple times a year we take a weekend and get out of town and stay somewhere new and explore a new town.
19. Stargaze- Grab a blanket and head out to the middle of nowhere, get some music,  just be still and watch the stars.
20. Ask questions- We have these little things called “Table Topics” it’s a box of lots of questions (some are weird. Most are fun) We will go to dinner and linger asking each other all sorts of questions! You really do learn new things about one another. It’s so fun! I recommend them!