Dating
50 At-Home Date Night Ideas So You Can Stay In & Chill
Relax and enjoy each other's company.
Whenever you’re at home with your partner on a Friday night, there’s often a moment when you have to decide if you want to go out or stay in. While it sounds fun, in theory, to get dressed up and hit the town, the thought of staying home is undeniably appealing.
It’s tough to ignore the call of the couch, especially when you’re tired after a long week. Sometimes a chill night in is exactly what you need to relax, recover, and revel in a little quality time as a couple. That said, there are plenty of other reasons to have a cozy date night at home.
For one, it’s a good way to save some money. It can be pricy to pay for dinners, drinks, and movie tickets, not to mention Ubers or a parking spot — and sometimes being low-key is a refreshing alternative. If your goal is to do something fun yet affordable, entertaining yourselves is often the best bet.
It’s also kind of adorable to have a date night at home. While you might forget about a movie or a restaurant, you’ll always remember the Saturday you spent baking cookies from scratch, singing karaoke, or designing your own signature mocktails.
Keep reading below for 50 at-home date night ideas that range from funny and active to chill and relaxing.
Cooking & Baking
1. Bake & Decorate A Cake
Applying fondant could be the ultimate relationship test.
2. Eat Dinner By Candlelight
Even pizza night feels romantic when you light a few candles.
3. Try Fondue
Melt some cheeses and some chocolates and start dipping.
4. Recreate A Family Recipe
Bond over funny stories and family lore.
5. Surprise Them With A Five-Course Meal
Or prepare it together and serve it on your best dishes.
6. Order Takeout From A New Place
Not in the mood to turn on the oven? Pick a restaurant you’ve never tried and order something unique.
7. DIY Sundaes
Get all the fixings like cherries, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream.
8. Bake Sourdough Bread
Treat your starter like a pet.
9. Take An Online Cooking Class
If you aren’t sure how to navigate the kitchen, learn together with an online class.
10. Have An Indoor Picnic
If it’s rainy — or if you’re just too tired to venture to the park — pack a picnic, roll out a blanket, and eat lunch on the living room floor.
Drinking Games
11. Play Sommelier
Pick up wines from different regions and have a taste test. Take it very seriously.
12. Concoct A Couples Cocktail
Mix the flavors and liquors you like to create a signature drink.
13. Create The Best Mocktails
For a booze-free evening, consider shaking up a few mocktails.
14. Coffee Taste Test
Brew coffee beans from various countries and see if you can taste the difference.
15. Take A Class
Track down mixology lessons or wine courses and sign up together.
16. Play “Never Have I Ever”
Grab a beer and play a few rounds of “Never Have I Ever” or Truth or Dare.
17. Flip Cup Tournament
Relive your college days by playing Flip Cup in the kitchen. If that doesn’t work, try beer pong.
18. Tea For Two
Brew some tea, set out fancy teacups, and make mini cucumber sandwiches. Live out your Bridgerton fantasies.
19. Movies & Mixers
Watch a movie while you sip its signature drink. Have a sweet vermouth on the rocks with a twist as you view Groundhog Day, a Cosmopolitan while you rewatch Sex and the City, or pair a French 75 with Casablanca.
20. Drinks By The States
Try the most popular brews from your home state or ones you’d like to visit.
DIY Ideas
21. Play Boardgames
Try a new game or replay one of your faves.
22. Camp Indoors
Pull out your sleeping bags, lanterns, and camping chairs and spend the night in your backyard — or the living room. Tell each other scary stories.
23. Throw A Dance Party
Turn the lights down and blast an early 2000s playlist.
24. The Floor Is Lava
Step on cushions, blankets, and furniture. See if you can move through your entire house without touching the floor.
25. Serenade Each Other
Find karaoke tracks on YouTube and take turns singing.
26. Learn A Party Trick
Spend the evening learning a new and totally useless skill, like how to moonwalk or whistle really loud.
27. Plant An Herb Garden
Get your hands dirty while you plant basil, rosemary, and oregano in a pot.
28. Practice A TikTok Dance
Don’t rest until you nail all the moves — even if you don’t plan to post it.
29. Do A Workout Video
For a serious sweat, do a 30-minute HIIT. For laughs, try an ‘80s Jane Fonda video.
30. Paint Each Other
This TikTok trend is so chaotic.
Low-Key & Relaxing
31. Start A Book Club
Read on your own and meet up to discuss or be extra sweet and read aloud to each other.
32. Assemble A Puzzle
Listen to lo-fi or jazz music while you fit the pieces together.
33. Movie Marathon
Turn your couch into an oasis of blankets, snacks, and drinks, then put on back-to-back-to-back movies. Choose a genre, like horror or comedy, or pick a director and go through their entire work.
34. Have A Spa Day
Turn on a rain soundtrack as you apply face masks, lip treatments, and foot scrubs, then finish with a massage.
35. Read Tarot Cards
Spread out your best crystals, burn some incense, and do a few tarot spreads. Try one for love.
36. Stargaze On The Roof
Look for constellations and meteors.
37. Go Off The Grid
Put your phones on silent, stay off social media, and bond in the peace and quiet.
38. Take A Bubblebath
Or a steamy shower. Wink wink.
39. Rewatch Old Movies
Show each other the movies or cartoons you loved most as a kid. It can reveal a lot.
Chronically Online
40. Stay In Bed & Laugh At TikTok
Who needs to go out when your algorithm is algorithming?
41. Replay Old Games
Play Sims, Animal Crossing, or a fave online game.
42. Plan Your Next Vacation
Spending the evening looking up exotic destinations, flights, and hotels.
43. Phone A Friend
Get on FaceTime or Zoom with your besties or be sweet and call your parents.
44. Play GeoGuessr
See who’s the best at geography.
45. Deep Dive Into Wikipedia
See what you can learn.
46. Build A Photo Album
Organize all your best pics into an album and have it printed.
47. Try Your Hand At Trivia
Answer online trivia questions or study up for your next trip to the bar.
48. Go Online Antiquing
Peruse Ebay, Etsy, and beyond and look for good deals on paintings, decor, and more.
49. Buy Tickets
Cuddle up and get yourselves some tickets to movies, comedy shows, and games so you have things to look forward to.
50. Go House Shopping
Scroll through Zillow and find your dream home.
