41 Stay-Home Date Ideas for a Romantic Night In
Lifestyle factors like hectic work schedules combined with a desire to make date night a little more affordable have prompted many couples to embrace creative stay-home date ideas. However, this has helped people discover that a low-key date at home can be just as fun as one out on the town.
What's also great about stay-home date nights is that you and your partner can do something special and build bonds even if the weather is bad or you need to save some money. And, the importance of this shouldn't be understated.
According to numerous studies, such as this one published by the National Library of Medicine, planning exciting date nights and enjoying leisure activities together (including those you can do at home) promotes closeness and improves bonds. Therefore, finding unique and thoughtful date night ideas at home is more important than you may have initially thought.
If you and your significant other desire to keep the romance alive but aren't sure where to start, this guide of fun stay-home date ideas is all you need to get some inspiration!
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- Foodie Stay-Home Date Ideas
- Fun Stay-Home Date Ideas
- Romantic Stay-Home Date Ideas
- Cute Stay-Home Date Ideas
Foodie Stay-Home Date Ideas
1. Take an Online Cooking Class
While you may think you need to leave the house to attend a cooking class, that doesn't have to be the case! One of the most fun at-home date ideas for foodies is taking an online cooking class.
Couples can sign up for live virtual cooking classes that cover a range of themes and types of cuisines. These exciting culinary sessions range from the simplest meals to gourmet dishes, with every class led by a world-class chef.
This stay-home date idea is fun, educational and can be put on repeat any time you want to spice up your romantic life!
2. Try a Virtual Wine Tasting
For fine wine connoisseurs, one of the best romantic stay-at-home date ideas involves booking a virtual wine tasting.
You can join from the comfort of home and sit back and relax as the industry's best sommeliers teach you all about your favorite sips.
Many of these experiences also include food pairings, making an online wine tasting one of the most well-rounded romantic date night ideas at home.
3. Mix Drinks at an Online Mixology Class
Another of the most fun stay-home date ideas that helps you learn new skills is taking an online mixology class.
These unique and interactive courses are taught by master mixologists and will teach you and your partner how to mix up both modern and classic drink combos.
There are also mocktail classes for those who don't drink alcohol but still want to enjoy a fun date idea at home centered around tasty beverages.
4. Join an Online Coffee Class
Java lovers who share an appreciation for the bean will likely enjoy online coffee classes. Together, you’ll savor the rich flavors of a variety of regional coffees, placing an aromatic note to your date night (or morning). This is also a cozy winter date idea if you need a way to warm up together.
5. Indulge in a Private Chef Meal
If you want to stay in, restaurant dining will be off the table. However, that doesn't mean cooking for yourselves or getting takeout are the only options.
For couples who want a restaurant-quality meal without leaving the house (with shopping and clean-up also handled by someone else), hiring a private chef is a great idea.
You can easily find private chefs near you, whether you're in NYC or Los Angeles, for the ultimate romantic night in. Your chosen chef will cook you a gourmet meal in your own home, allowing you to simply enjoy your time together.
6. Get Food Delivery or Carryout
While this option runs the risk of feeling mundane, you can spice up your foodie stay-home date ideas with a bit of creativity. For instance, create a Greek theme by eating Mediterranean food while wearing togas!
Even if you simply order in food and put on Netflix, it's a fun and laid-back idea that lets you unwind as a couple.
Whether you feel like getting a more nutritious meal from one of the healthiest fast food chains, want to pick up your regular order from your favorite eatery, or try something new from a nearby Mexican restaurant chain, this stay-at-home date night idea is completely customizable to your dietary needs and current cravings as well.
7. Snuggle Up With Indoor Camping
Rediscover your childhood by creating a camping environment indoors. Building a fort, pitching a tent or even making s’mores and other camping foods can enhance your indoor camp-out experience.
If you have an outdoor space and it isn't too cold, you could extend this creative at-home date idea to the backyard to chat under the stars.
Recipes To Try
8. Set up Fondue Stations
Among the numerous stay-home date ideas for foodie couples, this one is perhaps the yummiest, especially if you love cheese, chocolate or both!
With fondue, the sky's the limit. From classic cheese and bread or chocolate and fruit to less conventional dipping ingredients like shrimp or potato chips, you can get as creative as you like with this cute at-home date idea.
All you need to do to get started is add one of the best fondue pots to your kitchen collection and get cooking.
9. Plan an Indoor Picnic
Setting out a cheese plate or date night charcuterie board paired with wine and chocolate-dipped fruit is one of many cute stay-home date ideas to accent your free time together.
Along with charcuterie board classics, you can find a range of other picnic food ideas that work just as well indoors as they do outdoors. Set out a blanket and a few of your favorite bites for a fun picnic date idea any time of year!
Recipes To Try
- Baked Brie with Jam
- Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto
- Stuffed Dates
- Dark Chocolate Truffles
- Candied Strawberries
- Irish Mules
10. Make Holiday Food
Whipping up something sweet (or savory) before an upcoming holiday celebration is a fun and festive stay-home date idea.
Best of all, there's no shortage of holidays to celebrate, so you can enjoy this date night activity at home multiple times throughout the year.
From Christmas and Thanksgiving to Valentine's Day and the 4th of July, there are many occasions to cook for. Simply pick out a few themed recipes, then have fun making them together.
Recipes To Try
- Heart-Shaped Cake
- Easter Bunny Cake
- Italian Easter Bread
- Halloween Rice Krispie Treats
- Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
- Christmas Fudge
- Eggnog Cookies
- Peppermint Brownies
11. Treat Yourselves to a Gourmet Dinner Night
Cooking a fancy dinner can create the kind of memories that last a lifetime and treating yourselves to some luxurious ingredients helps to make dining at home feel like eating at a high-end restaurant.
All you need to do for this fun date night idea at home is choose a gourmet dish you've always wanted to try and learn to make it together. You could also join a gourmet online cooking class to learn from the pros without leaving the house.
12. Serve up Food by US States or Cities
Southern fried chicken with a twist? Seattle-based entrées with a personalized touch? Even if you stick to classic recipes, cooking some dishes cities and states are known for is a fun and tasty at-home date idea.
You can recreate dishes you've tried when traveling, make your favorite recipes from your home state or even pick a city or state at random and cook some of the most well-known eats together.
You and your other half could also check out New American online cooking classes to learn some contemporary dishes from your own kitchen.
13. Create a Feast by Country or Region
Why stick to the U.S. when you could go even further afield with your cooking inspiration? Explore Mediterranean, Mexican or Spanish dishes for a country or region-themed dinner. You just might discover your new favorite flavors!
There's also the option to try a virtual experience as part of this fun at-home date night activity, such as an Italian online cooking class or a French online cooking class.
Global Food Inspiration
14. Try Sensual Foods
Crack open an oyster or serve up a platter of chocolate-covered, well, anything! Feeding one another could undoubtedly ramp up the sexiness and bring the two of you closer together.
15. Bake From Scratch
Have a great time creating delectable desserts with this sweet at-home date night idea! Whether you make comforting chocolate chip cookies or try something more complicated, you're sure to have fun baking together.
If you need some professional advice, try an online baking class, with sessions covering everything from cakes to pastries to French macarons.
Fun Stay-Home Date Ideas
16. Play Board Games and Snack on Finger Food
Yahtzee, Monopoly and Connect Four, anyone? Indulge in a bit of nostalgia as you play board games together while enjoying all your favorite finger food ideas.
What's great about this couple's activity at home is that you can have a board game night again and again. You may even be able to find places to rent board games, so you don't have to splurge on a full purchase every time you want to try a different one.
If you want to get really creative, try making finger foods that match the theme of the game!
Recipes To Try
- Antipasto Skewers
- Cranberry Brie Bites
- Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
- Pulled Pork Nachos
- Oreo Cheesecake Bites
17. Challenge Yourselves to a Finder’s Seekers Mysteries
Finder’s Seekers is an escape room-style game where adventure components are delivered straight to your door.
When looking for interactive and inventive stay-at-home date ideas, playing a game from Finder's Seekers is one of the best! The brand also offers subscriptions, so you can get a mystery to solve together each month.
18. Learn a New Language
Learning a new language can be a rewarding, exhilarating experience for a couple. Try one of the well-known romance languages like French, Italian or Spanish. If you have a long-distance love, learning a language together is also a great virtual date idea.
You could even create some snacks inspired by the country you're learning the language of. From French food to Japanese street food, there's a range of dishes to discover when immersing yourself in another country's culture!
19. Paint Masterpieces Together
Fun stay-home date ideas involving painting can help you and your loved one rediscover a lost zest for art. Painting together can also help you bond in ways that reignite passion and creativity.
Simply get some paints and canvases and let your creativity go wild! You can also find virtual painting classes to join, like those hosted by Paint Nite.
20. Peruse Comedy Skits
Laughter can be incredibly sexy! There are a host of laugh-out-loud videos to be found on YouTube and similar video hosting platforms, offering something different to the shows you usually watch together.
21. Dance Together
If you're looking for more stay-home date ideas that help you learn new skills, working up a Dirty Dancing-style sweat with your sweetie via online classes is simply the best! You can practice alone, find a YouTube video or even opt for virtual dance classes with a professional instructor.
22. Netflix and Chill
One way to add spark to this expected date night scenario is to guess specific plot outcomes of shows on your favorite streaming platform. The winner may ask their partner for a nice shoulder rub or a passionate kiss as a reward!
When planning this fun stay-at-home date idea, don't forget to put out some comfort food snacks to enjoy as you relax with a great show.
Recipes To Try
Romantic Stay-Home Date Ideas
23. Unwind With Spa Treatments
If you both need a little relaxation, unwinding with some self-care activities is a top choice among stay-home date night ideas.
You could simply pick up some treatments, like facemasks, and give each other massages, or leave it to someone else and book a professional masseuse or at-home spa service.
Pair your treatments with a refreshing glass of peach tea or a prosecco mimosa, and let the stress melt away.
24. Listen to Classic Love Songs
Pulling out the vinyl, a mixed tape or simply perusing YouTube can assist in building a love song playlist to last all night long.
What's fun about this at-home date idea is that it can be a standalone activity or pair it with another thing to do; for example, listen to your romantic playlist while cooking a gourmet dinner together.
25. Tape Love Professions
Use your cell phones and record cute messages to play later when you need a romantic boost. Just be careful not to accidentally upload said video on Instagram!
26. Play Romantic Couples' Games
While some stay-home date ideas use classic games as an impetus for romance, others are made specifically for couples. A quick online search will uncover romantic couples' games made just for you and your partner.
This easy-to-set-up activity also works for all types of occasions. Simply playing a few couples games can be a fun weeknight date idea or incorporate it into a weekend date night, which also includes a fancy dinner and drinks.
27. Get Intimate With Sexy Trivia
Stay-home date ideas steeped in old-fashioned games like Trivial Pursuit or Would You Rather can take a romantic turn. For example, asking your sweetheart if they would rather kiss or undress you may lead to some fascinating confessions.
28. Set the Mood With Candlelight and Roses
When it comes to classic stay-home date ideas, who can resist the ambiance of soft lighting and fragrant flowers? You can then pair your romantically decorated room with any other stay-home date idea, from watching a movie to playing games or relaxing with spa treatments.
29. Relax With Some Patio Stargazing
Cuddle up with your sweetie on the veranda and take in the wonders of the night. If it's cold out, make some hot drinks like a London fog latte or a turmeric latte to sip on as you admire the stars.
30. Watch Sunrise or Sunset
If stay-home date ideas involving stargazing go well, you may find yourself wrapped in each other’s arms at sunrise.
Likewise, toasting the setting sun at the beginning of the evening with a nice glass of wine or some fruity Moscato sangria is a simple yet super romantic at-home date idea.
31. Read Classic Love Poems
If Lord Byron gives your loved one heart flutters, this suggestion will be right up your alley. You can also write poems and read them to each other.
We recommend pairing this stay home date idea with the above suggestion of decorating with candles and roses to up the romantic factor even more.
Cute Stay-Home Date Ideas
32. Plant a Garden of Herbs
Couples looking for out-of-the-box date night ideas at home may want to plant an herb garden together in the kitchen. Herb gardens require little space and can be started on window sills as well as a patio or rooftop if you have one.
You can also find already-grown plants to simply plant, care for and harvest, or start from scratch by planting seeds. No matter where you're planting your herb garden, fill it with fragrant varieties and plan some recipes together for a date night dinner that includes ingredients you've carefully cultivated together.
Recipes To Try
- Herb Rice
- Cilantro Chimichurri
- Vegan Pesto
- Rosemary Focaccia
- Dill Potato Salad
- Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Herbs
33. Meditate and Listen to Lo-Fi
Lo-fi music is the perfect backdrop for a relaxing evening of couples' yoga or meditation. If you already practice yoga, simply work through your favorite routine.
If you and your partner are new to yoga and meditation, find some videos online to follow along with. Ending your session of mindfulness and relaxation with a healthy drink, like a chia seed smoothie, is the perfect way to round out this at-home date activity.
34. Have a Gamer Night
Adore video games? Then stay-home date night ideas involving games like Fortnite or Call of Duty may be what you need to unwind and enjoy quality time with one another. This is notably a great last-minute date idea if you and your other half want to plan a more impromptu activity.
35. Plant Flowers
Just because you want to stay home doesn't mean you have to be indoors. If you're looking for fun things for couples to do while enjoying the outdoors, planting a flower garden should be at the top of your activity list.
You can choose all your favorite varieties and colors to create an everlasting symbol of undying affection and devotion. Couples who have the space could look into planting a vegetable garden together as well.
Don't have any outdoor space? No problem!
You could still plant some flowers and other plants that thrive inside or try a similar activity, like flower arranging. Other fun and creative stay-home date ideas in this area include making terrariums or creating living wreaths.
36. Try Figure Modeling
“Draw me like one of your French girls…” could be the evening coo as you both suit up (or down) for an evening of artful sketching and modeling.
37. Binge-Watch a Popular Show
Although somewhat similar to one of our previously suggested fun stay-home date ideas, this version of a TV date night focuses on choosing your absolute favorite show and having a binge-watching session while enjoying each other's company.
Whether it's a favorite show you're watching for the millionth time or something new you're hooked on for the first time, this idea is relaxing and easy to plan while being appealing to almost all couples.
38. Play Dress Up
Playful and cute stay-home date ideas, like dressing up in one another’s clothing, may result in spontaneous laughter and sexy hijinks!
39. Organize Living Room Karaoke
Can’t sing a note? It doesn’t matter; you can share laughter and companionship while crooning to your favorite tunes!
40. Journal Together
As with the video messages, writing down and sharing your thoughts can inspire communication and renew appreciation for one another.
This at-home date idea doesn't have to be a one-time thing either. You can make this a frequent event by journaling once a day, week or month as a couple and discussing what you've jotted down.
41. Plan an Exotic Vacation
Just because you're staying at home for date nights now doesn't mean every activity you plan as a couple has to be at home! One of the most exciting and productive stay-home date ideas is discussing traveling abroad for a romantic getaway.
Whether it's just a fantasy or comes to actual fruition, the topic is bound to inspire passion. Get in the mood by pairing your planning session with some tropical food and drinks.
Recipes To Try
- Pineapple Margarita
- Passion Fruit Mojito
- Grilled Pineapple Chicken
- Mango Habanero Wings
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Pineapple Whip
Staying in instead of going out on date night doesn't have to be boring! In fact, at-home date activities may become your favorite things to do together.
While activity preferences vary from couple to couple, the ultimate goal of setting up a date night is to keep the bonds between you strong. And as this list of fun and romantic things to do with your partner at home should have shown you, you don't even need to leave the house to achieve that goal.
By trying some of these stay-home date ideas for couples, your love can remain alive for many years to come.
For even more fun date ideas, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
