105 Fun Date Night Ideas
By Diane Hall, Updated May 05, 2022
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Date night is important—not just for getting to know a love interest, but to share experiences and spice things up throughout a relationship. But coming up with romantic things to do as a couple or fun ways to spend date night is harder than it seems! That's why we polled the experts to reveal their best advice and favorite date night ideas for couples.
"You need to set aside time to be together and enjoy your shared activities and hobbies," says Dr. Jane Greer, New York-based marriage and family therapist and author of What About Me? Stop Selfishness From Ruining Your Relationship. "You're prioritizing your time with your partner so that you can create more intimacy between the two of you. With everything going on in people's lives, you can wind up flipping into creature comfort and not wanting to bother going out or doing anything."
Deeper into a relationship, regular reconnections can help keep your bond solid. "Dating can be extremely beneficial toward keeping romance alive, and making a practice of going on regular dates can be a great way to jump-start that habit," says Denise Limongello, a licensed psychotherapist based in Manhattan, who points out that lack of romance is a common reason for breakups or divorce.
"Dating, whether it's your 15th or 150th [date], is one of the easiest and most effective ways to keep your relationship healthy and long-lasting," adds Esther Boykin, licensed marriage and family therapist and author of The Date Deck. "Dating gives you the opportunity to nurture intimacy, practice communication, demonstrate commitment and create a meaningful history together. These elements are foundational to any quality relationship, be it dating or marriage. When you are consistent about having date night together, you are reminding each other that your relationship is a priority no matter how busy life gets."
Whether you're looking for at-home date night ideas, double dates, perfect date ideas by season or anniversary date ideas for married couples, we've got lots of inspiration for you, whatever your relationship status.