Looking for some at home date night ideas? Try one of these fun ideas for your next date night at home. Plus, get tips for making your date night in extra cozy and romantic without leaving the house!
My husband and I are total homebodies. While some of our friends look forward to a night out, we actually love low-key nights at home. Couch, comfies, snacks, games – we’re there!
Spending one on one time with your significant other is so important, especially once you have kids!
Don’t get me wrong, we love going out to dinner + a movie as much as the next couple. But some of our favorite date nights are just relaxing together without leaving the house.
I’m putting together a list of fun ways to spend a romantic night in.
These at home date ideas are perfect for when you’re on a budget, or when you have kids at home.
But before we get to the date ideas, here’s a few simple ways to elevate your date night in:
Put away the phones.
Give each other your undivided attention and limit distractions. Those email notifications and Instagram posts can wait. Making an effort to focus on each other during your date night at home is so important!
Pour the wine.
Sharing a bottle of wine (or two!) instantly makes hanging out at home feel like a special date. I always reach for Decoy Wines because they’re a long time favorite of ours.
Their Merlot in particular has a beautiful rich color and the aroma is amazing. It’s perfect for a cozy night in.
You’re going to want to sip in style with Decoy Wines for your next date night at home, promise!
Play some tunes.
Create a relaxing atmosphere by playing a little background music as you spend quality time together at home. You can make it extra romantic by making a playlist with some of your favorite songs that remind you of each other!
Light the candles.
An easy way to set the mood is by lighting a few candles. This will help your date night stand out from the rest of the week. (Unless you normally eat dinner by candlelight, then kudos to you!)
Get some fresh flowers.
Flowers are romantic and instantly elevate any setting. Treat yourselves to a pretty bouquet, either with door delivery from a florist, or make it yourself with curbside farm flowers.
Now that you’ve set the mood, it’s time to pick a fun activity to do with your spouse!
8 At Home Date Night Ideas
Try one of these fun ideas for your next date night at home.
It doesn’t have to be anything super fancy or complicated. The most important thing for a successful date night at home is just being intentional about your time together.
1. A new twist on game night.
Mike and I love to play card games together. One of our all time favorites is Cribbage. But if you’re tired of playing the same games over and over, mix it up by learning a new game together!
Focusing time and attention on learning a new game together is such a fun bonding experience.
Need some new games to try? Our favorite 2-player board games are Lost Cities and Jaipur. Or, if you prefer card games, try Egyptian Ratscrew or Nerts on your next date night at home.
2. Fancy take out.
Kick off your shoes after a long day at work and order in! To make it feel extra fancy, take the food out of the to-go boxes and serve it on your best dinnerware.
Pour some wine and ask each other about the highs and lows of the day.
3. YouTube dance lessons.
We love country swing dancing, and all of our moves are self taught thanks to YouTube videos. You can take this as silly or as seriously as you want to. Either way, have fun with it!
4. Look through old photos.
Staying in offers a chance to reconnect in a way that’d be tough to do while out in public. So use this to your advantage, and cuddle up on the couch together to look through old photos from your relationship over the years.
Here’s the first photo Mike and I ever took together back in 2008. We look like babies!
5. Cook a new dish together.
Even if you cook at home most nights of the week, you can still give it a date vibe by trying out a new recipe and being more intentional about it.
Mike cooks the majority of our meals, but I love spending time with him in the kitchen while he cooks. And he says having the company makes preparing the meals that much sweeter. (I know, I really lucked out in the hubby department 😉 )
6. Build a fort & binge-watch a new show.
Take your Netflix and chill nights to a whole new level by building a fort to watch your shows in! Make it extra cozy by stringing lights inside and make it overflowing with pillows and fluffy blankets.
We love finding new shows, and one of our favorites is The Blacklist. It’s a little dark at some parts, but it’s really good! For a laugh, we love New Girl. It’s an old favorite, but the way the characters playfully banter and get along makes it an easy show to watch.
Fun fact: Mike and I actually did this when we were dating in college. He of course took it to a whole other level and built a frame for the fort out of boards, ha! We watched almost an entire season of Dexter in that fort.
7. Plan a trip.
Create a list specifically of the places you’d like to travel in the future. Take it to the next level and consider planning out the vacation for fun. Look up cute Airbnbs in the area and peruse the menus of local restaurants.
8. “Go” to a comedy show.
If you’re into stand-up comedy, this one’s for you. Grab your snacks and a bottle of wine and discover some new comedians from home. Netflix has a bunch of stand up comedy shows available, and there’s also quite a few comedians on YouTube.
Our favorites? Chris D’Elia and Ron White always give us a good laugh! Brian Regan is a great option if you’re looking for something a little more clean but equally hilarious.
I hope you found these at home date night ideas helpful.
Next time you’re needing some quality time with your significant other, get creative and come up with a fun one-on-one activity you can do at home!
Tip: Whether your cozy night at home consists of starting a puzzle, trying a new recipe, or simply watching a movie, decide on your activity BEFORE you’re in the middle of your date. You could even leave a love note next to your spouse’s phone in the morning with a hint about your date later on. Build it up for them as something they can look forward to throughout their work day!
Now go light some candles, turn on the tunes and grab a bottle of Decoy so you can WFH (wine from home) in style with your favorite person. 😊
Also be sure to follow @decoywine on Instagram and #ElevateWithDecoy!
What are some of your favorite ways to spend a date night at home? Leave a comment below, I’d love to hear your ideas!
