The 30+ Best Creative Indoor Date Ideas to Try with Your Partner

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Indoor date suggestions to turn a dreary day into a memorable date night

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1 Have a bake-off with your date.

2 Make a home photo booth.

3 Eat a gourmet dinner.

4 Have a video game marathon.

5 Go camping indoors.

6 Plan a couples’ vacation.

7 Have a wine and painting night.

8 Go indoor rock climbing.

9 Take personality tests.

10 Stream a live concert.

11 Have a DIY spa day.

12 Host your own happy hour.

13 Go bowling together.

14 Create a sundae bar at home.

15 Redecorate your home.

16 Go ice skating.

17 Visit an escape room.

18 Take dance lessons.

19 Plan a hotel date night.

20 Visit a museum or aquarium.

21 Play “Would You Rather?”

22 Create a couples’ bucket list.

23 Recreate a favorite date.

24 Make a scrapbook.

25 Read a book together.

26 Go shopping.

27 Sing at a karaoke bar.

28 Tour a winery or distillery.

29 Go indoor skydiving.

30 Watch your favorite childhood movies.

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Co-authored by Lauren Sanders and Glenn Carreau

Last Updated: February 14, 2025 Fact Checked

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Is bad weather making a special outdoor date out of the question? That doesn’t mean you need to cancel date night! There are plenty of fun indoor activities you and your partner can do to enjoy a romantic moment together—but if you need a little inspiration, we’re here to help. Read on for a detailed list of indoor date ideas for any occasion, whether you’re looking for a quiet day at home or an exciting night on the town.

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1

Have a bake-off with your date.

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1. 
   Compete to see which of you can make the tastiest dessert. Are you a fan of programs like The Great British Baking Show? If so, then why not create your own little baking competition at home? Pick a gourmet dessert you’d like to try and make—and have your partner do the same. Then, prepare your desserts and sample them at the end to see who wins the competition. Either way, you get dessert; it’s a win-win!

   • You could even do a themed competition (like “make a fruit pie” or “create an ice cream cake”) rather than just picking desserts totally randomly.
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2

Make a home photo booth.

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1. 
   Snap some photos you and your partner can look back on for years. Prepare a dynamic background for your photos by decorating a blank wall with a colorful photoshoot backdrop. Then, attach your phone to a tripod with a ring light and take a bunch of silly, romantic photos with your partner.

   • If you like how the photos turn out, you can also get them printed and framed as a memento of your date.

3

Eat a gourmet dinner.

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1. Work together with your partner to prepare (and enjoy) a 5-star meal. There’s something really satisfying about a fancy dinner you’ve prepared with your own two hands. Rather than simply eating out at a restaurant for your date, why not prepare restaurant-quality food at home with your partner? Pick a meal you’d both like to make, and spend an evening cooking (and later eating) together.
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4

Have a video game marathon.

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1. 
   Play your favorite games together or compete in a multiplayer game. Do you and your partner both enjoy video games? In that case, spend a day introducing each other to your favorite games, showing one another how to play (and win) each one. On the other hand, if you like competitive activities, play a multiplayer game like Mario Kart 8 and see which of you comes out on top!

5

Go camping indoors.

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1. 
   Cuddle up inside a makeshift tent and swap stories all night. Even if going outdoors isn’t ideal at the moment, who says you can’t still go camping? Set up a blanket fort inside your home, with plenty of blankets and pillows inside the fort for you and your partner to lie on. Then, spend the night chatting, cuddling, eating your favorite snacks, and telling ghost stories—just like you would while camping outside!
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6

Plan a couples’ vacation.

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1. 
   Choose a romantic destination and all the activities you’ll do together. Sit down with your partner and plan out where you’re going, when you’ll go on vacation, where you want to stay, and what you want to do while you’re there. Put together a complete plan for your vacation, however imminent or far-off it might be, and create a budget so you and your partner can start saving for it right away!

   • Planning a trip for another day might not seem super romantic, but you might be surprised by how much fun it is to daydream and talk about all the places you want to see with your partner.

7

Have a wine and painting night.

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1. 
   Drink good wine and make handpainted art alongside your partner. Pick up some acrylic paints (or watercolor paints, if you prefer) and paper, and a couple of bottles of your favorite wine. Then, spend an evening sipping wine while you and your partner paint whatever comes into your mind! At the end of the night, take a look at your paintings side-by-side—and if you like, frame and hang them once they’re dry.
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8

Go indoor rock climbing.

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1. 
   See how far up the rock wall you and your date can climb! If neither of you mind working up a sweat, why not do indoor rock climbing for your date? It’s fun and exhilarating, and you can even make a friendly competition out of seeing how high each of you can climb. Plus, if you manage to scale the majority of the rock wall, you might also end up impressing your date!

   • “To make a night of it, grab dinner or get drinks afterward, and decompress after all that intensive rock climbing.

9

Take personality tests.

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1. 
   Quizzes can help you each get to know each other a little better. Do you know your Myers-Briggs personality type? How about your love language? Just as importantly, do you know your partner’s personality type and love language? Not only is taking quizzes a fun thing to do together, but it can help you understand each other—and, potentially, your needs in the relationship—better.

   • For example, you might discover that your love language is words of affirmation, while your partner’s is acts of service.
   • That means your partner might want to work on verbalizing their feelings for you more often, and you might figure out a few ways you can actively show your partner just how much you care.
   • There are tons of quizzes out there to try! For example, you could also find out what vibe you give off, or discover your temperament.
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10

Stream a live concert.

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1. 
   Enjoy a livestream (new or old) of your favorite band with your date. Even if you can’t go out to a concert in person, plenty of artists and venues stream performances nowadays! Search for a recorded concert you’d love to see, whether it’s an upcoming livestream or an old stream you can access online, and watch it with your partner. Be sure to prepare drinks and a few snacks to enjoy while you watch!

   • Of course, you can also grab tickets for an upcoming concert at an indoor venue or look for restaurants and bars that feature indoor seating and live music.

11

Have a DIY spa day.

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1. 
   Set up your favorite spa treatments at home and unwind together. Wrap yourselves in fluffy bath robes, put on masks (complete with cucumber slices over your eyes), and take turns giving each other massages when you turn your date into a DIY spa experience. You could even take a romantic bubble bath together, with scented bath oils to make it a truly luxurious experience.
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12

Host your own happy hour.

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1. 
   Find out whether you or your date is the more talented mixologist. Rather than heading out to a bar, stock up on liquors and mixers at home and have a little drink-making competition with your partner. Have each of you try to make a delicious cocktail and sample both cocktails after to see who made the better drink. You can also do several rounds of this together and see which of you wins the most rounds overall!

13

Go bowling together.

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1. 
   Hit up a bowling lane for some gentle competition and plenty of fun. If you’re ever running low on indoor date ideas, bowling is a simple, classic, yet exciting activity for you and your partner. Visit a local bowling alley and spend an afternoon or evening seeing which of you can bowl the most strikes and rack up the higher score. Most bowling allies also have food, so settle in and enjoy a snack or dinner there as well!
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14

Create a sundae bar at home.

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1. 
   Set up several different toppings and create decadent sundaes together. Indulge your love of ice cream by creating a DIY sundae bar at home. Pick out a few different flavors of ice cream (ideally flavors that both of you like) and a bunch of toppings, like sprinkles, hot fudge, gummy bears, fruit, brownie bites, and so on. Then, make custom sundaes with your partner—and eat them together to complete the date!

15

Redecorate your home.

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1. 
   Ask your date for decorating tips and give your home a fresh look. Have you been dying to redecorate a room in your home lately? Well, your partner is the perfect person to help you do it! Try rearranging the furniture, shopping online for new decor, and getting rid of things you don’t want anymore to breathe new life into your home. Plus, you'll think of your partner whenever you're in your newly redecorated space.
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16

Go ice skating.

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1. 
   Skate across an indoor rink with your date (and see who falls the least!) Ice skating can be the perfect winter activity that doesn't involve being out in the freezing snow. It’s also lots of fun, whether you already know how to ice skate or you’re a total beginner. Don’t be afraid to fall down or look a little silly as you get used to being out on the ice, and enjoy a day of skating with your partner.

   • Top off your romantic date by grabbing some hot chocolate (or another warm drink, like tea or coffee) afterward.

17

Visit an escape room.

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1. 
   Test your problem-solving skills with a series of riddles and puzzles. Do you and your partner absolutely love mysteries and puzzles? Then an escape room might be the date for you. Book a session at a local escape room—and if you get a choice of theme, be sure to pick the escape room theme that appeals most to both of you. Then, see if you and your partner can escape before your time ends!
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18

Take dance lessons.

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1. 
   Learn to tango, swing, do ballroom dance, and more with your partner. Dancing is a truly romantic activity, and it’s also just a fun way to break a sweat! If you want to do something active with your date, why not take a dance lesson? Search for lessons at local fitness centers and dance studios, pick a dance you’d both like to learn and spend a couple of dates learning new moves with your partner.

19

Plan a hotel date night.

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1. 
   Spend one memorable night relaxing at a fancy hotel. Want a quick getaway without spending an arm and a leg on a full-blown vacation? No problem! Book a room at a nearby hotel and spend the night with your date, pampering one another and enjoying all the amenities your hotel offers. Go swimming in the hotel’s pool, eat in the on-site restaurant, or cuddle up in the hotel room and order room service.
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20

Visit a museum or aquarium.

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1. 
   Spend an afternoon exploring the different exhibits with your date. Are you craving a little culture or an experience that’s as educational as it is fun? You might enjoy a museum date! Head over to a local museum that interests you, whether it features exhibits on art, natural history, technology, and so on. Alternatively, if you like more lively exhibits, head to an aquarium for an enthralling display of marine creatures.

   • You could also visit the museum or aquarium gift shop afterward. You and your partner could even make a game out of it and get one another something to remember the date by.

21

Play “Would You Rather?”

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1. 
   Learn more about each other while playing a classic party game. The rules of the game are simple: just take turns asking “Would you rather?” questions that involve two different options for the other person to choose between. Have fun asking your partner anything from more practical relationship questions to the absolute wackiest questions you can think of. Either way, you’ll learn something new about them!

   • Would you rather hear good news or bad news first?
   • Would you rather ask for help or work on something by yourself?
   • Would you rather be filthy rich living 400 years ago, or poor but living today?
   • Would you rather be able to breathe underwater, or fly?
   • Would you rather live where it’s always cold, or live where it’s always hot?
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22

Create a couples’ bucket list.

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1. 
   Make a list of all the things you dream of doing together in life. Grab a piece of paper (or pull up a computer) and write out activities you want to do with your partner, sights you want to see, and goals you have for the relationship. Creating a bucket list with your partner is a great way to start thinking about your future as a couple! You and your partner may even learn something new about one another in the process.

23

Recreate a favorite date.

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1. 
   Show off your romantic side with an at-home version of an old date. A dash of nostalgia can make a regular date feel super special! Find ways to recreate a treasured memory at home with your partner, whether you order takeout from the same restaurant you visited on your first date or invite your partner to dance to the same song that was playing when you first met.
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24

Make a scrapbook.

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1. 
   Preserve your favorite memories together in a homemade scrapbook. Want something that you can look at and remember not only this date, but every special moment you’ve had with your partner? Then make a scrapbook! Pick up a scrapbooking kit, print out your favorite photos of the two of you, and spend an afternoon putting a custom scrapbook together.

25

Read a book together.

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1. 
   Choose a book you’re both interested in and read out loud to one another. Curl up on the couch (or in bed) with your partner, and make sure you have two things: a good book and plenty of soft blankets! Once you’re both comfortable, take turns reading aloud to one another from the book. You could even discuss the book with your partner after you finish reading.

   • Of course, this doesn’t have to be a one-time event. If you and your partner find reading books together is a fun way to spend quality time together, you could even form your own little book club!
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26

Go shopping.

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1. 
   Shop for something fun that both of you can enjoy together. In fact, the shopping trip could be part 1 of your date—and part 2 could be enjoying whatever the two of you decide to buy. You could buy a new board game, head to a bookstore and find an intriguing novel to read together, or go to a market with food and drinks from other countries and put together a scrumptious indoor picnic for you and your partner.

   • Stuck at home? That’s what online shopping is for! Pull up your computer and peruse a few online shops with your partner instead.

27

Sing at a karaoke bar.

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1. 
   Belt out all of your favorite songs alongside your date. What’s more romantic than singing love songs to one another—or better yet, going up on stage and doing a duet? Karaoke is goofy and fun, and it doesn’t matter how good or bad of a singer you all; it’s all about being brave and singing with every fiber of your being! Bring your partner to a karaoke bar for a date full of drinks, laughter, and music.

   • If you prefer to sing without a big audience, you could also find a karaoke venue that rents out private rooms for you and your date.
   • Alternatively, if you’re looking to save money, you could always just do karaoke at home! Queue up a playlist of karaoke songs on Spotify or Youtube and mix some drinks, so it’s like you two are at a bar together.
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28

Tour a winery or distillery.

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1. 
   Spend an afternoon discovering your new favorite new wines or beers. Are you and your date total liquor connoisseurs? Discover a new favorite wine by attending a tasting at a local winery—or, if you’re more of a beer person, visit a distillery to sample different beers and see how it’s all made. Plus, you and your date might be able to bring some of your favorite liquor home to enjoy on a future date!

29

Go indoor skydiving.

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1. 
   Get a thrilling adrenaline rush as you bond with your date. Do you love high-intensity activities that really get your blood pumping? Indoor skydiving is fun, safe, and super exciting! If you and your partner are both adrenaline junkies, make a few treasured memories and test one anothers’ nerves of steel by going indoor skydiving on your date.
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30

Watch your favorite childhood movies.

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1. 
   Make a simple movie night feel special with nostalgic films you both love. Does the classic “dinner and a movie” date idea feel overdone? That’s okay! You might find that watching a movie near and dear to your heart makes the date more memorable and special. Gather a bunch of your favorite movie snacks and cuddle up with your partner as you watch movies that each of you loved as children.

   • If you each have a movie that you really love, why not make it a double feature? If you have plenty of time, you could make it a movie marathon and watch several old favorites.
   • Reader Poll: We asked 620 wikiHow readers about their favorite date night activity, and 66% agreed that if you’re hanging out at home, the most romantic thing you can do together is cuddle and watch a movie. [Take Poll]
   • For even more ideas from real readers, check out wikiHow's "Best Indoor Date Ideas" forum!

Join the Discussion...

Best indoor date ideas?

WikiMistWhisperer229

I feel like we always default to going out to eat or doing some shopping when we go out, and it's kinda getting a little stale tbh. Aren't there exciting things we could do inside that actually get us talking or having fun? I'd love to hear your pitches.

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Shana Tibi
Certified Professional Matchmaker

Depending on the season and where you live, you can have some great indoor dates! Throughout the nation, cute concept cafes are popping up like capybara or cat cafes. If you like animals and want to interact with interact with furry friends, take to your favorite search engine and see where’s there’s one near you. Other indoor date ideas are open mic night events, comedy shows, trivia nights, or something with an activity like billiards, darts, shuffleboard, indoor golf, or cards/ board games.

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Anonymous WikiFerret

If you’re looking to spice things up with indoor date ideas, there are definitely some fun options beyond just eating out or shopping. You could try a game night, especially if you’re both into gaming—playing PC games together could spark some fun competition and conversation. If you’re feeling crafty, you might enjoy working on a DIY project together, whether it's painting, building something, or making personalized decor. Another cool idea is to challenge each other in the kitchen with a cooking or baking competition, or even set up an indoor picnic with snacks, blankets, and maybe some music. If you like puzzles, trivia, or escape room games, those are great ways to have fun and work together. For a chill night, you could have a themed movie marathon with some interactive challenges, or explore a virtual tour of a museum or historical site. There’s a lot you can do indoors that will help you connect and keep things exciting!

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• Question

  How can I make my date night special?

  

  Lauren Sanders
  Matchmaker & Dating Coach

  Lauren Sanders is a Professional Matchmaker, Dating Coach, and the Founder of Dating for the Soul. With over four years of experience, she specializes in helping singles find love. Lauren is also the author of Lipstick Faith: A Collection of Inspirational Writings and Life Lessons, You Deserve the World, Rainbows and Strawberries: 100 Devotions for the Brighter Side of Life, and Let's Go Outside Mommy. Lauren holds BS from Dillard University and a Masters from The University of North Georgia.

  

  Lauren Sanders

  Matchmaker & Dating Coach

  Expert Answer

  Purchase couple cards and ask each other intimate and/or steamy questions. You could also set up an outdoor movie theater in your backyard or garage via an at-home projector and screen, camp outside in your backyard and cook dinner over a campfire, create vision boards together (which includes cutting things out of magazines and gluing them to a poster board), and/or opt to do roleplay for the night (it doesn't have to be sexual).

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