12 At-home Date Night Ideas

Before you peruse our list of date night ideas, consider these helpful tips to get planning:

Read on for 12 at-home date night ideas.

Break out your tent and sleeping bags and set up a "cozy cave" base camp to play video games or watch movies together. No camping equipment? Totally fine. Get creative and build a fort out of couch cushions, pillows and blankets. Set a more romantic mood by dimming the lights, stoking a cozy fire and lighting candles. Add even more ambiance with an indoor picnic and late-night ghost stories.

A movie night is one of the more relaxing at-home date ideas and it can be the perfect end to a busy week. The nice part about this fun date is there's no dress code, no lines to grab snacks at the concession stand, and no annoying patron talking during the film — unless it's your significant other, and in that case, you can always hit pause or rewind. Grab the remote, queue up a movie marathon, and sit back and enjoy your popcorn and ice cream sundaes.

A crowded bar can be a fun place to meet people, but it's not always the most intimate atmosphere to share a conversation with your person. But you can still have drinking date nights at home. Plan a private beer or wine tasting or learn how to make your favorite cocktails. Or why not go old school and make up your own drinking game? Let the shenanigans begin.

There's an old Latin proverb that roughly translates to "in wine, there's truth." Yet, you could also argue that wine can also contain a lot of laughs and inebriated artistic abilities. All that is to say you can plan a "wine and paint night" to get your and your partner's creative ideas flowing.

Everyone communicates differently, but when a couple has been together a long time, it can be a challenge to appreciate those unique distinctions. This romantic date night idea encourages each person to learn about themselves and their partner's needs. Although this date doesn't seem as fun as an indoor picnic or an all-you-can-eat ice cream bar, the takeaways from learning each other's love languages will pay dividends in strengthening your relationship long term.

It's too easy on a Friday night to order a pie from your local pizza joint. But for a healthy date idea, use your quality time together to learn new recipes. Expand your healthy foodie horizons and eat dishes from your favorite food destinations right from the comfort of your own house. You can go big and indulge in homemade pasta, sushi or baked goods, or just stick to the healthy stuff.

Making plans can seem like a tedious task since life is already so busy, but sharing each other's dreams, hopes and ambitions can be a simple way to get on the same page and improve meaningful communication. Dream big or start discussions on a simple DIY project like a vision board. Each person can add a picture of their dream house, perfect job or their bucket list vacation destinations.

First-date and double-date ideas require an element of excitement and interaction to break the ice and get conversations going. That's why playing games is an excellent go-to for new couples or a friend hoping to bring their new love interest into the group. Competitive group games also reveal hidden quirks and human nature, and can provide you with a good sense of who someone is by the way they win and lose in Monopoly.

Warm up the controllers for a one-on-one game night in front of the big screen. Playing video games is a perfect mix of relaxation and competitive fun, making it an excellent alternative to a movie date night. Even if your partner has never played video games, it can be so much fun teaching them the simpler 8-bit classics. A fun date night filled with competition and collaboration might be exactly what your partner needs.

There is nothing that says, "I love you," like planning a home spa date for your partner, complete with a bubble bath, scented candles and one of their favorite treats in hand. Bonus points for adding a few cucumber slices, face masks and some smooth jazz background music to this thoughtful at-home date night idea.

Spending time outside will not only give you both a breath of fresh air, but it will also give you joy in sharing the wonders of the night sky. Buy a telescope, learn the constellations and make a wish together on a shooting star. If it's a special occasion, you can go a step further and express your infinite love by going online and naming one of those beautiful stars after your forever person.

Pop the bubbly, light candles, run the bubble bath, and enjoy the luxury of a five-star resort from the comfort of your own home. In contrast to other at-home date ideas, this one might not be completely free, but a few cozy robes and rose petals can go a long way in letting your significant other know that they deserve the best. A quiet, simple evening with a few lush touches will set the mood for spending time talking into the late hours of the night.