Disclosure: This post may be sponsored and/or contain affiliate links. Meaning, I get a commission if you purchase through my links at no additional cost to you. Thank you!
If you’re reading this it’s because you’re either tired of doing the same old thing every Valentine’s Day, or you do the same thing every date night, regardless if it’s for Valentine’s Day or not. When you plan on spending a lifetime with someone, that’ll get old quick!
There’s so much you could be doing with the love of your life but you’re too busy… so you settle for simple: dinner and a movie (mostly because it’s easy or you forgot to plan something smh).
Stop waiting ‘til the last minute to plan and stop going the easy route. Put some effort into planning a real date where you guys can be more intimate, have some fun, and grow closer through your new experiences!
Check out these 15 out-of-the-box date night ideas that you may have never thought of:
- Private Chef at Home
Ladies (and select gentlemen), it’s time to take the night off from cooking and be served a gourmet meal in your humble abode. Splurge for a romantic dinner prepped and cooked in your home by a private chef!
We’re actually having a private chef come to our house for Valentine’s Day this year and we. are. PUMPED! He’s a Michelin-star chef and travels to other restaurants to continue to elevate his skills and based on his reviews, it is worth it (at least once in your lifetime because it’s not cheap).
He curates a menu (pre-approved by you) of at least 6 courses and sets the vibe for the evening with table set-up and printed menus included!
This may not be offered with every private chef but do your research and see what you can find locally and what chef fits your style. For example, do they have a set menu or do they take your preferences into account and design on the fly?
I personally would rather the chef be creative than have a set menu but it’s all up to you. If you’ve always wanted to try something unique, like caviar or bone marrow, this is your chance to try it!
Side note: If you want a sneak peek into what your evening may look like, make sure you follow @CloudGoodVibes on Instagram for the pictures and videos.
- Cooking Class
I know this is a bit outside of a lot of people’s boxes especially if you don’t do the cooking in the household (I f***ing wish haha), but don’t let it scare you away. Your cooking teacher will hold your hand and you may even leave the place with not only having learned a new recipe and a new skill but also…leftovers (tempting right?)!
You can learn how to bake a simple pastry or how to make your own pasta, just be prepared to get a little messy because mistakes are bound to happen!
Research some local cooking classes or take a look on Groupon for deals as they always offer discount cooking classes for at least 2 people (perfect for date night).
- Roleplay & “Pick Each Other Up”
Keep your relationship alive by being different people!
I don’t know about you but Mike and I have always wanted to roleplay and that’s definitely on the list for 2023 (mark my words). It can be as easy as going out for a normal date night and taking a seat at the bar or planning an intricate night where you may throw a wig on and dress like the femme fatale you were always destined to be (yassss haha)!
Create a whole new persona, give her a look, give her a name, and have your partner do the same! Pick a time and place to meet in advance and keep the mystery by not seeing each other the entire day until the date!
Be whatever alter ego you want to be and roll with whatever your partner throws at you because that’s all a part of the fun. If you guys really enjoy it, you can bring out your alter egos and continue their stories whenever you need to add a little spice to the night!
- Helicopter Ride or Dinner in the Sky
Get a bird’s eye view of your city or an entirely new city and see a plethora of historic sites in one sitting. Especially in New York, where you can view the whole city skyline like never before!
It’s super romantic and a great experience to have as a couple, even more so if you’re the kind of couple that loves to try new things and check off some adventurous, bucket list items that you’ve always wanted to do.
If you’re feeling even more adventurous, catapult yourself into the sky but enjoy dinner, also! “Dinner in the Sky” is exactly what the title implies: you eat an extravagant meal almost 200 feet in the air. They strap you into a harness and dinner will proceed as they carry you into the sky much like those giant drop rides (minus the drop though!).
Enjoy the chef and the music around you as you will be so focused on the experience and how incredible it is, rather than the fact that you may be looking down over a whole city or a large body of water for a prolonged period (just a heads up)!
You can attend a hosted event for date night when they’re in your town (they operate in over 60 countries and stay for about a month in each location) or if you’re feeling like a rich b****, you can arrange for your own event, like a business meeting (22 people max) or getting married in the sky!
Catering and venue location won’t be included, but they will help you in securing a location. Just be mindful to schedule a chef who is comfortable with heights in advance.
- Romantic Dinner Cruise
If you live by the water and are very scared of heights, go out for a romantic dinner cruise!
Who doesn’t love being on the water? I know that’s our favorite thing to do when we have nice weather and just being at peace with the sounds of the waves…it just doesn’t get any better than that (#TheSimpleThings)!
For me, there’s dinner cruises offered on Long Island but we also have some in NYC where you can go past the Statue of Liberty and enjoy the city skyline with a multi-course dinner. Some dinner cruises also offer dinner and dancing, so you get a 2-for-1 deal and the night of your life!
- Wine Making Experience
Who doesn’t love a good glass of wine?
How about some that you made yourself?
A wine making experience is kind of multiple dates in one because it’s not just a one and done process. The winemakers teach you how to make wine from start to finish: from crushing grapes, de-stemming, wine pressing, and bottling. You first go in and learn how to crush and de-stem your grapes and prepare them for the fermentation process. After that, you come back a week later to press the grapes to be aged in their own barrels!
Within a few months, your wine will be ready to be racked and removed from the barrel to mature some more (and to taste test). Then once it has been aged to perfection, it will be filtered, bottled, corked, and sealed!
The winemaking classes near me let’s you craft a whole barrel (around 240 bottles) of your own personal wine and custom wine labels (I’m pretty sure most places do this)!
Now, you have a literal “house wine” to serve to your guests at home, how sick is that?
- Tour a Winery/Brewery/Growhouse
Wine is always romantic, whether you’re making your own blend or not, so why not go on a wine tour?
You can think of it as a classier or more elevated way to get drunk with your person :).
Every tour I’ve ever been to whether wine, beer, or rum has always offered a tasting (free alcohol? Yes, please!). They take you on a tour of the facility and show you the ins and outs of how they make their alcohol and why they’re the best (everyone will claim this so just run with it lol). Afterwards, you head over to the gift shop and purchase your souvenirs and favorite blends that you may have tasted during the tour!
If you’re not drinkers and may be more of a “stoner” couple (hey, it’s 2023, let’s start talking about it), try your hand at touring a cannabis farm or grow house for an out-of-this-world experience (if your state is legal, obviously)!
- Take a Tropical Vacation
Going on vacation is always, always, always a prime choice especially where it’s warm!
What girl doesn’t want to be whisked away to a beach and be greeted with a margarita upon arrival? (I’ll take two, thank you!).
You both are bound to need a vacation away from the cold (if you live in the Northeast like me) so, plan this vacay in advance or book your accommodations in the spur of the moment for a true surprise for your love!
Side note: If you’re truly looking for an adventure, book excursions ahead of time so you don’t have to worry about them filling up and you have some activities to look forward to before arrival, like horseback riding in the ocean or jet skiing!
- Go on a Snowy Escape for the Weekend
For those who’ve never seen snow or those that just want to go on a getaway in the mountains, plan a snowy escape at a ski resort for the weekend!
Living in NY, there’s never a shortage of ski resorts or any resort where you can do winter sports. Don’t let “ski resort” scare you off either if you’re not into skiing/snowboarding (or have never done it before), if you don’t want to ski it’s not a requirement but you should definitely try as every resort has a teacher nearby.
There are plenty of other activities that are offered for any type of traveler to enjoy their time, like snow tubing, sleigh rides, ice skating rinks, snowmobile tours, and yoga!
This date gives you the excuse to cuddle and warm each other up as much as you want. Grab some hot chocolate and a place in front of the fireplace while you’re at it, too! It doesn’t get any better than this.
- Take a Staycation and Explore Your City
Are you one of those people who live in a “tourist-y” area and have never explored the area yourself? SAME!
Up until recently when I explored one of the greatest shopping districts in the US (and maybe the world?) when I spent the weekend in NYC for my 28th birthday!
I’ve lived all over New York, born and raised, from Queens to upstate and everything in between but I had never been to SoHo. I’ve been to Harlem, spent some time on 34th Street and 42nd, but never SoHo. So, we did! And it was one of the best staycations I’ve ever had: from the hotel to the food and the entertainment available at every end. It was definitely worth a rating of 5/5.
Take a chance on your own popular city or your hometown and explore some of the trendy restaurants and activities in your area, like a hidden speakeasy!
Check out this post of my weekend itinerary in SoHo for more details!
- Drive-In Movie
Yes, there are still some drive-in theaters where you can literally drive in and watch the big screen movie from your car (and not just the classics, either)!
If you search for drive-ins near you, you may find a drive-in or a rooftop movie venue to watch movies in an “out of the norm” setting.
There’s one cinema company on Long Island that you can schedule to setup an event for you, movie screen and equipment rentals provided, anywhere you want! That includes your backyard, a park, a school, anywhere! They also have technician that will be on-site to manage all the logistics, so you can sit back and relax.
If you can’t find an actual “drive-in” and don’t want to host your own, there are outdoor movie events where you can still watch a movie outside but not necessarily in your car. You can walk to the outdoor theater, find a spot on the ground, claim your space, and enjoy the movie!
This is also the perfect opportunity to create an intimate picnic date because we all get a little snacky during a movie (lol). So, bring a few blankets and your favorite snacks for a more elevated, nostalgic Netflix and chill.
- Laugh You’re A** Off at a Comedy Show
Enjoying a good, hearty laugh with your significant other is bound to lighten the mood and make way for an evening of lighthearted fun!
This is also the perfect date for those circumstances where it may be a blind date or your first date; no awkward silences over here!
Fun fact: Laughing is known to be a huge calorie burner and stress relief but it also aids in building upon relationships with your loved ones. Those who laugh together, stay together (at least in my opinion, you should always be laughing together)!
Check out a local comedy club or show near you for some good old chuckles and a good mood for ya both!
- Paint-N-Sip
I feel like Paint-N-Sip has this stigma of being a “girl’s night out” thing, or specifically for women. It’s not!
Sure, you can get drunk and paint some pretty pictures with your girls for Galentine’s but don’t look over bonding with your partner at a Paint Nite! It doesn’t matter how artistic you are or if you think your art is going to look sub-par (so what if it does?). The host will walk you through the painting process and it’s all about getting out of the house and enjoying an interactive date night together!
If you or your partner don’t really feel like going to a paint event but are still open to the idea of a paint night, buy a kit and stay in the comforts of your home!
- A Night Out Dancing
I know this is out of a little of people’s comfort zone but isn’t that the point?
Experience something new in your life and go take a spin in your favorite dancing shoes (or any spicy pair of shoes will do)!
Learn some traditional dances, like the Waltz, or try out a more, sensual dance that you’ve always wanted to, like salsa or the tango (ugh, I would love to do the tango at my wedding but my man is a little rhythmically challenged and we don’t have much time haha #LoveYou)!
Start by taking one dance lesson, just go with the flow and see how it goes!
- Relaxing Spa Day (You Both Deserve It!)
Pamper yourself and your partner with a day at a luxurious spa!
Mike and I did this last year and it was such a relaxing day for us to unwind and really enjoy each other’s company. We’ve always been “pamper people” and love massages so this was a homerun experience for us!
You can go to any spa or popular spa clubs like, Spa Castle, in NYC that plenty of my friends have frequented but we went to another luxe spa, SoJo Spa Club in NJ.
I’ve gone to this spa once before for a bachelorette and I had an amazing time. It’s like a rejuvenation amusement park with plenty of rides for the spa enthusiast (no joke!). There’s a bunch of activities included with your admission that you don’t even have to pay for the extras, like massages, if you don’t want to.
I knew it was the perfect vibe for myself and my boo. We spent plenty of time in all of their saunas as they have about 10. They are at different temperatures and each room holds a different health benefit (charcoal, red/white clay, and even an ice room for cryotherapy!). They also have hotbeds, a gym, bath houses, rooftop infinity pool, and a food hall to refuel whenever you want.
If you don’t get a chance to explore everything and want to extend your stay, hop on over to their tranquil, boutique hotel! #TreatYourself
Date night doesn’t have to be boring or stressful, it just takes a little extra effort to research and plan a romantic evening that’ll really bring you and your love closer together.
Try making Valentine’s Day a day dedicated to growing as a couple and growing individually. New experiences will only inspire your love and provide more opportunities to speak your love languages in new ways! Indulge and go the extra mile for your upcoming date nights if you don’t usually do. 🙂
What was the best date you’ve ever been on? What’s something wild you’ve always wanted to do on a date? Let me know in the comments!
Leave a Reply