100 Date Night Ideas

Keeping your relationship with your wife strong is one of your most important roles as a father and husband. There are tons of other things tugging at your attention but we must fight as men to stay actively engaged with our wives. I like to call this dating your wife.

As men, we need to continue to put our best foot forward even (and especially) after we are married. The Bible says that our wives should look like a well-watered vine. Funny analogy but you get the point. This cannot happen without constant attention and care.

Daily check-ins are going to be essential to keep your marriage strong. My wife and I put our kids down around 7 every night so that we can have a few hours to ourselves to catch up and reconnect. If this doesn’t happen, we end up going on auto-pilot and start to feel distant. We must fight for intimacy and to not fall into the roommate mentality.

Weekly date nights are going to be another staple in a healthy marriage. Long, unhurried times where you get to sit and talk are like a breath of fresh air for a relationship. If you don’t have grandparents in town then you’ll have to figure something else out. You can trade childcare with other friends, alternating weeks or you can hire a local teenager. You can also do a date night at home after the kids are in bed. Make a tea and sit on the porch for a longer than normal check-in.

During your weekly date night it is important to unwind and have fun but also come with some vision and curiosity. Ask bigger life questions about how your wife is seeing life and understanding her role. Ask her about her dreams and struggles. Talk about different things you have been learning and thinking about. This is a good opportunity to go deep and dig into the meaningful aspects of life.

A yearly overnight trip with your wife may not be feasible at this stage in your life but it is something that you should plan and budget for. Just a night away without kids will do wonders for your marriage. Plan it in advance and look forward to it. It can be as simple as a night away at a nice hotel in the big city. Take some time to think over the details; get a dinner reservation, buy flowers, plan an experience.

If you’ve been on cruise control in your marriage, take this as a sign to kick things into gear. Put some creative energy into your marriage and get after it. I’ve listed some date ideas below so you’ll have no excuses!

Here are some ideas to get your creativity rolling:

1. Picnic in the park
2. Movie night at home with a homemade dinner
3. Take a cooking class together
4. Visit a local art gallery
5. Go hiking and have a picnic at the top
6. Have a game night with board games or video games
7. Visit a nearby beach and watch the sunset
8. Take a scenic drive to a nearby town or city
9. Go on a bike ride together
10. Have a DIY spa day at home
11. Attend a local live music performance or concert
12. Go ice skating at a local rink
13. Take a dance class together
14. Visit a local farmer’s market and cook a meal with the fresh ingredients
15. Have a movie marathon of your favorite films
16. Go wine tasting at a local vineyard or winery
17. Take a scenic walk in a botanical garden or nature reserve
18. Go kayaking or paddleboarding on a nearby lake or river
19. Visit a local museum and learn about art, history, or science
20. Have a themed dinner night where you both dress up and cook cuisine from a specific country
21. Go on a mini road trip to explore a new town or city
22. Have a bonfire and make s’mores
23. Take a yoga or meditation class together
24. Go on a hot air balloon ride
25. Volunteer together at a local charity or organization
26. Take a photography walk and capture beautiful moments together
27. Go camping and stargaze at night
28. Attend a comedy show or improv performance
29. Take a pottery or ceramics class
30. Explore a local flea market or antique shop
31. Have a karaoke night at home or at a local bar
32. Go on a ghost tour or visit a haunted location
33. Have a DIY paint night at home
34. Visit a nearby amusement park or fair
35. Take a scenic train ride
36. Go horseback riding
37. Take a brewery or distillery tour
38. Attend a sports game or watch it together at a sports bar
39. Have a picnic and fly kites in a wide-open field
40. Go on a sunset boat cruise
41. Take a scenic helicopter tour
42. Have a themed costume party at home
43. Visit an escape room and solve puzzles together
44. Go rock climbing or indoor bouldering
45. Take a cooking class focused on a specific cuisine you both love
46. Go strawberry picking at a local farm
47. Have a DIY wine and cheese tasting at home
48. Take a pottery or painting class
49. Go on a Segway tour of a nearby city
50. Attend a local festival or fair
51. Take a scenic hike to a waterfall
52. Have a picnic and fly a kite on the beach
53. Go snorkeling or scuba diving
54. Visit a nearby zoo or animal sanctuary
55. Take a swing dance or salsa class together
56. Explore a local botanical garden or arboretum
57. Go indoor skydiving
58. Take a scenic bike ride along a river or coastline
59. Have a DIY cocktail night and create your own signature drinks
60. Go on a food tour of a specific neighborhood or city
61. Visit a nearby aquarium and learn about marine life
62. Have a DIY home improvement project together
63. Go on a horse-drawn carriage ride
64. Take a pottery or ceramics painting class
65. Have a picnic and watch an outdoor movie
66. Go on a wine and cheese tasting tour

67. Take a scenic train ride through the countryside
68. Visit a nearby botanical garden and have a picnic among the flowers
69. Go on a guided historical walking tour of your city
70. Have a DIY pizza-making night at home
71. Go paddleboarding or kayaking at a nearby lake or river
72. Take a day trip to a nearby beach and build sandcastles
73. Attend a local theater production or musical
74. Explore a local farmers market and cook a meal together using fresh ingredients
75. Go on a photography expedition and capture beautiful moments in nature
76. Have a DIY candle-making session at home
77. Visit a local arcade and challenge each other to games
78. Take a scenic hot air balloon ride at sunrise or sunset
79. Go on a geocaching adventure and search for hidden treasures together
80. Attend a cooking workshop and learn to make a specific dish or cuisine
81. Have a DIY chocolate tasting at home, sampling various types and flavors
82. Take a painting class and create artworks together
83. Go on a wine and painting night at a local art studio
84. Volunteer at a local animal shelter and spend time with the animals
85. Have a DIY outdoor movie night in your backyard or a local park
86. Take a scenic helicopter tour of your city or the surrounding area
87. Go on a sunset sailing cruise and enjoy the view from the water
88. Visit a nearby historical site or landmark and learn about its significance
89. Have a DIY ice cream sundae bar at home, with various toppings and flavors
90. Go on a ghost tour of a haunted location in your city
91. Take a pottery wheel throwing class and create your own ceramic pieces
92. Have a DIY wine and paint night at home, using canvases and acrylic paints
93. Explore a local nature trail or hike and enjoy the peaceful surroundings
94. Go on a photography tour of your city, capturing unique perspectives and landmarks
95. Take a scenic bike ride through a picturesque countryside or along a coastal route
96. Have a DIY picnic in your backyard or balcony with homemade sandwiches and snacks
97. Go on a brewery or pub crawl, sampling different craft beers or cocktails
98. Attend a live comedy show or improv performance for a night of laughter
99. Take a dance class together, trying out different styles like salsa, tango, or hip-hop
100. Simply stay at home and have a cozy date night, with candles, blankets, and your favorite movies or TV shows.