Long-distance relationships are complicated, and they come with a lot of sacrifices. Loving someone from afar doesn’t have to make date nights impossible, though. While you may not be able to enjoy each other’s company face-to-face as often as you would like, you can still enjoy date nights together — even if you’re thousands of miles apart. Whether you work on fun crafts like diamond painting, cook together or play virtual games, there are many activities you can enjoy with your significant other from the comfort of your own homes. Keep reading to discover some of the best date night activities for long-distance couples.
- Diamond Painting
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Crafting with a loved one is fun, but it can be tricky when you have different skill levels. When you are great at painting and drawing, but your partner is more into woodworking or metalsmithing, finding common ground can be challenging. It’s even more difficult if one of you has little to no arts and crafts experience and gets frustrated when projects don’t turn out as planned.
Painting with diamonds is the perfect date night activity for couples because it’s genuinely easy and enables those who may not be so artistically inclined to create breathtaking masterpieces. Diamond painting kits come in countless designs, too, which makes it easy to find ones that suit any aesthetic. Your partner can work on a landscape while you create a sparkly cat picture — or you can both work on the same kit to feel more connected. If you plan on eventually sharing a home, completing diamond paintings together is a fun way to create artwork to adorn your future walls.
If you’d like to try diamond painting as a date night activity, all you need to do is buy the kits, get on a video call and start crafting. If you purchase diamond painting kits from Diamond Art Club®, they include everything you need to complete a project, so this is a pretty easy and affordable activity that doesn’t require a lot of planning.
- Preparing and Enjoying a Meal Together
If you and your significant other enjoy cooking, why not virtually prepare and enjoy a meal together? Decide on a recipe, shop for ingredients and plan a time to get together on a video call and cook. When you’re finished, stay on the call while you “share” the meal.
Cooking and eating together virtually makes you feel closer to your partner. If you are looking for something to do together regularly, this is a great option. Take turns choosing recipes and you’ll both likely discover some new favorites. You could even turn it into a fun and lighthearted competition to see whose dishes turn out the best. This is especially enjoyable if you decide to try tackling complex recipes to test your skills.
- …Or Ordering in
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Not much of a chef? No worries! Order in together instead. For the most authentic date night experience, choose a chain restaurant with locations near you both. If that’s not possible (or if you have different tastes), ordering from other places works, too. Coordinate your orders so they arrive around the same time and then enjoy your meals together.
- Reading Books Together
If you and your partner share a love of books, consider starting your own book club for two. Choose books to read together and meet up via audio or video call to discuss the material as you work your way through the chapters. Discuss themes, how the book makes you feel, etc. Ask each other questions. If you’re unsure how to talk about books, check out this resource featuring tips for facilitating a book discussion.
- Playing Games
Playing games together is a date night activity that many couples enjoy. And thanks to the Internet, you and your significant other can play games together no matter how great the physical distance is between you. If the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated quarantines have brought about one positive thing, it’s that more games are playable online now than ever before. From virtual escape rooms to favorites like Settlers of Catan for iOS or Android, there are lots of ways to enjoy a virtual game night with your loved one.
- Watching TV or Movies Together
Again, thanks to the Internet, watching TV shows or movies with someone no longer requires being in the same room or going to the cinema together. With Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime or any of the other streaming services, you and your significant other can watch things “together” while you’re apart.
Choose a time to meet on a video call, cue up your chosen movie or show and press play simultaneously. It doesn’t get much simpler than that when it comes to easy long-distance date nights!
- Going for Walks Together
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Going for a walk is a great way to get out, get some exercise and clear your mind. While your partner may be unable to tag along physically, you can plan to take walks “together” in different places. Decide on a time and choose places to walk. Make sure you both have good cell phone service! Then, talk to each other on the phone while you walk. Describe your surroundings to each other or just enjoy a chat while you stroll. This is a fun way to get some exercise and enjoy an outdoor date night with your partner.
- Planning Your Next In-Person Date
When you’re really missing each other, plan to spend an evening discussing the next time you’ll be together. Get yourself excited about your reunion by deciding what you’ll do, where you’ll eat and how you’ll spend your time together. Figure out all the details and start counting down the days. Before you know it, you’ll be in each other’s arms, enjoying close-up, in-person dates again.
