7 Date Night Ideas That Bring Back the Spark
by Veronica Joce
Love isn’t about the date—it’s about the moment. The slow, lingering touches. The deep knowing. The way you show up and care for each other. So here are seven fresh, stay-in date night ideas—intimate, playful, and designed to bring you closer.
And to set the mood? A playlist made for soft lighting, deep conversations, and getting lost in each other. This Valentine’s, forget what you’re “supposed” to do. Let’s make it unforgettable.
The bookstore at-home date
Pick three books from your shelves:
- One you’ve never read
- One that changed you
- One that reminds you of each other
Read aloud your favorite part, swap books, or write little notes in the margins for the other person to find later. Or make it a surprise: secretly pick a book for the other and gift it with a handwritten note inside the cover.
The recreate a memory night
Some nights stay with you forever—the first time you locked eyes across the table, the best meal of your life on vacation, the night that felt like a movie. Bring that feeling back.
- Recreate the atmosphere by setting the table like that restaurant or spreading a blanket for an at-home picnic.
- Cook the memory by making the dish that takes you back (homemade tiramisu, anyone?).
- Wear the outfit you had on that night, play the song from that road trip, or use a scent that reminds you of that moment.
Instead of just reminiscing, let yourselves feel like you’re there again. No distractions. Just the two of you, in a memory made new.
The dance night
Set the mood with dimmed lights and music that makes you want to slow dance in the living room. Each of you picks three songs that represent your relationship:
- A song that reminds you of falling in love with them
- A song that makes you think of your best memories
- A song that you’d dedicate to them right now
Enjoy the intimacy of just being in each other’s arms.
The “one hour, one dream” planning date
Pour your favorite drink, sit across from each other, and dream out loud about something new you want to create together. A shared goal, a project, an adventure, a change. Write it down in a journal, sketch it out, or create a Pinterest board. Use these conversation starters:
- Where is one place we absolutely have to visit together?
- What is a dream we both share that we haven’t acted on yet?
- If we had one year to focus on something new together, what would it be?
The “story of us” nostalgia night
Pull out old photos, watch videos from when everything was new, scroll back to the first messages you ever sent each other. Recreate one of your first dates––but at home. Order takeout from the spot where everything started or play the first song you danced to. Relive the excitement of getting to know each other all over again:
- What is one memory from our early days that still makes you smile?
- What has changed the most about our relationship since then?
- What is something we should bring back?
The “lucky dip love notes” evening
Write five love notes—reminders, confessions, things you adore but never say. Fold them, put them in a jar, and take turns pulling them out throughout the night. What to write?
- One thing I secretly love about you is…
- I still remember the first time I saw you in…
- I don’t say this enough, but…
Once you’ve read them all, save them in a memory box or inside a favorite book. Reread them five years from now, on an anniversary, or on a day when you need a little reminder of just how much love is already here.
The after-dark question game
Sometimes, the best foreplay is a conversation that makes you laugh, blush, or want to lean in closer. It’s time to play Get Closer Intimacy Edition––a game of questions designed to spark connection, unlock new desires, and bring fresh energy into your intimacy. A few to get you started:
- What is something you wish someone would do for you in bed?
- What is your most erotic spot?
- What is something non-sexual that turns you on?