50 things to do (other than movies)

Bored at home and looking for things to do (instead of turning on the TV)? Read on!

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Movies. We watch a lot of them.

At our place, a typical date night in consists of eating dinner and watching a movie. Can anyone relate? It’s like the ultimate in downtime – curl up on the couch and escape into a movie for a bit. No judgment here. 

But not long ago, my hubby had just about all he could take of movies. (So did I…because we’d seen pretty much all we’d wanted to see on Amazon Prime. Yikes.)

So for about a month, we attempted to see what we could do other than be couch potatoes.

And in brainstorming, I came up with this list of creative date night ideas at home (mostly). Did we accomplish it all? No. But we had fun trying, both in learning new skills and new things about each other. 

Apparently, we aren’t the only people who get stuck in the movie queue. This post is one of the most popular on this blog. (Thank you for that!)

One of the pieces of feedback I’ve heard is how these ideas don’t just apply to married couples – but also to dating couples, friends, roommates, etc. So looking for something to do with your boyfriend? Roommate hang out time? Your next double date? I’ve got you. 

And there’s more at-home things to do together (other than movies), if this isn’t enough 😉 

Currently: Quarantine.

I know many of us at this point in time (November 2020) are figuring out what to do together in these long hours at home. Date nights at home can still happen!

And they’re still important. Date nights in are a great way to surprise your spouse with a fun and encouraging evening to get their minds off of the stress and uncertainty going on these days.

I’ve updated this post to include quarantine ideas, so that you can do them and still maintain social distancing. 

And honestly, no judgment on the movies. We are still doing a lot of those, too. 

See also: Family Game Ideas for Zoom Calls and Quarantine Activity Bingo

Trying to find things to do other than watch movies?

Here’s a list of creative ideas to do together.

(Also this post contains affiliate links – legal info here. Thank you for your support!)

1. Play cards.

Teach each other your favorite game, or learn a new one.

2. Use YouTube to teach yourselves something new – like salsa dancing!

Other ideas? Magic tricks, drink mixing, home hacks, languages, etc.

3. Visit the antique store. 

Browse through old fashioned items, puzzle over what they all were used for, try on clothes, look through books.

Quarantining? Share one of your favorite childhood treasures with the other – tell the story of how you got it and why it was so important to you. 

4. Work on a home improvement project together.

Do that one thing you saw on Pinterest that you thought would look really cool in your apartment that one time that you pinned but never made happen.

5. Invite friends over for dinner.

It’s a great excuse to try out a new recipe…or clean your house…

Quarantining? Have a virtual dinner date. Make the same recipe and eat it together, over FaceTime or Skype.

6. Look at houses you would buy and dream of your future home.

7. Go mini-golfing.

Quarantining? Set up your own mini golf course, or obstacle course, inside or in the backyard.

8. Pick out a new bottle of wine to try.

Or go to a wine tasting!

Quarantining? Do your own wine tasting at home. There’s a ton of kits out there, or choose a few new types of your own to try. (Be sure to pair them well! Here are my wine tips.) 

9. Shop for all the ingredients and bake a pizza together.

Grab another couple and have a competition! Or host a pizza party.

10. Write a list of things you dream of doing in the future (separately or together).

11. Play tennis.

12. Have a picnic.

Indoor or outside.

13. Go to a concert or music event.

Quarantining? Enjoy one of many free concerts, operas, musicals, or other events being streamed for free online. You can also try art exhibits or national park tours.

14. Take goofy pictures together.

Copy famous works of art, fake supermodel shots, silly faces. 

15. Visit a tourist attraction in your city and go sightseeing.

Quarantining? Do a virtual dive in the ocean instead. 

16. Take a drive.

17. Go out for ice cream – or fro-yo, or your favorite dessert!

Quarantining? Order in through Postmates, DoorDash, or any number of food delivery apps.

18. Play a board game.

(I love Scene-It, Ticket to Ride, Phase 10 and Uno!)

Even better, have friends over for a game night. (When you’re not quarantining.)

19. Bake something together. 

Pop on your favorite apron and try a new recipe. Take it to another level by dropping off the baked goods at a friends house to surprise them! 

20. Go to a local event or festival.

Spend the day supporting local businesses, enjoying bands, and amazing food. Don’t forget your shades. 

Quarantining? Yeah, the only one I can come up with is holding your own film festival. I know, I know – movies. Maybe a food festival? 

21. Walk around your favorite store and go shopping…or window shopping.

Quarantining? Online shopping is where it’s at right now.

22. Visit the local animal shelter and pet animals.

(If only my hubby wasn’t allergic!)

Quarantining? Take your pet to the dog park or play in the backyard. Or offer to “pet-sit” for a while if you don’t have your own. 

23. Decorate mugs together. (Here are some good basic ones.)

24. Visit the local art museum. 

Look it up ahead of time – it might even have free hours or events.  

Quarantining? Again, visit a museum virtually from home. 

25. Check out the local farmer’s market.

Quarantining? Find local farmers to support online, through ordering items for pick-up or delivery. 

26. Read a book together!

I haven’t done this, but a couple I know really enjoys it. Find a topic you both can get into – maybe sci-fi? Mystery? 

27. Make cards or a gift for someone.

Get back into the “old fashioned” tradition of sending letters and cards. Maybe plan for upcoming birthdays or holidays.

28. Host a cocktail party at your place – planned or impromptu.

Not a cocktail pro? DIY kits like this make it easy – Moscow mule, margarita or more! 

Make it themed – like a Great Gatsby party, or a murder mystery!

Quarantining? Maybe just the two of you. Or host an online “open house party” through a virtual phone app (like Facebook or Zoom) where multiple friends can jump in to say hi.

29. Go watch the sun set somewhere lovely.

One of those “things to do” that you can do from your car, or social distancing. Put a little extra effort into it by researching the best spot nearby and bringing a picnic dinner or snacks.

30. Get a friend to do a photo shoot! You know you need some new portraits.

Make them as serious or silly as you’d like. Extend your time by doing research online together for the kinds of couple or family photos you would like to take.

P.S. I’m a Canon girl. I love my Rebel. It makes it easy to take semi-professional-looking photos. Here’s a great starter kit, if you’re looking to get into photography!

Quarantining? Self-timer or snag an inexpensive camera remote and stand. 

31. Work on your own hobbies, but in the same place at the same time.

Have a talent show, displaying what you love to do and how you make it happen. 

Ask questions – why do they love it? How do they go about it? How will they continue to learn about it? Do they have any formal training?

32. Let your other half/roomie/whoever pick out the activity!

Whatever it is, even if you hate it, go all out and enjoy it, just to encourage him or her.

33. Go to a coffee shop and catch up on life. Sometimes it’s nice to just talk.

(If you’re feeling adventurous, order for each other, and see if you know their taste!)

Quarantining? Order, get your drink in your to-go mug, and then take a walk.

34. Hang out at the library and read some books, or pick some up to take home.

Quarantining? Try your local library to see if they have online books or audiobooks to rent.

35. Play an interactive video game.

If you don’t have a system, borrow one!

36. Plan your next vacation together – some say the planning is more fun than actually going.

Or pack your bags for your next trip. (Aren’t we all itching to get somewhere new?)

37. Take a hike (literally).

Lace up your boots and walk through the woods – so much the better if you have a beautiful overlook nearby.

38. Pop some tags at the thrift shop. See who can find the coolest item, or pick out clothes for each other!

Quarantining? Go online. I love ThredUp, Swap.com, and Shopgoodwill, to name a few.

39. Have a water fight!

Splash a little water at each other. Grab a couple water guns and have a blast. Hey, easy clean-up!

40. See a local sports event – even if it’s a school sport.

Quarantining? Watch highlights online.

41. Make crafts from unexpected materials – I think my hubby would enjoy this!

42. Go frisbee golfing – one of my hubby’s favorite activities.

43. Have a Skype session with faraway family or friends.

We always have fun with this!

44. Ride bikes.

Borrow them if you don’t have any.

45. Volunteer for a service project together.

Quarantining? There’s still a lot of options. Volunteer at a food bank, sew face masks, see what is needed locally.

46. Try a new restaurant or explore a new place you haven’t visited nearby.

47. Take a road trip to visit friends.

(Here’s some travel tips to help you out.)

Quarantining? Call instead.

48. Take dance lessons.

Quarantining? Again, YouTube is a great place to start.

49. Learn how to play an instrument together.

50. Check out Groupon or Living Social for deals on fun things to do – and then go do something!

Quarantining? Find an activity subscription box and sign up for easy activities already put together for you.

Photo Credit:

1 – JOSHUA COLEMAN on Unsplash

2 – John Moeses Bauan on Unsplash

4 – Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

5 – 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič on Unsplash