17 Things to Do As a Couple to Strengthen Your Relationship (2023)

It's easy to fall into a relationship rut, especially if you don't take time to carve out a little fun together. Looking for things to do as a couple to bring adventure and/or romance to your relationship can help strengthen your bond.

In this article, explore ideas for fun activities to help you connect as a couple, share quality time, and create new memories together.

Go On a Date

The typical dinner-and-a-movie date night is always great, but sometimes you also need a spontaneous break from your routine. Think outside the box: brunch, karaoke, or a lazy day at the park count as dates, too. Date nights don't have to be expensive to be fun, either.

Travel

Pack your suitcase and get away for the night, a weekend, or a week. A romantic getaway recharges you both and gives you some quality time together away from your normal routine.

If your budget is tight, opt for a one-night excursion that's close to home, and consider booking a home rental through a website such as VRBO, Airbnb, or HomeToGo.

Dine Off the Beaten Path

Bored of your local restaurants? Plan a trip to explore an acclaimed restaurant you never tried before. Pick a city that's not terribly far from home or splurge and stay one night at a nearby hotel. Dining off the beaten path can provide a romantic and new experience for both of you.

Explore the Nearest State Park

Spending time outdoors comes with a world of benefits, including bonding and creating lifelong memories. Pack a backpack and head to the nearest state park for the day. Get those endorphins going and go for a long hike together. Or, set up camp for the night and lie side by side gazing at the stars.

Get Active Together

Engaging in physical activities together can also be a great way to spend time together. Fortunately, there are plenty of great ideas that will help you connect.

Exercise

The benefits of exercising together are plenty. Not only will you get to spend more time together, but you'll also improve your overall health, get in better shape, and even enhance your sex life. Exercise has been linked to improved body image, reduced sexual and erectile dysfunction, and short- and long-term arousal in women.

This might mean taking a walk together, going to a yoga class, using an exercise app at home, or playing a fitness game on a video game console. Exercising together can also be in the form of a strenuous activity like painting a room, cleaning out a basement, or planting a garden.

Dance

Play those old records (if you still have them) or put on your favorite playlist. Ask your partner for a dance in the kitchen. Or, take your moves out on the town and hit a dance club.

Explore a Hobby Together

Another way to connect as a couple is to spend time together exploring a hobby. This can be something that you both enjoy doing, or you might enjoy helping each other explore your individual interests.

Start a New Hobby

Find common ground and look for hobbies you would enjoy together. If you can't agree on an activity you both enjoy, choose to do separate hobbies in the same room or on the same couch. For instance, if one person likes to scrapbook, they can do that while their partner plays video games.

Cook Together

Consider breaking out the measuring cups and cookbooks to spice things up in the kitchen. If you have children, take at least one night a month to eat dinner after the kids go to bed. Cook together and enjoy a nice quiet meal for just the two of you.

If you can get out of the house, taking a cooking class together is a fun way to learn some new recipes and cooking techniques.

Redecorate

Pick a room to redecorate together. It could be a room that needs an organizational makeover or one that you want to freshen up since you use it often.

Decorating isn't about being a master interior designer. It's about the time you and your partner spend together while reorganizing, repurposing, or reevaluating the needs you have for a particular room or space in your home.

Relax Together

Getting active and exploring hobbies can be fun, but sometimes you might want to do something more relaxing or low-key together. This can be a great opportunity to destress and unwind while enjoying each other's company.

Share a Book

Curl up on the couch or in bed and read a book together. Read out loud or read together quietly. Start your own private book club for the two of you. Discuss the books you're reading over coffee or your favorite meal.

Listen to a Podcast or Audiobook

Snuggle on the couch and tune into a podcast or audiobook together. Pick something funny to add a little mood-boosting laughter to your life, or something motivational that can strengthen you as individuals and as a couple.

Play Games

Whether you're hitting the Xbox together or sitting down with a good card game, board game, or puzzle, games can be a great stress reliever. Playing games with your partner will present you with plenty of moments to laugh and test your competitive spirit. Games can be sexy, too. Think strip poker or Twister. Why not? Game on!

Watch TV and Movies

Watching TV and movies together is one of the simplest activities you can do after a long day of work. But be sure it's just the two of you, sitting together and holding hands. No gadgets. No status updates or Instagram posts.

It's a great time to snuggle and get closer while doing something as simple as watching a Netflix series or movie.

Try a Couples Massage

Turn on some relaxing music, dim the lights, and take turns giving each other a massage. If you don't want to commit to a full-body massage, you can try a hand or foot massage, and see where it takes you.

Focus on Your Relationship

Doing things together that are specifically centered on your relationship can also be a great way to improve your bond. Some ideas you might want to explore:

Take a Walk Down Memory Lane

You've spent a lot of years together and there are many more to come. Take some time to review your life together. Scroll through your smart phone camera roll, Facebook photos, or Instagram shots, and take a look at your first pictures together.

Reminisce about all of the things you've done and places you've been together over the years, and keep looking through until you reach your most recent photos together as a couple.

Renew Your Vows

Looking for something to do together that's a little more elaborate? Renew your vows in front of friends and family or have a private ceremony in your living room. Renewing your vows is a great reminder of the bond you have with each other, If you have kids, it's a fun way to incorporate them into your ceremony, especially if they missed it the first time around!

Visit Your Partner's Hometown

Heading to your partner's hometown is a great way to learn more about their childhood. Even if you feel like you already know everything about your partner, seeing them in their hometown setting will help you connect deeper. Swap embarrassing childhood stories or meaningful family memories as you explore old hangouts together.

A Word From Verywell

Every day is a celebration of your relationship. Celebrate those moments. Mark your calendar to celebrate your first date, the date you got engaged and, of course, your wedding. But also be sure to celebrate other life moments. If your partner gets a promotion, cook a special meal to celebrate. If you pass your annual exam with flying colors, enjoy an evening out together.

We often sweep these regular life moments under the rug, but celebrating them as they happen is another way to celebrate you, your spouse, your family, and the life you have together.