Yahoo Lifestyle 55 Long-Distance Date Ideas To Keep the Spark Alive Even When You’re Far Apart
Love knows no boundaries, but sometimes life puts physical distance between us and our special someone. Fear not, lovebirds! We've gathered a treasure trove of creative long-distance date ideas to help you stay connected and keep the romance flourishing, no matter how many miles separate you.
Experts share some of their favorite suggestions for long-distance relationship (LDR) couples—from virtual adventures to synchronized experiences, these date night ideas will have you feeling closer than ever. So grab your smartphone, fire up that video chat, and get ready for some long-distance magic!
Related: 25 Relationship Check-In Questions for You and Your Partner
55 Long-Distance Date Ideas
Couples therapist Sophie Roos suggests the first 22 long-distance date ideas.
1. Long-Distance Dinner Date
"Plan for dinner together. Go to the grocery store and shop so you can make the same food, and then cook over a video call, maybe drink some wine, and have a great talk. You can also put on the same background music! Then put the phone so you both look at each other when you eat. This way you can come surprisingly closely to a dinner date together at home!"
2. Virtual Museum Tour
"Find a museum that offers a virtual tour, and take it at the same time while you talk over the phone and discuss what you see!"
3. Reading Date
"Cuddle up with some hot chocolate and a good book, and then read for each other over the phone. Preferably, you take turns each session, so when one is reading, the other one can just relax and dream away in the story [told] by the voice of their loved one!"
4. Pre-Party
"If you like to party and want to have a pre-party [or] start off the night together before going out with friends, sit down with a glass of whatever you like to drink and video call at the same time."
5. Create a Bucket List
"Make a couples bucket list and fill in things you'd like to do together. This can work as a great way to get creative and talk about the future, and it's always cozy to have a date and sit and come up with ideas. You should do this in a shared document such as shared notes or a shared Google Docs so you both see what the other person is typing in!"
6. Karaoke on the Phone
"Have a karaoke night together where you both sing to playbacks, both at the same time and for each other!"
7. Long-Distance Learning
"Let your partner teach you some skill over a video call. It can be whatever, from a cooking class, teach[ing] an instrument, [or] how to paint or do yoga."
8. Share Your Favorite Food
"Order your favorite food for you and your partner (preferably something that your partner hasn't tried before), and then eat it on camera together and talk about how it tastes!"
9. Create Playlists
"Create music playlists together on for example Spotify, and then add songs for your partner to listen to and then discuss them later!"
10. Make Mix CDs
"You can also have a date night where you make mixtapes/[mix CDs]. For example, add 10 songs, and on beforehand set what mood you want it to be. Then discuss what songs that's fitting, and do this for many moods. Then you'll have your own mixtapes for each moment which is nice! You can also add a picture of you two to front the playlist, and to find what pictures are matching is also very fun!"
11. Walk and Talk
"Show your partner around your city, or take them on a day-trip! You can take your partner for a trip by making a video call of what you're doing and where you're going, and your partner tags along from their phone. This is a great full day activity, and when you eat, they eat, when you walk, they can walk too, etc."
12. Learn Different Languages
"If you speak different languages, learn one another's language over Duolingo and try to keep the same pace (you can follow one another's progress), and then have dates where you speak the languages together!"
13. Share Dreams of the Future
"Make a shared album on Pinterest, and have a date where you add inspiration pictures of what you like your future dream house to look like, then discuss the pictures and dream away together!"
14. Watch a Sports Game
"Watch live sport from home at the same time, and put up the camera so that you can see each other and comment on what's happening live!"
15. Choose Outfits Together
"Have a date where you show different outfits for one another. Pick different outfits, let your partner be a part of the process and choose what you should wear."
16. Intentional Q&A Time
"Play a 'get to know each other' game and talk through the questions over a video call. This is a great way of starting interesting discussions, but also to keep learning about each other even though there's distance between you!"
17. Do an Online Escape Room
"Play an online escape room game where you need to work together. This is extremely good for your bonding, it's affordable and the sessions go on for quite a long time (often over four hours), so it's a great date idea if you wanna spend a long time together!"
18. Watch the Same Movie or Series
"Find a movie that you both like, and then watch it together, for example on the computer while the phone is leaning towards the screen and filming you. Series are also great to watch together since [they'll last] a longer time. If something dramatic happens, you can pause and talk about it, or you can have a recap/chat when finished! If you have a computer, you can also download different software to video call and have a small screen of one another in the corner, which can make it easier than having both video call on the phone and a movie going on on a different device at the same time."
19. "Sleep Talk"
"Have a sleep talk, which means that you call before bedtime and then let the call go on all night, something that for some people gives the feeling of sleeping together."
20. Game Together
"If you're into playing games, then play your favorite multiplayer game together while talking. Play either in teams, or against each other."
21. Coffee Chat
"Go for a walk together and talk over the phone. If you want to spend even more effort, then buy a coffee and some pastries and sit down at a bench the both of you after the walk and keep talking!"
22. Make Plans
"Sit down and plan your next time you're gonna see each other. It's always nice to have something to look forward to, and that can also help to feel better when you really miss one another!"
Related: 25 Creative Car Date Ideas
Ksenia Droben, CEO of Droben Matchmaking, shares multiple long-distance date ideas in #23-32.
23. Stay Active Together
"Sports. Whether it is yoga, pilates, stretching or martial arts, you can do sports together."
24. Learn a TikTok Dance
"Learn a TikTok dance together, or any sort of fun dance routine."
25. Play Games via Zoom or FaceTime
"Play a game! Puzzles, jigsaws, LEGO are all a blast to do together while you Zoom."
26. Play a Virtual Game of Chess
“Play chess or draughts."
27. Card Games
"Play Uno or other card games."
28. Sing Together
"Turn your Zoom into a Karaoke session and sing together."
29. Learn New Tech/Software Skills
"Learn different applications—e.g. Power Point, Photoshop or Canva."
30. Wine and Dine
"Get dressed and meet not just for a video date, but for a wine date."
31. Celebrate a Win (Big or Small)
"Celebrate something together."
32. Feng Shui Your Spaces
Discuss repairs, move furniture, install or fix something.
Related: 75 Winter Date Ideas
Seth Eisenberg, President/CEO at PAIRS Foundation, shares his ideas throughout #33-39.
33. Virtual Emotional Sharing Sessions
"Set aside time to have an open and honest conversation using video chat. Use PAIRS Yodi Relationship Coach app to guide you through specific exercises or questions that help deepen your emotional connection. The app provides structured activities that can help couples explore feelings, share vulnerabilities and strengthen their bond even from afar."
34. Shared Meditation or Mindfulness Practice
"Engage in a joint mindfulness or meditation session. You can both use the same guided meditation, perhaps one that focuses on connection or love. Afterward, discuss how you felt during the experience, exploring any emotions or thoughts that arose."
35. Creative Expression Together
"Engage in a creative activity together over video call, like painting, drawing or writing poetry. You could each create something that represents your feelings or experiences in the relationship and then share it with each other. This can be a way to express emotions that might be difficult to put into words."
36. Reflective Journaling and Sharing
"Spend some time individually journaling about your relationship, focusing on what you appreciate about each other, what you miss, and your hopes for the future. Share your reflections with each other during a video call, creating a space for deep emotional exchange."
37. Virtual Stargazing
"If you're both in areas where you can see the night sky, set up a virtual stargazing date. Use the time to talk about your dreams, hopes, and any fears or worries you may have. This can be a calming, bonding experience that fosters a sense of connection despite the distance."
38. Create a Vision Board
"Using an online platform like Canva, create a vision board together that represents your hopes and dreams for your relationship. Include images and words that reflect your shared goals, emotional desires, and the future you want to build together."
39. Virtual Bonding Exercises
"Engage in virtual bonding exercises like synchronized breathing or guided eye-gazing. These practices can create a deep sense of connection even when you're physically apart, aligning with Casriel's emphasis on the importance of physical and emotional closeness."
Related: 31 Fun Second Date Ideas
Ozan Toy, MD, MPH, Chief Medical Officer at Telapsychiatry, shares the next three ideas in #40-42.
40. Virtual Reality Adventures
"If both of you have VR headsets, you can explore virtual worlds together. There are numerous VR games and experiences designed for social interaction."
41. Photo Challenge
"Set a theme or a subject for a photo challenge and spend the day taking pictures. Share your photos with each other and discuss why you chose those particular shots."
42. Write Letters
"Go old-school and write letters to each other. Read them out loud during a video call. It's a romantic way to share your thoughts and feelings."
Related: Best Picnic Date Ideas
Emily Sloan of Curiosity Rising shares long-distance date ideas in #43-45.
43. Alphabet Dates
"Alternate who plans a virtual date back and forth and while going through the entire alphabet."
44. Unbox Gifts
"Send creative care packages."
45. Take a Course
"Take an online course together to learn a new hobby/skill."
Related: Give the Gift of Quality Time! 125 Swoon-worthy Ways To Speak Your Partner’s Love Language
46. Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of items or tasks for each other to find or complete in your respective locations, then share your discoveries via video call.
47. Online Art Class
Join a live-streamed (or stream a YouTube!) art class together and create paintings or drawings side by side virtually.
48. Wine or Beer Tasting
Order the same selection of wines or beers and have a tasting session together over Zoom. (Or you can order each other your favorite drinks and see what who has better taste!)
49. Virtual Volunteering
Find an online volunteering opportunity that you can do together—it’s always fun and bonding to teach reading or help kids with homework in the same Zoom room.
50. Digital Garden Tour
If either of you has a garden or houseplants, give a virtual tour and discuss your plants, sharing gardening tips and stories. Bonus points if you send each other flowers!
51. Online Double Date
Bring some friends into it! Set up a group Zoom with a handful of friends (mutual and non!) to have a virtual dinner date with you and the crews.
52. Virtual Fitness Challenge
Set a fitness goal together and use fitness tracking apps to monitor each other's progress—don’t forget to send each other encouraging messages along the way!
53. Virtual Pet Playdate
If you both have pets, set up your cameras to let your furry friends "interact"—it’ll probably be ridiculous, but it’ll definitely be adorable.
54. Trivia Night
Choose the theme you want to tackle (NFL, Taylor Swift, animals, science, Disney...the list goes on and on!) and quiz each other to see who knows the most trivia!
55. Focus on Comedy
Whether you watch a standup show together, share your favorite SNL clips back and forth, or try to see who can keep a straight face for the longest amount of time while the other person reads funny pick up lines, you'll be sure to feel closer than ever after this fun virtual date.
Up Next:
