Long distance relationships are never ideal, but with technology today, there are plenty of “remote” date ideas to keep your relationship spark alive, even if you’re hundreds of miles apart.
A few years ago I worked on a cruise ship as a singer. Because of this, my now fiancé and I were in a long distance relationship for 10 months. It was looooong and definitely a challenge. We learned that spending unique quality time together was really the key to keeping our relationship strong – and led to us eventually getting engaged!!
FaceTiming is obviously the best way to feel like you are in the same room with your partner. But talking about your day every night can get a bit stale. Whether you like watching shows together, cooking, painting, or even playing games, I bet you’ll find a new unique long distance date idea in this list.
Here are 21 great long distance date ideas that will keep the spark alive no matter the distance!
21 Long Distance Date Ideas to Keep the Spark Alive
1. Have Dinner Together
Enjoying a nice meal over FaceTime (whether homemade, ordered-in, or out) is a great way to mix up the nightly check-in while navigating your long distance relationship. A dinner date is always the go-to date night and there’s no reason to miss out while you are miles apart.
2. Watch a Movie Together
Do the classic “3…2…1.. click!” trick and watch the same movie with your sweetheart no matter what your distance is. Prop up your phone or computer and you’ll feel like they are sitting right next to you. Jonnie and I really like to converse while we watch movies, so this is always a great long distance date idea for us.
3. Have a Virtual Coffee Date
In my opinion, coffee dates are super underrated! There is nothing like enjoying a coffee and a pastry with the one you love, so why miss out while you are in different parts of the world? This is definitely a virtual-friendly long distance date idea as usually everyone in a coffee shop is on the phone or conversing with someone. You’ll blend right in!
4. Watch a Sporting Event Together
Whether you and your partner root for the same team or are rivals, watching a sporting event together is always a fun way to spend an afternoon! Have a beer, turn on the game, and start trash talking!
5. Play a Game
A great way to feel connected with your partner is to always have a virtual game going. Whether it’s Words With Friends, Trivia Crack, or Mario Kart, there’s nothing wrong with a little healthy competition!
6. Have a 2 Person Book Club (OR assign a book!)
I love this idea! Decide on a book you both want to read OR assign a book you think each other should read and circle back in a couple weeks to discuss.
I feel like the best date nights are the ones where you have meaningful conversation and this long distance date idea will do exactly that! I think this is a great idea that you can continue even when you are no longer long distance.
7. Watch the Same TV Show
Binge watching shows is what everyone is doing nowadays – right? Decide on a show and both commit to watching it. Watch it at the same time over FaceTime or agree on the same watching schedule and plan nights to discuss. If you pick Game of Thrones, you’ll have endless date nights!
8. Reminisce with Old Pictures
One of my favorite things to do when I’m away from my boyfriend and missing him is to send pictures of us on old trips or date nights. You can reminisce over the phone or even just text them back and forth. There is nothing better than looking back on old times and getting excited for new plans.
9. Plan A Trip
While enduring a long distance relationship, there is nothing better than envisioning the day you reunite.. so why not plan an amazing trip for when you are back together!?
I am a huge planner and find maybe a little bit too much joy in looking at vacations, hotels, and adventures. Whether you plan a weekend cabin getaway or a lavish tropical vacation, working together to plan an amazing trip when you are finally reunited is one of the best long distance date ideas.
Traveling together is also a great way to test your relationship. Knowing how to handle travel stress and fatigue as a couple makes for a strong relationship!
10. Send a Special Gift
Giving gifts is definitely one of my love languages, so I love any opportunity to send my boyfriend something special. Whether it’s something you know your partner has been wanting or you find something that just made you think of them, sending your partner a surprise in the mail is always so much fun.
Have your partner wait until your next FaceTime call to open the gift to really add to the excitement. And bonus points for a handmade gift!
When Jonnie and I were long distance and we got down to the 125 day mark, I made him a jar of “125 Reasons I Love You”. It was full of tiny notes with reasons why I love him that he could open each day until we were reunited.
It was super fun to make and even more fun to send!
11. Send An Old Fashioned Love Letter
Surprise your sweetie with some good old fashioned snail mail. Write down your thoughts, a poem, a postcard (whatever you want!) and send it in the mail to catch your love off guard. This will definitely keep the spark alive while you are managing long distance.
12. Have a Remote Happy Hour Date
Choose your favorite cocktails and have fun being mixologists together over video chat for this long distance date night idea. Unwinding after a long day with your person is always a must and sometimes concocting a cocktail is in order!
13. Cook “Together”
Whether you are adventurous in the kitchen or like to stick to the basics, cooking together is a great date idea and can totally be done virtually. Plan to make the same dish and virtually cheer each other on in the kitchen. This long distance date idea ends with a virtual dinner together as well – always a win!
14. Long Distance Paint and Sip
If you’ve got the materials, a long distance paint and sip is a fun and unique long distance date idea that will be sure to keep the spark alive! Choose a picture for you both to paint, grab a drink of your choice, and start getting artistic.
Even if you don’t have paint supplies, you can always adjust to a “draw” and sip (or a doodle!). As long as you are getting your creative juices flowing, you will kick your virtual long distance date night up a notch with this idea.
15. Have Breakfast “Together”
Lunch and dinner are always the go-to date ideas, but why not have breakfast together? When you are in a long-term long distance relationship, it’s common to get in a daily or weekly schedule which can cause things to get stale. Mix things up and have a virtual breakfast date!
16. Make a Bucket List
A great way to get closer to your partner is talk about all your hopes and dreams. Plan your next long distance date night around listing out your bucket list and seeing where you align. This date night idea could very well spark ideas for your plans when you reunite and will definitely make you feel closer as a couple.
17. Help Them With Work or a Project
Although this idea may not sound like a typical date night, helping your significant other with something they are working on is always thoughtful and will make them feel seen and loved. Just because you aren’t in the same room, doesn’t mean you can’t find creative ways to help your partner virtually!
When we were long distance, Jonnie was working on memorizing lines for an upcoming musical he was in. He sent me the script and I helped him run lines over FaceTime. It felt so nice to be able to do such a normal task while miles away!
18. Attend a Livestream Concert or Comedy Show
Ever since the pandemic, live streamed concerts, comedy shows, and entertainment in general has been on the rise.
Song Kick is a great place to find a live stream concert for any taste in music! If you’re looking for comedy shows, check out Next Up Comedy for exclusive live streamed shows! This is a great virtual long distance date idea for any special occasion.
19. Order Each Other Dinner
Hands down, the easiest dinner is getting on your phone, clicking to one of the many food delivery apps, and having your favorite dinner on the way within minutes! But don’t forget, you can order food to any location no matter where you are. Treat your special someone to a surprise at their door by ordering their favorite meal or sweet treat!
Or, plan that you will order each other dinner that night and then enjoy a virtual dinner night discussing how well your partner did at picking your meal. This is a great way to spice up your average long distance dinner date night.
20. Attend a Virtual Class Together
There are so many great classes available online – you can learn to knit, cook, taste wine, build something, write songs, paint and more, all from the comfort of your home! Take your long distance date night to the next level by signing up for a virtual class together.
Masterclass is by far the leading provider when it comes to learning new skills online. Head over to their website and start registering for classes for as low as $15/month. This is a great gift for your significant other and will keep things exciting while you navigate long distance.
21. Create a Playlist for Each Other
Last but not least, one of the best ways to connect with your partner is through music! Take some time to create a playlist just for your sweetheart and spend a FaceTime date discussing your thoughts on each other’s choices.
And there you have my complete list of long distance date ideas! Even if you try just a handful of these, there is no doubt your nightly FaceTimes will be far from stale while you are awaiting your reunion.
Thinking of planning a trip once you are finally reunited? Check out my favorite couples trip ideas and destinations!
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