For the last few years, we've put together a bucket list at the beginning of every year. This bucket list is different than what you'd normally picture when you think of a bucket list. Our bucket list is filled with things that we want to do for date night in the coming year. Obviously, there are a lot of things that a couple can do together on date night, so how do you determine which activities to include on your bucket list?
For the last few years, we’ve put together a bucket list at the beginning of every year. This bucket list is different than what you’d normally picture when you think of a bucket list. Our bucket list is filled with things that we want to do for date night in the coming year. Obviously, there are a lot of things that a couple can do together on date night. So how do you determine which date ideas to include on your bucket list?
Related: How to Create Your Own Date Night Bucket List
It’s your list, so you are ultimately the ones who get to determine what to include on it. But if you’re wondering where to start, I’ve got a few ideas to get you started. These are the things that we think about when putting together our bucket list each year.
For more date night ideas like these ones, check out the book, Prioritizing Date Night in Your Marriage, with 300+ date night ideas.
When Joe and I were dating, he’d watch TV while I sat next to him finishing up my homework. Every night we’d see a commercial for Olive Garden. And every time the commercial would come on, I’d tell Joe, “We haven’t been there together yet, we need to go there”. One night he surprised me with a date night to Olive Garden. And I was so excited because it was something that we’d been talking about for a couple of months.
The activities that you talk about doing together may be as simple as a restaurant that you’ve been wanting to try. But they might also be bigger, like going to a big event or on a once in a lifetime adventure. Something that costs more than you would normally spend on a date.
When I put together our bucket list of dates for the year, I make sure that I include Joe in the planning. I ask him what sort of things he thinks would be fun and make a note of them. Our list includes date nights that we’re both going to enjoy. But a few of the things are more for me or more for him.
I know that getting out without the kids can seem impossible sometimes. The last two or three kid free dates that we have planned have been thwarted by weather, Joe getting the flu and then Bensen wasn’t feeling well. Family date night is great, and time without the kids after they’ve gone to bed is great as well. But every once in a while, get dressed up, leave the kids home and spend time together away from your role as partners in parenting.
We all have our regular date nights, our go to activities when we spend time together. Put a few things on your bucket list that you wouldn’t normally do together or that you only do every once in a while. Maybe it’s a once in a lifetime date. Or maybe it’s just something that you really enjoy doing together, but never have the time to do. Make your bucket list something that is fun and exciting to accomplish.
This last year, we put an expensive restaurant on our bucket list. It was a place that we’d never been before and one that we’d heard was a fun experience and perfect for date night. We waited until we had something to celebrate. So we had an extra excuse to spend more money and we enjoyed every minute of it. One day we’ll go back, but probably not for the full multiple course meal that we had that night. It’s fun to be able to say that we’ve been there and we highly recommend it to anyone who asks.
I did this for our bucket list this year (see below). And while I’m still not 100% sure that it’s a date that will happen, I’m hoping to push myself to go for it. It’s a little cheesy, but this suggestion made me think of The Bachelor. And all of the bridge jumping, building rappelling and other adrenaline rush dates that they send them on. After the date is over, the couple always gushes about how vulnerable they felt. And how strengthening it was for their relationship to go through that together. It’s cheesy but getting out of your comfort zone and doing something that scares you can really be a great opportunity for your marriage.
When was the last time you went on a romantic date together? Relive one of your first dates, go dancing, eat dinner at a fancier restaurant, anything that the two of you think is a romantic.
If you’re like us, you have your favorite restaurants and the ones that you frequent a lot. Most of ours are based on convenience and location and maybe what we’re craving. They’re all places that we are familiar with and we don’t try something new often enough. Add a couple of new restaurants to your list. Local eateries, food trucks, and other places that have been suggested to you.
Related: The Benefit of Planning Date Night in Advance
I’ve been putting our 2017 date night bucket list together over the last year. Every time we talk about some place we need to go or something that we need to do, I write it in the back of my planner. If we don’t get to it during the year, I add it to our bucket list for the next year. Each one of these dates is planned for a month on my calendar. I use the word “planned” loosely because everything that I plan lately just goes right out the window. I’m really excited to go on some fun, kid free date nights this year!
This is the one date night that sort of scares me. I’m not a big fan of the falling feeling. But I’m hoping that the indoor skydiving experience is not like that. Has anyone ever been?
I don’t know why, but this sounds really fun to me! We’ll have to work together as a team and it’s something that we’d probably never do. But it’s not a big, extravagant, out there sort of date.
This one was on our list the last two years and we still have never gotten to do it. I’m really hoping to incorporate this into a night or two a way for our anniversary.
We went paddle boating last year for our anniversary date. It was fun, but hot and a little uncomfortable while I was pregnant. I’m really hoping to do this again this year, just earlier or later in the year, and while I don’t have a large belly in my way.
At the beginning of April, the cherry blossoms are gorgeous and line the path around our state capitol building. I drove past that building every day on my way to and from the hospital after Emmy was born and kept thinking that we needed to go there more. So my plan is possibly a family picnic date and a walk around the capitol this spring.
Joe and I made a goal to visit every LDS Temple in our state before our 10th anniversary. I’ve been to weddings at this temple, but never done an endowment session. I really want to do that this year and then walk around temple square and eat dinner at a great restaurant down there.
I’ve heard great things about this fun driving range. They keep score for you and you can order food while you play. Joe’s been for a company event and said it was really fun. I can’t wait to go with him later this year.
This date is more for Joe than for me, although I think it will be fun too! I’m thinking this would be a fun activity for his birthday date. And I’m really hoping that I can make it happen.
What date ideas and activities will be on your bucket list this year?