29 Best Indoor Date Ideas for a Romantic Rainy Day
Rainy weather can put a literal damper on your outdoor date plans, which makes having a selection of fun and romantic indoor date ideas a must. According to Mayo Clinic, with winter comes the possibility of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, which makes spending happy times with someone special even more crucial.
Couples in search of suitable activities may wonder, “How do I find indoor date ideas near me?” The trick is to expand your definition of date activities into imaginative new territory!
We’ve gathered our favorite possibilities for couples when the weather turns messy but keeping your date is a must. From at-home charcuterie contests to food court fiestas, indoor activities in NYC and other cities, there’s something for couples of all interests to enjoy!
Jump to Section
- Creative Indoor Date Ideas
- Foodie Indoor Date Ideas
- Active Indoor Date Ideas
- At-Home Indoor Date Ideas
- DIY Indoor Date Ideas
- Free & Cheap Indoor Date Ideas
Creative Indoor Date Ideas
1. Brush It On
Paint and sip classes can turn couples into creatives no matter their artistic experience. These sessions specialize in enjoyable party-like courses where every easel holds a masterpiece!
You’ll find opportunities for paint and sip in Houston, paint and sip in Orange County and paint and sip in NYC, all with artful, big-city appeal. Check into paint and sip near you for indoor date ideas not at home when getting out of the house is a must.
2. Get Fired Up
Warm up your rainy day with pottery classes on your list of indoor date ideas. You’ll find pottery classes in Boston, pottery classes in Houston and pottery classes in Portland, all led by exceptional artists who can show you how it’s done.
Learn slabbing, throwing and pinch pottery while creating your own masterworks. With pottery classes near you, you’re never out of creative possibilities for quality together time.
3. Pass Notes
This cute indoor date idea is your chance to put your feelings into written words. Gather your favorite paper-based art supplies and settle in for side-by-side letter-writing.
Decorate your letters with stickers, sketches and symbols significant to your relationship. Then, seal them in decorative envelopes, address and stamp them, and drop them in the post for a truly special delivery.
4. Play in the Clay
Polymer clay is a soft material that hardens like plastic when baked. You and your boo can purchase polymer clay in an array of colors at your local craft store and create whatever you imagine. Try simple shapes for jewelry pieces or go wild with whimsical abstracts for sculptures and sophisticated art pieces.
5. Picture This
Print your favorite snapshots from your camera photo collection and create a romantic collage of memorable moments.
You can work together on a single collage or arrange your own individual projects to share with one another when finished. Make sure there’s something special to drink on the table and a relaxing playlist rolling while you work.
Foodie Indoor Date Ideas
6. Heat Things Up
Expert-led cooking classes in Houston, cooking classes in Washington, D.C. and cooking classes in Portland provide indoor date ideas for couples to enjoy even during the rainiest weather.
You can choose from an expansive list of cooking classes near you to find exceptional cooking lessons in your area. Work with skilled chefs who know how to set the table for culinary romance.
7. Simmer Down
With online cooking classes, you have all you need for an indoor date idea with expert culinary guidance at the top of the menu. Choose from an array of domestic and international menus to create with your favorite chef partner in the cozy comfort of your home kitchen.
You’ll be led by a top-tier chef with a talent for entertaining students from across the World Wide Web.
8. Go to Court
Wondering what to do on a date if it's raining? Head to a nearby mall and turn the food court into an on-the-fly food festival. Order dishes from several locations and create your own smorgasbord!
Save room for a sweet treat or gourmet coffee afterward. Couples looking for date ideas in NYC can shift the locale to a food hall.
9. Get Slicing
Join in on an artful culinary trend by creating competing charcuterie displays. Shop for cold cuts, cheeses, fruits, nuts and crackers together and take them home for a cheese board championship. Picking up pro tips on elegant vegetable garnishes and fancy meat rosettes with online tutorials is allowed!
10. Imagine Something New
Instead of planning a home dinner ahead of time, choose items from your pantry and create an impromptu date night meal together. These dinners are date ideas for married couples who need new home-dining options. Keep ingredients sensible or choose unusual options for a one-of-a-kind meal.
Active Indoor Date Ideas
11. Get Your Groove On
Step out by stepping into dance classes in your area! Try a session in the latest steps or take the classics for a test run. Check into dance classes in Las Vegas, dance classes in NYC or dance classes in the Bay Area for the most talented local teachers offering sessions for couples to groove to.
If home-based sessions are more your style, book online dance classes to turn your living room into a private dance floor!
12. Go Higher
Get vertical with your indoor date ideas by spending the afternoon at an indoor rock-climbing wall. Choose a competitive climb or a cooperative ascent and make the workout as intense or chilled out as you want.
For couples who favor outdoor activities, these studios help you keep your active edge while providing fun and exciting things to do when the weather won’t cooperate.
13. Stretch It Out
Even if the outer world turns stormy, you and your sweetheart can calm your inner world with a yoga session. Choose a local studio with classes suitable to your skill level for an active indoor date idea that will calm and energize you at the same time. Head out for a healthy meal nearby after the final asana.
14. Knock ‘em Down
Rolling a few rounds at a local bowling alley is an indoor date idea that’s sure to warm a couple when grey skies rain down outside. Take advantage of the snack bar for satisfying comfort food and beverages between rounds. There’s no harm in extending the competition if there’s a pool table or arcade onsite!
15. Take a Dive
Wet weather can’t keep couples from adventure with skydiving among the indoor date idea options! Enjoy a modified skydiving experience that provides the sensation of flight without the danger or the expense.
New divers can work with expert guides who make sure the excitement stays safe. Consider an indoor skydive to make birthday date ideas extra special!
At-Home Indoor Date Ideas
16. Raise Your Glasses
Cocktail fans can add new sips to their line-up with online mixology classes. Enjoy a selection of marvelous mixed drinks, from classic blends to contemporary creations. Couples can work with some of the best bartenders in the business as they learn the craft without leaving home.
17. Pop a Bottle
Expand your knowledge of wine culture with virtual wine tastings in your indoor date idea collection. You’ll explore vintages and vintners from around the world, with help from professional sommeliers who love sharing their expertise. Your home becomes the best of wine country for you and your bae!
18. Be Game
Bring game night home for a fun indoor date idea where romance is a roll of the dice! Game-loving couples can cue up online trivia games and virtual game nights to test their wits in the cyber sphere.
For puzzle-solvers and mystery fans, virtual scavenger hunts and virtual escape rooms recreate real-life experiences in an online realm where only the cleverest are crowned champions.
19. Piece It Together
Puzzle races make simple yet cute fall date ideas. Grab some new jigsaws from the dollar store, set a timer and get to work assembling your own puzzles.
Keep the competition heated with verbal banter and updates as you work. Whoever gets the furthest before the buzzer sounds makes the first round of drinks.
20. Pamper Yourselves
For anyone asking, “What can I do with my girlfriend on a rainy day?”, try turning your home space into a day spa!
You can purchase a few aromatherapy lotions and turn on an essential oil diffuser to add even cozier vibes to your indoor rainy day together time. Complete the atmosphere with spritzers, light snacks and ambient background tunes.
DIY Indoor Date Ideas
21. Make New Arrangements
With virtual flower arranging classes, you and your sweet somebody can turn simple natural elements into stunning home décor and floral art pieces. Work with expert florists who’ll show you how to apply design principles and aesthetics to striking living sculptures.
22. Go (Wood)Shopping
Step into the woodshop for an indoor date idea where everyone comes together perfectly! Woodworking classes with local artisans can show couples the timeless art of woodcraft, focusing on everything from incredible handmade pieces to power tool mastery.
23. Blow Up
A hot shop is a perfect place to hunker down during a rainy day for an indoor date idea that generates real heat. Couples can learn the industrial art of glass blowing from professional artists as they create their own stunning glass art. What a way to warm up a date night!
24. Thread the Needle
Stitching your own fabric works makes a relaxing indoor date idea, even for couples new to the art of sewing. Make a quilt, sew a blanket or make an artful wall hanging. No matter what project you choose, you’ll have plenty of together time at the sewing table.
Free & Cheap Indoor Date Ideas
25. Study Art
Art fans can skip admission at the museums and head to local art galleries for free indoor date ideas that won’t cost a penny. Research nearby plazas to find a gallery row, grab some warm drinks and take in the latest in color, shape and form. Artful couples in search of date ideas in San Francisco are sure to find this rainy-day activity inspiring!
26. Walk the Mall
If “indoor dates near me” tops your list, take a spin around a local mall for a few hours of window shopping and people-watching. These trips are great winter date ideas for fans of holiday décor!
Sample scents and treats at shops that offer them and wind down at the food court for coffee or a cheap treat. You can check the activities calendar for live music or other activities to enjoy free of charge.
27. Ask Deep Questions
Google a selection of deep questions and settle into a cozy coffee shop or restaurant booth for some real talk. This free indoor date idea gives you a chance to focus on each other and learn things that ordinary conversation may never reveal. You can find lists of questions online to help you get started.
28. Be Trivial
Head to a local bar that offers trivia and spend a rainy afternoon or evening testing your knowledge. Trivia sessions make great get-to-know-you first date ideas.
For the cost of a few drinks and a small plate, you can get in on the competition and see how much you really know. And because teamwork makes the dream work, you can pool your knowledge for a trivia duo double-whammy!
29. Book It
What do you do on a lazy date night? Get cozy with books! Bookstores and libraries provide a world of free rainy day date activities, with some of the most inviting interiors anywhere.
Grab an intriguing title and settle in for a reading session. If you find a bargain or two in the clearance section, head home and get even cozier reading by the fireplace!
“What to do on a date if it's raining?” you ask? It’s all a matter of creative planning and working within your budget. Rainy day dates indoors are the perfect opportunity to try a new experience like learning gourmet recipes online or diving into the art of glass blowing.
Rather than thinking of your rainy-day indoor date ideas as limiting, consider them a chance to spend quality time in a cozy atmosphere with your special someone, whether they’re an exciting new spark, a simmering romance or an old flame.
Because rain can take you by surprise, what are some options for easy last-minute date ideas when unexpected weather forces a last-minute change of plans? An online game night at home or a trip to a nearby bookstore provide cozy moments for sweethearts to share, even when the skies don’t cooperate.
For even more fun date ideas, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!
