It’s Date Night! What Will we Do??

Date nights with babies and small people underfoot, can be tricky. Throw in a pandemic where things are closed and nobody’s going out anyways, date night gets thrown out the window, which is hard on even the best relationships!

If you’re fresh out of ideas for how to spend a few hours with your partner after the kids are in bed, we’ve rounded up some great suggestions for an at home Date Night in Ottawa.

Movie night in

Between streaming channels and the actual movie theatres having fairly new releases available to rent, watching a movie on your own television means you can get comfy together on the couch and create your own snack bar. Or, order in actual movie theatre popcorn and drinks (through Uber Eats or Skip the Dishes) for an experience that is closer to the movie theatre experience. 

Restaurant take out

We know busy parents already love take out, and you likely have a favourite place to order from, but date night take out can be elevated with a special meal from a local restaurant. Experience a restaurant meal at home with a Curated by Beckta’s two or three course meal and follow the video to learn how to reheat and plate like a five star restaurant. We’ve tried Curated By Beckta and while it’s a splurge, the meals are fantastic! They can be paired with wine as well, which is makes for a great experience. The best thing about these options is that you can enjoy dinner in your sweats or get fancy and nobody needs to know.

Cooking Class

We know you’re likely all “Zoom’d” out, but signing up for a hands-on experience together may rejuvenate you with an activity you both love. Try an online cooking class with CozyMeal or order one of the popular meal boxes such as Good Food, Chef’s Plate or Hello Fresh and have fun cooking together. Cozymeal also has online coffee making classes (the Perfect Home Espresso or Perfecting the Pour-Over Method - my personal favourite type of coffee!) or online mixology classes (such as Classic Cocktails with Gin or Vodka and Winter Wonderland Cocktails).

Cocktail Night

If you’re missing the experience of a fancy beverage while out and about, order one for an at-home experience. Learn how to become your own cocktail mixologist with a special package from Bar from Afar, or Ottawa Mobile Bartenders. The ingredients arrive to your door and you just have to follow the instructions. The activity is one you can do together too. Grab some fancy cheese, baguette and some charcuterie and you’ll be set for the evening.

At-Home Spa

Pamper each other with an at-home spa plan. This doesn’t mean a quick clay mask while surfing your phone. We recommend candles, bubble baths and the whole experience. If you need some local supplies to spoil each other, your favourite spa likely has a package to-go. Check out Bathorium bath products online for some ideas.

Online Escape Room

Maybe you both love a little competition (do you track each other’s Wordle scores?) or maybe you want to try and work together on a project. Whatever the case, an online Escape Room may be just what you need! These 90-120 minute experiences will immerse you into some role playing fun as you try to reach your goal.

No matter how you spend your time together, date night at home can be a relaxing, romantic and joyful experience. And yes, it’s ok if in the end you both fall asleep on the couch together. We’ve been there too. But hopefully, these experiences will add a little fun to your next date night planning.