A long-distance relationship is challenging at its best and heartbreaking at its worst. It never seems to get easier, and on particularly bad days, missing your partner gives a whole new meaning to heartache. That’s where virtual dating ideas can come to the rescue.
Every individual who has ever been in an LDR has wished that their partner was available in a travel-friendly size they could keep in their bag. But alas, that is not the case. You can’t keep your partner in your wallet. You can, however, keep them in your heart. This is precisely why people date across cities, countries and even continents.Â
When dating with a distance between you two seems impossible, we’re here to tell you that the possibilities are endless when you’ve got two screens, decent internet and a whole lot of love. Virtual date meaning a regular date—just on your phone or laptop. We’ve got here, 23 virtual date ideas for long-distance couples to make them feel closer. You might want to put your heart in a bank locker, because these ideas are about to steal it.
23 Creative Virtual Date Ideas For Long-Distance Or Quarantine Couples
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James Thurber said it so beautifully, “Love is what you’ve been through with somebody.” And this, ladies and gents, is why long-distance relationships are so solid in nature. But they are also frustrating. A lot of work goes into syncing schedules, planning calls, and texting your partner whenever possible. Who wouldn’t get fed up with the endless wait before you see your beloved?Â
So, let’s make things a tad easier, shall we? The invention of teleportation might be a couple of decades away, but we do have the privilege of good technology. You can get creative with a virtual setting WAY more than you think. If you’ve been laboring under the illusion that all e-dates are the same, you’re missing out on a world of fun. Yes, long-distance date ideas do tend to become stale after a point, but that’s only if they’re not done right. Mixing things up is vital.
The volume of LDR couples has increased significantly after the pandemic. Individuals have found themselves stranded in countries under quarantine, unable to return home, while their partners are under strict lockdown restrictions too. If you’re one of those quarantine couples, or even if you find yourself on the other side of the globe as your partner for other reasons, these creative virtual date ideas are just what you need.Â
No matter how outlandish or ridiculous they might be to read, I earnestly urge you give these a chance, because I have curated this list to help ease some of the challenges of long-distance relationships. Get your partner onboard and give these lockdown virtual date ideas three strikes. Then I won’t pester you, I promise. For now, let’s get right to it: The virtual date settings you need to try!
1. Long-distance date idea: A classic dinner dateÂ
In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a dinner date. So what if it’s a virtual setting? Put on your nice clothes, light a few candles, keep a rose on the table, and dig into some food together. You can both have the same dish to feel as close as possible. Maybe even have a cooking session before the date where you follow the same recipe or tutorial.Â
You can decide a specific cuisine or theme too—Moroccan Mondays or Thai Tuesdays! Twin the outfit colors and try to get the same lighting or ambiance. If you get bored of dinner dates at home, you can both go to restaurants near your respective houses. Get a booth to yourself and set up a Zoom call with your partner.
If you’re looking for a few other online dinner date ideas, maybe even crack open that special bottle of wine or challenge each other with extremely spicy noodles (at your own risk!). Spending quality time with each other is a love language of its own. Isn’t this one of the best romantic virtual date ideas for first dates?Â
2. E-travel vicariously
It often blows my mind that we live in a world where almost everything can be done on a screen. Take travelling, for instance. Who would’ve thought ten years ago that couples could travel thanks to the internet? So many museums, science centers, tourist attractions and university websites offer virtual tours. And boy, are they lifelike. You can get a three-dimensional experience from the comfort of your couch.
To be honest, this is one of the fun online date ideas that any couple can adopt. You and your partner also have the option of using Google Earth to get a stunning insight into exotic countries. Don’t forget to add the super-cool Snap Map of Snapchat in the list of long-distance date ideas. You can view the lives of people from all across the world by tapping on Snap Map hotspots. Bridge the distance between you both by taking a lovely digital trip.
Related Reading: 9 Best Long-Distance Couple Apps To Download NOW!
3. Take a few wacky quizzesÂ
Thanks to the insane content creators out there, we have no dearth of kooky content online. Online quizzes are quite a fad among Gen-Z because they cover every topic humanly conceivable; what kind of bread are you? Which Riverdale character would be your best friend? What is your spirit animal based on your snack choices? Which Disney Princess matches your vibe?
My personal favorite is Buzzfeed when it comes to taking these quizzes. Spend an evening binging on quizzes and comparing results with your significant other. And yes, a whole evening, because these quizzes are too darn addictive — they are the rabbit holes of social media and there is NO escape.
The point with this long-distance date night idea is to introduce an unexpected element of fun into your dynamic, which gives you two something to laugh about. A healthy sense of humor is a must-have relationship quality that makes life bliss. Poke fun at each other and enjoy the laugh-out-loud moments with this unique virtual date idea.
4. Gaming nights are awesomeÂ
Virtual date game ideas are definitely the best thing that has happened to the world. The sheer variety of gaming opportunities are crazy! If you’re a nerdy couple, you can play scrabble, chess, or other word games. If you are an athletic couple, you can put your consoles to good use with immersive sports games. But if colorful and simple games are your preference, there’s Ludo, Candy Crush, or Bubble Pop.
Here’s an idea: take a trip down memory lane with your LDR partner and visit those old gaming sites you used to frequent as a child. Remember them? Baking cakes, racing tacky cars, or giving makeovers? They’ll appear prehistoric now but you can play a few rounds for old times’ sake.Â
Moreover, online gaming can lead to love these days. Though you’ve already found love, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use this virtual date idea to cultivate a closer bond with each other. When you spend hours playing games with each other, you’ll truly be able to call your partner your best friend. Could ask for anything more?
5. Have yourself a watch party
Now I am 100% aware that the lockdown has made Netflix and other platforms a little stale. People are tired of watching movies and shows because that’s all they were doing at one point. But a crucial element of long-distance relationships is bonding over shared activities. Watching a show together can be an excellent space for couples. Pick a gripping one like Squid Game, or perhaps a funny one like Schitt’s Creek.
The biggest plus point about movie or web-series dates, is that they require minimal effort. You can have a watch party on Amazon Prime even if you’ve come back from a long day at work. Just co-exist with your partner, and let the movie work its magic. (This is why I love stay-at-home date ideas.) Moreover, you’ll crack inside jokes and show-based references with your partner.
If you want to add an extra element of fun to this long-distance date night idea, go ahead and play a drinking game in a movie. For example, every time Leo DiCaprio uses a cuss word in the movie Wolves Of Wall Street, go ahead and take a sip of your drink. Maybe pick a different movie and a different criteria, since this one might just kill you.
6. What are some virtual date game ideas? Play truth or dare
Things are about to get REALLLL! Usually, couples know the oddest things about each other. They know the embarrassing stories, sweet childhood memories, previous relationship experiences and much more. But with Truth and Dare you will still manage to surprise each other. The game is designed to reveal things that wouldn’t normally and organically come up in conversations.
My dear friend Vera and her boyfriend were in an LDR for six years before he moved to the same continent as her. She’s the one behind the Truth or Dare virtual date ideas because she swears by them: “It goes two ways. You have a deep, meaningful conversation about something with your partner, or you both spend the night cracking up like teenagers.”
7. Take an online class
Oh come on, please don’t tell me you think this is boring. As an online class advocate, I will be deeply hurt by your rejection. Just hear me out, okay? An online-class date is not a one-time thing. Look at it as a series of dates where you explore a brand-new area or subject. You can pick the most absurd hobby with your partner; they have classes on anything and everything these days.
If cooking, baking or writing feel too done and dusted, learn a new language. And not your usual French or Spanish. Choose something unique like Turkish or Urdu. Get an insight into a completely different culture and way of life. After the class, you and your partner can practice with each other. How’s that for creative virtual date ideas?Â
Related Reading: How To Make Online Dating Work? 8 Tips From Expert
8. Get dirty with Never Have I Ever
I bet you like the sound of that. Haters will say that Never Have I Ever is best played in groups, or that strip poker is better. Nuh-uh friends. With the right dirty and sexy questions, Never Have I Ever can lead to the best cyber-sex you’ll ever have. The rules for this virtual date for long-distance relationships are simple: With each “I have,” the individual takes off an item of clothing and takes a shot or sip of their drink.Â
With each round, the questions get progressively hotter and reveal your partner’s fantasies and kinks. Long-distance date ideas like these can really release any pent-up sexual frustration. And what’s not to like with the winning combo of sex, booze and fun? Put your thinking cap on, and work on the questions you want to ask.
9. Plan vacationsÂ
Pre-planning is literally the most important step when it comes to vacations. It’s cost and time effective and prevents any organizational mishaps in the long run. This falls under romantic virtual date ideas because it gives the couple something to do, as well as something to eagerly look forward to. Begin planning your couple’s trip by picking a destination you both love.
Booking in advance will work wonders for you. Browse hotels, tourist destinations, currency exchange rates, and so on. Do your research well so you can relax when you’re actually on the trip. Discussing travel itineraries and plans with your partner over a video call is a great bonding activity. Especially because you are both working towards when you’ll meet next.
In situations where a vacation isn’t possible for you two, you can still always talk about the places you’d like to visit one day. As you can probably tell by now, online dates for long-distance relationships largely depend on conversation, and there’s no better topic of conversation than your dream vacation destination.
10. Virtual coffee date ideas are simply the best
Cassandra Clare wrote, “As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?” And she’s hit the mark. You can feel closer to your long-distance partner by bonding over virtual date ideas that revolve around coffee. Make a morning ritual of having coffee together over a video call or phone call. Starting your mornings with each other can be a sweet way of feeling each other’s presence (If you’re in different time zones, then it’ll be a good morning for one of you only). After all, a few cute relationship rituals is what sets apart the best couples.
Or you can choose a coffee shop franchise common to your respective cities (like Starbucks) and physically go over there for virtual coffee dates. Cool online date ideas don’t get much simpler than this, since this is something that you can so easily fit into your routine.
Taking a coffee-making class is also an option (and I hear they’re quite the thing) if you both simply love the beverage. Lockdown virtual date ideas are turning out to be quite nice, no?
11. Raise the temperature with cyber sex
A huge hurdle in long-distance relationships is the absence of physical intimacy and there are many consequences of the same. But fostering intimacy through the internet is a very simple solution. First and foremost comes sexting, but exercise caution when you send nudes to your partner. Second comes phone sex which is another great method of channeling your sex drive.Â
And finally, you have webcam sex. It entails getting on a video call with your partner and engaging in activities that sexually arouse you both (like masturbating together). You can wear sexy lingerie, use sex toys, or role-play too. Angle the camera in a manner where you are comfortable (and visible). Just remember to be cyber-safe when you’re having fun. Who said virtual dates for long-distance relationships couldn’t be fun?
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12. Make and share memes – great virtual date ideas
A study by the University of Kansas discovered that couples who laugh together, stay together. Bonding over humor increases relationship satisfaction significantly and is one of the qualities of a healthy relationship. So, one of the funniest lockdown virtual date ideas is sharing or making memes. You don’t need any help in the sharing area, so let’s get to the making part.
You and your partner could start a meme page of your own and create funny content. So many LDR couples make TikToks and reels about their relationship while pulling each other’s leg. Joint social media pages, YouTube channels, meme-offs, and so on are ultimately ways to tickle the funny bone of your relationship.
Even if you don’t want to make memes or reels, you can always talk about any embarrassing stories you might be hiding from each other. Fun online date ideas such as this one are bound to get you two in a jolly mood, assuming that you don’t let the embarrassment keep you from telling the stories. An evening spent laughing with your partner, is an evening well-spent.
Related Reading: 8 Habits Of Couples In Strong And Healthy Relationships
13. Sing badly with karaoke
William Shakespeare wrote, “If music be the food of love, play on.” And you, too, can play along with your better half on a karaoke night. Don’t worry if you’re a bathroom singer, a non-singer, or a bad singer. The point of the activity is to have a good time. Curate your favorite songs into a playlist beforehand, or go in unprepared. Maybe you could take turns choosing songs!
From country music to hard rock, explore all the genres. Revisit the all-time classics and spend hours learning the lyrics of a rap song. If you have that “special song” that the both of you love dearly, let go of your inhibitions and sing it out with your partner. Who knew online dates for long-distance relationships might make the neighbors complain about the noise levels?
Moreover, you could make it interesting by setting a simple rule: each time one of you gets the lyrics wrong, they have to take a shot. There are many romantic date ideas on this list, but karaoke takes the cake.
14. Creative virtual date ideas – go on chore-dates
If you are two workaholics in a relationship with no time to spare for frivolity, then doing chores together is the most efficient way to spend time together. Go grocery shopping and keep your phone on the shopping cart. Your partner can do the same. This way, you’ll get the work done too. Most errands can be run this way: cleaning the house, laundry, ironing, doing the dishes, etc.Â
Sure, it doesn’t sound like one of the most romantic online date ideas, but it’s something to bring you two closer nonetheless. When you think about it, going grocery shopping with someone (albeit virtual) is one of the most precious ways to spend time doing something with someone.
Unique virtual date ideas like these are adulting at its best. And striking a balance between work and leisure is no easy job. You have to find time between your hectic schedule for your LDR partner. But maybe running errands together will make them less dreary. Maybe you will both make the best out of them.
15. Cool online date ideas: Attend events together
All hail the internet culture of hosting events virtually! Poetry and comedy open mics, plays, movie screenings, TED Talks, concerts, dance shows, literature festivals and so many more events are now conducted online. You can buy the ticket and attend it with your partner live. I did not attend these e-shows for the longest time because I thought they could never match up to the offline format, but that is SO not the case.
Online events are just as captivating and fun. In fact, they’re a lot more comfortable because you can stay under the blankets while watching your favorite musician perform. A lot of artists have been putting on shows for charity and COVID relief; maybe you could do your part and attend those (their tickets are cheaper too). And FYI; online events are great virtual date ideas for first dates.
16. Sync your workout time
Exercising with your partner can be a wonderful activity that is also beneficial to your health. Sync your workout timings with one of the many apps available on IOS and Play Store. If you don’t like cardio, jogging, or any other traditional exercises, you can consider yoga or Pilates too. Dance workout lessons are a nice alternative as well.Â
On a similar note, you can practice meditation, relaxation techniques, stretches and breathing exercises with your LDR partner. These might not be the most romantic virtual date ideas, but they accomplish an important task. The point of working out together is feeling involved in each other’s life and routine.
Plus, if you’re looking for more motivation while burning those calories, having your favorite person working out with you might be exactly the thing you needed. Long-distance date ideas aren’t just limited to dinners and coffee calls, as you can see. Shared experiences strengthen the relationship substantially when you are separated by distance.Â
17. A TLC date is the ultimate stress-buster
Sometimes you just have to slap on a face mask, paint your nails, call your partner and gossip. If you have a tub of ice-cream nearby, even better. Open your social media apps parallelly so you can stalk the individual on whom the tea is being spilled. Vent your heart out and be unabashed with your words. You’re allowed to get it out of your system.Â
Genius long-distance date ideas like this one always leave you feeling better. Who better than your partner to rant to? Talk about that mean co-worker or narcissistic boss.. Explain how fed up you are with the nagging landlord and feel your woes evaporate in a flash. Don’t forget to hear out your partner too – being a good listener is a must.
18. Get tipsy on a drinking date
Long-distance happy hour! I love virtual coffee date ideas for sure, but they have a strong competitor in drinking date ideas. Both of you can play bartender and mix drinks before you sit down once and for all. To make it interesting, decide each other’s drinks rather than sticking to your regulars. Before you realize it, you’ll be tipsy-turvy (pun intended).
Mix this up with your regular online dinner date ideas and try to make a few things to chow down on together as well. Just make sure you prepare the food before the drinks start pouring, or you won’t really know what you’re going to end up eating.
Drunk couples are so adorable to watch; they usually get sappy or horny and it’s ridiculously funny either way. If you don’t believe me, put your call on screen-recording before you start drinking. When you wake up the next morning with a hangover, you’ll at least have a video of your cute drunk shenanigans.Â
Related Reading: Weird Things Couples Do With Each Other Once They Are Settled In Love
19. What are the best lockdown virtual date ideas? Read together
Like a two-person book club. Settle on a reading hour where you both do nothing but read. It could be the same book or a different one – fiction, non-fiction, essays, poetry – whatever you like best. Even relationship books are a splendid option. Once you have completed it, discuss how you liked it with your partner. What could have been better? What did you find the most interesting?
You can even make a monthly reading list and have 10 books on it. Strive to reach the target together. As an interesting activity, you could make your very own podcast on the reading list. This certainly rules the list of unique virtual date ideas. There are sites and apps (like Riverside FM for instance) that can help you extract and edit audio.Â
20. Involve family and friends
The more, the merrier, right? You can meet each other’s friends and family by including them in any one of the activities mentioned above, even in virtual date game ideas. Double date ideas and family dinners sound quite appealing to me. There are many people who have begun dating online during the lockdown. The relationships get serious without them having ever met the individual in person.Â
In such a situation they might wonder, what is the next step? Well, the next step can be introducing your beloved to your parents. Familiarizing them with your circle can be a sweet gesture of commitment through a virtual setting. Online relationships might seem difficult to sustain, but you can ace them with a push in the right direction, especially with such romantic online date ideas.
21. Go shopping on the internet
Don’t know about you but I’m a fan of online shopping. And I like involving my boyfriend in the selection process of my outfits or shoes. Discussing styles, colors and fabrics is so interesting. And can we please talk about the mad discounts that websites offer? Dedicate a date to e-shopping with your partner and you will thank me for such great virtual date ideas later.
Browse all the hottest websites and brands, compare prices, take virtual trials, and discuss what will look best on each of you before finally checking out. You’ll realize the difference between male and female shopping habits too. Max excitement! Pro tip: keep an eye out for online sales around any festive season. You’ll get the best prices when the holiday spirit is at an all-time high.
22. Make digital albums/videos
The number of pictures we usually click these days, makes us lose the important ones in the junkyard of images. Set aside the photos that have captured your special moments in a digital album or video. Title each folder with its occasion and you can both scour your gallery for the images that belong there. Once the photos are in one place, you can decide on the format of your album.
Do you want an e-scrapbook? A photo collage? A slide-show? Or a short movie? These romantic virtual date ideas are bound to make you feel nostalgic. Looking back at the old photos and the time spent together, you will feel close to your LDR partner in the moment. Nothing better than a recap of your relationship milestones to make love blossom.
23. Just…be…
There are times when simply spending time together is the best thing to do. Enter a zoom meeting with your partner and leave it on. Do your respective work, take a nap, or chat idly. Don’t plan or do. Anything. In relationships that aren’t long-distance, partners just hang out without any plan or agenda, and that’s usually the best virtual date idea.
You should try and incorporate the same normalcy and eliminate the need to do something constantly. Some of the best long-distance date ideas are not elaborate at all. They are barely even ideas. Being with your partner without any fanfare is pure bliss.
Found something you like? I’m 100% sure you did. Don’t forget to personalize the date for yourselves and get a stable internet connection too. Your partner doesn’t want to see “poor connection” pop-ups on their screen instead of your lovely face. Make the best of the virtual world and befriend it as best as you can. It will be your best friend till you can see your partner in person.Â
I’m very interested in knowing how these unique virtual date ideas panned out for you. There’s no way for me to know except the comments section below. Tell me how it went and feel free to leave heart emojis too. You have my best wishes for your LDR e-dating!
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