25 virtual date ideas that don’t feel like another video call
A video call is not a date. It’s a video call. The difference is having something to do together: a meal, a movie, a game, a plan. That is what turns “so, how was your day?” into an evening you both remember.
Here are 25 virtual date ideas for long distance couples, grouped by mood. Most are free, and none need more than a phone or laptop.
Play dates
Games are the easiest way to stop a call from going quiet. We have a full list of long distance relationship games, but these are the best for a date night.
1.Draw and guess
Make a private skribbl.io room and add a custom word list of your inside jokes.
2.A trivia night about each other
Each of you writes ten questions about yourself. Whoever knows the other better wins, and the loser plans the next date.
3.A photo card game
This one is ours: upload your photos, and Heartdeck turns them into a full Uno-style deck. Send the link, and you play in real time on your own phones. Every card you play is one of your memories, which makes it a lot more fun than regular Uno. Make your deck.
4.Travel with GeoGuessr
Get dropped somewhere on Street View and work out where you are together. Keep a list of the places you want to visit for real.
5.A virtual escape room
Plenty of escape rooms run online versions for two players. It is a good test of how you work as a team, and a good laugh when you don’t.
Dinner and drinks dates
6.Cook the same recipe
Pick a recipe, buy the same ingredients, and cook on a call. Then eat together. It works even better when one of you is a much better cook than the other.
7.Order each other’s dinner
Each of you secretly orders the other’s dinner to their door. You only find out what you’re eating when it arrives.
8.A tasting night
Buy three of the same thing (three wines, three chocolates) and taste them together. Rate each one and argue about the scores.
9.Breakfast and dinner
One of you has breakfast, the other has dinner. It is the one date that makes the time difference feel romantic instead of annoying.
10.A fancy dress-up dinner
Dress up like you are going somewhere nice, set the table properly, light a candle. It feels silly for about two minutes, then it feels like a real date.
Watch and listen dates
11.Movie night in sync
Use Teleparty, or just count down “3, 2, 1, play.” Keep the call on and talk through it like you would on the sofa.
12.An album listening party
Each of you picks an album that shaped you. Listen to both in full, and talk about why they matter.
13.Watch the same sky
Go outside at the same moment and look at the moon together, or time a call for your sunset. Seeing the same thing from two places is strangely comforting.
14.A virtual museum tour
Many museums have online tours on Google Arts & Culture. Pick one, wander through it together, and each choose a favourite piece.
15.A comedy special
Low effort, high reward. Laughing together is underrated.
Make-something dates
16.Paint or draw each other
Take a screenshot of each other and try to draw it. The worse the drawings are, the better the date.
17.Build the same Lego set
Buy two of the same small set and race to finish it on a call.
18.Bake for your next visit
Practise the cake you will bake together when you finally see each other.
19.Write letters at the same time
Sit on a call in silence and write each other a letter. Mail them, and don’t say what you wrote.
Slow, cosy dates
20.Read a book aloud
Take turns reading chapters of the same book. It is a lovely way to end the day.
21.A walk-and-talk call
Go for a walk at the same time and show each other where you are. It is the closest thing to walking together.
22.A study or work date
Keep the camera on while you both work. You don’t need to talk. Just having each other there helps.
23.A sleep call
Fall asleep on a call. Some couples do this every night, and it is exactly as nice as it sounds.
Bigger dates
24.Plan your next trip together
Build the plan for your next visit, or a dream trip. Pick the places, make a shared map, and argue about restaurants. Planning is half the fun.
25.A date night jar
Write every idea on this list on a slip of paper. Each week, one of you draws a date. It takes the planning off your hands and keeps things varied.
Tips for a better virtual date
- Put it in the calendar. A fixed night beats “whenever we’re both free.”
- Set the scene. Good light, a proper plate, a candle. Small effort, big difference.
- Plan one thing. An activity gives the call a shape, and makes conversation easier.
- End with a ritual. One last game, one question, or a goodnight message to wake up to.
Frequently asked questions
What can you do on a virtual date?
Cook the same recipe on a video call, watch a movie in sync, play an online game together, take a virtual museum tour, read a book aloud, or have a sleep call. The best virtual dates give you something to do together rather than just talk.
How do you make a virtual date feel special?
Treat it like a real date: put it in the calendar, dress up a little, set up your space (candles, a proper plate, good lighting) and plan one activity. Ending the night with a small ritual, like a goodnight game or letter, helps too.
What are good virtual date ideas for long distance couples in different time zones?
Try a breakfast-and-dinner date where one of you eats breakfast while the other has dinner, a slow game you play turn by turn, or a weekend call scheduled at the least-bad hour for both of you. Asynchronous dates, like a shared playlist or a book you both read, work between calls.
How often should long distance couples have virtual dates?
Most couples do well with one planned date a week, plus shorter everyday calls. A fixed day and time makes it easier to protect, especially across time zones.