Before my husband and I lived in the same city, we spent almost a year dating long distance, and video calls were basically our entire relationship for a while. I used to feel a little embarrassed admitting that some of our most meaningful early memories happened over a screen, but looking back, I think those calls taught us how to actually talk to each other in a way some in person couples never quite figure out.
Virtual dates have become a real, valid way for couples to stay connected, whether you’re in a long distance relationship or just navigating a busy stretch where meeting up in person isn’t possible. With a little intention, a video call can feel like much more than just a check in. Here are 13 virtual date ideas worth trying.
1. Cook the Same Meal Together on Video Call
Pick a recipe ahead of time, buy the same ingredients, and cook together over video call, checking in with each other step by step. It’s messy and imperfect but it makes the distance feel smaller.
2. Watch a Movie or Show at the Same Time
Use a synced streaming feature or just start the same movie at the same time on a call, pausing to react and chat throughout. It’s one of the easiest virtual dates to pull off on a tired night.
3. Play Online Games Together
Try a couples friendly online game, trivia, a co op video game, or a simple browser game, and spend the evening playing together. It gives you something to focus on besides just staring at each other on a screen.
4. Have a Virtual Wine or Coffee Date
Each pour your own glass or cup, hop on a video call, and treat it like a real date, dress up a little, set the mood, and just talk like you would if you were actually sitting across from each other.
5. Take a Virtual Museum Tour
Many major museums offer free virtual tours. Pick one and walk through it together on a screen share, discussing your favorite pieces the same way you would in person.
6. Do a Virtual Workout Together
Follow the same online workout class at the same time on a call, cheering each other on and comparing how sore you are afterward. It’s a fun way to stay active and connected at once.
7. Write Letters and Read Them Aloud
Write physical letters to each other ahead of time, then read them aloud together on a call when they arrive. There’s something about hearing someone read their own words to you that a text message just can’t match.
8. Play Send a Photo Scavenger Hunt
Take turns sending photo challenges to each other throughout the day, send a photo of your view right now, send a photo of something that made you smile. It keeps you connected even outside of a scheduled call.
9. Take a Class Together Online
Sign up for the same virtual class, a language course, a cooking class, an art tutorial, and work through it together on a call. Learning something new side by side, even virtually, builds real closeness.
10. Have a Virtual Game Night With Friends
Combine a couples’ virtual date with a group game night, using a video call platform to include friends from both locations. It’s a nice way to feel less isolated during a long distance stretch.
11. Do a Book or Show Discussion Night
Agree to read the same book or watch the same show separately during the week, then hold a virtual discussion night to talk through it. It gives you something to look forward to all week.
12. Plan a Future Trip Together on a Call
Use a screen share to browse destinations, hotels, and itineraries for a future trip you’re planning to take together. It’s a hopeful, exciting way to spend time on a call when the distance feels hard.
13. Just Have Dinner Together
Cook or order your own separate meals, then eat together over video call like you would at the same table, no agenda required. Some of our simplest calls ended up being our favorites.
14. Send Each Other a Care Package Beforehand
Mail a small care package to arrive before a planned virtual date, snacks, a candle, a small note, so you’re both unwrapping something together on the call even though you’re apart.
15. Have a Virtual Dance Party
Pick a shared playlist and just dance together on camera for a few songs. It sounds a little ridiculous, but it’s one of the easiest ways to laugh together and shake off a hard day.
Distance Doesn’t Have to Mean Disconnected
Virtual dates work best when you treat them like real dates, set a time, remove distractions, and be intentional about the time rather than letting it turn into a passive call. With a little planning, a screen can still hold real closeness. I know firsthand how easy it is to feel like a video call is a poor substitute for the real thing, but if you put in the same effort you would for an in person date, you might be surprised how much connection still comes through.
Looking back, I actually think our long distance year made our relationship stronger in some ways, simply because we couldn’t rely on physical closeness to paper over hard conversations. We had to learn to really talk. If you’re in a season of distance or just too busy to see each other in person right now, don’t think of it as a lesser version of dating. Treat it seriously, and it can become its own kind of closeness, one that might even carry over into how you connect once you’re finally back in the same room again.
These days, my husband and I are lucky enough to live under the same roof, but we still occasionally schedule a virtual date on a night when work keeps us in separate rooms of the house. It sounds silly, but it works, mostly because the intention behind it matters more than the physical distance ever did.
