18 easy date ideas you can plan this fall, from drive-in movies to apple picking (2024)

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Have a ceremonial pumpkin spice latte date.

It's not really fall until you've had a caffeinated drink filled with pumpkin spice, so why not turn it into an excuse for a date?

Bundle up in your cutest sweaters, and take your significant other on a stroll to the coffee shop with the best pumpkin spice lattes in town.

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Visit a pumpkin patch for a fall photo shoot.

You can pick up some pumpkins for your house, and you can take fall-themed photos together. They'll be perfect for your Instagram grid or your holiday card.

Plus, pumpkin carving is a great couples activity. Not only is carving pumpkins together fun to do, but you'll also be decorating your home for the season.

You can also paint pumpkins if carving sounds too involved for you.

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Try a drive-in movie for date night.

Drive-in movies have made a comeback in recent months, and fall is a great time to hit up a retro theater since it won't get too hot in the car.

Put together a basket of your favorite snacks, grab some blankets, and you're ready to go.

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Hike under an array of fall foliage.

Hiking with your partner is always fun, but the colors of fall will make it even more beautiful to climb a mountain.

The US is home to hundreds of beautiful hiking locations, so you'll have no shortage of scenic locations to pick from.

Or if hiking isn't your thing, go for a long drive. You can cruise through a mountain or forest area to check out the changing of the leaves with your partner.

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Go to an orchard to pick apples and drink cider.

Apple orchards are a great spot for a date because you can do multiple activities once you arrive: You can pick apples, hit up a doughnut stand, or just stroll under the trees in the fall weather.

If you want even more apple fun in your life, you could also tour a hard cider cellar or brewery in your area. Or just stay home and make your own (spiked) apple cider.

Make sure to do your research on an orchard before you go, though, as many have new safety guidelines in place.

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You can have a picnic in your favorite park or your backyard.

Before it gets too cold, enjoy some time outside with your sweetheart with a picnic. You can go to a local park, or you can just take advantage of your own outdoor space if you have it.

All you need is your partner, your favorite picnic snacks, a thermos of hot chocolate, and a blanket.

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Hold hands at a haunted house.

Some haunted houses are still operating in 2020, and there are ways to safely walk through one with your partner.

Safety measures like requiring masks, fewer guests walking through the spooky homes at a time, and temperature screenings are making haunted houses safer amid the pandemic, according to CNN.

Getting spooked and leaning on each other can actually be quite romantic.

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It's the perfect time of year to camp together.

Camping in the summer can be sweaty and bug-filled, but spending a few days in the woods in the fall is perfect.

Camping can also serve as a great way to spend quality time together, as you'll be away from any distractions.

You can take a look at Insider's list of the best camping spots in the US here.

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Make your own couples Halloween costume.

Even if you're just spending Halloween at home, wearing matching costumes can be a bonding experience for a couple.

You can buy a couples costume, or you can go the extra mile by making complementary outfits for the scariest day of the year.

And if you need inspiration for your costume, you can check out some of the best celebrity Halloween looks from last year here.

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Bake treats with your favorite fall ingredients.

Delicious flavors like pumpkin, cinnamon, and caramel are popular in fall, and you can spend quality time with your partner by baking with the ingredients.

It will be fun to make the sweets and even more fun to eat them together.

You can even make pumpkin pie recipes created by celebrity chefs, though some of them are better than others.

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Get lost in a corn maze together.

Corn mazes are another safe activity you and your partner can enjoy together during fall.

The mazes are outdoors, which makes them safer than many indoor activities, and since you're walking the entire time you're in them, prolonged exposure to the virus is unlikely, as pediatric psychologist Dr. Forrest Talley told Romper.

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Have a scary movie marathon.

It's not really spooky season if you don't binge a few creepy flicks.

Make a list of your favorite sinister films, and settle into the couch with your partner with the first roaring fire of the season nearby. Even if the movie gets too scary, you'll be together.

If you want to make the night even more fun, build a pillow or blanket fort to watch the films in.

You could watch some of the best horror movies of all time, like "The Conjuring" or "A Nightmare On Elm Street." And there are even Halloween-themed movies that won't spook you, like "Practical Magic" or "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," if scary movies aren't your thing.

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You can tailgate together.

You might not be able to go to sporting events in person right now, but you can still enjoy the camaraderie of football season.

Set up a distanced group date with your friends in a local parking lot, park, or cul-de-sac.

Each couple can bring their own snacks, and you can watch the game remotely or listen to a play-by-play on the radio.

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Plan a weekend getaway in the mountains.

Odds are you live within driving distance of at least one beautiful fall destination, whether that be a mountain range or just a town with pretty trees.

Book a reservation at an Airbnb for the weekend, and enjoy some much needed time away with your sweetheart. You can check out some of the best Airbnbs with views of fall foliage in the US here.

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Spend an entire day in your pajamas.

You can have pajama days year-round, but there's something extra fun about staying in your cozy clothes all day once it's chillier outside.

On the first cold weekend day of the year, grab your partner, your pajamas, and whatever else you need to relax. You can read together, watch movies, play games, or just snuggle all day. It's the perfect day-date at home.

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You could have a beer-tasting night at home.

If you're unable to go out to a brewery, you can create a personal beer flight at home.

You can just buy a few fun beers to taste as a couple, or you can go the extra mile by purchasing a beer brewing kit. Craft your own beer together, and compare it to some of your favorite store-bought options.

You and your partner can also have a fun night experimenting with autumn-inspired beverages.

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Make fall-scented candles for your home.

You could just buy fall-scented candles, but making them with your partner might be more fun.

It's an entertaining activity, and you can craft the scent to your specific tastes.

The main things you need to make a candle are wax, a wick, and a container, but if you're new to candle-making, it's probably best to buy a kit to help you out. Etsy offers multiple candle-making kits.

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And of course, you can always shop for holiday gifts together.

Why not use fall to get ahead on your holiday shopping as a unit?

Finding gifts for all of your loved ones together makes holiday shopping more fun, and you can drop hints to your partner about what you want while you search.

Wrapping them together will be a snap too.

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