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25 Things Every Married Couple Should Try at Least Once

June 13, 2014 /

25 Things Every Married Couple Should Try at Least Once

My heart is a scrapbook, each day a new page adorned with memories of time well spent together. Love is the ink that flows through each page marking the places we’ve been and the people we’ve seen. Finger printed pages remind me of the gentle way this man has touched my heart. The beautiful man that I married. The beautiful man that I wake up to each day.

I was sitting here tonight thinking of the past 25 years and the countless ways that I’ve spent time with Michael. Some days our dates were planned, other days they seemed to unfold on their own. You never realize how many special moments you’ve shared until you pause to look back.

I couldn’t begin to count them all, but I will share 25. Most of them are seemingly insignificant, and you’ve probably done many of them yourself, if not all. But never the less–they’re an experience that I think every couple would enjoy, at least once.

Having children of course would be at the top of my list, but for some couples infertility is a struggle. So yeah–I haven’t forgotten that one. I’ve left many things out of course, these are simply a few that have stood out to me most–a few of my favourite memories thus far…

1. Star gazing in the middle of the night.

2. Going on a long road trip.

3. Having a picnic on the beach.

4. Riding in a convertible.

5. Hiking in the mountains.

6. Walking in the desert.

7. Decorating the house.

8. Planting a garden.

9. Dreaming about the future.

10. Reading a book together.

11. Watching fireworks.

12. Lighting candles during a power failure.

13. Watching a thunder storm.

14. Camping.

15. Hosting a Bible study

16. Building a fire outside.

17. Walking together in the pouring rain.

18. Cuddling in front of a fire (inside)

19. Exchanging love letters.

20. Going for a canoe ride.

21. Flying in an airplane. (I know this is a biggie, but it’s an experience I hope you can try at least once)

22. Laughing until your bellies hurt.

23. Slow dancing at home.

24. Enjoying a concert in the park.

25. Planting a tree.

Chime in: What are some of the best things you’ve done together as a couple? Share them with us in the comments. Maybe I’ll try them too!  

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You are loved by an almighty God,

Darlene Schacht
The Time-Warp Wife

Check out my book, available in both print and digital format: The Virtuous Life of a Christ-Centered Wife: 18 Powerful Lessons for Personal Growth

61 Comments

  • Alicia

    June 13, 2014 at 12:51 pm

    Cruise to the Bahamas
    Cruise to the Caribbean
    Road trip up the West Coast of the U.S. through Idaho to Montana and Wyoming
    Going to Professional Baseball games b/c we love sports…..just to name a few

  • Joii C.

    June 13, 2014 at 1:01 pm

    Hi Darlene! Love this list. One thing hubby and I have done is conduct a photo shoot. We went to a beautiful park in the fall and took pictures of each other. We had a blast!

  • Tanya

    June 13, 2014 at 1:13 pm

    Thank you for reminding me the simple, pure times ARE PRECIOUS and GLORIOUS!
    My favorite is riding horses with Bill!
    Blessings Friend!

  • Sandy Lawson

    June 13, 2014 at 1:15 pm

    My favorite thing that we have done together was, we were baptized in the Ocean in Hawaii:) it was awesome;)

  • Katrina Rogers

    June 13, 2014 at 1:32 pm

    We just took a painting class together as a date night. We painted a reflections theme, which consisted of our two paintings mirroring each other. I painted on one canvas, and he painted on the other. It turned out great! I would say that is some great marriage counseling haha and so much fun! We will definitely do it again!

  • Stacy McDonald

    June 13, 2014 at 1:59 pm

    My husband and I have been married 23 years and we have also accomplished everything on your list… except for #6. Walking in the dessert – but maybe I have done that when my kids dropped some on the kitchen and didn’t clean it up 😉 Great list!

  • Angela Toovey

    June 13, 2014 at 2:45 pm

    I love what you said and you said it in such a beautiful way. We have done almost all of the things on your list (no canoe ride YET, but we have kayaked) and I have such beautiful memories from each one! One of the things my husband and I love to do is explore a new town together. Usually at least once a year we will pick a town either close by or farther away and take off together. We browse the shops, eat the local fare, learn the history, do all the touristy things and just enjoy each other’s company.

  • Maria

    June 13, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    We have been married 5 1/2 years and I think we have done almost all of these things, with some variation:). My husband is a helicopter pilot and our first sort of date was him picking me up in my parents driveway in a helicopter! We love the time we get to spend together, and often our date nights include Costco-superstore-Walmart with no kids! Even that can be an adventure together, lol, with or without the kids! Doesn’t matter what we are doing, as long as we are simply there with each other, giving thanks to God for what He has given us in each other:)

  • Elaine

    June 13, 2014 at 2:49 pm

    I love your blog, Darlene. God is using it in my life daily to help me in my “new” marriage of 3 1/2years.

    I loved your list of 25 things to do together at least once and wanted to add a few, and since my husband and I are both over 65, we are pretty intentional about our “bucket list”. Some of these are things that could be done easily & often, & others are once-in-a-lifetime ideas:

    Go for a motorcycle ride on back roads during the spring & summer

    Eat meals in the backyard & BBQ whenever possible

    Do a short term mission trip together to help others in another country or a different area of the US

    Do a riverboat cruise up or down the Mississippi, Missouri, or Ohio Rivers

    Remodel a room together and include ideas from BOTH of you

    Thanks, Darlene!

  • Tabatha

    June 13, 2014 at 3:13 pm

    I can very happily say my hubby and I have done most of this list! Still working on the airplane one! haha!

    And can I just point out very nicely that I hope no one is walking through their dessert! What a waste of a tasty treat but a walk through the desert would be interesting! 😉

  • Anita

    June 13, 2014 at 3:25 pm

    All of these are great! One night, near Christmas, neither one of us could sleep. My husband and I drag the comforter into the living room and turned on the Christmas tree lights and just watched them while playing some instrumental Christmas songs. Just watching the lights on the ceiling and talking. Definitely a favorite memory.

  • Bette Playford

    June 13, 2014 at 3:34 pm

    What a great list of thing to do together. After 44 years celebrated together yesterday, we have accomplished/attempted all on your list. Some of our favorites also include shopping in an open air market in a foreign county, visiting national museums in Washington DC, attending a stage production in London, attending a local school stage production, singing around a campfire, swinging on a porch swing together, going on a river cruise in US or Europe (ours was in Germany). Just thinking about all we have done together brings back wonderful memories (I won’t even start with what to do together with our kids), I could go on forever.

    Thanks for your wonderful Christ inspired articles.

  • Shirley

    June 13, 2014 at 3:49 pm

    Several years ago my sweetie and I got up on a Saturday morning and decided to go for a drive to Santa Barbara. We headed out on our journey having a good time spending time together. We stopped in Paso Robles for breakfast and then continued our journey. As we driving south on 101 we looked at each and said let’s do something different. So we took the off ramp for Hwy 46 and headed across the mountains to Hwy 1. When we reached Hwy 1 instead of turning south we decided to head north and spent several hours in Cambria. Afterwards we headed north again and arrived in San Simeon, stopped for a late lunch, and decided we were going to continue our drive north. Before we continued our journey we did get a hotel room in San Simeon, called our daughter to let her and family know we were spending the night and would they go over and feed take care of Dizzy for us. Now mind you we did not have a change of clothes, a toothbrush or anything with us as this was supposed to be a just a “day trip.” After all this was done we continued our drive up Hwy 1 taking in all the sights and enjoying our time together. If you have never driven up Hwy 1 you will be surprised how long it takes to get anywhere as it is a two lane winding road that runs along the coast of California. We finally made it to Monterey’s Cannery Row where we stopped for dinner and had a great time walking around taking in the happenings. By now it is very dark and there is no way we are going to drive back down Hwy 1 to San Simeon so we take Hwy 101. We arrive back at our hotel room two tired people but what a great day it was. Our weekend was not planned it just happened. We never saw Santa Barbara that weekend but it was one of the best weekends my sweetie and I have had together. Occasionally every couple needs to do something spontaneous, no plans, just let day unfold as you go and let it happen.

  • Keri Baker

    June 13, 2014 at 5:05 pm

    Love these ideas!!
    Not sure about walking through the dessert…might be a little messy or sticky. The desert would be sandy and romantic! 😉
    Thank you for being a blessing and encouragement to live out our calling to be godly women in an ungodly world and time.

  • Andrea

    June 13, 2014 at 6:33 pm

    Pick a day, and stay in bed together ALL day, order out, or have meals/snacks ready to go so you don’t have to cook.

  • Tammy

    June 13, 2014 at 8:02 pm

    Go test drive cars together, it’s fun to dream, and who doesn’t like a new car smell. Just don’t go in to the office!

  • Anna @ Feminine Adventures

    June 13, 2014 at 8:51 pm

    Wonderful list! I hope we get to going canoeing on our next anniversary (fingers crossed!)

    One of my very favorite marriage-memories was from an almost-ruined night. My husband didn’t get home till after 9:00 on a Friday due to a crazy work assignment, we were tired after a long week and were struggling with grouchiness.

    But we decided to watch a goofy Christmas movie and cuddle on the couch. Then, while we were getting ready for bed we changed our minds and put on snow clothes instead and went out to build a snowman and make snow angels. It was about 2:00 a.m and we had to whisper to keep from waking the neighbors or kiddos. The children were surprised to find a six foot snowman greeting them in the morning and we had one more memory together to cherish.

  • Marci

    June 13, 2014 at 8:56 pm

    * Take the scenic route home at least once a month. No need to spend money or stop, just drive slow & enjoy being together.

    *Plan for and take a working missions trip together. We took a working missions trip to Spain for our 40th anniversary. It was time spent serving, working, laughing and making memories we could have never dreamed of; some of the best time and money we have spent.

    Thanks for a great post–love the blog.

  • Mitzi

    June 13, 2014 at 9:18 pm

    Love this list and I’m pinning and sharing! for me, it’s the belly-aching laughing that I love. Life’s hard, so those laughable moments together are priceless. Thanks for this one!

  • TIna

    June 14, 2014 at 12:22 am

    Hi Darlene,
    My husband and I have done quite a few of these! I saw that having children would be the top of your list. I just wanted to say that there are many, many, many children in need of foster care that can turn into adoptions without all the heavy financial fees of conventional adopting. Its not easy, but it is so worth it! My husband and I adopted siblings, 16 months and 4 at the time. We are now fostering a four year old. To be able to change a childs life forever and show them the love and acceptance of a family is beyond amazing. If you have never considered this option, I urge you to.
    🙂 TIna

  • Crystal Storms

    June 14, 2014 at 12:49 am

    Love all the ideas. For one of our anniversaries, we took a sunset helicopter ride. When we first took off, my stomach filled with butterflies, but I held his hand and knew we were making beautiful memories : )

  • Diane

    June 14, 2014 at 2:04 am

    We just went zip lining for our 29th anniversary! We’ve taken a motorcycle trip up the Pacific Coast highway, and a convertible ride on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Enjoying Gods creation is my favorite thing to do with my husband!

  • Bonnie Powell

    June 14, 2014 at 2:19 am

    I would suggest that a couple go on a mission trip together. My husband and I have been on about 10 mission trips together and it is such a great feeling to be together in a strange country while also helping to turn people toward the God that loved them enough to send His own Son to die for their sins.

  • Jamie Mitchell

    June 14, 2014 at 10:14 am

    We have been known to have our own Friday night dance parties. My husband plays songs from our high school and college years, and we get down in the living room! We have 3 small children, so going out dancing is not an option. (this is BETTER!)

  • Chris Carroll

    June 15, 2014 at 12:53 am

    To add another on the list, is to “participate” in one of his hobbies. When I met my husband 25 years ago he had a 1967 Mercury Cougar. I would help him by handing him the tools (and impressed him when he asked for a screwdriver and I replied flat head, star or square head? He looked at me strangely and refined his answer…). We’ve done the car shows, cruise nights, hanging around people older than us, got into Jeeps and off roading (Crown Land in Northern Ontario of course!) and now we are back with his 1949 Willys stake side truck 4×4 and I finally have my own project a 1950 Ford F-47 pick-up truck. For a while he did have a motorcycle but between a rainy summer and I was too scared to hang on (for dear life.. haha …. even though I love skidooing/sledding/snowmobiling… ) He ended up selling it. Hopefully next year we will be able to fly to Victoria B.C to visit my brother and his family. Another thing to add is “dusting” off the speakers.. aka turn the music up (either radio, cd or hook the laptop to the stereo, and turn up the volume so the dust shakes out.. LOL have some candles going, sit on the couch on a Saturday night and sing off key to the music.. Or play stereo war with the teenager next door. 🙂 And we won’t mention the times we are washing the cars and he sprays me with the water lol…

  • TGreen1975

    June 15, 2014 at 10:52 am

    My hubby and I have been married for Three years this coming Dec. Well one theme that has ran in our relationship, is our love of TV shows. Sounds silly, but it’s the most consistent thing in our lives. Well you see my husband has Type 1 diabetes fragile, along with bi-polar mood disorder. I am a border-line personality disorder (with everything clinical to go with it). We need consistency in our life in order to function. We figured out that we both love the same TV shows, and it helps us to get to a time during the day to start to relax and unwind. Neither of us work, but we do work in a sense, we both play and love to play video games. We both demo video games on line, so in a sense that is our “work”. Every couple has their way of doing things, and cuddle time in the evenings after a big meal, and talking about the show during the commercials is the perfect time to reconnect and see what a great couple we are. We hardly fight, even though we live 24/7 together in the same apartment. We are truly each other’s soul mate, and God brought us together!

    So even the littlest of things can bring the heart warmth, don’t forget, even saying I love you every day, can be a moment! 🙂 God Bless!

  • Teresa R

    June 17, 2014 at 5:04 am

    While your list has lots of ideas that I would like to pursue, most would be ideas that my husband would not be interested in doing. He does not like to travel far in the car, does not want to be far from home, does not like to sit on the ground(due to weight issues). If we go shopping together, he wants to rush in, grab what we need, and get out of the store quickly. I understand that his weight makes him uncomfortable standing/walking a long time, but it makes trying to do activities with him is very difficult

  • Rosa W Smith

    June 19, 2014 at 12:15 am

    Camping and fishing together. Our trip to Alaska when we took my husband’s mother and she was 85 years old. The joy of seeing her experience Alaska was amazing. We like to do home renovation’s together. Mostly we just like to spend time together. We will be married 40 years in January, 2015

  • Beverly Wright

    July 7, 2014 at 2:44 am

    My husband and I went out to eat one night on a mini date. I enjoyed the whole time with him, just to get away. My favorite part of the whole night though was we started just spontaneously singing songs together in the car. Songs about our God. My husband will say he is not a great singer, but I sure love hearing him sing and singing together.

  • muttzee

    July 13, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    I’m sorry but I think your list is a little lame…except for the Bible study, my husbnd and I have done everything on the list, many numerous times and they are just things we do on a regular basis-nothing special

  • Rikki

    July 15, 2014 at 3:43 am

    What kind of dessert should we walk through? A cake, ice cream sundae, pies? That typo made me laugh. 😉

    Seriously though I love this list! I always want to do new and fun things together so having a list is great!

  • Rebekah

    July 16, 2014 at 2:18 am

    I have to agree with the hobby statements or others interest. It means so much to your partner if you not only allow them to have their own likes but to somehow experience and try to understand them. By all means you still need your own time, but here and there it shows you care. It’s also good if you can find something to do together you both like and can encourage each other. My hubby and I were on a bowling league together for awhile and we both enjoyed it and looked forward to it each week. In the end it’s all about experiencing life together and enjoying as much of God’s creation as you can in any way the two of you will enjoy together.

  • Patricia Linn

    July 16, 2014 at 2:31 am

    My husband likes to cook and we do a lot of it together. He bakes homemade bread from scratch (knows the recipe by heart) so when I heard about a bread making class at a local Mennonite type store, I signed us up! He learned some things even HE didn’t know, and it was just fun! And I love to show his talents (well some of them anyway) off!

  • Courtney Lynch

    May 18, 2015 at 12:56 pm

    My husband and I are very adventurous and had all of these marked off before we even got married, most more than once! We can’t wait to experience much more as time goes on 🙂

  • Kristel

    February 26, 2016 at 12:09 am

    Have a picknick in your house (my kid loves this and the hubby too)
    Go on a citytrip in the weekend
    go to a spar or sauna together
    go swimming
    take a walk in the park
    Go to the theater
    go to a concert (not a big one, since I live in a city, there are lots of small concerts, we have concerts in churches for instance)

    (I live in Belgium, not dangereous (seriously, I live in a lovely little country with lots of culture), I live in a city, so lots if things to do…)

    loved the list. Admire you in your faith.