Sometimes being in a new relationship is so exciting that you forget to do anything besides holding hands, making out, and having a lot of hot sex. That’s great and all, but the bond between two people becomes stronger by going through life together, and it’s important to be intentional about keeping the spark alive. Here are 12 things to check off your couples bucket list ASAP:
- Go on a challenging hike. Get down and dirty with your significant other by taking a picturesque hike together. The freshness of the outdoors paired with the vulnerability of having to trust one another to navigate in the wilderness (not to mention the sheer physical challenge) is sure to tighten your bond while adding a few giggles. You’ll learn a new way to communicate and you’ll simultaneously get some hardcore exercise.
- Try something you’ve always been too scared to do. Enjoying new experiences with people we care about enhances our relationships. Have you always wanted to go for a hot air balloon ride at dawn but you’re afraid of heights? Is there a ziplining course you’re interested in navigating but you’re paranoid about the cord breaking and slamming into a tree? Maybe there’s simply a restaurant you’ve always wanted to try but never had a good enough excuse to go since the menu is so unique. Whatever new experience suits your relationship best, do it together.
- Volunteer to help out with a worthwhile cause. Connect on a deeper level with your partner by volunteering together. Get creative — what charitable cause is dear to your heart? You can team up to take care of babies in the nursery at church, lend your hand at a soup kitchen, look after puppies and kittens an animal shelter, or hit up a community endeavor. The possibilities are endless!
- Hit the kitchen and make a meal together. If you need extra inspiration, why not indulge yourselves by taking a cooking class together? If you’d rather stay home, you can plan a menu, go to the grocery store, and put your skills to work in the kitchen. Take turns with different cooking roles and do plenty of taste-testing. P.S. – it’s okay to take a break to spice it up and share a dance when the mood is right.
- Train for and complete a race. You don’t have to be a fitness freak or an avid runner to enjoy a race. There are many options available and all are perfect for a bucket list adventure, whether it’s a 5K fun run, a half marathon, or a full 26.2-mile marathon. Finishing a race together is an exhilarating way to connect and an amazing achievement for you personally.
- Leave Your Mark Somewhere. Carve your names on a tree or in wet cement, scrawl them on the wall at a bar amongst a billion other signatures or one of those places where you leave a lock and throw away the key. It doesn’t matter! Just leave your mark somewhere that shouts to the universe that you love this person and you want the world to know.
- Get dressed up in coordinated costumes. Although it is important to get dressed up fancy for a night out on the town here and there, that isn’t what I’m referring to on this bucket list. Pick out a couples costume for Halloween or attend a murder mystery dinner party where you’re assigned a character and do it up big. You’ll get a kick out of seeing each other in a new guise and have tons of fun to boot.
- Write Handwritten Love Letters To Each Other. Nothing says romance like an old-fashioned, handwritten love letter. Be sure to be as mushy and authentic as you feel necessary. If you want to step it up a notch, mail the letters to each other, or simply leave them in a special place around the house. Don’t forget to seal it with a kiss!
- Kiss In The Rain. It might sound like a cheesy scene from a rom-com, but have you ever tried it? It’s a magical, romantic feeling unlike any other. Wait for that day when the summer rain is gently falling from the night sky, throw your arms around each other, and kiss until you forget that it’s still raining.
- Make A Time Capsule. It doesn’t have to be extravagant or complicated. Gather a few mementos from your time together so far and add them to a little box, then hide it somewhere and set a date to open it together in the future. You can include ticket stubs to movies you’ve seen together, concert or sports game tickets, souvenirs from trips, etc. Have fun with it!
- Take A Road Trip Together. Road trip travel is good for the soul and even better for creating memories and building bonds with your partner. Choose a new place, gas up the car, and go. It can be a weekend getaway or a week-long trip; the choice is yours. Don’t forget to make a playlist that will challenge your car karaoke game!
- Start A New Tradition. You have likely developed traditions of your own from your years of life prior to meeting each other, but setting a new tradition as a couple is a bucket list MUST. Maybe you’ll go to a certain apple orchard every year, or create a holiday tradition unique to the two of you. Start something new together that you’ll anticipate as time passes.