Traveling with your partner is one of the most recommended activities to bring excitement to a long-term relationship. It lets you experience something new together, creating memories that you will both treasure and remember for the rest of your lives. Remember seeing Mt. Fuji together for the first time, or seeing the pristine beaches of Thailand on your honeymoon? These memories will be forever imprinted in your hearts, and experiencing it together makes it even more special.
However, with travel bans and restrictions in place, going overseas with your spouse and your family is clearly out of the question. Your safety, as well as the safety of your family, comes first. This does not mean, however, that you cannot have productive bonding activities with your spouse.
Here are some exciting and productive activities that you can do with your spouse, despite never leaving the country for a trip.
1. Take it locally
If you cannot travel overseas, explore your locality and nearby towns and states. There may still be places that you have not explored. Just remember to avoid crowded places for your safety.
Camping grounds are a great idea if you both want to get away from the noise and pollution of the city. Call the site first for reservation, in case the campsite limits its number of visitors in a day for safety purposes. You can also do dispersed camping if you are both up for some adventure. It is free, and you can choose an isolated spot for some peace.
If the sea is your thing, you can rent a beach cottage for a weekend getaway. Before making that reservation, ask how they ensure the safety of their patrons. Ensure that you choose a place that is cleaned and disinfected according to the standards and guidelines of the CDC and WHO. Always remember to also practice precautions yourselves by wearing face masks and washing your hands.
2. Take on a project together
Whether it is a small business, a backyard garden, or a home remodeling project, taking on a project together can make you closer. Taking on and facing new challenges can strengthen your bond. Remember when you were planning your wedding? How anxious you both felt during the planning stage, and how elated you were at its success? You develop your teamwork when you work on a project together, which is important in every relationship, romantic or not.
Having a project to work on in your spare time is a productive way of taking advantage of the current situation. Disagreements sometimes cannot be avoided, but you must work through your differences if you want your project to be fruitful.
3. Learn something new
Years and years into your relationship, you will have learned almost everything that your spouse can do. Learning new skills together can help you explore new territories together. Uncertainties and vulnerabilities can be unnerving, but when you face it together, it can be something that will strengthen your bond.
Learn to cook new recipes or learn to bake. You can also learn a new language or a new instrument. Enrolling in ballroom dancing lessons can also be a fun activity that you can take together. You will need teamwork to learn and properly execute dance steps together. Dancing is not only good for your body as an exercise, but it can also be a bonding activity that is good for your relationship.
4. Pick a hobby that you can do together
Now that you’ve got more time, it’s time to pick hobbies that you used to do or will just start to embark on together. If your bicycles have just been picking up dust in the garage, it’s the right time to take it for a spin. Wake up early on the weekend and ride together. You can bike through countrysides or just around your town. It’s a fun way to unwind, where you get good exercise while relaxing your mind at the same time.
Running is also an activity that you can take together. It will help you get in shape while spending some quality time with each other. You can set goals on your running speed and time together, and the journey towards achieving these goals can help bring you much closer.
If you both prefer a chill and relaxing hobby, you can schedule a movie time every weekend and enrich your movie repertoire. The important point is to do things that bring you joy. It can be completing jigsaw puzzles or as simple as doing buddy reading, as long as you enjoy each other’s company.
Lockdowns and restrictions should not stop you from making each moment special. You can still create remarkable experiences that can strengthen and make your relationship more exciting.
