After a consecutive 10-day span of Netflix and Uber Eats, I began to worry that this could be the beginning of the dimming of our romantic flame. I didn’t want our relationship to lose its exciting energy. We were both such active people when we first met, but the stresses and demands of everyday life left us exhausted and it was starting to seem like we’d stopped putting as much energy into ourselves and our relationship as we used to.
I decided it was time to make a change, so we got in the car and hit the road. We decided to approach the day like we were at summer camp — we rented bikes, went swimming in the lake, and played boccie ball at a local tavern.
This action-packed day left us feeling excited, alive and more connected to one another than we’d been in ages (or the past few weeks, anyway). That day we made a pact to break free of our lazy routine every weekend and be more active together through shared hobbies.
Engaging in an activity with your spouse can strengthen your bond and help you create unforgettable memories. To keep things fun and fresh in your relationship, try some of these activities together:
Explore the Great Outdoors
Take the weekend to get into nature and enjoy the serene sounds and sprawling vistas. Spending time together without distractions allows for moments of open communication and opportunities to bring out your adventurous side. Going on biking or backpacking trips can bring you closer together since you have to rely on teamwork to navigate the trails and set up your tent.
If you live near NYC and you’d rather opt for a two or four-hour hike, we love the Storm King Mountain trail, which is about an hour north of NYC, but you can choose your adventure here.
Play a Sport
If you both enjoy being athletically active, take up a sport you can play together. Golf is one you can play together until you’re 90 years old (or so the sales pitch from my golf-loving husband goes).
Tennis is another excellent activity for couples to enjoy, as it can vary in intensity and can be played with just the two of you. Or, if you want to put your tennis skills to the test, play against another couple for a fun challenge. Find couples looking for friendly competition on the USTA site.
For an extra challenge, learn an unusual sport together like kayaking, archery, fencing, or sailing.
If you and your spouse love living on the wild side, try a more extreme hobby like white water rafting, skydiving, rock climbing or drag racing. Drag racing is an exhilarating sport that helps relieve pent-up stress. Around the country, there are weekend drag races happening where cars race at speeds up to 115 mph. To equip your car, make sure it has the proper safety features and high-quality equipment. Then, fulfill your need for speed and some healthy competition by racing against each other.
Find Your Zen
Practicing yoga or meditation with your spouse is an effective way to center yourselves and find your calm. Many yoga studios offer classes for couples yoga, which increase the communication and sensitivity in your relationship.
Couples meditation is a powerful way to relax together on a daily-basis and can also come in handy during times of conflict. If you are new to meditating, there are several mobile apps that provide you with guided meditation sessions that you can practice with your loved one.
Take a Mini-Vacation
Not feeling the road tripping vibe? There are loads of last-minute vacation discounts online. Find one and go somewhere really spectacular. Traveling together is a great bonding experience.
Google Flights and Skyscanner have handy map tools that can help you find the cheapest flight. If your destination is open-ended — i.e., “anywhere with a beach” — use the map to pick the most economical locale.
A travel app I love is Very Chic, which offers curated last-minute deals if you need a romantic place to stay tonight, tomorrow or within the next couple of months. While some deals – especially in the US – are not so good, it can deliver deep discounts in Europe and the UK. BluByn is a new app with a personal concierge that will help you find the best travel deals from across the internet. Here’s a list of more great travel apps.
So take your adventurous spirit, your active lifestyle, and your insatiable curiosity and use those traits to explore and revamp your relationship. Ready. Set. Go!
I will share this article with my fellow married couple. You know, the heat is really on the “in-a-relationship” days, but after that, the heat will slowly fade. I want to regain the heat that we both have before. Thanks for this one.
Wow! You’ve tried Storm King Mountain? You’re unbelievable, Hilary!
I don’t want my husband to cheat on me because I’m too boring. He loves playing online games, I think I should learn to play that game too, so I can catch up with him.
Wow, Hilary! You have an amazing life. I always admire you because you’re inspiring us, women. I love it. Thanks for the advice, I will absolutely follow this.
In my experience, after being married most people have less quality time to spend together. You need to make more effort than when you were dating. Understanding is one way of making your relationship last, but of course, it’s not enough. Making time for each other and doing something new will help you to spruce up your relationship again. It worked for me!
After reading this one, I’ll book a flight to Miami! We’re going to catch some waves!
My husbad hates Yoga, and I hate Golf.. maybe it’s better if we both try each other’s hobby. ?
I really like when you write articles that are more personal, like this one. The photos are adorb. I’m going to try the racing idea – looks like fun!
I agree with Georgia. It’s really a great read if it’s personal. Great article, Hilary! And yes, enjoying your relationship “over and over and over” again is the key to a happy and successful marriage or partnership. Me and my husband make sure we spend time together (alone, without the children)…
Yay! That’s on my wishlist! The Skydiving. I want to Skydive in Dubai!! That’s my dream. I wish my husband will make that wish come true.
Wow! Drag Racing? Is that even legal? I mean, It’s cool! I wanna try that, but I don’t drive. Lol