Being in a long distance relationship means learning how to feel close to someone when you can’t physically be together.
You can love each other deeply and still miss the ordinary moments, like grabbing dinner after work, cuddling on the couch, or running errands together.
But being miles apart doesn’t mean your relationship has to feel distant. You can still create inside jokes, make memories, have date nights, and find little ways to be part of each other’s everyday lives.
Sometimes, it’s simply about being intentional with the time you do have, even if that time happens over a screen.
From virtual date nights and silly games to watching movies together and planning your next adventure, these long distance relationship activities can help you stay connected, have fun, and make the miles feel a little less overwhelming.
If you’re looking for things to do in a long distance relationship to keep the spark alive, here are a few ideas you can try.
1. Have a Virtual Date Night
Set aside an evening when you can both get dressed up, order your favorite food, and spend the night together over video chat.
Make an effort to treat it like an actual date rather than another casual phone call.
You could even agree on a dress code, light some candles, or order the same type of food to make the evening feel a little more special.
2. Watch a Movie Together
Choose a movie you’re both excited about, press play at the same time, and keep a video call or chat open while you watch.
You can laugh at the funny parts, react to the plot twists, and talk about the movie afterward.
You can even create a shared movie list and add titles whenever one of you finds something you’d like to watch together.
3. Cook the Same Meal Together
Pick a recipe, buy the ingredients separately, and cook it together over video call. It’s a simple way to recreate the feeling of making dinner together, even when you’re in different kitchens.
And if one of you ends up with a much better-looking meal than the other, well, at least you have something to laugh about.
4. Have a Virtual Breakfast Date
Long distance dates don’t always have to happen at night. Make coffee, grab breakfast, and start your day together before work or school.
It can be as simple as sitting on a video call while you both eat and talk about what you have planned for the day. Those ordinary moments can make the distance feel surprisingly manageable.
5. Play Online Games Together
Choose something competitive, cooperative, or completely ridiculous. The goal isn’t necessarily to win; it’s to have fun, tease each other, and create a few new inside jokes.
If you’re both competitive, just be prepared for the possibility that someone may take the game a little too seriously.
6. Take Personality Quizzes Together
Try relationship quizzes, personality tests, or fun “get to know me” quizzes and compare your answers. You might be surprised by how differently you see certain situations.
It can also lead to conversations about your personalities, habits, and little quirks that you might not otherwise think to discuss.
7. Have a Question Night
Take turns asking each other questions you don’t normally get around to asking. Include funny questions, childhood memories, relationship questions, future goals, and deeper topics.
You might start with something silly and end up having one of those unexpectedly meaningful conversations that brings you closer.
8. Read the Same Book
Choose a book and read a few chapters each week. Then schedule your own little book-club date to discuss what you thought.
Talk about your favorite characters, the parts you loved or hated, and what you think will happen next. It gives you something to experience together even when you’re apart.
9. Make a Shared Playlist
Create a playlist filled with songs that remind you of each other. Add new songs whenever you hear something that makes you think of your partner.
You could also create different playlists for different moods, like songs for when you miss each other, songs for road trips, or songs that remind you of your favorite memories together.
10. Have a Karaoke Night
You don’t need to be good at singing. Start a video call, pick your favorite songs, take turns performing, and be prepared to laugh at each other’s inevitable terrible singing.
The more ridiculous you allow yourselves to be, the more fun this date can become. Just make sure you’re both willing to laugh at yourselves.
11. Take a Virtual Tour Together
Explore museums, landmarks, aquariums, galleries, or interesting places through virtual tours. This is especially fun when you’re both curious about traveling somewhere in the future.
You can take turns choosing the destination and pretend you’re actually exploring it together for the day.
12. Plan Your Next Trip Together
Even if you don’t know exactly when you’ll see each other next, planning a future trip can give you something exciting to look forward to.
Choose the destination, restaurants, activities, and places you’d love to explore together. You don’t have to have every detail figured out.
Sometimes simply imagining what you’ll do when you’re finally together can make the distance feel a little easier.
13. Have a “Get Ready With Me” Date
Stay on video while you both get ready for the day, a date night, or a night out with friends. It sounds simple, but these ordinary moments can make you feel surprisingly connected.
It’s one of those activities that doesn’t require much planning, which makes it perfect for days when you simply want to spend some time together.
14. Send Each Other Care Packages
Put together a box of favorite snacks, little gifts, handwritten notes, photos, or things that remind you of home.
Then send them to each other around the same time so you can open them together over a video call.
It doesn’t have to be expensive or elaborate. A few thoughtful things that remind your partner of you can make the package feel much more personal.
15. Have a “No Phones Except Us” Date
Ironically, this one involves putting your phones away. During your video call, focus entirely on each other without scrolling through social media, checking notifications, or multitasking.
Give each other your full attention for an hour or two. In a world where it’s incredibly easy to be distracted, that kind of focused attention can feel surprisingly romantic.
Use this time to talk about deeper topics you don’t always get the chance to discuss during your everyday conversations.
You can also share something you’re struggling with, talk through an idea, or ask for your partner’s perspective on a decision you’re trying to make.
Sometimes, simply having someone you trust listen and offer a different perspective can make you feel closer, even when you’re miles apart.
16. Recreate Your First Date
Order similar food, wear something reminiscent of what you wore, and talk about what you remember from that first date.
You can even revisit the questions you asked each other when you were first getting to know one another. It’s sweet, nostalgic, and a fun reminder of how far your relationship has come.
17. Look Through Old Photos Together
Open your old photos on your phones or flip through a favorite photo album and take turns sharing your favorite memories.
You might stumble across forgotten moments that give you something new to laugh about, or remind you of just how much you’ve experienced together.
You can also choose a specific year or period in your relationship and see how many memories you can find from that time.
18. Have a Couples Trivia Night
Make questions about each other and see who knows the other person best. Include things like favorite foods, childhood memories, embarrassing moments, dreams, and relationship milestones.
You can keep score and make the winner choose your next virtual date. Just don’t get too competitive if you discover your partner remembers something you completely forgot.
19. Exercise Together
Set up a video call and do the same workout, yoga session, or even take a walk while talking.
It gives you another everyday activity to share instead of always sitting down for another conversation.
You can encourage each other, celebrate small wins, or simply enjoy having company while you get moving.
20. Have a Dessert Date
Each of you picks or makes a dessert, then enjoy it together over a video call. For an extra challenge, choose the same dessert and see who makes it better.
You could even turn it into a little taste test by each buying several different snacks and taking turns rating them.
21. Write Each Other Love Letters
Sometimes texting isn’t enough. Write an actual letter about what you love about your partner, what you miss, and what you’re looking forward to doing together.
There’s something special about receiving a handwritten letter that you can keep and read again whenever you’re missing each other.
22. Create a Couple Bucket List
Make a list of things you want to experience together someday. Include big dreams like traveling abroad alongside little things like cooking breakfast together on a lazy Sunday.
Don’t worry about whether you can afford or accomplish everything right away. The point is to dream together and create a list of experiences you can slowly work toward.
23. Have a “Tell Me About Your Day” Night
Instead of sending a quick “How was your day?” text, make time to actually talk about it. Share the boring details, funny moments, frustrations, wins, and everything in between.
Those ordinary conversations are often what couples miss most when they’re apart, so don’t underestimate how meaningful they can be.
24. Try a Virtual Escape Room
Choose an online escape-room game that you can both join from your separate locations, then stay on a video call while you work through the puzzles together.
Take turns spotting clues, solving riddles, and figuring out what to do next.
It’s a fun way to test your teamwork and communication while giving you something more interactive to do than simply talking on the phone.
25. Have a Future-Date Planning Night
Instead of focusing entirely on how much you miss each other, spend an evening planning what you’ll do when you’re finally together.
Make a restaurant list, plan outfits, choose activities, and create a little itinerary.
Having something to look forward to can make the waiting easier and turn your next visit into something you both feel excited about.
26. Surprise Each Other
Send flowers, order their favorite meal, mail a handwritten note, or arrange a small surprise they aren’t expecting.
The surprise doesn’t have to be expensive; it’s the thought behind it that makes it meaningful.
Even a simple “I was thinking about you” gesture can brighten your partner’s entire day when you’re not there to do it in person.
27. Create Your Own Relationship Ritual
This could be anything from a good morning text and a Friday-night video date to a Sunday phone call, monthly care package, or nightly “three things about my day” conversation.
Having something that’s uniquely yours can make the distance feel a little easier. It gives you both a small moment to look forward to, even on the busiest days.
How To Feel Closer In A Long Distance Relationship
Don’t make every conversation about the relationship
Talk about your lives, hobbies, friends, work, funny things you saw, and random thoughts. You should still feel like two people living full lives, not two people constantly discussing the fact that you’re apart.
It’s okay to talk about the relationship, of course, but you also want to know what’s happening in each other’s world outside of it.
Create things to look forward to
Having a future visit, trip, date, or milestone on the calendar can make the distance feel more manageable.
Even if it’s still weeks or months away, knowing there’s something you’re both working toward can give you a sense of excitement instead of making every day feel like another day of waiting.
Keep some things spontaneous
Not every call needs to be scheduled weeks in advance. A random “I miss you, FaceTime me” can sometimes be more exciting than another planned video date.
Leave room for those unexpected moments when you simply want to hear each other’s voice or share something funny that happened during the day.
Find what works for both of you
Some couples want daily calls. Others prefer texting throughout the day and having longer conversations a few times a week. There’s no single formula for making long distance work.
The important thing is finding a rhythm that makes both of you feel connected without making either person feel pressured or overwhelmed.
Final Thoughts
Physical distance doesn’t have to mean emotional distance. Being in a long distance relationship isn’t always easy, but you don’t have to spend every day wishing you were in the same place.
Creating little moments together can make the miles feel less overwhelming and remind you why you’re choosing each other in the first place.
Whether you spend an evening watching a movie, cook the same meal over video call, or simply make time to talk about your day, those shared experiences matter.
And you don’t need to try every activity on this list. Choose two or three that sound like something you and your partner would genuinely enjoy, and make them part of your routine.
Sometimes, it’s those small, consistent moments that help you feel closest when you can’t physically be together.
Recommended reading:
3 Harsh Facts About Long Distance Relationships
108 Best Long Distance Relationship Quotes For Couples
10 Heartfelt Ways To Make Your Long Distance Partner Feel Special
Jennifer is a relationship coach with a bachelor's degree in Foreign Languages and Literary Studies and over 10 years of blogging experience. Since 2016, she has been creating thoughtful, easy-to-read content on relationships, self-improvement, and everyday living, with a focus on helping readers make informed decisions and build healthier, more fulfilling lives. She enjoys cooking, reading, meditating, watching TV, and spending quality time with her husband and two adorable daughters.