Are you feeling a little too close for comfort in your marriage during these crazy COVID days? It wouldn’t surprise me in the least, especially with the divorce rate skyrocketing across the globe! 

I hate to admit it but I struggled at first with having my husband home all the time. He, on the other hand, seemed to enjoy this newfound freedom to pop in on me working in my home office, hoping I’d be up for a quick chat or two.

Don’t get me wrong!

I do so enjoy a good chat session … after my work is done. 😉

But I’m also very task-oriented and keep a tight schedule too. So there’s often very little margin in my day, leaving me feeling a tad bit irritated when he drops in unannounced. Lol! #makeanappointmentplease

One very good thing has come from this, though . . .

So, in honor of Messy Marriage’s 10-year blogiversary! Woot woot! I’ve created a list of 35 fun activities that you and your spouse can do this fall even during COVID! Not only that, but I’ll be giving away my couple’s devotional—“Before You Snore or Go Out the Door”—in ebook form to TEN randomly chosen people who comment on this post! See the details below.

35 Fun Fall Activities to Do With Your Spouse

1. Set up an indoor picnic for two – Pull out your blanket and basket full of goodies to enjoy in a climate-controlled room in your house! Do this when the kiddos are in school or at a babysitter so you’re free to do whatever suits your fancy! #winkwink
2. Go for an outdoor picnic at a favorite park or scenic location.
3. Take in all the fall colors on a scenic drive.
4. Visit a pumpkin or apple-picking farm.
5. Go on a photo scavenger hunt – Click this link—Scavenger Hunt—for a downloadable list of things to find and shoot.
6. Scavenge for the prettiest fall leaves – Bring them back home for the two of you or your entire family to decide which one is the prettiest of them all! If you have children, show them how to make rubbings of the leaves using crayons and a sheet of paper. Post the artwork somewhere special!
7. Carve or paint a pumpkin together.
8. Enjoy a day dedicated to baking together – Make apple pie, pumpkin pie, candy apples, homemade applesauce, roast some pumpkin seeds, etc.
9. Stargaze on a blanket in your backyard.
10. Explore a local cave together – Click the links for some American tours: America’s Cave, 12 Amazing Caves You Have to Visit, The Caverns.
11. Watch a sunset at a scenic or romantic location – And don’t underestimate the beauty of a nearby park. One of my favorite spots to see a sunset reflecting off of a small pond is just minutes from my house! Ask around. Maybe your friends can recommend a spot near you!
12. Show up as a nerd couple at your favorite coffee shop – Sip your coffee together, chatting over every nerdy thing you can think of, while fellow-patrons snicker at how silly you both look! Be sure to capture at least one “usie” with your spouse and any onlookers in the background!
13. Visit several special places around your community – Start out by making a list with your spouse of which places you’d like to include. Then head out to each location, stopping at each one to share what was memorable about that particular spot. Be sure to top of each spot with a kiss or snuggle.
14. Spend a day at a winery – Download and use this guide for making it even more romantic and fun! 😉
15. Binge a favorite show – Be sure to book a babysitter or put the kids to bed. Then grab your favorite munchies, your warmest blanket and camp out together in front of your TV, binging on a show you and your spouse have been wanting to get to for some time.
16. Visit a local corn maze – Then get lost together, wandering around while you talk about your corniest and fondest fall memories. End your day roasting popcorn over an open fire!
17. Go for a hike – Naturally, the best time to do this is when the leaves are at their peak! Then get busy capturing a few random pics of the two of you together all along the way to share with your friends on Facebook or Instagram.
18. Make your favorite dinner together – Afterwards, either look through a favorite photo album or watch some videos of your wedding or other monumental milestones.
19. Dance the night away – Make room in a spacious part of your house. Then put on your favorite music to cut the rug with your sweetheart. After each dance, rate how well you think you both did! At night’s end, award yourselves the mirror-ball (a ball glued to a mirror)! 😉
20. Go for a scenic bike ride – You might want to invite another COVID-free couple along to multiply the laughs and good times.
21. Head to a cemetery with a blanket and snacks in tow (or backyard, if it’s after dark) – Then sit in a spooky spot and tell each other your best ghost stories—complete with a flashlight for ominous face-lighting! Really ham it up! If you don’t know any ghost stories, share your favorite childhood memories of Halloween or autumn with each other.
22. Get a fire pit or bonfire going – Just don’t forget to bring marshmallows, fixings for your smores, and hot dogs for roasting! Invite along another COVID-free couple to enjoy the crisp night’s air and blazing magnificence of an open fire!
23. Do a Leaf-Jump – Get out your trusty rake to gather up the fallen leaves in your yard. Then take turns jumping in your big pile of fluff. Be sure to take lots of pics, sharing them on your favorite social media platform. Or lay back on the leaves and take a pic of the two of you for your fall greeting card.
24. Attend a high school or other local football game – Be sure to bring a blanket and a thermos full of your favorite hot beverage. Then get busy snuggling up together while you cheer on the gridiron action.
25. Take a Ghost Tour –  Many historic cities/towns host them. And since they are outdoors, they are a great option during this pandemic season.
26. Play games together – Pull out your gaming system and/or your favorite board games for a night of non-stop fun competing against your spouse! Just be sure not to rub it in when you win for the umpteenth time!
27. Build a fire in your fireplace – Then sit back together—watching the flames dance and dive. Whisper a few sweet nothings in your spouse’s ear. Use my affirmation guide for some ideas!
28. Visit a local playground – Try to do this when not many children are present. Then act like kids yourselves while you swing, and slide!
29. Go to an outdoor concert – Then really get into it by singing, swaying, bouncing and clapping along to the beat!
30. Build-a-Story – Try doing this outdoors near sunset. Sip your favorite beverage while you spin a custom tale for two! You start by sharing the first line, then your spouse can add the next, and so on until you reach the best climactic ending ever.
31. Watch a meteor shower – Three showers will occur this fall when the moon is only a crescent, offering the best chance to view them. The Orionids will peak on the night of Oct 20 into 21, the Northern Taurids on the night of Nov 11 into 12, and the Leonids on the night of Nov 16 into 17.
32. View the space launch –  NASA astronaut Kate Rubins and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Sergey Kud-Sverchkov will be launching into space on October 14, 2020. You can watch all the action at this link –  International Space Station.
33. Head to a drive-in theater – Get your car loaded up with all your tale-gating gear and pretend like you’re back in 1955.
34. Play a sport at a local venue – This can be anything from throwing a baseball or football to a two-person game of tennis, badminton or volleyball. You pick!
35. Head out to an ATV park – Google to find one in your area that includes the rental of an ATV, safety gear and trails for some high-speed fun!

Here’s a video my husband and I recently did for our church, hence we reference “Stronger Marriage”—the name of the workshops we do for them. I hope it gives you an extra idea for connecting!

Click here for the full-sized PDF of this image.

Here’s a throwback moment when Gary and I won the “nerd contest” at a party in college!

Want to win my couple’s devotional—“Before You Snore or Go Out the Door”? I’m giving away TEN copies of this incredible resource in ebook form to ten randomly chosen people who comment on this post by noon (EST) on Tuesday, Oct. 20th. This devotional will give you and your spouse a topic, Scripture and related questions to discuss together. You’ll also be given an application and prayer example for the two of you to try! Do these either before you go to sleep or as you part ways each day. I think it will really encourage you and strengthen your marriage!

Exciting update! The winners of the giveaway are: Bev, Emileigh, Michele, Deborah, David, Deb, Karen, Maree Dee, April and Theresa! Congrats, friends! I hope you find the devotional to be a blessing in your life and marriage! 

What’s one of your favorite fall activities and why?

What has been the most challenging part of quarantining for you?