Couples Bucket List: 100 Things to Do Together Before You Die

A couples bucket list is a shared list of experiences you want to have together at least once, from tiny weekend goals to once-in-a-lifetime trips. Below are 100 ideas sorted by theme, followed by a practical system for turning the list into actual memories instead of a note you forget about.

Why make a bucket list as a couple?

The obvious reason is fun: a shared list gives you something to look forward to. But the conversation you have while writing it is just as valuable. Asking "What do we want to have done in ten years?" surfaces dreams, priorities and quirks you might never mention over a weeknight dinner.

It's also a cure for the "what do you want to do this weekend?" loop. When you're stuck, you open the list and pick something. Every item you check off becomes a story you both own.

A few ground rules before you start:

• Both of you brainstorm freely. No vetoes during the first pass.
• Mix sizes. Some ideas should take an evening, some a year, some a decade.
• Mix budgets. A good list has plenty of free items.
• Treat it as a living document. Add, cut and rewrite as you change.

100 couples bucket list ideas

Travel and getaways (1–20)

1. Take a road trip with no hotel booked in advance
2. Drive a famous scenic route like the Pacific Coast Highway
3. Visit a national park and stay overnight inside it
4. Rent a cabin in the woods with no Wi-Fi
5. Take an overnight train somewhere neither of you has been
6. See a new city in 48 hours
7. Sleep in a treehouse
8. See the Northern Lights
9. Travel for a week with only a carry-on each
10. Go back to the city where you first met
11. Tour your partner's hometown with them as your guide
12. Spend a holiday abroad
13. Take a trip where each of you plans one surprise day
14. Go island hopping
15. Book the first flight or train out on a whim
16. Visit a country where you don't speak the language
17. Watch a sunrise from a mountain summit you hiked
18. Do a wine, coffee or brewery trail
19. Stay in a lighthouse, yurt or houseboat
20. Visit all the states or regions on a list you make together

Adventure and adrenaline (21–35)

21. Go tandem skydiving
22. Ride in a hot air balloon
23. Go white-water rafting
24. Try scuba diving or snorkeling
25. Sleep under the stars
26. Go ziplining
27. Learn to surf
28. Go kayaking or paddleboarding at sunrise
29. Try indoor rock climbing, then climb outdoors
30. Run a 5K or half marathon together
31. Do a multi-day backpacking trip
32. Swim in a mountain lake
33. Try snowshoeing or cross-country skiing
34. Go on a whale-watching tour
35. Ride a roller coaster you've both been avoiding

Learn something together (36–50)

36. Take a dance class (salsa, swing, ballroom)
37. Take a cooking class for a cuisine you've never tried
38. Learn a language together
39. Throw pottery
40. Bake sourdough from scratch
41. Do a wine or coffee tasting course
42. Get CPR or first-aid certified together
43. Learn a song together on any instrument
44. Take a photography workshop
45. Learn to identify constellations
46. Build a piece of furniture
47. Learn to make three classic cocktails
48. Grow your own vegetables
49. Read the same book and discuss it
50. Learn to play a new board game every month

Everyday adventures (51–70)

51. Have a picnic by the water
52. Watch the sunrise from your own city
53. Cook a five-course dinner at home
54. Marathon an entire movie franchise
55. Write each other letters and read them aloud
56. Spend a full day phone-free
57. Try every restaurant on one street
58. Do a karaoke night
59. See a random movie without reading anything about it
60. Have a full pajama day
61. Make a hotel-worthy brunch at home
62. Slow dance in the kitchen to "your" song
63. Hold a baking competition
64. Go skinny dipping (somewhere legal)
65. Take a bike ride with no destination
66. Build a blanket fort
67. Visit a local museum you've never been to
68. Go to a concert of the other person's favorite artist
69. Host a game night
70. Make breakfast in bed for no reason

If you want more quick wins, borrow from our full list of date ideas or our cheap and free date ideas.

Giving back (71–80)

71. Volunteer together
72. Plant a tree
73. Donate blood together
74. Join a beach or park cleanup
75. Adopt or foster a pet
76. Host a dinner for both families
77. Throw a surprise for a friend
78. Learn a family recipe from a grandparent
79. Support a local project or fundraiser
80. Plan a party for someone you love

Memories and rituals (81–90)

81. Make a photo album of your best moments
82. Write letters to open in ten years
83. Take the same photo in the same spot every year
84. Bury a time capsule
85. Keep a couple journal
86. Invent a tradition that's only yours
87. Celebrate your anniversary differently every year
88. Get something matching (jewelry, a print, maybe a tattoo)
89. Record a video message to watch years from now
90. Recreate your first date exactly

Big life goals (91–100)

91. Move in together
92. Renovate a room yourselves
93. Live abroad for a few months
94. Take a trip of a month or longer
95. Start a shared project (a blog, a side business, a club)
96. Buy or build a place that's yours
97. Take a sabbatical or extended leave together
98. Write your own vows or renew them
99. Throw a real party for your 10th anniversary
100. Write a new bucket list for the next decade

How to actually complete your bucket list

Most bucket lists die the same way: written with enthusiasm, saved somewhere, never opened again. Here's what keeps them alive.

1. Keep it where you both see it

A list in one person's notebook is a list only one person remembers. Put it somewhere shared that you both open regularly, that either of you can edit, and where you can see who added what.

2. Pick three items per season

At the start of each season, choose three: one easy (this month), one medium (needs some prep) and one big (needs a plan). Put a date on the easy one immediately.

3. Give big dreams a date and a first step

"Someday we'll see the Northern Lights" stays someday. "We save $100 a month and go in February 2028" actually happens. Big items need a target date and one concrete next step, which is exactly what a shared calendar for couples is for.

4. Record every checked item

A photo, the place, the date and two sentences about how it felt. In five years, this record will matter more than the list itself.

5. Cross things off without doing them

You'll change. If an item doesn't excite you anymore, delete it. A list that still fits you is better than a list you feel guilty about.

Adapting the list to your situation

On a tight budget: lean on "everyday adventures," "learn something together" and "memories and rituals." Most of those cost little or nothing.

Long distance: split the list into "when we're together" and "apart but at the same time" (same book, same movie, same recipe on a video call). Our long-distance date ideas are a good source for the second half.

With kids: keep a "family" section and a separate "just us" section. The second one is the one that tends to get skipped, so guard it.

Using Lomly to keep your bucket list going

Lomly is a couples app (available on Android and iOS) that covers several steps of this system. Shared notes let you keep one common list either of you can add to, and each note shows who wrote it. The couple calendar is where you give items a real date. When you check something off, Memories lets you save it with the place, date and a photo album, building a timeline of everything you've done together.

For smaller outings, date matching works like swiping: each of you swipes date ideas on your own, and when you both like the same one, it's a match. It's an easy way to feed the list without a long negotiation. You can get Lomly on Google Play.

FAQ

How many items should a couples bucket list have?

There's no right number. A list of 20 to 30 items you're genuinely excited about is easier to follow than 100, so use this list as a menu and keep only what you both want.

What if we want different things on our bucket list?

Write your ideas separately, then compare. Keep everything you both like, and take turns adding items that matter mostly to one of you.

What are good bucket list ideas for couples on a budget?

Picnics, sunrise walks, hikes, cooking nights, volunteering, a couple journal or a time capsule cost little or nothing. Novelty matters more than price.

When is a good time to write a couples bucket list?

Anytime works, but anniversaries, New Year's, moving in together or the start of a vacation are natural moments. Plan to revisit it at least once a year.