As the coronavirus pandemic and its resultant quarantine mandates have forced us inside, many people around Seattle have been looking for more creative ways to spend time at home.
Among them is Mystery, a Seattle-based app that — prior to the pandemic — planned full-night date excursions around the city for couples in Seattle. With statewide shutdowns of restaurants and other businesses, Mystery is finding ways to adapt.
With the launch of “Mystery Night In,” people can order different types of date packages that are delivered directly to their homes. Packages, which include meals from local restaurants and at-home activities from Seattle-based businesses, range from $125-$150 for two people.
“We didn’t push back on pricing from our local vendors because we knew this was a hard time for them,” said Mystery’s head of marketing, Emma Biskupiak. “We’re doing all we can right now to support our local partners.”
Whether you’re looking for a “Mystery Night In” or would rather plan your own evening, there are still lots of ways to have a fun date at home.
Beyond just Netflix-and-chilling, some of the best at-home dates include more interactive activities. Start with something easy, like cooking a meal together. Not only does it keep your hands busy, but divvying up tasks allows for some low-stakes teamwork. Plus you get to eat after! If you’re looking for some meal inspiration, try making one of our many recipes.
Or if you’re looking for something more competitive, find a new game. There are many board games beyond the classics like Scrabble and Monopoly that can be played with two people. Additionally, you can find loads of co-op video games that require both skill and communication. One of my favorites is Overcooked — available on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox and PlayStation — although I hesitate to recommend it, because it can quickly go from helping each other cook virtual meals to yelling matches about which one of you is screwing up recipes.
But in the end, if you’re looking to just kick back and relax, here are some other ideas for things you can do with your significant other while quarantining:
- Go on a virtual museum date. Museums across the country have set up livestreams and virtual tours of their exhibits. The Seattle Art Museum has many collections and online activities you can check out.
- Whether it’s dancing or baking something to eat, learn something new from YouTube tutorials.
- Watch a movie. This one is a given, but many recently premiered movies have come to video on demand, which you can stream at home.
- If you’re missing the symphony and other live music, stream an online concert.