After a trip or a great date, it’s easy to feel extra connected with your partner. But actually keeping that deep connection? It’s a little more difficult, especially when life gets stressful and busy. As a married woman, I’ll admit, it’s hard not to slip into that “routine mode”: watching the same shows, eating the same dinner, doing the same things on Saturdays. But intentionally finding ways to connect with your partner on a deeper level throughout the season can keep you feeling close, even when you both have a lot on your plate. And in the fall, when work deadlines start to ramp up and all the family festivities begin to take over, it can feel hard to catch a moment with your significant other.
That’s why this season, I’ve been embracing making the most of the moments we have together to help us stay connected—not only as a couple, but as best friends. Ahead, I’m sharing seven ways to stay close with your partner this season. These range from small habits you can easily incorporate into your days to a few fall adventures to consider when you find yourself with a little extra time on your hands.
1. Go on “no-phone” walks
Daily walks, both in the morning and evening, are the best routine my husband and I have implemented. We start and end our day by strolling through our neighborhood, hand in hand, with our dog in tow. It gives us uninterrupted time to talk about whatever’s on our minds and has also noticeably improved our energy levels and moods throughout the day. (A win-win!) Walking together, with no phones in sight, gives us at least an hour of quality time each day to talk and reset. Without this dedicated time, it can be so easy to let days go by without connecting or truly having deep conversations at all.
And, really, these walks can be snuck in whenever you have the time. If early morning walks aren’t possible (or are just too cold), stick to an evening walk. Or when life is particularly busy, commit to walking just a few days of the week or taking longer walks on the weekends if the weekdays just aren’t feasible. Any way you choose to incorporate them, these uninterrupted walks allow you to reconnect, appreciate each other’s company, and soak in the season. Because let’s be honest, it’s harder to appreciate a sweltering summer walk or a freezing winter one. The perfect time of the year to stroll together, IMO, is the fall.
2. Revisit nostalgic date spots
My husband and I fell in love during the fall, so fall always feels a bit more romantic and nostalgic for us. What better way to lean into the season than to revisit those spots that mean so much to us? Even if you didn’t start dating in the fall, recreating first dates is a sweet way to reflect on your relationship and remember why you fell in love with each other in the first place. It brings back old memories and probably a few inside jokes, too.
If you fell in love during the summer months, go out for ice cream, a round of bowling, or, if the weather permits, see a drive-in movie to reminisce on that time. You can do this for any season that is particularly special to your relationship. Once you decide on what you’re going to do, schedule these dates into your calendar to make them a priority. Fall is full of so much nostalgia already, and these added dates can make the season even more special.
3. Swap thoughts on books
If you and your partner are both readers, spend a cozy fall afternoon on the couch or in your favorite coffee shop and read together. Afterward, spend time discussing your respective books over coffee or a walk. While sure, you can (and should!) do this during any season of the year, there’s something about this season that makes tackling a TBR feel so much more fun (and doable!). Plus, talking about what you read can help you learn new things about each other, which in turn can help deepen your bond.
If you’d like to level up on this activity, choose a book to read together and discuss as you move through it. Don’t have the same reading pace? Listen to the audiobook together, only read the same chapters at the same time, or even take turns reading the book out loud.
READ: The Everygirl’s Fall 2025 Reading Challenge
4. Plan a “Satur-date”
My husband and I coined the term “satur-date” early in our relationship, when every Saturday we’d plan to spend the day doing a handful of fun things together. Sometimes, satur-dates look like brunch and thrifting, but other times, it looks like a movie and dinner, or during this time of year, a coffee and a trip to the pumpkin patch.
Satur-dates offer a low-key way to ensure you have quality time together each week, which will help you stay connected. While this date can really be on any day of the week, if you can fit it on a Saturday, I highly recommend it. There is something about Saturdays in the fall that feels so fleeting—like you have to take advantage of them before winter comes in, and you’re either cooped up in the house away from the cold or dashing to all the holiday festivities. The fleeting nature of having free Saturdays, when the weather is beautiful, just adds to the excitement and special feeling of doing things together.
5. Go on a fall retreat
In just a couple of weeks, my husband and I are going to be surrounded by fall foliage in South Carolina. To say we are excited about going on this retreat together is an understatement. It’s all we’ve been talking about for months—spending 1:1 time together, soaking in the perfectly crisp weather, and truly unplugging from the busyness of this season before embarking on the craziness of the holidays. Going on a fall retreat allows us to truly pause and focus on each other in between the hustle and bustle of our schedules and obligations.
While you can book a hotel in a scenic area, you can also go to a town over and explore the area, or go camping at a nearby state park. All that really matters is booking unplugged time together.
READ: This Is Your Sign to Take a Cozy Cabin Trip: Here’s How to Plan One
6. Take advantage of local festivities
From local football games and chili cookoffs to all the fall festivals, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes, getting out in the community for some fun fall activities is a great way to make core memories with your partner. These events create special moments that you’ll be able to reminisce on for years to come. Try a new fall activity that you both haven’t done before for an extra special bonding moment. Haven’t picked apples, gone on a ghost tour, or popped popcorn on the stove? Now is the best time to check off a few items from your fall to-do list. To get started, search for “fall events near me,” pick a few of your favorites, and add them to your shared calendar.
READ: From Apple Picking to Leaf Peeping: 50 Fun Things to Do This Fall
7. Start a seasonal memory journal
Who says journaling is just a solo activity? This fall, create a journal that both you and your partner can contribute to. Writing down the happy memories as they happen will not only help you remember them, but will be so much fun to look back on when the season’s over. And not only that, but you can revisit the journal each fall and add to it seasonally for a record of your years spent together.
Make a date to pick out a journal, then keep it in a location that you and your partner both have easy access to so you can jot down big or mini moments as they happen. Think “[My partner] just made a batch of cookies and we accidentally ate them all in one sitting. Oops.” or “The weather was so lovely today that we had a picnic in the park.” If you made a fall recipe that you really loved, add it to the journal so you can remember it for years to come.
Whether you start implementing daily walks, weekend adventures, or cozy journaling rituals, these little acts of connection will help you and your partner feel closer this season. It all comes down to being intentional—making time for one another, and creating space for fun, love, and a little fall magic.
Lauren Barnhill, Contributing Writer
Lauren Barnhill is a freelance writer with a passion for all things fashion, beauty, home, and lifestyle. Beyond The Everygirl, Lauren has written for top outlets including Real Simple, SUCCESS, and BuzzFeed. She is also the voice behind Leisurely, a Substack newsletter all about living an unhurried, intentional life.
