Relationship experts universally agree on one thing. A healthy relationship requires regular maintenance. Although we seem to take care of that instinctively at the beginning of a romance, as things progress it’s easy to get lost in the day-to-day shuffle and not spend quite so much quality time together. For married couples, it’s as important as ever to devote some of the week’s schedule to being together, attentive to one another, and preferably engaged in something that you both enjoy.

Sometimes though, when "date night" comes, you find that you really don’t have a clue what you want to do. Even your favorite restaurant for a romantic meal can get stale after awhile, and do you really want to go to the cineplex on every date?

Here are some unique and fun date night ideas to get you thinking. They may not all appeal to you, but they ought to at least spark some discussion. Put your own creativity to work and see what you can add to the list.

Take a class together. Check your local community college, park district, and the like for interesting classes or workshops. You’re likely to find anything from arts and crafts to Tai Chi to gourmet cooking. Some organizations actually offer classes geared exclusively to couples. You’ll be surprised at how much fun learning something together can be.

Do your very best Sonny and Cher imitation. Why not work up a duet to one of your favorite songs and hit the stage at Karaoke night? You don’t have to be a Sinatra to have a great time singing "Something Stupid" together. Even if you can barely carry a tune (or maybe especially if you can’t) being carefree and foolish in front of an audience – as a team – is a bonding experience you’ll never forget.

You can work it out. Working together on a volunteer project in your community is another great and unique way to spend date night. The sense of satisfaction from accomplishing something worthwhile as a couple can’t be beat.

Move in a little closer. When was the last time you had a portrait taken as a couple? Chances are, it was an engagement or wedding photo. Even if you have regular photos taken with the rest of the family, don’t you deserve an up-to-date and highly stylized document of your journey through life together as a couple? Not to mention that it’s fun to play dress up. Don’t wait until your 50th anniversary to hit the portrait studio again.

Taste something new, somewhere new. Instead of hitting your usual spot for Chinese, why not explore some of the other tastes the world has to offer? You could pick a different world cuisine for each date, and try to hit as many regions or countries as you can in a year. If that doesn’t appeal, then how about an old fashioned picnic? Pack it up and take it to the park to enjoy on a blanket spread on the ground. Too many picnic bugs? How about a wine tasting? You get the point. Get out of your rut and surprise your senses. You’ll not only be broadening your horizons, you’ll be learning new things about each other (likes and dislikes that you might never have discovered otherwise).

And afterward, take a little walk together. Remember when you used to stroll around holding hands? Do that. Whether it’s a bonafide hike or just a leisurely walk around town, it’s good for your health and for the health of your relationship. Aimless or purposeful, a nice walk is where great conversations take place and beautiful moments unfold. You know it’s true.