Looking for ideas of how to make a car romantic? Set the mood for a car date night or couples road trip with these tips and ideas!

Now, my husband often complains about the long-lost days of bench seats. You know Cake’s “Stickshifts and Safety Belts” song? Well, he sings it to me all the time. “Stickshifts and safetybelts, bucket seats have all got to go. When we’re driving in the car, it makes my baby seem so far…”
But even with bucket seats, you CAN make your car romantic for date night and road trips! (And now you have something to hum as you look through these ideas!)
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15 Tips: How to Make a Car Romantic for a Car Date Night or Couples Road Trip
1. String up battery-operated lights.
There’s nothing like pretty little lights to add that touch of ambience you’re looking for on a car date night or couples road trip. String them across roof handles, hangers, visors and your rear-view mirror to make a car romantic. Choose battery-powered mini lights and you’re set!
2. Bring the stars inside.

Nothing really compares to watching the stars together, but this idea is warmer for cold nights! This star projector light plugs into your car by USB and lights up the roof with a super romantic starry sky. It’s small and lightweight, so you can store it in your cubby.
3. Hide little treats and surprises.

Make a car romantic by picking up little treats and gifts and hiding them throughout your car. This could be as simple as your activity for your car date night, like a picnic cooler filled with wine and chocolate hidden behind the seat. Simple and fun conversation starters. Or a scratch-and-reveal card or gift box announcing a romantic getaway!
4. Add a light fragrance.

A stinky car definitely ruins a romantic car date night, but the right essential oils can make it perfect! Remedy Essential Oils on Etsy sells this minimalist essential oil diffuser that clips onto your car vent. Your package comes with six thick, multi-colored felt pads. Add an essential oil drop or two for a light scent, insert it into your diffuser and attach it to your vent. Choose between stainless steel and rose gold finishes, and pretty mountain, compass, tree and bird designs. Order a gift set to include essential oils.
5. Create a fun playlist.

Music is a key part of creating a romantic ambience in your car, so don’t leave it up to the radio! Now, I don’t recommend going with cheesy sappy songs to make a car romantic for date night. At least, not for most of it. They create expectations and pressure = no romance.
Pick fun songs you both like. Turn it up and belt it out, passing a pretend “mic” to your significant other for the best duo ever. If it’s warm, roll down the windows and take it outside for a private dance under the stars. If you’re laughing and having fun together, the romance will come.
Before heading out on your trip, beef up your playlist with a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime Music.
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6. Embrace flameless candles.
Regular candles are obviously a hazard for making your car romantic. BUT flameless candles! Find pretty options on Amazon, including a flameless lantern and a flameless candle wrapped in twinkle lights. Both are LED with a remote control. The lantern is USB chargeable and the candles are battery-powered. Imagine these in your car on a car date night. Pretty, right?!
7. Bring a picnic inside.

There’s something so classically romantic about a picnic. And you can keep it simple, with your favorite snacks from a local deli. Nice crackers, cheeses and olives are a great place to start. If you’ll be parked for a while, consider a favorite wine, too, or just go with a flavored sparkling water. Keep it inside if it’s cold, or take it outside if it’s warm.
My favorite picnic accessories include a wine cooler, roll-up waterproof blanket, and folding picnic table. For colder weather and picnics inside, bring a portable kettle for delicious international organic teas, served on a swivel travel tray that fits in your cup holder.
(Psst! Godiva’s pretty box of chocolate-covered strawberries goes great with picnics, too.)
For more ideas, check out Romantic Things to Make a LONG DRIVE Fun
8. Pack a cozy blanket for two.

Warm it up with a super-cozy sherpa fleece throw blanket and pillow from Eddie Bauer. Choose between a red and black plaid or black and white plaid. Both would look SO welcoming to make a car romantic!
9. Cozy up the backseat with cushions.

Backseats certainly aren’t the coziest, comfiest places to cuddle. But with that cozy blanket and plush cushions piled high, you’ll instantly make a car romantic! Kick off those shoes and climb in the back for that picnic and those conversation starters. Turn on the twinkle lights and you’ll be cuddling happily in no time.
10. Put up curtains.
Want to make a car romantic with a little privacy? Put up some curtains! ZATOOTO is highly rated and has curtains for cars that work for the windshield, back window, side windows and as a divider. They have magnets to secure them along the edge of the window, and can slide back, too. Choose from different fabric options, including this pretty starry blue and reflective reverse side.
11. Add some car bling.

What’s great about car bling to make your car romantic is that it’ll add just a touch of atmosphere at night when you might not want string lights on. This pack includes a steering wheel cover, center console cover and gear shift cover. Available in six colors, including a minimalist black. Now, who doesn’t love a little rhinestone bling?!
12. Sync the lights to your music.
Make a car romantic with lights that sync to your playlist! These popular smart car LED lights from Amazon are fun and highly customizable. Choose your favorite color among 16 million! Make the choice easier by getting inspiration from your favorite romance-setting image. Control it all from your phone app.
Want something simpler? How about a portable disco ball that also syncs to your music. If you want to keep it relaxed, choose from four soft colors. Recharge it by plugging it into your USB car converter.
13. Set the mood with car seat covers.
Now, this idea to make a car romantic is a little cheesy, but fun, too! Head to the stars with these starry galaxy car seat covers. Cozy it right up with sheepskin car seat covers, available in pink, red and black. Or deck out your car in leopard print seat covers!
14. Hold hands.
The simplest, best way to make a car date night romantic is just to hold hands. As relationships evolve over time, we tend to drop this romantic gesture. So, bring it back! It helps you feel connected as you drive along in your bucket seats.
15. Keep your car clean and tidy.
I’ll end with possibly the most important tip to make a car romantic. I’m awful at keeping my car clean and tidy, but it’s kinda a must if you want to make a car feel romantic. You don’t want smelly garbage ruining all your planning efforts!
Help yourself out with this highly-rated portable vacuum cleaner ideal for vehicles. Other handy things for keeping your car clean and tidy is a minimalist trash can that attaches to the back of your headrest. Cleaning gel putty for hard-to-reach spots like vents. And the stop drop cover you saw on Shark Tank, that keeps things from falling in that spot next to your seat belt.
Have fun on that car date night or couples road trip!
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Featured photo credit: Jonathan Borba.
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