Valentine’s Day date ideas in Sydney

Pack a picnic basket

On a budget? Pack a hamper brimming with cheese, charcuterie and wine (or whatever your Valentine's favourite treats are) and head to one of Sydney's top picnic spots for some alfresco dining. For a 'first-class' picnic experience, book the experts – such as Poppin Picnics and Pretty Picnics – to take care of the details for you, and just show up and enjoy!

Poppin Picnics Sydney Harbour Picnic - Credit: Poppin Picnics

Hold hands at art exhibitions

If the constantly changing weather is making it hard to make rain-friendly plans, then consider opting for a visit to one of Sydney's art galleries. Fantastic exhibitions currently running include the Sydney International Art Series, Machu Picchu and the Golden Empires of Peru and Ocean Photographer of the Year.

Chinese contemporary art at White Rabbit Gallery, Chippendale

Pamper yourself (and your partner)

For a date with a difference, opt for Chi, The Spa's Couples Escape package for guaranteed R&R. Held in the private couple's suite, the line-up encompasses a 45-minute Organic Shea and Sugar Scrub each, one 30-minute Facial each, and one 60-minute Customised Body Massage each, as well as access to the Health Club with its tranquil indoor pool, whirlpool spa and gymnasium. Can't secure a booking? Find more luxury day spa experiences in Sydney.

60-minute Aroma Journey massage, Chi, The Spa

Indulge in a decadent dinner with harbour views

If you are looking for an extra special dinner spot to impress your Valentine, then look no further. Located on level 36 of Shangri La Sydney, Altitude is offering a four-course set menu on Valentine's Day by executive sous chef Michele Menegazzi. Featuring the best produce from land and sea, expect sumptuous dishes like hiramasa kingfish topped with scampi caviar, duck breast glazed with rosella flower and Shangri-La honey, and wagyu MB8+ with miso-corn puree. All served alongside panoramas of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Sydney Opera House.

Couple enjoying Valentine’s Day Dinner at Altitude, Shangri-La Hotel

Set sail on the harbour

Sydney Harbour makes for a perfect backdrop for a romantic night out, so why not jump onboard Harbourside Cruises' luxury catamaran Luxury Spirit this Valentine's Day? The journey comes complete with glasses of bubbly, cocktail-style canapes and views of the Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Luna Park. If you would like to stay at sea for the entire evening, Sydney by Sail offers an overnight bed and breakfast experience. After three hours of cruising the harbour, you will anchor in a sheltered bay (the skipper departs and the night is yours!). All booked out? Other fantastic day tour options include Sydney Luxury Cruise and Journey Beyond Cruise.

Sydney Luxury Cruise - Credit: Sander Dalhuisen

Take to the skies

What's better than a romantic lunch? A romantic lunch where you arrive by seaplane, of course. Sydney Seaplanes whisks guests to a number of picturesque locations for a meal, including Cottage Point Inn and Berowra Waters Inn, both on the Hawkesbury River, as well as Jonah's on the Northern Beaches.

Sydney Seaplanes, Rose Bay

Splash out at iconic Quay

Treat your special someone to one of Sydney's staple fine-dining experiences: chef Peter Gilmore’s award-winning restaurant Quay. Book in for a Valentine’s Day seven-course dinner menu, with the option to add on a special wine pairing, champagne by the glass or bottle, and a beautiful bouquet of flowers by Quay’s floral artist-in-residence, Doctor Cooper. 

Quay Restaurant, The Rocks 

Get cosy at an underground bar

Nothing sets the mood more than dimly lit corners and nooks to settle into for a creative cocktail. Head to one of Sydney's underground bars to escape the hustle and bustle of the streets and sip on a tipple, such as Stitch Bar, Employees Only, The Doss House, The Baxter Inn or Uncle Ming's.

Stitch Bar, Sydney CBD

Waterside romance at Otto

Find that loving feeling waterside with an Italian dinner on Woolloomooloo wharf at Otto. Say cheers to your special someone with an Aperol Spritz on arrival followed by a three-course menu, with additional menu options including caviar, oysters and a selection of assaggi. Neighbouring restaurants include China Doll, Kingsleys and Manta for more marina views.

Otto Sydney - Credit: Nikki To

Treat your tastebuds on a food tour

Sydney is one of the most multicultural cities in the world, with countless cultural and linguistic groups contributing to the culinary fabric of the city. Gourmet Food Safaris (run by lauded broadcaster Maeve O'Meara OAM) and Taste Cultural Food Tours (a social enterprise and charity) take groups to culturally rich neighbourhoods around Sydney, and tours are led by local, knowledgeable guides. Be immersed in the Italian community of Haberfield, taste your way through Harris Park’s Little India or eat the city’s best Lebanese food in southwest Sydney. Other fantastic food tours include Mia Cucina, Local Sauce Tours, Ultimately Sydney and The Sydney Connection.  

Little India, Harris Park

Book a city staycation

With Sir Stamford at Circular Quay's Romance Package, you don't need to leave Sydney to enjoy a mini-break. The deal includes a bottle of French champagne and a curated selection of canapes (and chocolate-dipped strawberries) on arrival, a rose petal bath, a customised bottle of red wine with your very own love inscription on the label, a gourmet breakfast for two served in-room and late checkout. Other romantic hotels in the city include Sofitel Sydney Daring Harbour, Park Hyatt Sydney, Pier One Sydney Harbour and Shangri-La Sydney – all of which promote couples packages regularly. 

Pier One Hotel, Pier One - Credit: Dave Wheeler

Embrace the outdoors

On a budget (or simply want to enjoy a more adventurous activity with your special someone)? Sydney has outdoor experiences in spades. Take a dip in one of the city's beautiful ocean pools, get away from the crowds at a secret beach, embark on a spectacular coastal walk or head underwater at one of these fantastic snorkelling spots.

Murray Rose Pool, Double Bay

See a movie at an open-air cinema

As summer starts to roll around, so does Sydney’s outdoor cinema season, with plenty of options to enjoy a screening under the stars. You can watch special previews in comfy seats with Sydney Harbour as the backdrop at the Westpac OpenAir; grab a picnic blanket and see cult favourites at Moonlight Cinemas in Centennial Park; cosy up in a bed (on a beach) at Mov-in Bed Beach Cinema in Barangaroo; or step back into the '50s at Skyline Drive-In in Blacktown, the city's only drive-in cinema.

Skyline Drive-In, Blacktown

Check out Sydney's other Chinatown

Head for dinner at Burwood Chinatown. This neon-lit food precinct has become a popular spot for late-night snacking, with traditional restaurants and more than 30 street food stalls hawking everything from guo kui (clay oven-baked flat breads), lamb skewers, sweet egg waffles, bubble teas and more. 

Burwood Chinatown, Burwood

Sign up for  cooking class

While there’s nothing better than having someone prepare you a lavish meal, getting into the kitchen for a class ensures not just one great meal, but a lifetime of them. Bigger operations like Sydney Cooking School and Vive Cooking Schooloffer an extraordinary range of classes covering different cuisines and ability levels. For the secrets of fresh pasta, gnocchi and the knowledge of which sauce to have with which, sign up for a pasta class at Pasta Emilia, a regionally focused lesson with Cucina Italiana Cooking School or a take on the skills of acclaimed chef Marcello Farioli with a class at his restaurant I Maccheroni. Find more cooking classes here.

I Maccheroni, Woollahra - Credit: Will Hartley

Make a solo summit of the bridge 

Forget the crowds – book a private ascent of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and take in the Harbour City from the top of one of the nation's most iconic landmarks. Accompanied by a personal guide from BridgeClimb, you can tackle Sydney’s famous ‘coat hanger’ on your own, with a partner or a small group of friends and take in those million-dollar views during the day, at twilight or under the twinkling stars. 

BridgeClimb Sydney, Sydney Harbour

Learn how to make your own gin 

From understanding the distilling process to choosing your own botanicals, a lot goes into making the perfect gin. Try it for yourself at some of Sydney’s distilleries, including Archie Rose and Manly Spirits Co. Take a cocktail-making class or simply just enjoy sampling some of the city’s spirits.  

Archie Rose Distilling Co., Rosebery

Take the plunge in a bathhouse

Few things are more relaxing than a restorative bath. Whether you enjoy a Japanese-style onsen, revitalising Turkish hammam experience or frosty ice plunge, there are a number of bathing experiences in Sydney perfect for some R&R come rain, hail or shine, such as Capybara Bathing, Xtra Clubs Bondi, Slow House and Arisoo Korean Bathhouse & Spa.

Capybara Bathing, Surry Hills - Credit: Declan Blackall Photography

Toast from a rooftop

Is there anything more romantic than sipping on a sparkling from a rooftop? Head to one of Sydney's many bars with harbour, beach or city views, and make sure to book ahead to get one of the best seats in the house. Great options include Aster at InterContinental Sydney, Old Mate's Place, Nick and Nora's, Watson's Bay Boutique Hotel, Henry Deane, The Butler and Coogee Pavilion.

Nick and Nora's, Parramatta

Catch a movie at an old-world cinema

When it is wet outside, make your way to one of Sydney’s old-world cinemas, like the heritage-listed Ritz Cinema in Randwick, the underground Golden Age Cinema in Surry Hills, or the Chauvel Cinema in Paddington. Or for something a little different, head to Govinda's for movies and all-you-can-eat Indian food. 

Golden Age Cinema & Bar, Surry Hills

Venture further: Go stargazing in the Blue Mountains

There is perhaps nothing more romantic than spending a night beneath the stars with your special someone. Blue Mountains Stargazing hosts special tours where couples can join astrophysicist Dimitri Douchin for an introduction to the history of the Blue Mountains through time, naked-eye astronomy, tips on how to identify stars, and spotting Saturn's rings and the moons of Jupiter through professional-grade telescopes.

Stargazing in the Blue Mountains