The best Valentine’s Day events in Sydney

There are advantages to heading to an open-air cinema – chief among them, you have more room to spread out comfortably on a blanket, and more freedom to chat (or canoodle, or talk smack about Hollywood’s problematic depictions of romance) than the shushing you may encounter at a traditional indoor picture house. Sydney has some really beautiful outdoor cinema locations, and they’re screening Valentine’s-appropriate movies on February 14. 

Want to get away from it all? If you suspect that setting up your dusty old tent might ruin the romance, we've got you: the good people at these glamping sites do the hard work for you. Don't have time to get out of the city? We'd suggest catching a ferry over to Cockatoo Island and camping here for the night. Tents (complete with beds) are set up before you arrive – order a BBQ and brakfast pack when you book, pack a bottle of wine and you're set. 

This Surry Hills drinking den has collaborated with dating app Hello Darling for an evening of match-making. Pitch your friend via a five-minute PowerPoint to a group of singles (you'll need to submit your pitch here) and watch love bloom. Book here.

While the most important part of a romantic date night is, of course, the company you keep, a candlelit dinner and a cosy spot to play footsies certainly add a little something to the vibe of the night. The great news is, Sydney is absolutely awash with intimate eateries and sexy cocktail bars to set the mood just right.

There's nothing more magical than golden hour on the banks of Sydney Harbour. Watch the sun set on the day of love at one of these heavenly harbour beaches.

If your "special someone" this year is yourself, book a table at Olos. This sexy pop-up restaurant has been brought to life by the people behind one of Australia's favourite sex toy brands, and this Feb 14 they're giving solo agents all the pleasure they need: a free three-course dinner (plus drinks) and a toy to take home. Book here.

Nobody ever said first dates are easy. Our advice? Pick a place where vibe is king and ace cocktails, first-rate snacks and excellent service are all talking points, too. 

When it comes to out-of-the-box date-night activities, Kingpin kinda has it all. You can challenge your lover to a friendly competition with a round of bowling, kick it up a notch with laser tag, shoot your shot over a game of darts or show off your pipes by belting out some karaoke. $20 will score you access to one of these activities, and you'll score a bonus $5 food and drink voucher plus 30 minutes of free game play in the arcade on the big day.

Valentine's Day is as good an excuse as any to book a staycation – we've rounded up the best hotels in the city. Want to make a weekend of it? W Sydney is serving up super romantic Val's Day packages and Marg-fuelled Sunday sessions at their sky-high swimming pool.

What could be more romantic than a hamper packed for two coupled with sweeping harbour views? Where else could you organise a long, lazy lunch for a group of friends? Or an impromptu dinner date, al fresco? We've rounded up Sydney's top picnic spots – and don't worry, we've done the research on whether there’s parking, toilets and barbecues available. Want the hamper packed for you? These are Sydney's best.

What's more romantic that staring into eachother's eyes? Staring at the stars together, probably. Grab your cutie and head out on a totally free trip to one of Sydney's best stargazing spots this Valentine's Day. 

Finding the weather tricky to plan around? Whether it's sweltering outside or drizzling relentlessly, Sydney's art galleries are climate-controlled creative coves where you can wander around, feel cultured, and get a dialogue going around the fabulous discoveries you make. Just check our guide to the coolest exhibitions on the go this month. 

We’ve rounded up some of the best tiny house escapes close enough to Sydney to book for a weekend. Low on funds? This round-up of camping sites in and around the city should help – who needs walls in summertime, anyway?

Kissing in the ocean is so much more acceptable when there aren't families around. Go for a Val's Day dip at one of these secret swimming spots hidden around the city.

Learn the craft of jewellery making from a super-talented, super-lovely silversmith (Matt Candrick) at one of these intimate workshops. The Fifth Lane’s group ring making classes are held at Freshwater Brewing Co on occasional Saturdays (the next date is Saturday, March 1), but Matt also runs private workshops on request from his Northern Beaches studio. You can book over here, and you can order a custom piece made by Matt himself over here. 

Let us set the scene. From the the sky, you spot a pod of 20 dolphins frolicking around Barrenjoey Lighthouse. Your pilot Tim tilts the plane so you can get the best photos possible as you cruise back to the inner harbour at 1,000 feet. And as you think it couldn’t get better, you circle the fortress island of Fort Denison for the finale: Sydney Opera House, the Harbour Bridge and the Botanic Gardens. While it all sounds romantic, these small seaplanes are large enough to host your friendship group for the ultimate empowered-singles outing.

In partnership with Racha’s Syrian Kitchen, award-winning social enterprise Welcome Merchant and are hosting their third "Galentine's Lunch" to celebrate female friendship and community. A $70 ticket will score you a three-course Syrian feast, and proceeds from ticket sales will go towards First Nations community members based in Sydney's Inner West. This one is taking place two days after the big day, on Sunday, February 16. Book tickets over here. 

For the young folk, the poor folk and the folk who just like to run free, love in this economy can be tricky. To all you lovers out there whose weekly budget doesn't stretch to chartering a seaplane, we hear you. That’s why we have put together a list of the coolest cheap and totally free dates available to lovers in Sydney. Each of these options is guaranteed to set you back either nothing or next to nothing. So grab your current cutie, leave your hundred-dolla bills at home and hit the road. Free love, folks, is where it's at. 

Bathhouses are having a moment in the Harbour City, and while they can make a sexy (sweaty) date spot, they're are few better ways to switch off on your own if Valentine's Day is a triggering occasion. Sofitel Darling Harbour's "Balance and Brighten" package (a full body massage and a dreamy facial) is the perfect all-in-one self-care treat, and an angel-enhanced treatment from Venustus will make you feel like you're levitating. 

It reliably serves on-point Martinis and big-city energy seven days a week, and this Val's Day, the Ace Hotel lobby bar is hosting one of Australia's favourite radio hosts and DJs (Flo Dill) for a sexy-as Friday night set. Entry is free, but you'll want to RSVP to secure your spot.