The best Valentine’s Day events in Sydney

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 (or even just one exotic cocktail at any CBD bar), we hear you and we see you. That’s why we have put together an ultimate 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. 

There are advantages to heading to an alfresco 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 rather beautiful outdoor cinema locations, and they’re screening Valentine’s-appropriate movies on February 14. 

On top of a pretty spectacular Valentine's Day dinner offering over at Salts Meats Cheese, the folks over here are also providing for all you lovers at home. This Valentine's Day you can order a 1kg brie cake covered in flamboyant antipasto, salami and edible flowers that will get made to order, and ready for you to pick up 36 hours later. This creamy cheese mammoth will cost you $99, and can be ordered here.

If you (or your cutie) don't do dairy (or even if you do and you just enjoy an aesthetic cakey masterpiece) you should consider tapping into Miss Sina'sValentine’s Day offering this year. On the day, they'll deliver gigantic donuts covered in flowers, an assortment of high-tea goods, limited-edition donut flavours, huge heart-shaped cookies, a massively plump frosted buttercream cake, and a giant floral cinnamon scroll that will most probably blow your and your lover's socks off. 

What's more romantic than seclusion? We've put together a list of the best glamping spots across and near Sydney that you and your cutie can hit up this Valentine's Day. Expect a star-gazing bubbletent and outdoor bubblebaths. 

Whether you buy into the Valentine's Day hubub or not, getting dolled up and going out for a nice meal is pretty much a universal pleasure, especially when restaurants go all out on the special occasion bells and whistles. We've rounded up the restaurants going the extra mile on February 14 this year, so if you're looking to impress or simply down for an epic feed, here's where to head. 

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. 

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.

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. 

If you like luxury and heights, this one is for you. On Feburary 14, the folks over at Sydney's tallest '60's-themed Bar 83 are putting on a sumptuous Valentine's dinner to remember. Expect caviar, oysters, ceviche and a bottle of Perrier-Jouët champagne, as well as a rose and box of chocolates each. It will cost $275 per couple, and you can book in by clicking right here. 

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. 

Perfect technique or pure talent isn’t high on the agenda in this wave of art classes colouring the city streets right now. The relaxed painting sessions encourage patrons to fight artistic self-doubt with liquid courage, so nervous artists can have a less inhibited crack at painting.

If Patrick Swayze's turn in the timeless 1990 movie Ghost taught us anything, it's that pottery is the ultimate romantic medium. The lubrication of a glass of wine (or your favourite tipple) to ease your creative flow doesn't hurt either. Grab a mate or a date and get down to Clay Sydney's Enmore studio for one of their beginner-friendly, BYO-bevvie, clay-building classes.

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. Why not factor in great views, drag shows or standout locations while you're at it?

Ring-a-ding-ding! If you and your single mates have been feeling a little rusty in the chatting-up department, this cute Sunday sesh in one of Sydney’s pretty beer gardens might be just what the (love) doctor ordered. In a work-around of the strict table-sitting rules that are part of going out nowadays, the Golden Sheaf has found an inventive way to put mingling back on the table, quite literally. The Double Bay pub is taking note from '70's swingers bars of yore and has installed old-fashioned telephones on the tables.

We’ve rounded up some of the best tiny house escapes across New South Wales that you can knock over in a weekend getaway from Sydney. Most are perfect for a romantic escape for two adults or are the ideal retreat for solo travelers looking for the ultimate me-time. Others have a little more room so you can vaycay with friends, the kids and even the dog. 

Picture this: the sun is setting over Sydney Harbour, the city lights up, and you’re taking in the views from a cruise ship as Champagne is poured and seafood platters arrive. Or maybe you’d rather take in those million-dollar harbour views over a leisurely long lunch? Whether you’re impressing a date or blowing off steam with friends, Captain Cook Cruises has options for celebrating on the water, with packages ranging from $139 to $265 per person.