With Valentine’s Day looming, the pressure of planning the ideal date can be stressful. From unique dinner dates and movies with a twist to animal encounters and active adventures, we’ve selected two unique date ideas in each capital city to help with ‘wooing’ that special someone!

Sydney

• Luna Park: For the young at heart, Luna Park is the perfect date night. Open til late on the weekend, whiz around rollercoasters, share fairy floss, re-enact the final scene from Grease in the fun house and take in the view over the Harbour Bridge. Each Sunday in summer the Ferris wheel is transformed into a truly unique dining experience. In intimate two person carriages you will enjoy three courses with paired wines; you’ll win major romance points.
• The Winery in Surry Hills: For a more traditional date, The Winery in Surry Hills is the perfect restaurant choice. With an all-day menu, you can indulge any time of the day. Sumptuous interiors, a Champagne Room and separate Dining Room, this one is a little bit fancy, but it’ll do the trick when it comes to impressing your date!  

The Winery – image credit: The Winery

Brisbane

• Story Bridge Climb: Not one for the faint-hearted, be sure to check your date isn’t afraid of heights before you organise this one. Climb to the top of the Story Bridge as the sun is setting for a truly romantic date night. We’ve heard there have even been a few proposals up there!
• James Street Cooking classes: If your date happens to think they’re a bit of a gun in the kitchen (or maybe they actually need a little bit of help in the culinary department) a date at James Street Cooking Classes is a fun and unique option. Be sure to book ahead of time as classes are nice and intimate.

Story Bridge – image credit: Andrii Slonchak

Canberra

• Night cruise on Lake Burley Griffin: Nothing says romance quite like a boat cruise complete with champagne, decadent food and a beautiful sunset. Organise a private twilight or moonlight cruise with Lake Burley Griffin Cruises for a truly special night.
• Dinner or lunch along the Kingston Foreshore: The perfect place to come for a relaxed dinner or lunch, you will be able to choose from a wide array of beautiful restaurants. For extra points, sneakily figure out their favourite cuisine beforehand and surprise them with a booking at somewhere they’d love. 

Melbourne

• Glow in the dark mini-golf: Mini golf is a classic date night, but this one has a twist. At GlowGolf in the Dockland’s precinct the course is completely in the dark, with glowing elements throughout. It will be sure to provide some laughs and a night your date won’t forget.
• Abbotsford Convent: For the artistic types, this is a perfect creative date idea for you. Just 4km from the Melbourne CBD, you’ll find Abbotsford Convent. A unique precinct it plays host to art galleries, exhibitions, outdoor movie showings, markets and cultural classes. Open to the public every day, it’s a truly unique place for a Melbourne date.

Abbotsford Convent – image credit: Abbotsford Convent

Adelaide

• Adelaide Zoo Animal Encounter: If your significant other is a big animal lover, there is no better light-hearted date idea than an Animal Encounter at the Adelaide Zoo. You’ll be able to get up close and personal with animals big and small. From lions to lemurs, monkeys to hippos, the choice is yours.
• Walking Wine Bar tour: Why pick one bar or restaurant to spend the night, when you could try four! For a unique spin on going out for a drink, embark on a walking wine tour of Adelaide. Foodi runs organised tours, or for those who like to stick to their own schedule, why not even plan your own?

Darwin

• Picnic on Nightcliff Jetty: One of the prime places in Darwin to take in the sunset, Nightcliff Jetty is a truly romantic destination, bring a picnic blanket and candles and make an occasion of it. Pack your own delectable treats or on the weekend you can enjoy the nearby food trucks.
• Fish & Chip sunset cruise: While fish and chips might not sound like the most romantic date idea, it can be when it includes a 1.5 hour sunset cruise, local wild caught fish and a glass of bubbles. Departing from Stokes Hill Wharf, a Sea Darwin sunset cruise is perfect for a relaxed, laid-back date night.

Nightcliff Jetty – image credit: Geoff Whalan

Perth

• Moonlight Cinema: Reminiscent of a slew of romantic comedies, nothing says ‘date night’ like an outdoor cinema. From December through to March the Moonlight Cinemas can be found in Kings Park. Showing a mix of new release and cult movie classics, grab a box of popcorn and a packet of Malteasers and your date will swoon.
• Dinner at C Restaurant: If you feel like getting a little bit dressed up and taking your date somewhere special, C Restaurant is the pick for you. Dining up in the sky at this revolving restaurant will earn you serious romance points. You’ll enjoy a modern Australia menu full of delectable local produce and the freshest of seafood.

Hobart

• State Rooftop Cinema: For a different take on the movies, why not take in the city of Hobart and a movie from above at the State Rooftop Cinema. Enjoy a glass of wine from the bar, select your deckchairs and enjoy the view over Mt Wellington as the sun starts to set.
• Ethos for dinner: If your date is the sort of person who loves a surprise, they’ll be seriously impressed with a date at Ethos. Upon arriving you let the team know if there is anything you would prefer not to eat, and then the rest of the menu is a surprise. All you need do is decide on the wine and enjoy your date.

Ethos Restaurant – image credit: Ethos

To truly make an occasion of it, why not treat your significant other to a romantic city stay too. You'll feel truly relaxed, and everyone knows nothing says romance like breakfast shared in bed the next morning.