Ten Unique date ideas for winter

​Whether it’s date night, celebration of your anniversary date, asking the BIG question date or that incredibly exciting – and nerve wracking - first date with the person of your dreams, creating the most memorable and unique setting to impress the love of your life (or soon to be if you play your cards right) is key if you are looking to make them feel special.
If you really want to impress, first step is to try and understand what you know about your date, what they like, what their interests are and choose the location and experience you think they will enjoy the most.  The best part is, it doesn’t necessarily mean spending a lot of money to have the best experiences.
There is never a bad time to plan an incredibly romantic date with your significant other, and with our Top 10 Date Venues in Sydney, you will have all the inspiration you need to find the perfect places to go on a date in Sydney.  So why not tonight? 

1. Enjoy a Penfolds Grange Degustation Dinner Cruise on Sydney Harbour

When only the best will do, capture a romantic moment under a spectacular sunset as you cruise the Sydney Harbour while enjoying a 6-course degustation menu matched with Penfolds platinum selection of private bin and vintage wines. On the Platinum Penfolds Grange Dinner Cruise you can watch the sun set while enjoying great food, great wine, listening to live music and taking in the beautiful scenery - this is an incredible experience and one that will be sure to surprise and delight.

2. Picnic lunch at Wendy’s Secret Garden

Pack a picnic lunch, blanket, pop in some bubbles and head to Wendy’s Secret Garden at Lavender Bay, nestled in the suburbs immediately north of the Harbour Bridge, for a romantic lunch with incredible views of the harbor.  Take time to wander through this incredible garden, taking in its magical ambience, established through the love of Wendy Whitely in tribute to her husband, Australian Artist Brett Whitely after he passed away.  Finding the garden can be an adventure itself so make sure that you do your homework, find the best route and mark at your picnic spot in advance.

3. Experience Hot Air Ballooning followed by a gourmet champagne breakfast

Take romance to its heights with an unforgettable Hot Air Ballooning experience in the popular Camden region of Sydney, a beautiful spot located only 50 minutes from the Sydney CBD.  The Camden Valley offers the most incredible backdrop with a diverse range of views from sparking waters of the Nepean river, the peaks of the Blue Mountains illuminated by the first rays of sunlight, the historic towns of Picton and Camden and the incredible Sydney skyline that can only truly be appreciated from above. 
The hot air balloon experience takes approximately an hour with flights over the beautiful and historic Macarthur region.  We recommend allowing 3 hours to enjoy the complete experience which includes tea and coffee when you arrive, your incredible flight, followed by a delicious gourmet champagne breakfast.

4. Watch the Sun go down on Quarantine Beach

There is nothing more romantic than watching the sun over the ocean with your partner (or partner to be) better yet it’s a location for every season, bubbles in Summer and a great bottle of Red coupled with an incredible cheese and antipasto and you have dinner and romance sorted.  And there is no better spot than our very own Quarantine Beach a secluded hidden gem with gorgeous views out to the harbour and only a short stroll away from the accommodation  the historic Q Station hotel.  The beach is 200m long, faces northwest into the North Harbour and is in a quiet and sheltered location hemmed in by rocks and national park with silvery sand and clear, calm water. 

5. Book a Room with a View

f you really want to impress you can’t go past our Retreat Suite at the Q Station.  The Suite offers the perfect romantic getaway, located on the headland within the Sydney Harbour National Park in the renovated former Isolation Precinct, within what was once the Quarantine station, this area has one of the most amazing views of Sydney Harbour. 
 
Take your love interest on a scenic stroll along the Fairfax walk accessing post card views of Sydney Harbour, then it’s only a 5-minute walk from your hotel suite to access the Quarantine beach for that wine and cheese.

6. An old school Drive in date in a Mustang convertible

For a truly unique night out with a difference, step back in time and enjoy a movie and dinner under the stars at the Skyline Drive In, Blacktown from the incredible vantage point of an old school mustang convertible or if you looking for something more modern then hire a mustang from the Hertz adrenaline collection. 
 
This experience is a perfect first date option in Sydney, offering a different take on the standard dinner and a movie date and you can watch any of the latest blockbusters, enjoy a tasty treat from the dinner menu and immerse yourself in the experience.   
 
7. Snorkeling and Lunch at Shelley Beach

For a truly relaxing and unwinding date, pack your flippers and towels and head to Shelley Beach for an incredible snorkeling experience.  It’s a popular spot for snorkelers and scuba divers alike and it’s no wonder why, with a maximum depth of 12 metres in a protected reserve it is home to a large variety of marine life which is can be viewed in relatively shallow water.  This experience offers a different take on the standard dinner and a movie date and you can watch any of the latest blockbusters, enjoy a tasty treat from the dinner menu and immerse yourself in the experience.  

8. Lunch at the Boathouse Shelley Beach

After a morning of snorkeling, sand and sun you can dust off the sand and enjoy an incredible seafood lunch at the boat house restaurant, located in an idyllic spot directly on the beach where you both can sample delights like the Kingfish Carpaccio or a Cold Seafood Platter while continuing to take in the ambience of an incredible location.

9. Kayaking – Rose Bay

While there are plenty of places around the harbour you can kayak, Rose Bay is one of the more beautiful spots, better yet you can hire out the kayaks, paddleboards and even motorboats from rose bay aquatic hire for a memorable day out on the water.  If you are up for an adventure paddle out to Shark Island carrying a small picnic  or snacks with you and relax taking in the beautiful views before taking the kayak back to Rose Bay.  Make sure you arrange your landing fee ($7 per person) via NSW National Parks.

10. Skip dinner and go straight for dessert

Located on George Street Sydney is fun date idea and a great way to get to know someone if it’s in the early stages of dating.  Now you could be thinking that it looks like every other ice cream shop, and sure they do serve everything you would expect from sundae’s to waffles however the resemblance stops here.  What is so incredibly unique is the decadent upgrades they have made to the classics like chocolate crêpes with hidden chocolate mousse and strawberries, a delicious surprise of a cookie at the bottom of your cookies and cream ice cream, and if you pride yourself on being a food adventurer you can really get creative with the classics mixing them with exotic flavours including black sesame, Japanese green tea, durian, sticky rice, coconut and lychee rose.  What’s even better is the serving sizes are perfectly suited for 2 which makes for a fun night out that’s easy on the pocket.