It’s almost Valentine’s Day, so why not start thinking about how to celebrate with your loved one (or ones). Valentine’s Day isn’t just for those with partners, it’s an opportunity to celebrate anyone you love – from a best mate to a sibling or even your parents!
In Australia, sex and dating culture is fairly laid-back. Dating is typically quite informal, so a date can be as simple as meeting up for a coffee or a beer, which means you can celebrate Valentine’s Day on a budget. Putting in the effort to plan an enjoyable date is a wonderful way to show someone you love them, so check out our list of the best date ideas in Adelaide and get planning!
Plant 4 Bowden
Why not spend a fun day out at one of the most wholesome date places in Adelaide? Head to Plant 4, just outside the city, to find a sustainable collective of markets, special events, cafes and specialty shops housed in an old industrial complex. This is a great spot to grab a delicious, healthy breakfast or lunch, or, on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday evenings, enjoy a glass of wine and some live music at one of the two bars.
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Morialta Conservation Park
For a more active, outdoors (and free!) date, head to Morialta for a hike, gentle walk or picnic in the beautiful bush. The park contains everything from a rock climbing spot to woodlands, stunning gorges and a creek with picturesque waterfalls. There’s also plenty of local wildlife; you might even spot a koala or a kookaburra in the trees.
My Lover Cindi
For a great date night idea in Adelaide, you can’t go past this funky, unique bar. My Lover Cindi is an LGBTQIA+ venue with a focus on accessibility. Along with a bar and a dancefloor, you can also enjoy queer performance nights. The bar specialises in non-alcoholic mocktails, as well as the usual range of spirits, beers, wines and cocktails.
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Adelaide Botanic Gardens
The Botanic Gardens are undoubtedly one of the city’s most beautiful date spots. Take a wander through 50 hectares of stunning architecture and immaculately maintained gardens, containing everything from cacti and succulents to medicinal and edible plants from all over the world.
It’s a great spot for a lunch or afternoon tea date. Bring your own picnic supplies or grab a tasty bite to eat at the cafe or the kiosk. If you want a more pampered experience, you can pre-order a picnic hamper, complete with delicious salads, sandwiches and even a picnic blanket. They cater to a range of dietary requirements, too.
Peter Rabbit
On a sunny summer’s day, Peter Rabbit is one of the best fun date ideas in Adelaide. It’s a cute garden cafe on the west side of the city that specialises in boutique coffee, liquor and quality food in a lush setting. The brunch menu is extensive and super delicious, with plenty of options on the cheaper side as well as some pricier fancy meals. To top it all off, there are several extremely cute resident pet rabbits that love hanging out in the garden.
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Ancient World
Ancient World is an alternative and welcoming oasis just off Adelaide’s busy Hindley Street. It’s tucked away off the main drag with a charming underground bar and dance floor, as well as a super cute beer garden. The bar hosts local, interstate and international artists of all kinds, as well as karaoke on Wednesdays, Mud Collective nights once a month (a mixture of music, arts, dance and multimedia) and loads of dance parties. What better way to impress a date than to show off your knowledge of one of Adelaide’s hidden gems?
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Grace Emily Hotel
On Monday nights, the Grace Emily is one of the most rockin’ places in the city. It’s well worth heading down for Billy Bob’s BBQ Jam, an open mic night packed with talent and variety. There are gigs on most weekend nights if you fancy some local and interstate music. On weeknights, it’s a quiet, intimate and charming pub – complete with South Australian beers on tap and one of the cheapest pool tables in Adelaide – where you can share a relaxing evening with a loved one.
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Moonlight Cinema
For a romantic evening, head to the Moonlight Cinema in the Botanic Gardens to enjoy a film under the stars. The cinema shows a wide range of films, from classics to brand-new features, so there’s something to appeal to everyone, no matter who you’re sharing a date night with.
This February, the cinema is even showing a week of Valentine-themed movies, from Magic Mike’s Last Dance to The Notebook.
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Adelaide Fringe
The Adelaide Fringe Festival doesn’t start until 17 February but it’s well worth celebrating Valentine’s Day a little late! Adelaide Fringe is the second-biggest annual arts festival in the world and is one of the reasons Adelaide is famous for its festivals. Offering everything from saucy burlesque and daredevil circus to hilarious stand-up comedy and hard-hitting theatre, it’s a brilliant way to impress any date. The Garden of Unearthly Delights and Gluttony, located in the heart of the East End, are super fun outdoor spaces to hang out before or after a show – grab a bite to eat and soak up the atmosphere.
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