What to do in Wellington this Valentine's Day

Learn about love in the animal kingdom at Wellington Zoo

Wellington Zoo will be opening its doors after hours for a special adults-only night on Valentine’s Day! It’s a chance for the grown-ups to enjoy a picnic and a glass of wine, and learn more about what goes on when the lights go off in the animal kingdom.

Get your tickets on the Wellington Zoo website.

Take a date to dinner

Food is an easy way to someone’s heart! Luckily, Wellington has many options to pick a great spot to eat. Whether it's on the day or not – we reckon you don’t need to wait for Valentine’s Day to treat yourself to a delicious meal out. 

To get some inspiration, take a look at some new and notable foodie spots from WellingtonNZ.

Watch the sun go down

How about packing a picnic, some blankets and heading to a vantage point where you can watch the sun go down? Sounds pretty romantic to us! 

There’s plenty of top spots to visit in the city, including Te Ahumairangi Hill lookout and Mount Victoria lookout. Or, check out our list of hidden gems.

Find a date or a mate at Weed Dating 

It can be challenging meeting new people and making meaningful connections in this digital age, so this Valentine’s Day we’re encouraging you to ditch the dating apps and pick up the gardening tools instead. 

We've teamed up with Conservation Volunteers Wellington to put on four Weed (Speed) Dating events at Lyall Bay Beach and Te Ahumairangi this Wednesday 14 February. Find out more here and register.

Head to one of Wellington’s longest-running festivals

The Island Bay Festival started in 1985 and showcases the talent and diversity of the South Coast every February. With events on every day until Sunday 18 Feb, you can fill your Valentine’s Day with a range of exciting activities such as yoga, followed by life drawing! 

Find out more on the Island Bay festival events page.

Stay in with your favourite film buff 

Celebrate with a special night in. Try a new recipe from Wellington City Libraries’ Magazines on Libby service. Here you can find new and old magazine recipes from over 290 publications. Surprise your lover with your culinary abilities, and maybe find something new to add to your rotation. 

Finish your evening with a film. Sick of the film selection on Netflix? Try Wellington City Libraries’ Beamafilm and Kanopy for free! 

All of these services are free with Wellington City Libraries membership. Find out more about joining the library here.