Valentine’s Day, the Easy Way

Valentine's Day in New Zealand lands in the middle of summer, which is an unfair advantage over most of the world. The evenings are long, the nights are warm, and the best plans rarely need a dress code. Whether you are in Queenstown or Auckland, here is how to do it well without turning it into a production.

The short version: book one thing properly, leave room for the rest, and give yourselves a way to get somewhere beautiful. That last part is where a car from Evolve Rentals comes in, because the most romantic spots in both cities are rarely the ones you can walk to.

When is Valentine's Day in New Zealand?

Valentine's Day is on 14 February every year. In New Zealand that puts it in high summer, with sunset in Queenstown around nine o'clock and warm evenings in Auckland, so an outdoor plan is not a gamble the way it is in the northern hemisphere.

It also lands in one of the busiest stretches of the year for both cities. Restaurants, hot pools and accommodation book out, so whatever your one proper booking is, make it early.

Where should you book dinner for Valentine's Day in Queenstown?

If it is going to be one big dinner, make it Botswana Butchery. It is in Archers Cottage on Marine Parade, a historic cottage right on the lakefront with lake views, log fires for the cooler nights and a menu built around quality local produce and very good steak. It opens every day from 11am to 11pm, and on Valentine's Day it is exactly as popular as you would expect, so ring well ahead.

Dinner does not have to cost the earth to feel special, either. Our guide to dining deals in Queenstown covers how to get a proper night out at some of the town's best restaurants for less, which leaves more of the budget for everything else.

What is a romantic thing to do in Queenstown?

Book a private hot pool. Onsen Hot Pools at 160 Arthurs Point Road has private cedar lined pools set high above the Shotover River, about 10 minutes from town, and it opens from 9am until 11pm. A late soak as the canyon goes dark is about as romantic as Queenstown gets. It needs a reservation and Valentine's Day goes quickly.

For something with a bit more movement, spend the afternoon on bikes. Our friends at Going Blue hire electric bikes from Camp Street and run guided rides along the Gibbston Valley wine trail, which is a very civilised way to taste wine without anyone drawing the short straw on driving. Evolve customers get 20% off their bike hire with the code EvolveVIP, and our post on exploring Queenstown by car and bike with Going Blue has the details.

Then keep the evening simple. Takeaway on the waterfront or a picnic somewhere quiet by the lake, with the Remarkables turning pink at sunset, beats most set menus.

What can couples do on Valentine's Day in Auckland?

Get out of the city for the afternoon and come back for dinner. Auckland's best romantic spots are all within an hour of the centre, and a summer afternoon on the coast is a far better warm up than an hour in traffic between two restaurants.

Head northwest to Kumeu, about half an hour away, a wine district planted by Croatian families in the 1940s, where Kumeu River, Cooper's Creek and Soljans are all within reach and the chardonnay is the reason to go. Or go west to Karekare, with its black sand, cliffs and a waterfall a few minutes' walk from the car park. Our guide to collecting a car from a hotel lobby in Auckland covers both, along with Matakana to the north.

One tip that will save the evening: Auckland traffic builds in the late afternoon, so leave the coast before it does, or wait it out somewhere pleasant and drive back after dark.

How do you turn Valentine's Day into a weekend away?

Add a night. A dinner and a drive is lovely; a night somewhere new, with nowhere to be the next morning, is the version people remember.

In Queenstown, that might mean Arrowtown or Glenorchy, both an easy drive with somewhere good to eat at the end. From Auckland, Matakana and the coast beyond it make the easiest overnight escape, and our guide to weekend road trips from Auckland has the longer versions.

Getting the car sorted

In Queenstown, we bring the car to you. Nobody else in Queenstown does that. Someone from our team meets you where you are staying, walks you round the car and hands over the keys, so the only thing you need to organise is the dinner booking. In Auckland, you collect it from the Grand Millennium on Mayoral Drive, right in the middle of the city.

February books out fast in both cities, so book your car with Evolve Rentals early and keep Valentine's Day easy.

FAQs

When is Valentine's Day in New Zealand?
14 February every year. In New Zealand it falls in summer, so long evenings and outdoor plans are part of the appeal.

What is a romantic restaurant in Queenstown for Valentine's Day?
Botswana Butchery, in the historic Archers Cottage on Marine Parade, has lake views, log fires and a menu built around local produce and steak. It is open daily from 11am to 11pm, so book early for Valentine's Day.

What are the best romantic things to do in Queenstown?
A private hot pool at Onsen Hot Pools above the Shotover River, an electric bike ride along the Gibbston Valley wine trail, and a sunset picnic by Lake Wakatipu are three of the best.

Where can couples go near Auckland for Valentine's Day?
Kumeu wine country is about half an hour northwest of the city, Karekare on the west coast is about an hour away, and Matakana to the north makes an easy overnight escape.