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    Free and Low-Cost Valentine’s Day Ideas. Wollongong & Illawarra Guide.

    Love is amazing and it is also free! Here are the best free and low-cost ways to cultivate romance and love on Valentine’s Day by What’s On In Wollongong. Fill your romance cup without taking out a loan. Here are our budget ideas for Valentine’s Day in Wollongong & Illawarra, that can still have a big romantic impact.

    And if you have more of a budget and want to dial the romance up a bit, check out our slightly more extravagant ways to woo your favourite person this Valentine’s Day here.

    Sunset Cinema Wollongong – romance under the stars – get 40% off tickets with What’s On In Wollongong

    Get 40% off tickets with What’s On In Wollongong at the online checkout when purchasing your tickets online.

    It’s hard to beat the romance of snuggling together outside with a movie, watching the sunset and the stars start twinkling overhead. Starting at a mere $20 for an adult ticket, it is a wonderful way to woo cost effectively! AND – Pack your own picnic and drinks to keep down costs.

    WIN the ultimate dreamy South Coast escape!

    *The Fraternity Club aregiving one VERY lucky person the chance to score a 2-night luxury glamping getaway for two at Paperbark Camp. Think deluxe safari-style accommodation under a canopy of stars, total switch-off vibes, plus daily dinner and breakfast included. Every $10 spent on food and beverages at The Fraternity Club earns you 1 automatic entry (the more you dine, the more chances you have to win!). Winner announced Valentine’s Day – Saturday 14 February 2026. *T&Cs apply. Be in it to WIN it at The Fraternity Club or tap the link here to learn more.

    Wollongong Flowers and small beautiful gifts…

    Love is definitely in the air at Twig & Bo Florist – and their cute V-Day Window display is brimming with the L O V E! Orders are now open to order! Jump online to view their V-day collection and order. Twig & Bo Deliver across the Illawarra all day on Valentine’s Day – delivery bookings will be closed once run sheets are full, so first in.

    Share a Romantic Picnic

    Get inspired by our best Wollongong & Illawarra Picnic spots here. Great for a lunch or dinner date for when you don’t have the budget for a seafood extravaganza. Score brownie points with a thoughtful picnic instead. 

    Depending on your available time, you can either create something from store-bought ready-made options or put in the hard yards and make it from scratch with sandwiches, cut fruit, and heart-shaped cupcakes. Make this one as simple or as complex as you like. Just add the picnic rug as well as a scenic spot on the beach, and you are sure to impress. 

    If you are feeling creative, try your hand at a charcuterie board with an assortment of meats, cheeses, crackers and fruit to share. Oh, and don’t forget the wine or champers.

    And for those with a little more budget, we love Wollongong & Illawarra’s Pony & Wolf Pop-Up Picnics. They offer deluxe grazing picnic cuisine and styling (hint, nudge, wink, they also offer proposal packages). Tell them What’s on in Wollongong sent you for the most romantic picnic of your life!

    Top 12 Wollongong & Illawarra Picnic Spots to Explore

    Valentine’s Day on the South Coast is best enjoyed picnic-style. With native wildflowers blooming and warm summer sunshine lingering, it’s the perfect excuse to slow down, share good food and soak up those ocean views together. Whether you’re planning a romantic date, a laid-back Galentine’s catch-up or a sunset spread with someone special, What’s On in Wollongong has you covered with the insider guide to the Top 12 Wollongong & Illawarra Picnic Spots—made for love, laughter and lingering a little longer.

    Wollongong Comedy Nights

    Looking to impress the other half in your life? Looking for a cosy atmosphere with a romantic ambience Then look no further than Wollongong Comedy for your next date night. With fairy light and candle lit feels, bar, affordable tickets AND to top the night off – essentially YOU get all the credit for making him or her laugh. Check out their huge line-up of upcoming events here.

    Book a Low-Key Dinner. Or get Takeaway

    Dinners don’t have to be expensive to be unique and romantic. Some of the best experiences as a couple are enjoyed over some cheap sushi and a few laughs. 

    If you are looking for some divine Italian catering for a candle-lit dinner at home, we recommend Villa D’oro in Fairy Meadow. Takeaway trays start at $45.

    Surprise them with a personalised love letter

    If your partner loves being told nice things, this option is perfect! If they love touch, gift them a massage in your love letter, too. Here are some ways you can make the love letter happen.

    Tell them what you first noticed about them when you met. Tell them why you fell in love with them and when. Tell them their sweet unique quirks that make you love them more. Tell them why they are important to you and what you look forward to doing together. Make it a love letter they will keep forever!

    Romantic Bushwalks to Explore This Valentine’s Day – including waterfalls!

    Here’s a romantic way to turn your Valentine’s Day into an adventure together — take one of the Illawarra’s scenic bushwalks and let nature set the mood. The region is renowned for leafy escarpment trails, ocean-framed beach walks and hidden waterfall tracks that make perfect couple outings, from a gentle stroll to a rewarding summit view. Classic options include the Illawarra Escarpment Forest Walk with its lush forest and ocean glimpses, easy coastal paths like sections of the Kiama Coast Walk with sweeping sea views and beach stops ideal for a shared picnic break, or a waterfall-fringed trail in Dharawal National Park that feels like a secret date destination.

    Here are our best bushwalks for a nature-based Valentine’s Day:

    After more Valentine’s Day events and romantic things to do? Indulge your romantic side even more with more Valentine’s Day inspo across the Illawarra region here.

    After more events and businesses near you? Never suffer FOMO again with our Weekly Newsletter sent straight to your inbox! Sign up HERE

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    These lands, waters and skies are a true paradise, and a gift to experience. We offer deep respect and gratitude to the traditional custodians, the Dharawal nation, whose sovereignty was never ceded. We pay our respect to elders past and present.