Sunshine breaks the morning sky to awaken your inner calm and greet nature with an ever-refreshing breath as you stand atop the butte hand-in-hand with your special someone. The town below becomes illuminated with sunlit skies and vibrant colors. The season of bloom has come, calling for a period of titillation and rejuvenation among couples.
Hiking Spencer Butte is one of many adventures among romantic partners during spring break. The vacation is a time to ring in the coming of warm and sunny days with your significant other, which is still possible even if you’re hanging in Eugene and not visiting an exotic location.
“It’s fun,” said junior Hayden Steinbock@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Hayden+Steinbock@@ of going to Spencer Butte on a date. “It’s nice hiking up and seeing the sunrise and sunset.” He also explains that rock climbing is a two-person activity that is really easy to get into.
Willamette National Forest@@http://www.fs.usda.gov/willamette@@ is another place to go and enjoy each others’ company. This 110-mile-long stretch covers the area east of Salem and northeast of Roseburg along the west side of the Cascade Range. It offers a variety of recreation from horse riding to nature viewing and picnicking to staying in a cabin for $75 a night in the Commissary Cabin, located 22 miles northeast of McKenzie Bridge.
For sophomore Kamiiya Williams@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Kamiiya+G+Williams+@@ taking a stroll in the woods and crossing a bridge overlooking a river is a romantic and cool date. Sometimes talking and walking are all you need for a good date.
“I don’t know. Something about the water and the birds; it’s romantic,” Williams said.
If a getaway outdoors doesn’t sound appealing this spring break, perhaps another cozy and unique idea could be to surprise your partner with a little game of tag using Nerf guns. The idea is to get an adrenaline rush with your partner, and passing out on the couch, watching a movie and relaxing can be a great way to end the game.
Stargazing, too, is a common intimate experience. Find a rooftop — flat or angled — bring two glasses, a bottle of wine and a blanket and absorb the scene above the horizon. Or drive to the top of Skinner Butte and lay on the hood of your car. It may be chilly early in the spring — all the more reason to cuddle up close together.
Perhaps a more romantic setting is what you’re looking for. If so, the Oregon Electric Station@@http://www.oesrestaurant.com/@@ is said to be a really great place to go. It is an award-winning restaurant that has been rated one of the best in the nation,@@same@@ according to the OES website.
“It’s a very friendly and comfortable atmosphere,” said manager Jeff Wilson. “We are appealing to different kinds of people in different walks of life.”
It serves prime rib, seafood and hundreds of wines by the bottle and glass.
Whatever your adventure may be, there are many options this spring break to indulge in one another’s company around Eugene, from the most spontaneous and sweet to the most elaborate and romantic.