College Guide - If you’ve got a hot date, you should ...

Take a walk in the wild

For a major metropolitan area, Atlanta is teeming with nature — enough to find a little piece of Waldenlike tranquility when you don’t have time to escape the Perimeter. Whether you’re into stalking snakes, lizards, birds, or deer, or just taking a daytime stroll to groove on a green scene with that special someone, there are countless forest adventures just a few paces off of the beaten path. From the Constitution Lakes nature preserve on Moreland Avenue to Deepdene Park, which lies tucked away off an unassuming stretch of Ponce, to the Morningside Nature Preserve just off Cheshire Bridge Road, a bucolic and romantic break from the city is only a few blocks away.

Cozy up with cocktails at Paper Plane

This back-alley Decatur hang is an ideal spot for a casual first date – or a pre-first-date date, perhaps. It’s a cozy little love den that’ll set the mood. Peruse the sophisticated drink menu before you go so you can impress your guest with your fancy cocktail knowledge. Seriously, Google is your friend here. If you can help your date into a drink they love by decoding ingredients like Cynar, Punt e Mes, and Cocchi Americano, he/she is likely to be impressed.

Gaze upon the city’s lights

There comes a time in every relationship when you must enjoy a vista together. On a clear night, a private ride in one of SkyView Atlanta’s Ferris wheel gondolas offers a sparkly north-facing view of the city skyline. No matter how long the line is, you won’t have to share a pod with any rugrats or tourists. The trip ($13.50 per person) is short — only about 15 minutes — which might work out just great, should you discover your date is afraid of heights. The nearby Glenn Hotel’s rooftop bar has a similar view minus all the spinning and flashing lights.

Gift a box of fancy-ass truffles from Cacao Atlanta Chocolate Co.

Cacao owner Kristen Hard has high standards. The bean-to-bar confectionery uses high-quality organic ingredients and partners with scientists as well as local growers to make some damn fine chocolat. This level of artisanship isn’t cheap (a choose-your-own 12-piece box of truffles will set you back $31.50), but options such as the chili-spiced Aztec Aphrodisiac and the subtly savory Raspberry Thyme are worth it.

Find a quiet corner at the Goat Farm Arts Center

There’s an ethereal quality to the crumbling brick and uneven stones of this former cotton gin manufacturer. Host to concerts, art shows, and a shabbily quaint coffee shop/bar, the Goat Farm is at its most romantic all lit up with candles after dark, even if there are 300 other people around.