Hot Spots to Date on UCLA’s Campus
If you find yourself in a position to start asking someone out, the possibilities for going out on a date at UCLA are truly endless. Here are my favorite date spots on campus!
Janss Steps
The most romantic place at UCLA is Janss steps. Janss steps is a large brick staircase that leads up to the base of Royce Hall and Powell Library, the two most beautiful buildings on campus. On either side of the staircase are large grassy hills and big trees for shade which provides the perfect place to picnic on. “I’ve only ever actually taken a girl on a date once so far since coming to college, but the first place I thought of going was Janss so we went there,” Jens Torres, a second year business economics major noted, “It was the perfect place for a picnic.” Everyday you’ll find kids studying here, playing spikeball, setting up slack lines between trees, or going out on a date. The best part about this place is it faces west, so it has a perfect view of the sunset if you go at the right time.
Sculpture Garden
The sculpture garden is the perfect place for a walk or picnic. On the far NorthEast side of campus you’ll find a few large patches of grass with metal and bronze sculptures scattered throughout. Fun fact: the garden even features an original sculpture by Auguste Rodin called “The Walking Man,” one of the more famous pieces of modern art made near the turn of the 20th cenutury. Pick a spot to have a picnic or walk around and enjoy all the beautiful art with your special someone. “I knew nothing about sculptures but my girlfriend at the time was an art major so going to the sculpture garden was her idea. She loved it.” Cameron Dower, a 4th year Mechanical Engineering major.
Botanical Gardens
On the SouthEast side of campus are the Botanical Gardens. There’s about a 15–20 minute long hiking trail throughout the Botanical Gardens. The path weaves its way through a large variety of plants, flowers, trees, ponds, and if you’re lucky some wild birds and animals. End the hike by relaxing at one the picnic tables found at the exit of the gardens.
Sunset Rec
Sunset Recreation, usually called Sunset Rec, has just about everything. For those of you that have never been it’s a large park right next to the residential housing at UCLA. Most people love to go there to enjoy the vast lawn with lawn chairs scattered throughout which you can relax on. It’s perfect for a picnic. If you prefer something more active you can check out volleyballs, soccer balls, frisbees, spikeball sets, you name it all at the front desk. You can play on the built-in sand volleyball courts or the lawn designated for sports. And I almost forgot to mention, Sunset Rec has two large swimming pools and a diving pool to enjoy all day long.
Kerckoff
If you like coffee shop dates, Kerckoff is the best coffee shop on campus. It’s conveniently located at the center of campus too. Inside the coffee shop they host live performers once a week for anyone buying coffee to enjoy. Just outside the coffee shop is Kerckoff patio, where there are plenty of tables and chairs to sit at and get to know your date. The coffee really isn’t that great, but the ambience and outdoor scenery make Kerckoff an ideal first date location.
Southern Lights
If you’re looking for a place to go out for a meal on campus, I’d recommend Southern Lights Cafe. Southern Lights Cafe is a food court in the middle of the Court of Sciences in South campus. Just like Kerckoff, there is plenty of outdoor seating in the center of the court to sit down and have a nice meal. There are plenty of options for the meal itself, from Blaze Pizza, to Subway sandwiches, to Yoshinoya teriyaki bowls.
UCLA has an abundance of beautiful places to have a first date. These were just a few. For all you UCLA students looking to meet a special someone, remember you’re located in a pretty great place.
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