The University is often marketed as historic and idyllic — brick sidewalks, Jeffersonian columns and sprawling grounds studded with primordial trees. With this historic charm and architectural splendor, students are left with a plethora of spots that practically beg you to fall in love — or to do whatever you so please.
Here’s your unofficial guide to the most romantic spots on Grounds, with countless alcoves and hideouts where romance is bound to bloom — or where it definitely shouldn't.
1. The Pavilion Gardens
Camouflaged behind serpentine brick, the Gardens feel worlds away from the buzz of Grounds. The space is quiet, secluded and scattered with perfect benches or trees that are ideal for deep conversations — or a slightly questionable rendezvous after a night out. It’s conveniently located right across the Corner, which is quite useful for an impromptu hookup or the "let's get-to-know each other better” conversation to wind down a Friday night out.
2. The Dell
A study date at the Dell is arguably the most low-effort spot on Grounds. It has ambience, picturesque seating and close proximity to central Grounds — perfect for first years without cars. There’s something about the still water, occasional passing dog-walker and tranquil air that makes you feel like you’ve stepped off Grounds. Even if you end up never doing the assignments scheduled for that very study date, the Dell is ideal for the “we’re not calling this a date, we’re just studying” trope, or simply a place to share a view.
3. The Rotunda magnolia bench
This specific bench is probably the most photo-farmed Instagram post on many University accounts — and for a good reason. It’s a picture-perfect wooden bench canopied by the University’s beloved Yulan Magnolia, and often a perch for passing couples. Despite being in the middle of everything on Grounds, the sprawling branches provide a veil of sorts — private enough for a Bodo’s takeout date, a pit stop during a hand-in-hand walk through Grounds or maybe even the site of a conversation where you realize a friendship could turn into something more.
4. The West Range Cafe
Tucked in the basement of Hotel E on the Lawn, West Range is the closest thing the University holds to a cozy third space. As my go-to lunch spot during my first year, I frequently noticed couples gathered near radiators, sharing lunch over homework or deep in conversation. A lunch study-date combo — despite holding the title of a meal exchange — is the closest you’ll get to domesticity. If you’re sharing a caesar salad or wrap, it’s basically marriage.
5. Tennis courts behind old dorms
By day, they’re just courts — ideal for innocent activities like pickleball or tennis. But at night things get scandalous, becoming a literal breeding-ground for first-year canon events. After nights out, the open space and quiet seclusion of the courts allow for the ultimate plot-twist that might change the course of your semester. Late night walks back from the bars that "accidentally" detour here always end in questionable decisions, emotional confessions or the start of a situationship no one saw coming.
6. Shannon Library’s “Harry Potter room”
The McGregor room, or more lovingly known by students as the “Harry Potter room,” is the crème de la crème of study date locations. The atmospheric study on the second floor of Shannon Library — wrapped in dark wood, old books and a moody ambiance — somehow makes your economics homework feel slightly more profound. Studying here with a partner feels unintentionally romantic — notes scattered over the chestnut writing desks, knees touching underneath the table and adjacent chairs inevitably inching closer. Even the most mundane study session in Shannon takes on an energy that feels a bit more sexually charged than it should.
7. Dorm study room
Yet another first-year rite-of-passage. The dorm study room is a hookup spot of necessity — fluorescent lighting, zero ambiance and utter desperation. It’s unconventional and embarrassing, but as generations of first years can confirm, desperate times call for desperate measures. You will never feel shame and excitement quite like sprinting out of your dorm room to a study room at 1 a.m. because your roommate texted “On my way back.”
8.The Observatory at night
Stargazing at night is the most romantic trope of them all. If someone asks you to go up to the dome with them at night, just know it's not casual and they don’t just want to “look at the stars.” However, make sure to consult the astronomy department’s observatory hours before taking your special someone, or else you might be arrested for trespassing — which is definitely not romantic.
9.The Lawn public restroom
Not exactly romantic. Not respectable. Deeply historical, but in a way the University should probably never acknowledge. The stories I’ve heard — followed by shock and a smidge of respect — are enough to confirm that this last-ditch effort to seal the deal belongs on this list out of cultural necessity. And for some, this could be the most genius venture to add to next week’s itinerary — bonus points if you streak the Lawn together afterwards.
10. The tralcony
Trin’s balcony is purely vibes and chaos, but with the right person, it can be oddly intimate. On busy weekend nights, it’s packed with students shouting for a light, swapping vapes and spilling drinks, yet somehow it still manages to provide romantic snapshots I’ve almost always observed on a night at Trin — two people huddled to hear each other speak, friends eagerly peeking over the edge at the drunk mobs below. It’s not traditionally romantic, but every once in a while, the best moments occur in places that weren’t meant for them.
Sometimes, romance on Grounds doesn’t involve sweeping gestures or storylines that put rom-coms to shame. Timing, convenience and whatever pocket of space you can claim for 15 minutes is what allows romance to flourish through memorable moments.
These places, whether genuinely beautiful or morally questionable, prove that student connection tends to spark in the in-between — the late-night detours, the accidental conversations and the places you never expected to linger. So maybe that’s the true beauty in these spots. The University gives us the architecture, the nooks, crannies and everything in-between, but everything else? That’s entirely up to us — however imperfect, impulsive or unexpected it might be.
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