Perfect Summer Sex

If our thoughts turn to love in springtime, then summer in Seattle—where clothing is minimal and air-conditioning is rare—inspires desires that go beyond picnics and hand-holding. Don't overlook parks, though, when you're looking for the perfect place to begin a sexy summer day. Just skip fitness-crazed Green Lake—feeding each other strawberry shortcake while watching hundreds of joggers can only be counterproductive. Instead, take a hike around the lush grounds of Discovery Park (3801 W. Government Way, 206-386-4236, www.ci.seattle.wa.us/parks), where spectacular vistas (and a lighthouse) are rivaled only by a serene sense of privacy. Since it's open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, you can catch the sunrise over the Cascades or cozy up on a blanket as the sun blazes into the horizon behind the Olympics.

Afraid of getting sand in your pants? Non–outdoor types can begin a sexy date at downtown's Central Library (1000 Fourth Ave., 206-386-4636, www.spl.org), where the glossy red tunnels of the fifth floor "mixing chamber" take on new meaning during stolen moments. Plan a getaway with a travel guide or read your lover a Pablo Neruda poem, then duck behind the soft curves of the walls to turn foreshadowing into foreplay. Remember—the brain is the strongest sex organ, processing tactile, visual, and aural stimulation into feelings of just gotta have it.

A prime place to savor the charge of all three is Neumo's (925 E. Pike St., 206-709-9467, www.neumos.com), notoriously the most heat-saturated club in the summer months. As one of Capitol Hill's most eclectically booked venues, it's easy to impress a new love with tickets to a buzz-filled show—or rub shoulders with scantily clad strangers (but watch those hands). This year, don't complain about the sweat, but lure your date into the too-dark bathroom for an authentically rocking night on the town.

If PDAs and booming-loud venues don't stoke your fires, an evening ferry ride (206-464-6400, www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries) is an affordable prelude to coupling. Departures are scheduled throughout the day, but you'll want to avoid the commuter rush—two people can walk onboard a Bainbridge Island–bound ferry for $13 round-trip ($15 with two bicycles). Leave Seattle at 9 or 10 p.m. and hold hands as the city gets smaller and the stars begin to twinkle. For the price of a film, enjoy an hour in the natural beauty of Seattle, which is too often overlooked the rest of the year.

Back at the water's edge, your next stop is the always romantic hotel lobby. Particularly if you can't afford that weekend getaway, merely sipping cocktails in an elegant, unfamiliar room will set the scene for a comparatively thrifty rendezvous. Luckily, Seattle is blessed with many swank hotels that will let the riffraff in for drinks. One of the sexiest is the Edgewater Hotel (2411 Alaskan Way, 206-728-7000, www.edgewaterhotel.com) on Pier 67, where rustic, woodsy charm and magnificent views of Puget Sound can be yours for the price of a caipirinha (Brazil's signature cocktail with lime and sugar-cane liquor), if not for a room para dos.

rshimp@seattleweekly.com