Readers this year chose some beautiful local spots for a romantic connection, but each comes with important caveats. Big Falls County Park (600 Big Falls Forest Road, Eau Claire) offers some breathtaking local beauty, but ONLY WHEN THE WATER’S LOW AND IT’S NOT OVERRUN WITH SNAKES. Irvine Park also has much to offer the lovestruck, but stick to the dam instead of the zoo — watching a tiger tear into its lunch is about as unromantic as it gets. In the third place, the center of the High Bridge over the Chippewa River in Eau Claire is a magical spot, unless you’re scared of heights, at which point the romance will be replaced with sheer terror. —Eric Rasmussen