Romance is alive in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, even if you are on a shoestring budget. Just a short 2-3 hour drive north of the Texas border in McCurtain County, Oklahoma, you will find the Beavers Bend State Park area. Here your efforts will be rewarded with all the natural beauty, quiet surroundings and privacy you need for a romantic time with that special someone. You won't believe you are so close to home, since McCurtain County feels like it is a world away.

1. Polish your skills in the old-fashioned art of conversation

As famed love doctors and Dear Abby-types the world over have said for ages, a sure-fire way to rekindle your love affair is through quality communication. Engaging in easy, meandering conversations about nothing-in-particular amidst beautiful surroundings can stimulate the mind, body and soul and bring forth romantic feelings in the two of you in a big way. The Beavers Bend State Park area near Dallas/Fort Worth features acres of pristine forestland, lakes and mountains to serve as the backdrop for the types of romantic conversations that warm the heart and bring you closer together. A slow hike in the beautiful woods can stir many a romantic notion.

How long has it been since you have played Scrabble, Parcheesi, checkers, dominos or Monopoly? Or put together a puzzle? Ages, I will bet. In today's wired world of MP3 players, PDAs and text messaging, it is easy to forget some of the simpler pastimes that you used to enjoy so much. If your memories of simpler times include the playing of your favorite games at home or in the backyard, imagine playing them against the backdrop in an area that LIFE magazine voted as one of the "100 Places to See in Your Lifetime."

Beavers Bend State Park has wildlife you will be hard pressed to find in D/FW Metroplex: deer, turkey, rabbits, quail, hundreds of different species of birds, an occasional black bear and even migrating bald eagles! Talking long walks or sitting just outside your cabin, you and your special someone will be afforded many opportunities to spend time with the flora and fauna that make the area renowned for its beauty. At night, the stars are unencumbered by city lights and you will find stars, and planets, the Milky Way and constellations you haven't seen in a long while . . . if ever.

In McCurtain County there are a host of providers of luxury cabins, many of which are complete with kitchens, fireplaces and hot tubs. Start your culinary adventure with a trip to the local grocery store, picking out your favorite veggies, pastas and meats. Then, enjoy the lunch or dinner you cooked together next to the window or outside while you watch the wildlife go by. Of course, a glass of wine and a spell in the hot tub should heat things up as well.

Picnics are one of the most classically-romantic activities in which a couple can engage. The food, the beverages, the blanket, the surroundings - it can all add up to big-time romance. In McCurtain County, you won't have to look far to find the ideal spot to lay out your blanket, set out your basket and enjoy each other's company over a sumptuous feast or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Whether you choose to prepare your food in your cabin or purchase a ready-made meal at one of the local food stores, picnics are a great way to create an ambiance of romantic fun.

If you are a wine lover, bring a bottle or two with you on your McCurtain County romantic vacation getaway. Whether your fancy is red or white wine, you will enjoy it more when sitting on your private porch looking at scenery in an area that the Dallas Observer voted as the "Best Getaway from Dallas." The fresh scent of pine trees and the infinitely starry sky stretching out above you - combined with the ambrosia from a glass of your favorite wine - will together serve as natural aphrodisiacs.

McCurtain County's Beavers Bend State Park area offers countless opportunities for experiencing those romantic moments that most couples don't get to have as often as they would like. If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and are looking to create for yourselves some very romantic moments, jump in the car this weekend and take the short drive the 2-3 hours to McCurtain County. Doing so could do wonders for your love life.