Portland is a city surrounded by natural beauties, and now that the sunny weather is finally upon us, students may find themselves itching to reconnect with the great outdoors. No car? No problem! Here are six destinations guaranteed to ease your spring fever, no road trip required.

• Mt. Tabor: Great for hiking, biking, and (my favorite) picnicking, Mt. Tabor is the crowned beauty of SE Portland, located at the top of the Hawthorne district.
• Hoyt Arboretum: If you’re looking for a cool walk through the budding trees, the Arboretum is the place to go. It has tons of different trails to explore, including a walk to the Rose Garden.
• Oaks Bottom: Take a walk on the wild side along the Crystal Springs Corridor and immerse yourself in the swamp-life of the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge.
• Bishop’s Close, whose wonderful gardens are a must-see this time of year, is a gorgeous and historic property situated above Elk Rock and looking out to the majestic Cascade Mountains. Take a stroll through the labyrinth of shrubbery or along the stream. Watch out for newts!
• Tryon Creek State Park: Oregon’s only state park within a major metropolitan area, Tryon spans 645 acres of hiking, biking and horse riding trails that stretch through Multnomah and Clackamas counties.
• Forest Park in the Tualatin Mountains is one of the largest urban forest reserves in the country. I would recommend the Balch Creek Canyon trail and a visit to the Audubon Society. The park encompasses the best of Portland’s natural areas, so there’s really no wrong way to go.