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Picnic USA guide
Top 34 locations in California for Great views
byTiffany Woods
Live update: Updated July 29, 2021Copy link
Copy link1. El Cariso Community Regional Park Sylmar
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Julia SThis is a public park with lots of grass, trees, walking trails and sport courts. There are lots of quiet spots to lounge around and it's very clean and serene. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
2. Uc Davis ArboretumDavis
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Tiffany WoodsUC Davis Arboretum has lightly wooded and open grass areas with walking/biking paths. You can visit there in nice weather, enjoy a picnic, and walk your dog! Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
3. Malibu Bluffs Park
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsMalibu is one of the most beautiful places in all of Los Angeles—and there are quite a few of them. At Malibu Bluffs Park, there are picnic tables overlooking the big blue Pacific Ocean, not to mention open green lawns. The park is a hub for activity, which allows you other things like hiking, playing soccer and walking before or after you have a picnic. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
4. Point Reyes National Seashore
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsPoint Reyes National Seashore consistently gets named on the list of best places to picnic in the country because it has breathtaking views of the Pacific and a diverse landscape. You can walk along the top of the headlands to search for a great picnic spot or find the designated area with built-in barbecues for convenient picnicking. This should be on anyone's picnic bucket list. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
5. Runyon Canyon Park Los Angeles
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsRunyon Canyon Park is a gorgeous hillside park with hiking trails and picnic tables. This large canyon is simply gorgeous and the views of Los Angeles are stunning. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
6. Lodato Park Scotts Valley
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Emy MooreHidden behind an industrial park, this public park gets few visitors, but it's definitely worthy of a mention. A switchbacking trail and decayed road leads up to a single picnic table with a view of the ocean. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
7. Taylor MountainSanta Rosa
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreThere's a lot of beautiful open space near wineries in Sonoma County. You can climb up a small mountain and have a picnic. From up there, you can see much of Sonoma County. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
8. Whitewater Park Rancho Mirage
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreThis park is equipped with a playground for kids that is covered with heat reducing tents, several gazebos that are covered and equipped with barbecue grills, racquetball courts, basketball courts and several tennis courts. There is something for everyone. You can play a sport while the children play on the playground. Or you can enjoy the many areas of lush green grass that surround the gazebos and picnic tables. There is also a walkway that goes around the entire park, so you can take a stroll and end up where you began. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
9. McKinley Park Sacramento
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreNice park in the heart of Sacramento with many amenities. There are a lot of mature shade trees, picnic tables, a beautiful rose garden, a pond with ducks and geese, a playground, sports facilities, a running trail—something for everyone. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
10. William Land Park Sacramento
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreNear the Sacramento Zoo, and Fairy Tale town, William Land Park is a huge park with a duck pond. You can feed the ducks, and barbecue. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
11. Fern Grotto At Wilder RanchSanta Cruz
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreFern Grotto at Wilder Ranch is a cycling paradise with gorgeous beaches. It's nice to dine on the beach at fern grotto, which is a wave-cut sea cave ornamented with a forest of living ferns. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
12. Franklin Canyon Park Beverly Hills
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreA beautiful 605-acre park with a lake, Franklin Canyon Park has many beautiful trees and feels very open, which is perfect for hosting picnics. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
13. Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Park sThree Rivers
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreSequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks is simply a must-see spot in California with unbelievable beauty. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
14. Dillon BeachDillon Beach
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreThe beach and surroundings are very beautiful. The best part is that it is one of the only beaches left in Northern California that allows dogs and the dogs can be off leash so the whole family can go for a picnic. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
15. Montebello Park Montebello
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreMontebello City Park is a nice place in the middle of town between Whittier & Olympic Blvds. The facilities are excellent: they have picnic tables, a baseball field, tennis courts, a band shell, plenty of trees and grass perfect for picnicking. It's typically very quiet. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
16. Dolores Park San Francisco
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Emy MooreDolores Park is a beautiful large park and may very well be the most famous park in all of San Francisco. There are large grassy areas perfect for a picnic. The park is usually filled with other picnic goers and you can always enjoy other activities at the park as well. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
17. Schabarum Regional Park Rowland Heights
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:
Joshua KaufmanThis is a very huge regional park with many ways to experience it. You can walk with cherry blossoms surrounding you before it changes to steeper barren hills. The view over the hill is awesome, especially since you get to see a beautiful view of the city. You can also avoid the hill and just walk along at the foot of it as it traverses back farther and farther. Or you can follow the stream and enjoy the shade on the warm summer days. Cherry blossoms, horses, lizards—it is large enough that during the week days when it is free to park and explore there are so few people that it feels almost like just you and nature in Los Angeles which is a definite rarity. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
18. Howarth Park Santa Rosa
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Joshua KaufmanThis huge park with many hiking trails and lakes has a very large playground for children, waterpark, pony rides and a train. It is great to take kids there. There is so much to do there that you can spend all day doing something. The hiking is great too. There are many places that you can picnic. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
19. Rancho Simi Park Simi Valley
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Joshua KaufmanA large park with a pool, jungle gyms, a duck pond, baseball field, soccer field and picnic areas. It's large, free, and there are lots of other activities to do and places to walk after the picnic. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
20. Sycamore Grove Park Livermore
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SA park a little bit outside of the city, surrounded by hills and vineyards, this place is beautiful in all seasons and very close to the main city, yet very quiet and secluded. There are many tables so you can be alone no matter how many people are also there. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
21. Heisler Park Laguna Beach
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SHeisler Park is probably the best spot in Orange County to take a picnic by the beach during sunset. The beautiful park, which is right along the Pacific, provides great views, but also has some convenient facilities like bathrooms and a playground. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
22. Laurel Canyon Dog Park Los Angeles
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SJust off Mulholland Drive is this lovely wooded area with picnic tables. The wooded surroundings and the feeling of open space will make you feel like you're in the middle of nature. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
23. City Of Pismo BeachPismo Beach
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SAnyone looking for a 'typical' California beach should go no further than Pismo. It has everything for young and old alike, such as off-roading on sandy dunes, great surfing, a pier where you can watch the surfers and try your hand at fishing, and a warm, friendly town offering some great salt water taffy and award-winning clam chowder. If you can only see one California beach, make it Pismo! By the way, the name comes from the Pismo Clam which can still be collected at certain times during the year. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
24. Cowell BeachSanta Cruz
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SThe casual atmosphere of Cowell Beach make it a great place to picnic. You can also watch surfers, wade in the water, walk along the pier or ride the boardwalk roller coaster. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
25. Mather Lake Regional Park Mather
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Julia SMather Regional Park has a nice history. It was once operated by the Air Force, but it's now open to the public. The vast grassy areas means there's plenty of spots to set up a picnic, play some games or fly a kite. It also has a fishing pond. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
26. Switzer FallsLa Cañada Flintridge
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Joshua KaufmanThere are a bunch of hiking trails, falls and a great view. It's located in the San Gabriel Mountains and is simply gorgeous. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
27. Mission Bay Park San Diego
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Joshua KaufmanMission Bay Park is a good-sized park in San Diego that has plenty of parking, picnic tables, views of the bay and a cool breeze. The grass and playground make it fun for kids, but it's really an all-around nice picnic spot for everyone. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
28. Cowell Redwoods Park Felton
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Joshua KaufmanA sparkling creek runs through groves that stay cool on the hottest days. There might not be a more beautiful place to picnic than under the huge redwood trees, next to the old stone kilns or along the delightful paths at the park. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
29. Fryman Canyon Park Studio City
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Joshua KaufmanThis is a gorgeous, huge park in the midst of Coast Live Oak trees. This hillside park is like being in the countryside. It has lots of trees, birds and plenty of quiet spots. It's very rustic. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
30. Pan Pacific Park Los Angeles
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsGreat outdoor park with a lot of grassy areas. It has activities for all ages. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
31. Woodward Park Fresno
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsWoodward Park is a beautiful park with a lot of amenities like picnic tables and built-in barbecue pits. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
32. Heritage Park Santa Fe Springs
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsThe park has many benches and a big grassy space with a lot of trees. There is a historical train with original train tracks that ran there back in the day. It also has a big cage with birds of all kinds. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
ALSO FEATURED IN:Top 50 locations in California
33. Balboa Park san diego
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsBalboa Park is an iconic park in the heart of San Diego with tons to do, like visit museums, check out the zoo, walk along the trails and more. There's so much history to the park that you'll want to have picnics in every section. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
34. Folsom LakeFolsom
PEOPLE ARE SAYING:Tiffany WoodsClose to Lake Natomas, Folsom Lake has tons of beach space for picnics and clear fresh water. Source: https://www.thepicnicworld.com/best-picnic-spots/
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