Photo courtesy of Flickr by Paul and Christa
One of my favorite things about summer is packing a scrumptious lunch: one that includes the delicious flavors of summer, such as berries; a tomato and cucumber salad; watermelon; mozzarella and basil slices; a crab salad; and whatever else my taste buds are craving. I then take this fabulous lunch and some of my favorite people and head to a park for some wonderful picnic time. Nothing beats a summer afternoon of noshing and laughing. And with so many fabulous picnic areas on the Hill, none of us needs to head very far! I asked some of THIH writers some ideas on where they like to dine al fresco, and we’ve come up with the following picnic paradises:
Of course any of the local Hill parks –Lincoln, Stanton, Marion– work for a quick picnic fix. All have playgrounds to keep the kiddos entertained while you munch, and all have space for a quick game of Frisbee. This past weekend when our plans quickly changed, we found ourselves sitting under a nice shady tree at Lincoln Park, eating, blowing bubbles, and counting dogs. Of course, before you lay that blanket down, you do need to do a quick survey for dog poop.
If you’re looking for a place with more green and maybe a little more seclusion, The U.S. National Arboretum has lots of open space to spread a blanket. While you’re there, you can feed the koi fish at the visitors’ center; marvel at the over-300 year old bonsai; check out the Capitol Columns and pretend you are actually on vacation in Greece; and take a hike on many of the trails in the park. One of my favorite places to picnic here are is in the Gotelli Dwarf and Slow Growing Conifer Section. It almost feels like a magical forest, and if you look really closely, you may catch a gnome trying to steal one of your strawberries.
A classic picnic spot is, of course, the United States Capitol Lawn or any of the many parks that surround the Capitol and the Senate Buildings. There are lots of trees to shade you from the hot summer sun. If people-watching is another way to spend your time while you snack –as this is prime tourist area– the people-watching can be fabulous. One can spend hours watching a tourist version of “What Not to Wear,” or watch families argue over what building is what (I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve sadly overheard a parent point to the Capitol Building and say “Look! The White House!” Seriously.)
Amongst THIH writers, The Yards Park is quickly becoming a favorite spot to picnic. Located near the Nationals Stadium on the Anacostia River, the park offers many fountains and a nice waterside feel. We recently headed down there with some friends for a picnic and had wonderful time. The kids loved watching the waterfall fountain and seeing some boats. During the summer, the park is also offering free Friday night concerts throughout the summer. Check out their website for details on those and other events they are having.
Whatever your picnic scene may be, there are plenty of places to take the cooler, a blanket, and a good book, and spend an afternoon just enjoying a lazy summer day. What are some of your favorite picnic spots?