Plan to spend more time outdoors in 2016! Take an extended lunch break or plan a weekend excursion with the whole family. County Parks maintains hundreds of picnic spots where you can host the perfect alfresco dining experience.

Here’s a list of must-see locations all recommended by rangers countywide!  

1. Carved wooden bench at the summit of Volcan Mountain
2. Lindo Lake Boathouse (open especially for park patrons on Green Friday)
3. Upper deck at the San Elijo Lagoon Nature Center
4. Palomar County Park, with views of the Palomar Observatory and quick access to the PCT
5. Half-way point of the Santa Ysabel East Preserve trail (and at the creek crossing)
6. Benches within the Bird and Butterfly Garden in Tijuana River Valley Regional Park
7. Staging area at Hellhole Canyon (as well as stopping points at the 1, 3, and 6-mile markers)
8. Stage behind the Tea House in Heritage County Park
9. Along the nature trail at Potrero Regional Park
10. Deck from Cabin #5 at Agua Caliente County Park

Head on over to visit a couple of our other featured parks:

• Along Old Highway 80 in El Cajon sits Flinn Springs County Park, a 95-acre day-use park with features for kids, athletes, brides – even birders. Pull up a seat for 1 – 500 as accommodation is one of this park’s strong suites. Another benefit of Flinn is its small collection of semi-private picnic tables (pictured above).
• Head over to Lakeside to enjoy a little history with your PB&J. El Monte County Park is one of the oldest in the County Parks system, equipped with five prohibition-era cement picnic tables. Each table dons a plaque bearing the names of early land-owners and community stewards.

Enjoy a meal under a canopy of ancient oaks, in a boathouse, or on a historic stage… Customize your own park experience within some of our favorite picnic spaces!

For more information, visit www.sdparks.org.