I Tried Planning An Autumn-Themed Family Picnic To Embrace The New Season

I was incredibly excited before the picnic. I love summer and have a hard time getting through the long, cold winters in my area, so when fall hits, my mood can be pretty iffy. I tend to focus on how much I love things like the crisp air, thunderstorms, gourds, Halloween, and gorgeous walks through the stunningly beautiful woods to get me through this season. However, this year, I was thrilled to also have a picnic to look forward to and to plan.

My kids certainly thought it was a quirky idea to have a picnic in the fall, but they were definitely up for it. My husband had already had a pretty long week, so when I asked if he was interested in heading out for a picnic on the weekend, he thought it would be a great way to get out of the house and unwind.

A few years ago, we had come across a picnic basic at a thrift store and had immediately snatched it up. I’ve always loved picnics, and having my very own basket charms me every time we take it out.

In order to prep for our fall picnic, I simply cleaned it up a bit since it had gotten a little dusty since the last time we’d taken it out.

Along with a few easy-to-make yet oh-so-yummy hot sandwiches that suited everyone’s specific tastes, potato salad, carrots, and some chips and cookies that we already had at home, we stopped by our local farm to see what they had available. Right at the front of the little farm store, a table was set up with a row of fresh fruit. It was a lovely rainbow of plums, pears, nectarines, grapes, peaches, strawberries, and raspberries. We opted for some grapes, raspberries, and peaches. It was also impossible to resist one of the farm's homemade desserts, so my son grabbed a mini strawberry rhubarb crumble pie.

I wanted every aspect of our picnic to be special, so I stopped by the grocery store to pick up a jug of apple cider, which definitely suited the occasion. Although I love hot cider with a little cinnamon in it, I didn’t have a thermos to keep it warm, so I opted for cool cider, which is still delicious.

I grabbed a few things to keep us occupied on our picnic, including a kite that I had picked up during the summer but that we never used because we didn’t have any particularly windy days. I also packed our baseball gloves and a few balls so that we could play catch, as well as a Frisbee, our ring toss game, and a mini boccie ball set.

I grabbed a couple of our outdoor blankets (that is, ones that can get a little dirty and I won’t mind). In fact, I actually packed two blankets just in case we set up our picnic on the ground, which may have been a little damp. I was hoping that two blankets would keep our bums dry while we were sitting down eating our meal.

Even though the weather forecast was calling for a nice day, it can still be a little chilly this time of year when the sun goes behind a cloud or if it gets a little windy. So along with packing a few extra blankets to keep us warm, I also grabbed a jacket for everyone.

There happens to be an absolutely gorgeous park in my city that seemed like the perfect place for a fall picnic. Along with a river that winds through the grassy areas, there are also little islands connected by picturesque bridges. There are all kinds of gazebos and benches beside the water, along with gardens and stunning trees. The park and its waters also host ducks, swans, and plenty of fish.

When we got to the park, we found a picnic table right beside the river and underneath a gorgeous willow tree. Nearby were ducks and big fish in the water and a beautiful little island right across from us that was filled with birds.

The day was a little chilly, and it was overcast for most of our picnic. But the air was wonderfully crisp, and there wasn’t any frigid wind. It was the perfect fall day! Although, to be honest, by the end of our picnic, I was glad that we had brought along our jackets and extra blankets, because it began to get cooler as the sun started to go down.

Bringing hot sandwiches was a great idea, and thanks to the fact that I’d wrapped them up tightly, they were still nice and warm when we sat down to eat. The fresh fruit and pie from the farm were delicious, as was the apple cider, although I'd love to pick up a thermos so that we could have a hot drink next time.

It ended up not being windy enough for a kite. This was a little disappointing since I really wanted to try it out, but was probably better since we didn’t freeze due to an icy breeze. We did play a few other games, and there was definitely lots of fun to be had at the park. My husband and son even ended up playing catch with a duck who mistook their ball for a large piece of bread.

On our way home and later that day, my son repeatedly said how much fun he had, which made me smile. My other kiddo mentioned more than once that we should plan more autumn picnics in the future, and my husband was quick to agree, so I’d say that was a sure sign of success.

I was thrilled with our autumn picnic and was a little surprised that it didn’t seem to pale in comparison to our normal summer picnics. The weather was still nice enough to appreciate the outdoors, it was lovely to plan a meal around seasonal delights, and we now have another item to add to our list of favorite fall activities. And considering the park was filled with plenty of other families — as well as individuals, couples, and groups of friends — also enjoying picnics, it was clear that this is a popular outing that everyone should try.

A picnic is a great way to bond with your family and spend some real, quality time together doing something fun and engaging!