Pack a Picnic, Pick a Park

St. Louis, too, revels in 19th-century heritage. Tower Grove Park is well representative of the Victorian era, which took pleasure in the exoticism of other cultures and lands. Throughout the park, elaborately designed pavilions appear as architectural confections amid the landscape, drawing attention and providing resting spots for wandering park-goers. Gates, bridges, and other buildings add notes of whimsy to functional structures, providing multiple focuses within the 289-acre park. Open-air picnic tables with grills are available; for added style (and more money), opt for one of the pavilions.

About an hour's drive from Knoxville, TN, is the immense Cumberland Gap National Historical Park. Centered around an opening within the Appalachians, it preserves the ancient Native American and more recent European routes through the range. Caves, historic sites, extensive trails, and tons of scenery and wildlife prove the beauty of these mountains, mesmerizing visitors with the intricacy of nature and the timeless allure of the area. Choosing a site for a picnic is child's play; every location is suitable. Just be sure to pick up after yourself in order to preserve the land for future generations.

In the Deep South, Finlay Park is a little jewel in the crown of Columbia, SC. The compact greenspace is oft-frequented thanks to its proximity to downtown, and when the weather's warm, folks congregate around its manmade waterfall, lake, and playgrounds. At less than 20 acres, the park is also a manageable size to host festivals and events, which it does with aplomb. Paved pathways allow visitors to stroll easily about the grounds while they absorb Finlay's charm. Many places within the park accommodate picknickers, and an on-site café can help out if you didn't plan in advance.

Finally, Buffalo, NY, a city that may not be first in your thoughts when spending time outdoors comes to mind, delivers a first-rate park. Although record-setting snowfall often colors any mention of the town, it does have temperate, beautiful months. Capitalizing on them is easy at Delaware Park, the centerpiece of the city's parks system. The elegant parcel is the work of renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed NYC's Central Park and the grounds of Asheville, NC's Biltmore Estate. In Olmsted's aesthetic, natural areas are prominent, along with more cultivated gardens and a lake. The park's meadow, in particular, is a grand, sweeping gesture and a wonderful place for enjoying an outdoor meal and a measure of tranquility. It's just the sort of refined pastime that Olmsted would likely have approved of.

With a drumstick in hand.