Planning a picnic and looking for some great picnic ideas? Here, we'll take you through everything you need to plan the perfect picnic, including choosing the best location, creating invitations, putting together your menu, and what supplies to stock up on.

This page is really all about the practical side of planning a picnic. Want to get a little funky and creative? Check out this page for some creative picnic themes, games, and ideas. Or check out some of these great picnic menus:

• Italian Picnic Menu
• Romantic French Picnic Menu
• Southern Fried Chicken Picnic Menu
• My Perfect Picnic Menu
• Simple Family Picnic
• Build Your Own Picnic Menu

All this and more (like some great recipes for picnic sandwiches) can be found on our main picnic page.

Now, ready to plan? Then read on!

Picking a Location for a Picnic

Of course, location is key when planning a picnic! When choosing a location, be sure to keep in mind the number of people who are coming, the activities they may engage in (like sports or games of frisbee), and their long term comfort. Is there enough sun and shade to keep everyone comfortable? If it's windy, will you be protected from the worst of the breeze?

Some good picnic location ideas are:

Parks. Even if you live in a city you can have a wonderful picnic in a local park. For a great picnic idea for adults, plan your picnic during an outdoor summer theatre event or at a casual concert in the park.

Beach. Whether you've got a lake, a river, or the whole ocean at your disposal, there's nothing better than a picnic on the beach and a romp in the waves.

Backyard or Rooftop. String up fairy lights for a romantic picnic in your backyard or back garden, or celebrate on a roof or a city terrace. Just spread a blanket down and you're ready to go. As a bonus, you're close to home so can bring out any pillows, fans, etc., to make everybody comfy. And there's a bathroom!

Nature Spot. Want a bit of privacy? One of the best picnic ideas is to drive out to the country, and set up your picnic in a meadow or on the mountainside.

Botanical Gardens. You've got nature and a bathroom. How much better could it get?

Your Living Room Floor. Just because the weather's not cooperating doesn't mean you can't have a picnic! One of the best romantic picnic ideas can be to set up a picnic on a blanket in your living room. Just fill the room with plants and candles or fairy lights, and you have the perfect romantic spot for a picnic. There's nothing like a "floor picnic" in winter in front of a roaring fire.

Your Picnic Invitations

Big company picnics can be a lot of fun, but family picnics are generally best kept small. Make sure to include all of the important information in your invitations, including whether or not invitees should bring food, if rides to and from the location are available, rendezvous points, etc. Especially when you plan a picnic in the country, it's best to choose a neutral meeting spot before heading out.

Stocking Up for a Picnic

Not sure what to bring? Here are the most common things you'll need to bring along on an outdoor picnic:

• Picnic basket: an old fashioned picnic basket always looks nice, especially when planning a romantic picnic
• Ice chest: for anything that needs to stay cold
• Picnic blanket: if the weather is wet, look for something with waterproof backing, or bring along a tarp.
• Folding chairs (optional)
• Lighting: includes flashlights, candles, lamps, and insect repellant candles or torches
• Plates, napkins, and utensils: For easiest clean-up, pack disposable plastic plates. For a more elegant picnic, make a statement with cloth napkins and real silverware.
• Serving utensils
• Glasses: For most picnics, plastic cups are fine. But if you're looking to impress a date, a couple of real wine or champagne glasses is best
• Bottle opener and corkscrew
• Sunscreen
• Insect repellant
• Shade umbrella (optional)
• Games and toys: an inflatable beach ball, a frisbee, bubble mix, butterfly nets and bug jars, jump ropes, kites, playing cards, etc.
• Trash bag
• Camera
• First Aid Kit
• Moist towelettes or antibacterial hand gel
• Condiments: salt, pepper, ketchup, mustard, etc. (The mayo packets you get at fast food restaurants are especially useful, as they don't need to be refrigerated and so wont make anybody sick.)

Your Picnic: Ideas for the Menu

We have lots of great picnic menus available right here at Divine Dinner Party. They range from an elegant French picnic or Italian picnic, to your traditional southern picnic of fried chicken and tasty sides. Check out this page for some great recipes! (COMING SOON!)

Have some picnic ideas of your own and want to create your own menu? Some of the best foods to bring along on a picnic are:

• Sandwiches
• Fried chicken
• Quiche
• Main Dish Salads
• Chilled Soups (like gazpacho)
• Side Salads (potato, pasta, greens, etc.)
• Packaged chips and snacks
• Cut vegetables, crackers, dips, and spreads
• Cheese, sliced meats, and bread
• Olives
• Fruit
• Cookies, cupcakes, and brownies

6 Tips for Packing a Picnic

1. Packing without squishing: When packing your basket, be sure to start with the heavy items, and add lighter items on top.

2. Keeping everything cool: Freeze some juice boxes, lemonade, water bottles, etc., the night before the picnic. Use them in place of ice to keep items cool. Then drink them when they get melted and slushy! Any drinks that aren't frozen should be refrigerated before they're packed away. Otherwise they'll melt all your ice without ever cooling down properly.

3. Food safety: Keeping everyone safe from food poisoning is one of the most important picnic ideas! When packing everything up, keep the things that need to be chilled (that is, perishable food) seperate from non-perishables like chips, fruits, etc. The more you stuff into your ice chest, the harder it will be to keep food cold (and safe).

4. Using your cooler: An ice chest doubles as a great little table for a picnic.

5. Foods to avoid: Avoid any foods that are very sticky, like sticky cakes, etc. They're difficult to transport and they attract bugs like crazy!

6. Keeping bug free: If you're attacked by ants during the picnic, just sprinkle talcum powder around your picnic blanket. It'll help keep pesky bugs away.