Best picnic spots -- and picnic lunches

Thinking ahead to Father's Day, what is everyone's favorite source for a picnic lunch? Especially one with a seafood or vegetarian focus. Our go-to is usually Stevens & Stevens, but who are we overlooking?

And where is said lunch best eaten? Ideally, location has plenty of shade, some nearby open spaces for frisbee-playing, and maybe even some shallow water safe for a small (under 2) toddler to play in -- supervised, of course.

Picnic challenge is on!

Hogans Fountain is a good spot. There is shade and a wadding pool.

Our "go to" picnic spot would have to be Yew Dell Gardens...Lots of shade, great gardens to look at and best of all...Very few Toddlers.

We like to get food from Lotsa Pasta or Paul's deli for picninc lunches. There's a great little neighborhood park off of Hurstbourne pkwy across from Tom Sawyer that has a playground, picnic tables and lots of shade. I cannot remember the name, though. Brown Park in st. matthews is a great spot, too.

Great idea for Father's Day, btw!

A bit of a drive but Bernheim Forest is great for a picnic.

Long Run park in thhe east end is a fantastic place for a picnic. Great open spaces, Lots of places to walk, and nice playground (it was closed for renovations though and I dont know if it's open yet or not). Great little lake, but not a place for wading.

These are great ideas! In addition to what you all have named, I also kicked around Mike Linning's, Cave Hill, and a smallish road trip out to Hazelfield Farm, the flower vendor at the Douglass Loop Farmer's Market.

Hope there're still some great ideas out there yet to be shared.

These are great ideas! In addition to what you all have named, I also kicked around Mike Linning's, Cave Hill, and a smallish road trip out to Hazelfield Farm, the flower vendor at the Douglass Loop Farmer's Market.

Hope there're still some great ideas out there yet to be shared.

Just a note - I don't think Cave Hill allows picnics.

I live a block away from Brown Park and its pretty nice.

I know it is quite a drive, but the Brass Band Festival in Danville is always fun for a Father's Day weekend picnic. Take your lawn chairs and picnic food and set up on the lawn at Center College. The music is fun and festive. Plenty of room for little ones to romp.

My 2 cents,
-Pete

I know it is quite a drive, but the Brass Band Festival in Danville is always fun for a Father's Day weekend picnic. Take your lawn chairs and picnic food and set up on the lawn at Center College. The music is fun and festive. Plenty of room for little ones to romp

I agree.

I think Waterfront Park or Cox's Park is great for a picnic, although the water is too deep for wading youngsters.

One of my favorite picnic spots is the shelter across from the fire tower in the State Forest in Henryville, IN. Great view of the Ohio Valley.

As a bored teenager, we would drive up there and throw things like bags of flour and paint filled balloons off the fire tower

These are great ideas! In addition to what you all have named, I also kicked around Mike Linning's, Cave Hill, and a smallish road trip out to Hazelfield Farm, the flower vendor at the Douglass Loop Farmer's Market.

Hope there're still some great ideas out there yet to be shared.

Laura,

Consider a short road trip to Hidden Hill, in Utica Indiana. It's an easy scenic drive from Lou. It's a fantastic picnic spot amongst the funky artwork in the garden, including a small running model train, rubber duckies and ladders to nowhere. Free to get in. We've done my birthday picnic there several times and the whole family loved it.

Deb

As to picnic foods, I love to take a good muffuletta on a picnic. Make it a couple days in advance, wrap it up in foil and refrigerate to let the flavors marinate, and then slice it up when you get to your picnic site. So good.