What better way to welcome the blue skies and sunshine of summer than with a San Diego picnic? With 70 miles of coastline, historic parks, and a giant bay, there are plenty of places to picnic in San Diego.
Here are some top picks for spots to put on your good weather to-do list.
Beaches
In San Diego, a beach picnic is nearly always a brilliant idea. This is likely the option that comes to most people’s minds first, so it would be remiss of me not to mention it at the top of this list. (Just be mindful that our seagulls love picnics, too, and can snatch paper bags full of sandwiches, cell phones, and more.)
Our favorite spot is La Jolla Shores Beach near the Scripps Pier, but, really, where there’s sand, there is potential for a lovely meal. And, sunset is a particularly excellent time for it.
Balboa Park Picnic Areas
The great thing about Balboa Park is that it’s possible to plan multiple visits throughout the year and picnic amid different scenery each time. My favorite Balboa Park picnic area is the Botanical Garden East Lawn or West Lawn. It’s convenient to parking lots and you bring your own wine to enjoy there.
In addition to some easy picnic food, we packed a couple of convenient Bota Minis.
(Whenever you drink wine in a public place, be sure to check local rules and regulations to be sure it’s permitted.) In Balboa Park, for example, during certain hours, at the time of this writing, you can take your wine to:
- Botanical Building East Lawn
- Botanical Building West Lawn
- Federal Building Lawn
- House of Pacific Relations Lawn
- International Lawn
- Mall Lawn
- Moreton Bay Fig Lawn
- Pan American Plaza Lawn
- Recital Hall Lawn
Presidio Park or Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Pair an outing to Old Town San Diego with a picnic at one (or both) of two nearby spots. Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is in the heart of Old Town and where visitors can learn about the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872. It includes an enormous grassy area surrounded by historic buildings and restaurants.
Presidio Park encompasses 40 acres of green space perched on a hillside above Old Town San Diego. There’s no shortage of picnic blanket space available, but go early to claim one of the picnic tables (the Arbor is a great spot). The views are spectacular. Not to be missed are the hiking trails and Padre Cross, which was erected by the Order of Panama in 1913.
Mission Bay
Lay out a blanket or don’t at Mission Bay. Picnic tables, playgrounds and plenty of shade can be found all around this giant bay. It’s also not a bad place to fly a kite, at least on the side of the bay north of the Hilton San Diego Resort.
Sunset Cliffs
This place to picnic in Ocean Beach earned its name because sunsets here are epic and a perfect time to lay out a blanket. There are no picnic tables here, but don’t let that stop you.
Kate Sessions
We’re lucky to have Kate Sessions Park close to our home and walk the dog here frequently. Its hillside location means that ocean and bay views are so spectacular that it’s a popular place for people to park during the workday for lunch. The park has a handful of picnic tables, restrooms, a circular path for walking, and a small playground.
Ellen Browning Scripps Park
I’ve had a San Diego picnic in one of the green huts (also called belvederes) that line the boardwalk here on my summer bucket list for a long time. I’ve seen people do it, bringing little fold-up tables to put in the center of them and it looks like great fun during sunset especially.
But Ellen Browning Scripps Park is a popular picnic spot because of its massive grassy, beachside area from which you can hear the chatter of our famous La Jolla seals and sea lions.
Tips for a Perfect Picnic
Even during the sunny season, it helps to have a picnic mat as you never know if a lawn has just been watered or if the morning has been particularly misty. My mat is pretty comfortable, but I like to often put a nice blanket on top of it for extra comfort sometimes.
Large group picnics may need a permit, so be sure to check local rules and regulations.
Where do you like to picnic in San Diego?
Katie Dillon
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