Summer is the season to eat outside, so pack a picnic and find a spot around Champaign-Urbana to visit with your family
Summer means picnic season. A planned picnic is a great “excursion” to have some budget-friendly fun nearby and shake up the routine.
We’ll give you a hand and show you the best picnic locations in the Champaign-Urbana area to make sure you’re taking advantage of summer and this timeless tradition.
Many times when we venture out to places, especially parks, we like to make a morning of it; it is helpful to have an activity to do beyond the playground and end with a picnic lunch. Find eight great places below to picnic in the Champaign-Urbana area and why we like them. Don’t be fooled, this list can still be fun even if you don’t have little ones (or don’t want to bring them along).
This is a great place to explore new plants and flowers with your kids although be warned — if you have little ones, picking flowers can be very tempting. In addition, it makes for an amazing backdrop for photos. Bring a picnic lunch and a good camera and enjoy an opportunity to get pictures for your Christmas card! Picnic among the pines where it’s nice and shady.
Support one of our unique local restaurants in downtown Champaign and get takeout or bring your own basket. Check out the sculptures at West Side Park and the playground, which is a favorite with area families.
Beyond the playground and its awesome parent-child swing, there is a small pond filled with fish (people like to fish here) and inhabited by ducks and geese, along with a hill to get that last little bit of energy out. Run the kids around, then set up at a picnic table or take shelter under a pavilion to have your picnic.
The summer is an awesome time to explore the University of Illinois with your kids primarily because many of the students are gone and it’s, well, enjoyable. The quad is a great place to bring a picnic and play a little Frisbee. Explore the top 5 things to do on the quad, like taking a selfie with Alma Mater.
Helms Park/Scott Park
Both part of the Boneyard Creek area, these parks pair nicely for a picnic lunch. Kids can play on the playground in Scott Park on the south side of Springfield Avenue, and then when everyone gets hungry you can venture across Springfield (north) to Helms Park for a picnic amongst beautiful landscape, including a nice little waterfall.
A couple words of caution on Helms Park: Watch out for the rocks and water if you are visiting with little ones. And geese are known to hang around here, so there may be a bit of goose poop on the ground.
Lake of the Woods and the Botanical Gardens
The spots to have a picnic at Lake of the Woods are endless. Visit the bell tower (which is also conveniently near the playground), enjoy a shaded spot in the little area off Tin Cup Road (by the boat launch and the bridge) or head over to the west side of the park and picnic among the Botanical Gardens. You can’t pick a bad spot at the lake — the map is here for your convenience.
This is another park that offers a fishing opportunity fairly close to the play structure. This park would be perfect for a family that has older kids who like to fish and ones young enough that still want to swing and play on equipment. While there are a lot of beautiful prairie flowers, grasses, etc., it has an area that is wide open and perfect for kite flying. Something for everyone!
Requiring a longer drive than the others, Allerton Park in Monticello makes an incredible picnic spot. Pack that basket and blanket, and get ready to find somewhere beautiful to enjoy your packed meal. This would make a great budget-friendly date night, too. The Greenhouse Cafe serves up breakfast and lunch if you’d rather not pack your own.
Centennial Park
From the newer playground structure (mulch-free) just outside Sholem Pool, to the public tennis courts, to the hill for kids to hike up and down — an activity likely not suitable for kids under age 5 without parental help due the steep incline — there’s a lot to do here within just a short walk. Remember you can’t bring food into Sholem Pool so pack your picnic to enjoy outside. There’s a bunch of picnic tables by the Leonhard Recreation Center.
More on all your favorite outdoor activities:
- Where to Go Boating with Your Family Near Champaign-Urbana
- Camping with Your Family Near Champaign-Urbana
- Creek Stomping Your Way Around Champaign-Urbana
- Visiting Champaign-Urbana Area Parks and Playgrounds with your Family
- Walking Paths in Champaign-Urbana
- Gardens and Flower Farms in Champaign-Urbana and Beyond
- Hiking Trails For Families in the Champaign-Urbana Area
- Fishing Fun for Families in the Champaign-Urbana Area
- Find the Ultimate Outdoor Adventures with Kids in the Champaign-Urbana Area
- Avoid the Mud and Muck with Mulch-Free Playgrounds in Champaign-Urbana
- Family-Friendly Bike Trails in the Champaign-Urbana Area
- 6 Places to Experience Nature with Kids Near Champaign-Urbana
Top spots for outdoor recreation near Champaign-Urbana:
- Visit Friendship Grove in Urbana
- 9 Reasons You’ll Love Visiting Allerton Park with Your Family
- Dark Sky and More: Visiting the Middle Fork River Forest Preserve with Your Family
- Everything You Need to Know About Visiting River Bend Forest Preserve in Mahomet
- Cool Off at the Homer Lake Natural Playscape
- Visiting Clinton Lake With Your Family
- Visiting Imagination Grove Near Bloomington-Normal
- Meet Me Halfway: Kankakee River State Park
- Hidden Treasure in Central Illinois: Weldon Springs State Park
- The Perfect Family Hike: Explore the Sangamon River Forest Preserve near Fisher
- Best Kept Secret: Buffalo Trace Prairie in Mahomet
- Getaway for a Day: Matthiessen State Park
- Best Kept Secret: Forest Glen Preserve
- Hiking the Sangamon River Corridor Reserve in Monticello with your Family
- What to Do at Kickapoo State Recreation Area
- What To Do At Turkey Run State Park With Your Family
- Everything You Need To Know about Visiting Homer Lake Forest Preserve with Your Family
- What To Do At Moraine View State Recreation Area With Your Family
- Visiting Lake of the Woods in Mahomet with Children
- Parent’s Guide to Busey Woods in Urbana
Get ready for summer in Champaign-Urbana:
- Fall Fun in Chicago: Free Days at the Best Museums
- Champaign-Urbana Area Summer Fairs and Festivals
- Free and Cheap Outdoor Movies in Champaign-Urbana
- Swim Teams in Champaign-Urbana
- Free Kids Movies Return to Savoy in Summer
- Summer Fun for Families in Champaign-Urbana
- Fishing Fun for Families in the Champaign-Urbana Area
- Champaign-Urbana Summer Camps for Kids