5 Perfect Picnic Spots in Columbus, Ohio (Plus a Yummy Picnic Menu!)

Partnering with Kroger for our delicious picnic menu was a blast, as we always rely on their fresh, in-season, and locally-sourced produce. Our menu was bursting with the season’s finest fruits and veggies, and we are grateful for Kroger’s impeccable selection.

But no picnic is complete without scrumptious food, and our handy dandy picnic menu was perfect for our outdoor excursion. So, before we dive into the top picnic spots in Columbus, let’s take a look at our mouth-watering menu.

Perfect Picnic Menu

When it comes to a perfect picnic menu, variety is key. It’s like a cookout, where calories don’t count and deviled eggs are a must-have. To ensure a well-rounded menu, we chose three mouth-watering recipes from our friends at Kroger (all linked below), one from our personal collection, and a favorite drink available at your local Kroger.

We are lucky to have Kroger grocery stores nearby, as their vision is to “serve America through food inspiration and uplift.” Their exceptional selection of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients makes planning the perfect picnic menu a breeze.

• Simply Lemonade
• Fresh Fruit Salad
• Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs
  • or sans bacon, like me!
• Tortellini Caprese Salad
• Blueberry Peach Oatmeal Bars

These recipes were seriously perfection. I may have gone back for seconds or thirds for each of the dishes. Luckily, no-one in my family likes deviled eggs so more for me! Also, we chose these great recipes from Kroger – but they have SO MANY amazing recipes on their website, follow this link to check ’em all out.

Now you might be thinking, how do I transport all these cold foods to my picnic without them getting warm? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! Here are some tips and helpful products to make your picnic picture perfect.

Perfect Picnic Tips

• You can prepare all of these recipes the day before so all you have to worry about is packing up your goodies and heading to your favorite park.
• You’ll need sturdy and spill-proof storing containers, we just picked these glass snap-ware ones and they are AMAZING.
• You’ll also need a cooler or some smaller ones to keep everything nice and chilly. I can’t find the exact one we have from RTIC but here is a similar one!
• You need a solid blanket that’s big enough for all your food and your family! Joel got me this one for Mother’s Day and it’s amazing.
• A flat serving platter, like the ones you see in breakfast for bed pictures. It comes in handy for serving all the food.
• Water bottles or drink pitchers with lids and straws. We picked up a cute cat unicorn from our Kroger Marketplace that had a built in ice cube – just needed to freeze overnight!
• Kitchen towels for easy clean-ups for inevitable spills. We had a minor lemonade disaster and our handy dandy kitchen towel came in handy immediately.
• Paper plates or easily cleanable plates/plasticware – what else are you gonna eat on?
• Trash bag for clean up! There are usually trash cans around parks, but just in case – bring an extra trash bag so there is no littering around your picnic.
• Toys or activities! In the off-chance there isn’t a playground near your picnic site, bring along some activities while you set up your picnic or so you can eat in peace while you little one plays nearby. We love these water coloring games and any type of dinosaur figurine.

The final tip. Make sure to use Kroger for all your picnic needs. They are always developing meal solutions and the newest products and flavors – so your eating experiences are always on-trend, delicious, and easy.

Now that you’ve got your delicious picnic menu figured out – you need to pick a location. While there are some AMAZING spots to picnic in Columbus, we chose these 5 parks. But, we’d love to hear where else you like to picnic!

Plus, all of these parks are pretty darn close to a Kroger so if you forget a picnic item – you can just grab someone on your way!

#1: Scioto Audubon

Location: 400 W Whittier St, Columbus, OH 43215

Types of Picnic Opportunities:

• 3 shelters with grills
• 12 picnic tables + 3 more grills
• TONS of green area under shaded trees

Activities:

• Biking
• Boating
• Canoeing
• Fishing
• Nature Center
• Obstacle Course
• Rock Climbing

Scioto Audubon is also very pet friendly, they even have a really great dog park! If you want to burn off some of the calories from your picnic, this Columbus park is a really great way to do just that.

#2: Park of Roses/Whetstone Park

Okay, this Columbus park might be our favorite because we got married here!

Location: 3923 N. High Street, Columbus, Oh 43214

Types of Picnic Opportunities:

• Shelterhouse
• Open Air Shelter
• Multiple Picnic Tables
• Literally all the green space

Activities:

• Huge playground
• Pond
• Park of Roses Flowers
• Tennis Court
• Baseball Diamonds

Whetstone Park is right on the Olentangy Trail so it’s perfect for a little bike ride or family walk after your picnic! Plus, this Columbus park has a little pond that’s usually filled with ducks and geese which is fun for kiddos.

#3: Hanby Park

Location: 111 E. Park Street, Westerville, OH 43081

Types of Picnic Opportunities:

• Big green area, semi-shaded
• Covered picnic area with three tables

Activities:

• SPLASH PAD
• Playground
• Ohio to Erie Bike Trail
  • also has bike lockers and air pump!

Hanby Park is also right next to the amazing Westerville Library so you can grab some books before or after your picnic! This Westerville park is also walking distance to all of Uptown Westerville so you can really make a whole day of it bopping around stores and such.

#4: Highbanks Metro Park

Location: 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center, OH 43035

Types of Picnic Opportunities:

• Green space everywhere and anywhere
• Nine enclosed shelters + grills
• Four open shelters + grills
• Countless picnic tables

Activities:

• Biking
• Canoeing/Kayaking
• Day Camps
• Fishing
• Natural Play Areas
• Playgrounds

#5: Goodale Park

Location: 120 W. Goodale Street, Columbus, OH 43215

Types of Picnic Opportunities:

• Lots of green space
• Gazebos
• Shelterhouse
• Open Air Shelter

Activities:

• Baseball Diamonds
• Basketball Court
• Gardens
• Playground
• Tennis Court
• Walking Trail

Let us know your favorite park to picnic in here in Columbus or elsewhere in the world! We are always looking to add some new spots to our book.

A few other picnic style posts.

If you want some other recipes to try and some other locations to visit in Columbus, Ohio – check out these posts too!

• Classic Pasta Salad. This pasta salad is seriously delicious. It’s so simple and only has four ingredients. It’s perfect for your picnic menu.
• COSI. If you need a little bit of indoor activities after your picnic, make sure to head to COSI!
• Westerville Staycation. If you want to make a whole staycation out of your picnic experience, look no further!