Ultimate Lover's Guide to Picnics

Ultimate Lover's Guide to Picnics
by Brettani Shannon

Picnics are more about the experience than the sustenance. For any meal, any time of day, during any season of the year, a picnic is romantic. It can be an all day event or a quick rendezvous. Imagine relaxing on a blanket with the summer breeze whisping over your snuggling bodies while you feed each other chocolate strawberries. Think of the sweetness that would heat up between you as you cozy up under a blanket and sip hot cocoa under the stars as the close to a late night picnic. Think of how you would feel jumping back into bed wearing only a t-shirt and undies with the "mid-morning staying in bed all day picnic" you prepared for your partner. Lovers' picnics are fun and flirtatious, indulgent and relaxing, sweet and youthful. You are sure to feel the love as you share treats for the tummy and food for the soul. Below, we've got some great tips and original ideas for your next romantic picnic.

Your Bed

Bed Picnic
Spread out a blanket on the bed, light candles, and put on some great jazz music (your favorite music will do!). Then take out a chilled bottle of wine, strawberries, mixed fruit, chocolate sauce, brie cheese,and crackers and just spend some time talking to each other. This simple break can really help
--submitted by Heather

Rooftop

A Night On The Roof
We went to our favorite little apartment by the sea that we rent from time to time, but to mix things up a bit, we took our bed and some candles up to the roof. It was the perfect night!
--submitted by Coffee

Istanbul View
This is more of an experience than an idea. There's a building in Istanbul whose roof has the best view on Earth of the great Bosphorous. The key to the roof belongs to a well-known poet. I read his book and went his home for him to sign the book. Then I asked for the key of the roof, and I put a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a red rose there. Next day, I took my girlfriend to the place. You have to take a very dirty, dark, scary corridor to reach the roof. At first she was afraid, but once I opened the door she was in awe. It was on that roof that we shared our first kiss.
--submitted by Dogan

In the Backyard

Backyard Picnic
We didn't have a lot of money, so we just ordered pizza and had a bottle of wine and a blanket. We had a picnic in the backyard with soft music playing. It was great! We looked at the stars and into each other's eyes and we both knew that we were in LOVE. That was the single most wonderful experience I have ever had! It was sincere and straight from the heart!
--submitted by Anonymous

At the Beach

Day or night, the beach is a great place for a lover's picnic. The view is breathtaking and there is so much to discover. If your beach is known to be windy, bring already-prepared foods. It doesn’t pay off to assemble foods on the beach because they will get filled with sand.

In the Park

A Small Ritual
For the first five years of our marriage, my husband and I would get together every Wednesday that the weather was nice and buy Chinese food to eat in the park. The park was just a ways down from our house and the Chinese restaurant was in-between. The total trip was right around $10 every week. It was a great building block in our relationship. Even when we were arguing about something, we would stop, and go get Chinese to eat and just watch the breeze in the trees and silently enjoy each other's company. The silent time usually broke our arguments and when we were getting along great (we don't argue much) it was a great time to escape reality and temporarily forget about work and all of life's problems.
--submitted by Jade

A night at the park
When the weather is nice we go over to the park around 7pm when no one is there. We play basketball and swing on the swings. Then we grab a blanket and watch the stars. We just talk and hold each other. It's our favorite thing to do now.
--submitted by Laurissa

On Your Living Room Floor

Arabian Nights
Suspend a parachute from the living room ceiling. Remove the furniture. Arrange it like a tent and put pillows in it and have soft music playing and serve each other finger foods and wine.
--submitted by Mary

In a Bed of a Truck

Truck Bed Picnic
My boyfriend was having a bad week, so I borrowed his truck and cleaned it out for him. Then I went out and bought a bunch of tea candles and construction paper. Then I went home and made little candle holders and wrote sweet things on them like, "I love you because you love cartoons," and "I love you because you sing in the car." That night we drove out into a field in the country and I went in the back of his truck and lit all the candles, served him desert in the truck bed, and played a CD of romantic songs on it. He said it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him!
--submitted by Anonymous

In a Tree House

One of the best picnics I ever had was when my husband and I visited his parents for the weekend. He whispered to me while we were sharing photos that he had a surprise for me. He told me to meet him in his backyard treehouse in 15 minutes. I agreed and he excused himself. I tried to still be interested in what his parents were sharing, but I couldn't help but be distracted by my curiosity and excitement. It just so happened that his parents had somewhere to go just in time for me to meet my husband. He must have known about their plans. When I climbed the steps into the treehouse that my husband had told me stories about for so many years, I felt like I was stepping into his memories. It was so great. When I got up there, he was sitting on a checkered blanket with a picnic set out and a huge smile on his face. He was so thrilled to have me there with him. We stayed up there for a few hours and it was one of the greatest afternoons I've ever had. I felt like I got to know him in a new and special way that day.

At Your Desk

Picnic at the Office
This is the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me. I was working in a small office with about eight people. One day around lunchtime, my boyfriend showed up with a blanket and a picnic basket filled with snacks - enough for everyone at the office. He brought wine, crabsticks, sandwiches, crisps, etc. He set up the picnic in the middle of my office and invited everyone to join in. We had a great time and it was the best lunch break all of us ever had!
--submitted by Lindy B.

On a Sidewalk Bench

Show up at your lover's work for their lunch break with food in hand. Take them for a short stroll down the sidewalk to a public bench and there, amidst the business, sit and enjoy lunch together. Walk them back to their office and kiss them goodbye.

In a Hotel Room

Romantic Indoor Picnic
A fun thing to do for a special occasion is to pack a picnic basket and whisk your love away to a nice hotel. Picnic on the bed and drink champagne and...whatever.
--submitted by Clem

At the River or Lake
The river is my favorite place to picnic because my husband and I can sit on the car at the river's edge or walk up the river to a private spot to eat. We can bring take-out, pack snacks, or prepare a full-on picnic style meal. We can walk and talk, taking in the scenery and discovering new places or lie in the sun together. We can cuddle and nap or even make love in our private oasis. We can go for 20 minutes of "us" time or spend the whole day there. Even when we bring the kids, it’s romantic because we hold hands and play with each other. Sometimes we go to the lake where we can picnic on the water. We rent one of those party boats so we have enough room to lie in the sun, make sandwiches, and fish.

On a Boat

Romantic Evening Floating Picnic
On a clear, not too chilly night, pack a picnic and grab a small boat. Take your guy or girl for a picnic on the water (in a pond or tied at the lake) and float around under the stars.
--submitted by Christina

In Your Car

Picnic In Snow
My boyfriend was leaving for school on Sunday across the country, so we decided to make our last day together special. Unfortunately, Friday night we were hit with a massive New England snowstorm. I was bummed that we couldn't do anything more than watch movies. My boyfriend had planned a picnic for the day, so we decided to have it anyways...in the back of his SUV. It was perfect! We turned on the heat and the music and just watched the snow fall. It was one of the most romantic things ever.
--submitted by Anonymous

In a Garden

Rose Garden Picnic Date
My boyfriend and I had planned for our very first date to be a picnic at a Rose Garden. It rained the night before and stopped raining about 8 am. Since our date was at noon I was hoping it would be dry enough. It was, and it was wonderful. We watched 2 weddings and the flowers smelled so good! I had brought fresh sandwiches and fruit. The date was only suppose to be a couple hours long, but it ended up lasting five hours! I fell head over heels that day and so did he.
--submitted by Stephanie

Champagne and Fruit

Picnic On A Mountain Top
My boyfriend took me to the top of a mountain overlooking the city and laid out a romantic candelit picnic with champagne. Then he turned on the car radio and we danced. It was one of the most memorable and romantic gestures anyone has ever done for me.
--submitted by Anonymous

Bring Candles

Indoor Romance
My boyfriend works really hard and I wanted to do something nice for him. So, one night, I made dinner and lit the entire living room with candles. I arranged the living room with plants as well so it looked like we were outside. Then, I set up a picnic. When he came home he was very surprised. He loved it, especially when I fed him strawberries for dessert. We ended up making love almost all night.
--submitted by Ashley
A Full Course Meal

Moonlight Picnic
Last January I asked my boyfriend to come pick me up at home and drive us to a scenic spot near our my home. I instructed him to just drive and not ask any questions at all. When we got there, it was almost sunset, so we parked his car in this nice park and we sat at the back of his car where I laid out my surprise. I cooked him an entire meal of pumpkin soup, beef stroganoff with mashed potatoes, pasta with fresh tomato sauce, and a yummy dark chocolate cake with raspberry and caramel sauce. Then I put out a bottle of good champagne complete with the glasses. We just sat there, feeding each other in silence and looking in each other's eyes. I couldn't get a word out of him. He was totally speechless, but the surprise wasn't done yet. I took a box out of my bag and gave it to him. Inside was a vintage car model I knew he'd been wanting. He hugged me so tight and we just stayed there looking at the stars until we figured it was time to head back home.
--submitted by Kara

Add Music

Night By The Pond
My girlfriend and I have been dating for a year. I am in college and don't get to see her very much. Well, I couldn't be with her for our nine-month anniversary and I could tell that my girlfriend was disappointed. I went home the weekend after and planned a special night for her. I picked her up and gave her a single, long-stem red rose. I took her to my friend's pond where I had a picnic table set up under a single tree in the middle of a hay field beside the pond. I grilled steaks, and we had a candle-light dinner under a sky filled with stars and a full moon. I had romantic music playing and everything. After eating, we took the candles and the radio to the dock of the pond. I sat her on the railing of the dock, got down on one knee, and sang "To Make You Feel My Love" by Garth Brooks to her. She started crying. After the song, we danced on the dock for a while, not saying a word. I then took her home and she was still in shock for no one had ever done anything like that for her. The whole night was very memorable. I never thought that I could come up with an idea like that. I guess I surprise myself sometimes.
--submitted by Sam

Rise With the Sun

Surprise Early Morning Picnic
My boyfriend and I don't get to see each other very often, but when we do we have a lot of fun, and he gets very romantic. One time my boyfriend threw rocks at my window to wake me up, and when I looked out he had a ladder set up for me to climb down. He greeted me with roses at the bottom, and told me he wanted to take me to the lake. So, I got into his truck, and we drove to the lake at four in the morning. When we go there, he had a blanket with more roses, music, and various pieces of fruit cut to dip into whipped cream he brought. It was very romantic.
--submitted by Annie

In the Heat of the Afternoon

A Romantic Picnic
Go to some kind of waterside without your love and set everything up. Set up a picnic blanket and whatever else you want to create the right ambiance. Then pick up the food and your love. Enjoy a romantic waterside picnic, and if you stay long enough you can cuddle up and watch the sun set over the water.
--submitted by J.P. Suites

Under the Stars

A Night Under the Stars
Take your love to the lake have a nice picnic table set candles everything. After you eat, take a walk along the shore. Take a blanket with you and hold each other and watch the stars. You never know...it might just be the night of your life.
--submitted by Anonymous

Do a Little More than Eat

Country Picnic
Now girls, you gotta do this one, cause I know my boyfriend won't ever do it for me. Make some of his favorite sandwiches or snacks. Pick him up and drive to somewhere that you can see the stars clearly without buildings getting in the way. Set out the blanket and eat. Afterwards, give him a full body massage while you both gaze up at the stars.

--submitted by Anonymous

Make it a Surprise

Surprise Picnic!
Here is an idea. Pack a basket with food, candles, and wine. Just before you plan to go out, drive somewhere near the water and put the basket behind a tree. When the both of you go out, act like the car broke down right at that spot and surprise her with the basket. Add some romantic music, and you can dine and dance the night away! She will love the creativity in you! Don't forget the dessert!
--submitted by PJ

Country Style

Just Because
My fiance' and I met on the net. I moved in with him and we have been just getting used to each other so we have been spatting a bit. So , I planned to have a romantic picnic, just for him. His buddy took me to where him and his family used to have picnics when he was younger on his land up by a pond. We set up a table, two chairs, a bucket of ice, champagne, and a picnic basket full of chicken and other stuff. My fiance and I both have 4-wheelers, so when he got home on the door it says, "Go get the key to your 4-wheeler than go and get on it." Then on the 4-wheeler a note said, "Ride up to the pond." And there I sat, waiting on him with a glass of champagne. He was so surprised and he loved it so much he had tears in his eyes. After the picnic I said, "I hope you brought your swimming trunks," and he said no. So instead, we decided to go skinny dipping in the lake. It was the most romantic evening ever.
--submitted by Anonymous

VIP Treatment

Incredibly Romantic Picnic
Next week, I am seeing a man that has been pursuing me for six years. He is 15 years my junior, and all that this man has done is romance me from the onset of this relationship. I have been avoiding for all these years due to our age difference, but now, I think it's time to show him, or should I say, repay him for all that he has done. He is coming up by train and he will find a stretch limo will be waiting for him. My chauffeur will be holding a sign up with his last name. When he gets in, he'll find me waiting for him. I'll be holding two glasses of champagne, and there will be romantic music playing softly in the background. We'll be taking an hour-long trip to a state park for a romantic picnic. The ride down to the park will be spent making love, and if he has enough energy left we'll do it again on the way back! This is one of my fantasies that I've had and I hope it will be a day that he will never forget because he has become so special and important in my life! Try this on your loved one!!
--submitted by Anonymous

Give it a Theme

Theme Picnic
I have never done this but I want to: set up an indoor picnic with an Oriental twist. You dress up in a kimono and put chopsticks in your hair. Make a place with a nice soft comforter and pillows. Utensils will not be used other than chopsticks or fingers. Serve your man like a geisha and learn a few Japanese or Chinese phrases to say to him. Use candles, paper lanterns, and fans to decorate the intimate area. The picnic could even be in the bedroom. The point is to be seductive, submissive, and sensual.

--submitted by Sashay

A Special Occasion

Night In Our New Home
I was working afternoons when we had first moved into our new house with our three children. We were starting over in a new state and had very little furniture in our home. One night I called my wife while I was driving home and told her I was going to be a little late getting there. I continued talking to her on the phone as I went into an all night store. I found a chenille blanket in crush red, a serving tray, some wine and some tea light candles. As I was walking towards the cashier, I saw 18 long-stemmed red roses. I told her to make sure the chain lock was undone and she needed to be in our room. When I got home, I went to our room and gave her a soft kiss and asked her to remain there until I came and got her. I set the bottle of wine on the tray in the front room and made a path of rose petals and candles from our room to the couch. I then asked her to come into the hall. She almost started to cry as she saw the trail going into our front room. When she got in there I took her hands and sat her down on the couch. We drank the whole bottle of wine and talked and softly caressed each other all evening. That was our picnic in our new home.
--submitted by Anonymous

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