Article and photograph by Laura Jost
One of the easiest ways to have a little adventure in this beautiful city is to take something that you’re going to do inside anyway, and find a great place to do it outside. Dining al fresco is perfect this time of year and, while it requires a little extra planning, picnicking with kids in Portland can be a lot of fun. The benefits can include: fresh air, exercising your adventurous side, hanging out in a new corner of the city, letting the kids burn off extra energy before bed, meeting new people, and eating out without as much worry as to how much food your kid has dropped on the ground.
When I was a little girl, many Sunday mornings when the sun was out, my mother would walk with my sister and me to a neighborhood store to pick up the Sunday paper and some donuts. Then we’d camp out on a lush, treed parking strip (similar to one you’d find on Ainsworth) and we would enjoy our goodies and lounge while she read. To the average adult, that may not seem like much, but I can assure you that as a kid it felt really special and I look back fondly on our mini-picnics.
Since becoming a parent, I’ve found that picnics can make a great play or dinner date. Everyone brings their own provisions and gathers in the same spot. The kids get to eat and play with friends, the adults can chat, and at the end of the night, there’s been no extra impact on your home (or a rush to get it picked up in the first place). For us, picnicking has proved to be a great “get to know you” activity for new families bound by the same school or work.
Keep it simple and close by or head across town; eat breakfast, lunch, or dinner; eat store bought or home-cooked; set up a blanket or lounge in the grass. The only thing you absolutely need to urban picnic is a place, food, drink, and your people, but here are some enhancements to consider: a fun blanket, a flip top woven picnic basket, a compact and non-breakable set of dishes, and reusable napkins. I’ve had a lot of fun scoring these items at my local thrift store. And, speaking from experience, here’s a list of desirable parts and pieces that are easily overlooked: drinks specifically for kids; silverware; sunscreen; camp chairs to save adult spines; water-feature appropriate clothing, towels, and accessories; bug deterrent; and if you’re headed to a public park with public restrooms, lots and lots of hand sanitizer. I also tend to think after the fact, “We should have brought the [football/ Frisbee/mitts and a baseball/fill in the blank].
I’ve lived in this city for almost twenty years and I haven’t found my perfect picnic spot, but I’m still trying. Typically, I simply find new green spaces on my smartphone. But, word of mouth is awesome! Some of NW Kids’ staffers and their friends’ favorite urban places in Portland are: Peninsula Park or the Rose Garden (roses), the vast expanse that is Laurelhurst Park (ducks!), Cathedral Park (iconic bridge), Pittock Mansion (views and history), Dog Bowl (cozy and sunset views), Jamison Square (awesome water feature), Columbia Children’s Arboretum (twilight magic), and Kelley Point Park and Broughton Beach for riverside dining. And even though technically it’s not urban, the lawn at Kruger’s Farm is lovely.
And just a hop over the river, Vancouver offers Esther Short Park (river water feature), Fort Vancouver (huge trees and lots of green), and Franklin Park (lake views and rolling hills).
Double-check amenities online as not all locations have bathrooms or other conveniences that you might require. Trust me that you don’t want to find out after the fact that your spot had a water feature and you didn’t pack suits. You can find a list of all Portland parks with water features at: portlandoregon.gov/parks/42348. Water turn on dates are TBD so double-check that your destination is up and running if a dry splash pad is going to be a deal breaker. If you’re unsure on the weather, do a forecast double-check and consider taking a look at any popular locale’s events calendar so that you don’t unexpectedly show up in the middle of a symphony, unless you like surprises. In that case, you can always skip the hand sanitizer.
Please share your favorites on NW Kids Magazine’s Facebook page. We’d love to hear from you!
Laura Jost is a natural for choosing the lumpiest, swampiest, or most ant-occupied place in a park to set up a picnic. But, she’s really good at eating a whole watermelon. When it comes to picnicking, you just can’t have it all.
