You knew that July is National Picnic Month, right? Of course you did. The Hyatt Carmel Highlands, perched at the northern end of the Big Sur coast, is marking the occasion with a new hiking and picnic package, which provides a gourmet picnic lunch prepared by the hotel’s chefs with your choice of its guided nature hikes.
The hikes, led by longtime guide and hiking expert Stephan Copeland, take in an enticing selection of classic and lesser-known Big Sur sights. The Robinson Jeffers Walk, for example, is inspired by the poet’s famous quote, “Big Sur is the greatest meeting of land and sea in the world.” Winding through a serpentine canyon past terraced waterfalls and working its way down to the sea, this hike promises an awe-inspiring variety of greens and blues in an intimate encounter with nature.
Your picnic can also enhance the guided Meditation Walk, beginning with a brief yoga session before following the Little Sur River on a silent hike; the Bluff Trail, fragrant with sage and other herbs, passing 80 feet above the ocean; or the Waterfall Walk along the Big Sur River, visiting a secluded meadow perfect for picnicking and a secret waterfall of recent origin.
Even with the souvenir picnic backpack, the $600 starting price for these packages (including lodging) are a bit steep if your only goal is finding the perfect place to lay down a blanket and unpack your picnic basket. Fortunately, the Monterey Peninsula teems with scenic picnic spots. Here some great choices, ranging from city to ocean to mountain, where you won’t be too crowded. The state, county and various city park systems alone offer more than you could explore in a year of picnics.
This lofty county park is set in one of just three natural stands of Monterey Pine left in the entire country. In addition to well-maintained picnic grounds with barbecue grills or pits and clean restrooms, it has extensive and not-too-demanding hiking trails with views that take in Carmel and the ocean beyond, Monterey Bay or the mountains to the east. Pick up a brochure at the entrance station to follow the Skyline Self-Guided Nature trail across the Jacks Peak summit. Dogs and horses are welcome, and the mild elevation changes make it a good choice for families. Even on a sunny Sunday, the park is peaceful and never crowded.
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park
Just as beautiful as famous Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, this smaller park gets far fewer crowds and has no campground, making it a better choice for those just looking for a picnic spot. You’ll find the picnic areas inland on Ewoldsen Trail, along wooded McWay Creek. But don’t get too full, because you’re sure to be tempted to continue to the Waterfall Ovelook Trail to see McWay falls tumbling 80 feet down the bluff onto the beach, or even to tackle the steep trail up to 4,099-foot Anderson Peak in the Los Padres National Forest.
The Monterey Peninsula is all open shoreline from Hopkins Marine Station around to Asilomar Beach, offering many places to plant a picnic. Our pick is Lover’s Point Park in Pacific Grove, one of several parks that occupy the 2-mile northeastern-facing edge of the shoreline and are collectively known as Shoreline Park. The picturesque site, offering stunning views from the tip of a granite headland and augmented by a few sculptures, has something for every mood. An expansive lawn area, a protected beach, a small pier, a children’s swimming pool open in summer, a sand volleyball court and kayak rentals offer ample opportunity to work off your lunch at one of numerous grill-equipped picnic sites. And if even packing a picnic basket is too much planning for you, plan for dinner afterward at the brand-new Beach House Restaurant, adjacent to the park.
This Monterey neighborhood park is a good bet for families when the deservedly popular Dennis the Menace playground is closed or too crowded. Its 10.6 acres are enclosed within stands of towering pine trees, and it has multiple picnic areas with barbecue equipment and clean bathrooms. Little kids have two playgrounds to choose from, and sports enthusiasts will especially appreciate the two tennis courts, baseball field, basketball court, volleyball court and a track outlining the entire park.
The Coastal Recreation Trail, created on top of the abandoned Southern Pacific railroad tracks that served Cannery Row during its sardine heyday, is a unique regional treasure. Walkers and bicyclists can follow it not only to the famous sights of Fisherman’s Wharf, Cannery Row and the Monterey Aquarium but to parks and coastal scenery from Castroville in the north to Pacific Grove to the south. One of the most scenic parks is Monterey’s Window on the Bay park, where you can enjoy your repast on picnic tables equipped with barbecue pits under the shade trees, while watching the action on adjacent Monterey State Beach, nearby sand volleyball courts and on the water. Nearby businesses rent kayaks, bicycles and canoes.
Former Chronicle travel editor Christine Delsol also writes the Mexico Mix column at sfgate.com/mexico.
5 great parks for a picnic in Monterey County
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