Fresh air is a fantastic condiment, so grab a blanket, slide into a picnic table or just sit down at one of these bastions of natural beauty for an al fresco meal the old-fashioned way.
1. Malcolm Gross Rose Garden
Blossoms still linger in the meticulously landscaped Allentown Rose Garden through the month of September, and adjacent Cedar Beach Park offers additional scope for activity or picnicking. The Rose Garden also provides prime people watching as folks use the lovely backdrops of stonework and flowers for photoshoots.
2. Hawk Mountain
Want to work up an appetite? Stock your backpack with vittles, strap on secure footwear and head to one of numerous lookouts along Hawk Mountain's miles of scenic trails in Kempton. Hawks, eagles and falcons may add entertainment swooping in the wide sky above as you enjoy lunch.
3. Monocacy Park
The rushing stream, waterfall and stone pavilions stand out at this shady park full of towering sycamores and meandering geese. It's small, but mightily dedicated to picnicking provisions: grills, tables and benches scatter the banks of the Monocacy Creek, overseen by the historic mill.
4. Nockamixon State Park
This massive Quakertown park surrounds the largest lake in southeastern Pennsylvania, especially scenic as the leaves start to change. With picnic tables and charcoal grills, you can chow down beside its vast and glittering waters, or take a boat out and plunder your lunchbox as you float or fish.
5. Louise W. Moore Park
Spread out on an open lawn or set up in a stone pavilion—Louise Moore's 100-plus acres near the junction of Routes 22 and 33 are spotted with attractive structures and floral landscaping. A relaxing expanse of trails, sports fields, playgrounds and tennis courts provides many options for frolic before feasting.
