44 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} GAMBLE GARDEN – PALO ALTO As Gamble Garden so succinctly says on its website, “Life is simply better in a garden.” A lovely location in any season, this place flourishes from the first blush of spring flowers to the fiery flush of fall leaves. Keep in mind that there are only two picnic tables (first-come, firstserved), but plenty of places to spread out a blanket. As you hunt for the right locale, crunch down the garden’s gravel paths where special sections are devoted to roses, lavender, wisteria, herbs, California natives and more. Hoping someone else will plan the menu for you? Attend one of the monthly luncheons on the Carriage House patio. After you’ve eaten your fill, wander the grounds some more or snap a few photos over at the gazebo. Even if you’ve been here Have you truly embraced summer if you haven’t gone on a picnic? Dining al fresco, breathing in the smell of freshly cut grass, feeling the gentle warmth of the sun on your skin—these are life’s little pleasures. So select a destination, pack a wicker basket with your favorite finger foods and immerse yourself in this pleasurable pastime. OUTDOORS prime picnics words by JOHANNA HARLOW before, you can learn something new by taking a self-guided tree walk. Find the route mapped out on Gamble Garden website (gamblegarden.org), and follow along for an introduction to the garden’s splendid array of trees, from its crabapples and crape myrtles to its Japanese maples and magnolias. HUDDART PARK – WOODSIDE Grassy meadows, forest slopes and second-growth redwoods await at Huddart Park in welcoming Woodside. With ample picnicking areas to choose from, you’ll find many tables shaded by trees, pergolas or roofed awnings. Some have horseshoe pits and volleyball poles nearby. This over 900-acre park can easily handle larger groups, though you’ll need to make reservations for parties of 25 or more. PHOTOGRAPHY: ROBB MOST
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