How To Plan A Romantic Staycation Picnic
If you have a limited amount of time, but still want to show your significant other how much you appreciate him or her, one of the best ways is to go on a Romantic Staycation Picnic at a local park or beach.
This will allow you and your mate to spend some relaxing time together, with nothing else to do but enjoy nature and each other’s company.
Before we continue, let me explain what a Staycation is…
According to Wikipedia; A staycation, or holistay, is a period in which an individual or family stays home and participates in leisure activities within day trip distance of their home and does not require overnight accommodation.
Unfortunately, certain circumstances can prevent you from taking regular vacations.
The best way to deal with those frustrating situations is to use a little bit of creativity that allows you to respect what’s going on in the world, without completely putting your life on hold.
One of the best ways to strike a balance is by planning a romantic staycation picnic.
And that’s exactly what you’re going to learn today in a nutshell.
Let’s begin…
Items You Should Bring
In order to pull off a successful picnic, you must plan out all of the details to ensure a smooth outing.
The more prepared you are, the more relaxed you’ll be and your significant other will definitely notice how much effort you put into making this day special.
So, please do not rush and throw together a half-baked picnic, because this will leave a bad impression in the mind of your mate.
This is a very simple process, so take your time and make it your own.
Here are the basics of what to bring to your romantic picnic…
Picnic Basket
How can you have a picnic without a picnic basket?
That would totally defeat the whole point and take away the magic of your romantic gesture.
While it’s not absolutely necessary, the classic wicker woven picnic basket is synonymous with picnics.
These days you can choose from several types of picnic baskets such as Backpacks, Hampers, Coolers, Totes, etc.
So, if the classic wicker woven basket isn’t for you, then choose from the other available options for picnic baskets.
By the way, be certain to pack a small trash bag and napkins along with the other items.
Blankets
Bring some blankets to make sure your significant other is nice and comfortable throughout the entire picnic.
Also, bring along a plastic tarp and put your blanket or towels on top of the tarp.
Wet grass can make blankets damp or even downright wet if there isn't a tarp underneath them.
And who in their right mind wants to sit on a damp blanket, in which the moisture will eventually seep into both your and your significant other’s clothing?
Talk about being uncomfortable!
Water
One of the biggest mistakes people make with picnics is planning out the food carefully, but not bringing enough water to prevent dehydration.
Wine is fine, but water is better for keeping your body hydrated.
Simply, throw in a few premium bottles of water.
Bringing premium water will let your mate know that you went all out in your picnic planning efforts.
Outdoor Dinnerware
Don't bring anything that could break if knocked over or dropped. That means no glass plates, no crystal glasses, and so on.
Fortunately, there is a variety of beautiful and durable plastic dinnerware including wine glasses for you to choose from.
Don’t feel like you’re being cheap for bringing plastic dinnerware to the picnic; just be certain to purchase high-quality sets and your significant other will not think any less of you, because he or she only cares about the thoughtful gesture of being taken on a romantic picnic.
Small Cutting Board and a Knife
This helps with a lot of things, from cutting bread to cutting fruit to just being an extra makeshift plate or platter.
Look for knives that come with a plastic blade cover for added safety.
Sunscreen
If you live in a warm climate, the last thing you want is to come back from your romantic getaway with a painful burn.
So, don’t forget to put sunscreen on your picnic list.
Bug Repellents
Take pesky mosquitoes and flies into consideration.
If you live in an area that has a lot of mosquitoes and flies, bring some bug spray to prevent these little creatures from ruining your big day, because I don’t think that getting several bites is part of your picnic plans.
Neither is constantly fanning nasty flies away from your food and drinks.
Tip: You can try Citronella Candles and Sprays to help repel mosquitoes and flies.
Setting a Romantic Mood
Try to arrive at an off-peak time so you can find a semi-shady area to lay out your picnic if you plan on having the picnic in a park during the summer months.
If you’re headed to a beach while it’s hot outside, then take a beach umbrella to help shield the rays from the sun.
Set the mood by bringing a bottle of fine wine.
Perhaps you can also try setting the vibe by playing some romantic music.
Tip: Create a playlist on your mobile phone and download the songs in case the cell signal is weak during the picnic.
Make the Picnic a Surprise
Do you really want to increase the sense of romance?
Then make it a nice surprise.
If so, just tell your loved one that you've got something planned, but don't tell him or her exactly what you plan on doing.
This approach alone will skyrocket the anticipation for the big reveal!
Figure out the food, the drinks, and the location on your own, and then surprise your loved one with an amazing picnic experience.
Example List of Picnic Foods:
- Gourmet sandwiches
- Veggie Salads
- Fruit Salads
- Veggies
- Wraps
- Kabobs
- Pitas
- Pasta
- Pie
- Cookies
- Snack Mixes
- Dips
- Meat, Cheese, and Cracker platters
- Fresh Fruits (Especially strawberries to feed to each other)
The types of foods that you pack are entirely up to you. I recommend that you include foods that your significant other likes if you want to hit a home run with your picnic.
NOTE: Don’t forget to include Ice Packs to keep your food from going bad.
This works well at night if you want to make it a candle-lit dinner in the park or on the beach.
Seriously, who doesn’t like a nice clean beach?
Inject Some Fun
For added fun, bring a few toys, such as a Frisbee or a ball to play with. Maybe bring a board game or two to play with your loved one.
Badminton is an extremely fun game to play, and there are plenty of portable sets that will fit in your vehicle for easy transportation.
If you're going to be out for a while, maybe bring a book or two for the both of you.
The types of activities you plan should be based on your significant other’s interests.
Going on a romantic picnic doesn’t mean you have to set or lay down the entire time whispering sweet words.
Add a little fun during your time together, because this will make this special occasion memorable.
Conclusion
Going on a romantic staycation picnic with your loved one is a fantastic way to enjoy nature while spending time with each other.
These days, there are so many demands competing for our limited amount of time, we unintentionally neglect our significant others.
Over time this can cause a couple to grow apart and lose that romantic spark they once had at the beginning of their relationship.
The best defense that you have against preventing the flames from burning out is by spending quality time with your mate.
And going on romantic staycation picnics is one of the best ways to keep that flame ignited.
While I’ve provided you with some great guidelines on how to prepare, you should take the time to make the picnic planning your own by customizing what you learned today.
Use your own creativity to create a picnic you’d be proud of that will wow you mate and give you major points.
To help organize your picnic planning, you should create a list to track everything needed.
Also, if you plan on having a glass of wine, be certain to wait several hours before getting back behind the wheel to avoid any potential accidents.
While not ideal, you may want to consider hiring a Ridesharing company to drive you to and from the picnic location.
One last tip, check the weather reports as you plan because you don’t want to get rained or snowed on right in the middle of your picnic.
Now, start planning your romantic staycation picnic!