Planning a picnic for the upcoming Spring season that most New Englanders have been anxiously awaiting?  Well here are some suggestion for you. Wonderful parks with beautiful scenic areas, walking trails, or even wine vineyard may suit your style. Connecticut definitely offers some of the best places to go on a picnic.

Wharton Brook State Park
650 Washington Ave.
North Haven, CT 06473
(203) 269-5308
www.ct.gov/deep

Solitude, a beautiful scenic area, and a calming lakeside view is what you will get when you decide to picnic at Wharton Brook State Park. The area covers 96-acres of land where you and your family, or maybe just you and that someone special can partake in the many activities the park has to offer like, swimming, hiking, fishing, ice skating and more. A beautiful scenic park such as this one does come with a nominal fee for weekend and holiday admittance; weekends and holidays are $9 for CT vehicles, $15 for out-of-state, and the off-season is free.

Gouveia Vineyards
1339 Whirlwind Hill Road
Wallingford, CT 06492
(203) 265-5526
www.gouveiavineyards.com

If you’re one who would include a bottle of wine in your picnic basket then you may enjoy a visit to Gouveia Vineyards in Wallingford for a lovely afternoon lunch. This beautiful winery is built of stone and old timbers, and sits on 140-acres of land that accommodates the dog lover in you.  At Gouveia Vineyards dogs are allowed during your visit and/or picnic time, however, they must not be left alone and only official guide dogs are allowed inside the winery. Visit their website to plan a lovely spring or summer day at the winery.

East Rock Park
41 Cold Spring St.
Hamden, CT 06511
(203) 946-6086
www.cityofnewhaven.com/parks

Right in the middle of the great towns of Hamden and New Haven lies the historical East Rock Park. The park offers great walking trails, canoeing and row boating along Mill River, and beautiful designated areas for picnicking. There are two picnic pavilions at East Rock Park and are utilized by reservation only. This park is normally used for large family picnics, corporate or organization picnics and outings but, it can also be used for a one-on-one intimate enjoyable time for two. The designated areas are locate at the summit English Shelter and in College Woods. To reserve the picnic pavilions you can call (203) 946-8020 for a permit.

Related:  Top Parks in Connecticut

Bradley Point Park
Captain Thomas Blvd.
West Haven, CT 06516
(203) 937-3712
www.lisrc.uconn.edu

Bradley Point Park is the perfect place to enjoy festivities and fireworks for Fourth of July and Memorial Day holidays, spend a day laying out by a sandy beach and also a great place for a picnic.  With the various activities and beach environment that this waterfront park offers, there is also an associated fee that varies based on the time of year. You can contact the City of West Haven for prices. This park allows you to be creative with your picnic experience and also consider other activities you can enjoy while outdoors such as, going for a walk or even reliving your childhood by bringing out the kites.

Painter Park
190 Kelsey Ave.
West Haven, CT 06516
(203)-937-3651
www.whparkrec.com

This park located in West Haven provides endless opportunities for you to think outside the box for a lovely yet pleasurable picnic experience. With plenty of open area, sports fields, and playgrounds for the kids to explore, this is the place to bring the entire family for a wonderful picnic outing.

Related: Guide to Throwing the Perfect Summer Picnic

Wanda Coppage is a resident of New Haven, CT where she works as a Music Director and On-Air personality for anUrban/AC radio station. Her passion for life, music and great entertainment is reflected in all of her endeavors, as a radio personality, thinker and writer, and all things that allow her to creatively express herself. Read more of her work on Examiner.com.