Memorial Day Weekend Picnic Hot Spots

With the three-day weekend and (hopefully) nice weather, a family picnic is a great option for an outdoor activity. Here are three of our favorite places to go, where you can also go for a hike, too:

The Marin Headlands. Just a stone’s throw from San Francisco, Sausalito, and Mill Valley, but so far away. Picnic spots are almost anywhere you look, with picnic tables in spots along Bunker Road, in front of the old base chapel, which is now a visitor center and shop, and near Rodeo Beach and Fort Cronkhite. You can always take your picnic out to the beach itself, or even eat your lunch on a World War I-era coastal gun emplacement. Afterwards, go for a hike on one of the many trails in the area, fly a kite on the beach, or let the kids play army by an old military installation. There’s also the scenic Point Bonita Lighthouse with its seemingly rickety suspension bridge.

Drake’s Beach. Not exactly a secret secluded spot, there’s a reason this beach is so popular. Famed as the probable landing spot for Elizabethan sea dog Sir Francis Drake in 1579, this beach is bordered by chalky white cliffs on one side and Drake’s Bay on the other. It’s often warm and inviting when other beaches at Point Reyes are windy and cold. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, or if you didn’t bring your own food, Drake’s Beach Café offers organic tea, soups, salads, sandwiches, local oysters, and Straus Creamery ice cream, with an emphasis on fresh, sustainable local ingredients.

McInnis Park. On the northern edge of San Rafael, McInnis Park offers numerous recreational opportunities, including golf, hiking, kayaking and canoeing, and tennis. Numerous picnic spots abound, including some up on the hill that have stunning views of Mount Tam and the bay. While you’re at it, play a round of miniature golf at their 18-hole course. There’s also a restaurant and snack bar on site