The end of winter brings with it sunshine, flowers and the switch to lighter, more figure-touting clothing like stylish sundresses. But it also signals the official picnic season, and in southern California, there is no shortage of romantic and picturesque spots to enjoy the ultimate lunch-on-a-blanket pastime – the key is knowing where these locales are and what they have to offer. The following spring picnic spots in Woodland Hills will not only have you gazing at the sights and sounds around you, they will leave you wondering why you never experienced more of the great outdoors in L.A.
Warner Center Park, located at 5800 Topanga Canyon Boulevard, is a beautiful outdoor space with a plethora of trees, a dramatic performance stage for live music and facilities for picnics, birthdays and other family gatherings. What draws many Angelinos to Warner Center are the free concerts every Sunday in the summer, put on by the Valley Cultural Center and the myriad of sponsors that help to make the magic happen – as such, Warner Center Park has become the go-to catch-a-concert-while-picnicking spot in Woodland Hills.
Calabasas Creek Park, located at Calabasas Road and Mulholland Drive/Valley Circle in Old Town Calabasas in Los Angeles, will have you envisioning being at a Victorian tea party, what with its white gazebos and pretty colored roses surrounding different regions of the park, while you indulge in your afternoon picnic with the family. From the scenic walk to the entrance to the white picket fences bordering the property, there isn’t a square-inch of Calabasas Creek Park that doesn’t scream “charming.”
Shadow Ranch Park, located at 22633 Vanowen Street in West Hills, is a peaceful, clean space with picnic tables that make it a perfect entry for this roundup. Established in 1932 and donated to the City of Los Angeles in the same year, Shadow Ranch Park boasts a beautiful new playground for all ages, swings, a formidable grass area and workout equipment for the adults.
Marvin Braude Mullholland Gateway Park, located at 3600 Reseda Boulevard in Tarzana, is the gateway to many trail options and boasts a myriad of picnic areas. Named for the former Los Angeles City councilman, who for more than 30 years led the effort to preserve the Santa Monica Mountains, the park encompasses 1,500 acres of wild land above the unpaved portion of Mulholland Drive and the west San Fernando Valley, offering expansive lawns, picnic grounds, gorgeous city and mountain views, ample parking, restrooms and potable water.
Woodley Park, located at 6350 Woodley Avenue in Van Nuys, brings with it not only a jaw-dropping Japanese garden but a running path through part of a wildlife preserve and plenty of benches, trees, playgrounds and bathroom facilities. As an exceptionally sprawling, activity-centric park near the 405 and 101 freeways, Woodley is perfect for families and friends gathering for a game of soccer or a lavish picnic.
If you’ve been wondering where to take the family – or that significant other, for a more romantic interlude – to bask in the gorgeous California sun this spring, the aforementioned picnic spots in Woodland Hills check all the boxes.
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