Picnic in Style in Vernon

Posted: Thu. Sep. 1/22

Spring is here and picnic season has begun in Vernon. Here are some tips for great picnics, from glampicnicking to hiking, around Vernon and the Okanagan.

Vernon, BC - Who needs a vintage typewriter, antique camera, bouquet of feathers, lace tablecloth, china plates, sterling silver cutlery, a mountain of pillows and an array of faux fur throws at a picnic? You do!

It's the ultimate picnic setup we're blown away to discover as soon as some friends and I step into grassy Sovereign Park in Vernon. We immediately feel special, spoiled and, well, bougie as hell. After all, this fête champêtre (basically, just a fancy French word for a garden party) is for us to enjoy, not only as eye candy, but to sink into the luxury and devour the perfect picnic.

"Isn't this beautiful, and fun?" asks Kari Sargaent rhetorically. Kari and business partner Jinny Beliveau own and operate Organizing Chaos by Design, the firm that put together this 'romantic boho' picnic creation.

Find your picture perfect picnic spot in Vernon this spring.

But let your imagination be your guide in choosing your picnic theme—be it Hawaiian, Mexican, Medieval, Victorian, '80s or classic Okanagan Experience. Most of the picnics Organizing Chaos By Design (OCbD) has created are for proposals and anniversaries.

The 'romantic boho' picnic is a whimsical way to eat and take in the view.

But again, use your imagination and request a themed picnic for a birthday, graduation, family reunion, bachelorette party, book club or just because you're hungry and want to nosh in style. The setup costs $150 for two hours, plus the cost of the food that you choose and OCbD shops for and presents at the picnic.

OCbD also drops by two hours later to clear up, meaning all you have to do is indulge. Some days, my job is tough.

How to picnic in style in Vernon

Going posh is one way to picnic, but whether it’s a luxury fete such as this or DIY picnic on the fly, you’ll find Vernon has all the right ingredients to make a picture perfect—and tastebud rewarding—picnic.

Where to grab a picnic lunch

The 'romantic boho' picnic featured authentic eats from local artisan purveyors Helmut's Sausage Kitchen, Wedge Cheesery, The Bread Boutique and Karma Fruit Co. for beverages.

You can sample before you buy for your picnic at Wedge Cheesery in downtown Vernon.

So, it's no surprise, when it comes time for us the next day to fashion our own DIY picnics for the next two days, we seek out Helmut's and the Wedge for tasty supplies.

Visit Vernon for picnic settings that will wow you.

Where to picnic in Vernon

Finding places to picnic is easy, with so many beautiful settings around the region. But here are two more favourites from our adventures, plus a bonus third suggestion.

Ellison Provincial Park
Picnicking on the shore of Okanagan Lake is hard to beat. Ellison is one of those parks that has it all—a campground, nature trails, beach and the type of water, forest and mountain views that keep people coming back.

Savour spring with a picnic in Vernon.

Sovereign Park
For beachfront picnic time with all the amenities, Sovereign Park hits the spot. As the aforementioned location of our boho picnic, it's got the beauty spots as well as lots of recreation opportunities. Beyond the lake and the beach itself, you can find bocce, horseshoe and volleyball courts to strike up a game.

Davison Orchards
Okay, not technically a "spread the blanket" location, but on a visit to the orchard you can pick your own apples or pumpkins, find plenty of food to fill your basket and sample their delicious Applelanche (an apple juice slushie "to die for").

Grab a partner, a picnic lunch and head for one of Vernon’s prime natural settings for an experience of your own. Hell, we can’t enjoy all this first-class treatment (and treats) to ourselves.