Food | Nature

What to Pack on Your Spring Picnic

As the weather gets warmer and the days get longer, the Lowcountry’s flora comes to life with bright bursts of seasonal blooms along the winding rivers and marshes and beneath the shady canopies of oak trees. At Kiawah River, one of our favorite ways to get outside and enjoy the change in season is with a spring picnic near one of our community’s many riverbanks and creeks. Before dusting off your favorite picnic blanket, make sure to check out our packing tips for the ultimate picnic experience.   

1. Find your location

The Lowcountry has no shortage of picturesque picnicking spots. Set up your blanket and basket at Kiawah River’s Sea Island Park, Oak Park, community dock or somewhere across our network of trails. In addition to finding a peaceful spot in Kiawah River’s countryside, nearby Deep Water Vineyard offers plenty of al fresco space to gather with family, friends and pets. Just a short drive from Kiawah River, Deep Water Vineyard on Wadmalaw Island is open Tuesday through Saturday and offers walking trails, a garden, a large pond and wine tastings. Downtown Charleston also offers scenic picnic spots like Hampton Park, Ravenel Waterfront Park and Brittlebank park only minutes away.

2. Pick the perfect picnic basket

For a true Lowcountry experience, pack your picnic supplies in an authentic sweetgrass basket, which can be purchased all across the Lowcountry, including at the Angel Oak Tree on Johns Island. A tradition in the Gullah Geechee culture, sweetgrass baskets are handwoven by coiling dried blades of sweetgrass in circles and binding the bundles with thin strands of palmetto fronds. 

3. Pack fresh ingredients

It’s no secret that good food is key to a successful picnic. Our residents at Kiawah River have access to the freshest produce on Johns Island thanks to Rosebank Farms’ farmstand, located at the entrance of the community. Visitors and residents can even build a charcuterie board using fresh honey from our resident beehives and goat cheese from The Goatery. For the perfect lunch, incorporate fresh produce like carrots, lettuce, cabbage, okra, watermelon and artichokes to your basket, as well as a selection of seasonal flowers including zinnias and hydrangeas.   

So, what are you waiting for? Grab your picnic gear and head outside with friends and family to marvel at nature and lounge under the live oak trees for a Lowcountry springtime adventure that you won’t soon forget.