by Dan KetchumEveryone knows the great outdoors makes food taste better, but we’d like to think it makes experiences richer, too. When it comes to curating the perfect luxury picnic, experience is absolutely the key word. From top to bottom, you’ve got to ensure every element hits just right, from the food to the views to the craft cannabis. As passionate proponents of all those things, we’re happy to unpack a basket full of luxury picnic inspiration.
The Main Course
Whether it’s the best childhood picnic you ever had or your next expertly curated luxury picnic, good food is the foundation of the experience. Just as our palettes have learned from popular wine pairings (and, if you partake, it’s never a bad idea to include a bottle in your basket), the food you choose should mingle with the flavors, aromas, and terpene profiles of the cannabis you plan to enjoy on your adventure.
Just for starters, the Seattle Times and other pro chefs have a few pairing suggestions – and with modern, high-end storage options, you’re no longer limited to French bread and salami:
- Citrusy strains like Tangie go particularly well with peppery flavors and light, bright cuisine from many Asian countries, like Pad Thai, Japanese teriyaki chicken or Chinese orange chicken.
- Strong, earthy strains work well with lighter meats, like grilled chicken and pork.
- Contrast super fruity strains with deeply savory dishes, like curry or slow-cooked stews.
- Gushy, jam-like berry strains also work with the polar opposite, like fresh fruit and crisp salads.
- Offset sweet-tasting strains with a savory dish that travels well: pizza. For sweet-and-savory smokes, try something sharp like pineapple and ham or pepperoni and jalapeno.
Potent Pairings
Choosing just the right luxury picnic pairings goes well beyond matching your terpene profile with your delectable dishes – you’ll need the perfect strain for the vibe and views of the outing, too.
Spoiled for choice? Don’t worry, we’ve got a few suggestions there, too:
- Go with sativa or a sativa-forward blend, like our Over the Rainbow triple-strain cured resin pen, if you’re aiming for big skies, mountain views, crashing waves, or generally sunlit journeys, especially those with good friends. You’ll want that uplifting, euphoric feeling that sativa brings.
- If your picnic is a little more intimate and low-key than a super active, hike-and-eat sort of outing, consider our Phantom CBD blend for a balanced, harmonious sense of serenity.
For evening or nighttime excursions, or the type of picnics that are all about leaving your troubles behind and getting into a meditative state, indica is where it’s at. Strains like Max OG and Blueberry Bomb, essential parts of our Houdini vape, allow calm and relaxation to wash over you as you settle in for a post-meal nap on your favorite picnic blanket.
Natural Vibes
You’ve got just the right entrees and side dishes, and maybe even a few gourmet edibles to top things off. Your selected strain mingles with the backdrop like a rhyming couplet. But what is that backdrop?
From beach picnic ideas to urban excursions, California delivers as always:
- Pop just outside of north LA up to La Cañada for what California Home calls “a decidedly un-LA experience:” in Switzer Falls. Gorgeously unfolding waterfalls, ocean views, and fields of wildflowers among the Angeles National Forest make for a classically unforgettable luxury picnic.
- Named one of the absolute best picnic spots in Los Angeles by locals, the LA County Arboretum and Botanic Garden invites you to get lost among 125 acres of diverse vegetation and intoxicating blossoms. You could also check out one of our favorite parks in the city for something closer to home.
- In San Diego, the nooks, crannies, and secluded swimming holes of La Jolla Cove create an intimate, romantic picnic spot at Ellen Browning Scripps Park.
- Cannabis is known for enhancing art, so why not combine the uplifting powers of picnicking, partaking, nature, and creativity. You can do just that on the stunning grounds of the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco’s Marina District.
- The Ma-l’el Dunes of Humboldt County’s Samoa State Marine Conservation Area are ideal for an Emerald Triangle picnic pilgrimage. This secluded, marine-protected beach spot hosts plentiful trails, Mad River boating, and ocean views that’ll make you melt. (You can check out our full guide to the Emerald Triangle if you plan to make a weekend of it.)
Accessorize Accordingly
There’s a part of luxury that can’t be separated from a touch of excess, and it might just be those above-and-beyond details that ultimately take your picnic to the next level. Getting there requires a bit of smart accessorizing. These Mistifi-recommended picnic decoration ideas strike just the right balance between functionality and style:
- The Woven Storage Leather and Hemp Picnic Tote Bag (by World Menagerie, $104.99) offers another way to work your favorite plant into the festivities, with plenty of storage space for a hearty meal and intricately patterned Boho textures that serve as a stylish centerpiece.
- This sturdy Hemp Beach/Picnic Blanket (by Pushaoo, $79.99) comes in either beige or gray to suit your personal luxury picnic aesthetic, all while providing the comfort and space you need to picnic in peace. Even better, the natural qualities of hemp make this carbon-neutral product a sustainable choice.
- If you choose flower over pens or tinctures, a Bey-Berk Doobie Tube Quattro (by Crown Humidors, $19.50) in gold makes for a sleekly decorative way to tote your joints, all while protecting them from the natural elements that make your picnic special.
- Depending on your spot, you might need a portable activity like a Champions Bocce Ball Set (by Baden, $109.99), which facilitates just the right level “I’m high but still want to move my body in nature” activity, even after you’ve had a hike, swim, and a lunch. And the classic stylings mean you’ll look pretty good doing it, too.
- The ultraportable Wonderboom 2 (by Ultimate Ears, $99.99) lets you spin those playlists that feel like they were made just for the moment (because sometimes, they are; and we’ve got a few solid suggestions, too). The various colors and subtly bold design add a pop to your picnic, and we can’t deny we like how much the “+” volume button reminds us of the iconic green cross symbol.
It’s not just the devil that’s in those details – sometimes, that’s where the memories live, too. So now that you’ve got the list covered, get out there and start making them.
Dan Ketchum splits his time between Dallas and LA as a freelance lifestyle, fashion, health, and food writer with more than a decade of experience. In cannabis, been fortunate enough to collaborate with Cannabis & Tech Today, FOCL, Vitagenne, Reign Together, Tough Mama, and more.