When you Google “definition of picnic” you get:
“A field day: a day devoted to an outdoor social gathering …We picnicked near the lake on this gorgeous Sunday” … any informal meal eaten outside or on an excursion.
Just so the Geeks among you don’t get confused, we are not speaking about the acronym PICNIC, which is short for Problem In Chair, Not In Computer. It is used humorously by some help desk staff when dealing with a technical issue reported by a non-technical end-user.
Nor are we talking about the 1955 movie, “Picnic.”
In contemporary usage – and in this description — picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors, ideally, taking place in a beautiful landscape.
There is no more beautiful place to picnic than the Mendocino Coast. But just so you are prepared, remember that coastal weather averages 55 degrees during the day summer and winter. If it’s windy, it feels like 40. If it’s sunny with no wind, you’ll think it’s 70. Wear layers. If there is even a hint of wind in the air – it will be windier the closer you get to the ocean’s edge — take along windbreakers, scarves, gloves and hats.
For an upscale and completely different picnic experience, try a guided, llama trek. Treks can be tailored to your desires, from napping on the beach to spending hours painting a waterfall. Gourmet lunches from cold sandwiches to hot meals are available.
Mendocino Outdoors, the premier guidebook for outdoor fun and adventure on the Mendocino Coast, has been updated in 2017 as an ebook for the 5th Edition. You can buy a copy at Smashwords.com, the Apple iBooks Bookstore, Amazon’s Kindle Books, and Barnes & Noble's online store.