The best Memorial Day weekend picnic spots in Chicago

Looking to spread out a little? There's plenty of room among the lush grounds of the 65-acre South Shore Cultural Center, a former country club-turned-park anchored by its historic (and very beautiful) Mediterranean Revival-style clubhouse. For a fanciful meal, set up your blanket near the manicured formal gardens, and don't forget to take in stunning views of the lake on a walk through the Center's nature sanctuary after you've finished eating.

Eating at the beach can sometimes be a drag (lots of sand), but opening weekend at Montrose Beach is always a treat for Chicagoans looking to finally shake off the last vestiges of winter. Keep an eye out for migratory birds while you're there, and remember—it's totally safe to go for a swim after eating!  

You can skip the sand and still get incredible views of the water and skyline when you lunch at Promontory Point, a lakeside outcropping in Burnham Park designed by the landscape architect Alfred Caldwell. The Point is especially well-suited for spontaneous picnics—simply choose one of the massive limestone block steps and use it as a makeshift table.

Cherry blossom season might be over, but that doesn't make Jackson Park's Garden of the Phoenix—also known as the Osaka Garden—any less desirable for picnicking. Stroll over the moon bridge and find a tranquil place to lay down your blanket among traditional Japanese horticulture. You can even make a casual sport of trying to spot the pond's plump golden koi fish while you eat.

You'll find a bounty of wildflower and native plant gardens at this Lincoln Square favorite, which spans around 40 verdant acres of twisting paths and other other recreational areas. Set up underneath one of the park's sprawling willow trees for a picnic in the shade. 

It's not a requirement, of course, but the refined environs of the Grant Park Rose Garden would make for a proper tea time picnic spot—all sculpted topiary and pillowy blooms, like an English garden. Bring some cucumber sandwiches and a thermos of black tea and you're good to go. 

Hike to the tippy-top of the hill at this former working limestone quarry in Bridgeport for sweeping cityscape views while you picnic. Equally stunning are the wetlands and enclosed fishing pond below, which is still rimmed in the same dolomite limestone quarry walls that date back to the 1830s.

It's easy to see why Illinois is called the Prairie State when you walk through the man-made peninsula at Northerly Island, which is strewn with gorgeous prairie grasslands filled with more than 150 varieties of native plants, all foregrounding views of the skyline. You're sure to find space to set up a picnic among the park's 119-acre natural area, so feel free to walk around awhile and find your perfect view.