Top 10 picnic spots at UGA
June 18 is apparently International Picnic Day. If you’re like those of us at the UGA Alumni Association, you love a good reason to 1) get outside, 2) eat delicious food, and 3) spend time with fellow Bulldogs.
So today, we are proud to bring you our top 10 list of places to picnic on the University of Georgia campus.
1. Herty Field
Herty Field is home to Herty Fountain and is near the UGA Chapel Bell, so you’re likely to enjoy the sound of celebration as you picnic here. Lay out a blanket on the lawn in front of Moore College or snag a nearby solar-powered picnic table. And don’t forget a Frisbee or football!
2. With Bernard Ramsey
Enjoy your picnic on the bench alongside a statue of Bernard Ramsey, one of UGA’s most generous benefactors. Located on North Campus, just outside of Moore College, good ol’ Bernard is always willing to picnic with students, faculty, staff and visitors. Bonus: you can complete a tradition in the G Book, UGA’s official traditions guide, while you eat!
3. Lake Herrick
Lake Herrick is situated within Oconee Forest Park and adjacent to UGA’s Rec Sports Complex. It provides opportunities for recreation, research and experiential learning. Bring your picnic and afterward, consider taking a walk, trail running, fishing or birdwatching. You can even bring your own canoe, kayak or paddleboard to enjoy the lake. This is a true oasis within the Classic City.
4. State Botanical Garden of Georgia
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia is free to visit and there’s plenty of complimentary parking. UGA Public Service and Outreach oversees the garden, which seeks to inspire an appreciation of nature in visitors of all ages. Find your ideal picnic spot in the Flower Garden, Heritage Garden, greenhouses, Alice H. Richards Children’s Garden, Hummingbird Trail, International Garden, Shade and Native Flora Gardens, and Trails and Nature Areas. Prefer to be indoors, check out the Tropical Conservatory.
5. Memorial Garden or Head Terrace
The Memorial Garden is located in the geographic heart of UGA, just outside of the Miller Learning Center, along Sanford Drive. It is an oasis of trees and stone in remembrance of those from UGA who have given their lives in service to our country. Bring a picnic or pick up a bite from the Bulldog Café in the Tate Student Center, and enjoy it while watching students pass by en route to class. Just around the corner is the Jacqueline and John Head Terrace, an outdoor amphitheater-style space on the north side of the Miller Learning Center.
6. North Campus
North Campus, a U.S. National Register of Historic Places, graces the front of many UGA brochures and directly faces downtown Athens. This grassy expanse is our version of the stereotypical “college quad” and is surrounded by numerous historical buildings, including the UGA Chapel, Old College and the Main Library. Snag a spot under a large oak tree and watch as students, faculty, staff, and visitors pass by (or through) the iconic Arch as they enter and exit campus.
7. Latin American Ethnobotanical Garden
Snag a picnic table in this garden just south of Baldwin Hall. Opened in 1998, the garden is managed by UGA’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies Institute and emphasizes the field of ethnobotany, the study of the relationship between people and plants. Word is that there is sometimes even live music taking place in the garden.
8. Founders Memorial Garden
Nestled between Lumpkin Street and North Campus, this garden was the brainchild of Hubert Owens, the founder and first dean of UGA’s landscape architecture program. It features a variety of plants and design styles for teaching, an arboretum in remembrance of those who died in WWII, Lumpkin House, the Boxwood Garden sundial, a time capsule that will be opened in 2091, and an arbor that shades a bench. Featured on p. 36 of the Summer 2018 issue of Georgia Magazine.
9. W. Brooks Mall
The D.W. Brooks Mall is located on South Campus, near the new Science Learning Center. The open green space is perfect for a picnic—followed by a cone from the UGA Creamery (another tradition in the UGA G Book).
10. Between the Hedges
Okay, trick answer. It’s not actually possible to picnic on the (soon to be Dooley) field in Sanford Stadium … but you have to admit, it would be pretty cool.
