The Mission Begins
Alright folks, got this burning question last weekend: Where in Hugo Lions Park is the absolute best spot for a family picnic? Need shade, need tables, gotta be easy. Packed the car Sunday morning – cooler, blanket, fussy kids, the whole circus. Figured I’d actually walk around and figure it out proper. Maps online? Useless. Gotta see it yourself. Parked near the baseball fields. Sun was already cooking.
Trudging Through The Park
Started near the entrance playground. Pretty? Yeah. Picnic spot? Nah. Zero shaded tables nearby. Kids begging to play, wife giving me “we need shade now” looks. Grabbed everyone, marched down towards the pond path. Big open grassy area near the water – looked nice, felt hot. Saw a couple families sweating on blankets. No tables near the water. Fail. Circled past the skate park – loud, zero vibe for lunch. Getting grumpy.
The Search Gets Desperate
Ducked under some trees near the woods. Shade? Finally! Tables? Nope. Not a single one. Just grass and tree roots. Mosquitoes joining the party. Kiddo whined about being hungry. Almost settled for the hot grass near the pond again. Then, spotted a small paved path leading away from the skate park racket. Took a chance. Trudged maybe… 100 yards? Boom.
Jackpot!
Hidden cluster of tables tucked under massive trees! Shade everywhere! Pavement flat for the wagon. Seriously felt like finding a secret base. Plenty of open grass just steps away for the kids to run. Calm, quiet except for birds. Perfect. Unloaded the cooler chaos quick. Kids ran wild on the grass while we set up. Ate sandwiches feeling like I won the damn lottery. No bugs attacking. Peace for a whole hour! Major success.
The Takeaway
So, the magic formula? Forget the flashy spots near the main attractions. Head away from the noise. Specifically:
- Park near the sports fields entrance.
- Walk PAST the main playground and pond.
- Skirt the edge towards the wooded area.
- Look for the little path near the back woods edge after the skate park.
- Find those tables under the big trees. That’s your spot.
Could’ve saved two hours of sweaty wandering! Next picnic, we go straight there. Food didn’t melt. Kids didn’t meltdown. Victory.
