The best picnic spots in Columbia, TN

There’s nothing like a good picnic, and as the weather warms up and winter turns to spring, getting out and enjoying the fresh air with a picnic becomes even more appealing. When choosing the perfect picnic spot, Columbia, Tennessee, and its surrounding areas certainly have no shortage of great parks, each with unique features, sights, and amenities.

Whether you’re looking for a picnic spot with plenty of scenic views or somewhere with good walking trails, Columbia has it all. Check out the following list featuring the best picnic spots in and around the area, put together by our team at Stan McNabb Chevrolet of Columbia.

Maury County Park

Located in the center of Columbia, Maury County Park is a huge 242-acre park with a range of facilities for your friends and family to enjoy. There are tons of picnic tables, ensuring you’ll get a space and have plenty of room to spare. They’re also housed in pavilions,  keeping you in the shade when the sun is high in the sky and protecting you from the elements in case of a sudden rain shower.

After your picnic, get some quality exercise by hiking the mile-long nature trail and soaking in the sights of Tennessee’s natural beauty. There’s also a slightly longer paved trail that stretches an extra mile. Kids will love the three large playgrounds, featuring a variety of big tube slides and new equipment. If you adore horses, you can head over to the extensive equestrian area, which houses two arenas, stall barns, and the Skillington Livestock Barn. The park is also home to one of the largest mini racetracks in the country, plus Columbia’s first dog park.

Image via Flickr by nvainio | CC BY 2.0

Riverwalk Park

Riverwalk Park is located near the Duck River, just northeast of Columbia’s picturesque and friendly Downtown Square. The park has a variety of paved walkways, allowing you easy access to and from the downtown area. A handful of pet-friendly pavilions house picnic tables, so you can enjoy your meal while looking out over the greenery. Alternatively, you can spread your blanket out on the flat grass near the Riverwalk Park Dam and enjoy the calming sound of the flowing water as you eat or talk to loved ones.

Kids will love the large splash pad and basketball court. The green space around the pavilions is also perfect for flying a kite, kicking a ball around, or simply lounging in the sun. The park is an especially popular destination in the summer,  where the city hosts several concerts and special events, such as movie nights and the First Tennessee Muletown Barbecue Cook-off.

Chickasaw Trace Park

Located just northwest of Columbia, Chickasaw Trace Park has been a picnic favorite of locals for three decades. The 240.5-acre park contains three big pavilions full of picnic tables, perfect for both large and small gatherings. Chickasaw Trace Park also has no shortage of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy. For example, you might explore  9 miles of mountain bike trails or a special “Pump & Jump Track” for bikers looking to show off their skills. Kids can enjoy a small playground, while adults might have fun flying or driving radio-controlled airplanes and cars.

You can also explore the large Derryberry Log Cabin, also called the Derryberry House, where you’ll find the bathrooms. If you’re a history buff, you’ll enjoy learning about how early Columbia resident Adam Derryberry and his son Jacob built the cabin circa 1803. The house is one of the earliest examples of a log cabin in the country and has undergone a few notable changes over the years, despite the interior remaining practically unaltered.

Williams Spring Park

Williams Spring Park is located near Columbia in the nearby town of Mount Pleasant. At 24.3 acres, the park is small but pleasant and charming, featuring three pavilions and a couple of picnic tables. The large, grassy area is also perfect for setting up a large picnic spread and settling down for a while. Grills are also accessible if you’re planning a barbeque with family or friends.

If you want to walk or bike in the park, you can take a few loops around the 0.5-mile paved trail. Two playgrounds will help to keep the kids entertained, with a large-scale option for older children and a smaller version for the younger ones.

Woodland Park

Also located in the middle of Columbia, Woodland Park is a large, picturesque wooded area of nearly 62 acres. With plenty of picnic tables and large, grassy areas, the park is the perfect picnic destination. You can enjoy looking out over the greenery as you set up your meal. Once you’re finished, you can take a walk along the park’s trail and take in the scenes or learn the town’s history at the Rainey House, which hosts Columbia’s Parks and Recreation Department. You might also walk along the pond or see what’s playing in the amphitheater.

The park’s 18-hole disc golf course draws in visitors from all around Maury County. Most of the course runs over gentle, grassy hills and slopes, perfect for beginners or novices. A mid-size wooded area surrounds the course, and each section has a variety of fun challenges for you and the whole family. If you’re looking for a different sport, tennis courts are also available to reserve.

Henry Horton State Park

Located just a few miles from Columbia in the town of Chapel Hill, the scenic Henry Horton State Park has a wide range of great picnic spots to choose from, including four large pavilions with plenty of tables. The park’s many grassy areas make a good picnic spot, alongside several tables interspersed throughout the camping area. The park also has a range of fun activities to try, including hiking, fishing, boating, golfing, rock climbing, swimming, and even horseback riding. Be sure to check out the park’s events page for upcoming gatherings, volunteer days, and other exciting events.

Our team at Stan McNabb Chevrolet of Columbia hopes you enjoyed our list of the best picnic spots in and around Columbia. If you have a favorite picnic spot that we’ve missed, let us know today and we’ll add it to our list. We know how important it is to have a reliable vehicle to drive to these places too, so feel free to browse our new or used inventory to see what we have to offer.