The Best Picnic Baskets For Your Next Fall Outing

Once the leaves start to change colors and you can feel a bit of a chill in the air, it’s time to plan for your favorite fall activities.

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Whether you have a scenic fall road trip planned or want to soak in the views of your vacation while enjoying an outdoor meal, spending the afternoon picnicking under the trees is a terrific way to make the most of the fall.

There are plenty of essentials to pack for a picnic, but there’s one item you need most: a high-quality picnic basket to hold all of your supplies (and the yummy food). Below, I’ve put together a list of my favorite picnic baskets. There’s no wrong choice, so take a look and see which one fits you best!

The Best In Picnic Baskets

Below, you’ll find the top picnic baskets for leisurely days at home or for extended road trips to new destinations. You’ll discover which picnic basket will be the highlight of any romantic evening for two, the budget basket of choice, and ones with extra storage. 

No matter which you choose, they all have something unique to bring to the (picnic) table. 

Which Picnic Basket Should I Get?

Now that you have my list of favorite picnic basket picks, you might be wondering which is the ideal choice for you.

Here’s how I pair a picnic setup for each event:

For a Romantic Evening

If you’re looking to plan a special date night while on a fall vacation with your partner, a picnic might be in order. It’s a fantastic way to spend quality time together while sharing a romantic meal on the go and taking in some lovely vistas.

If you are going to be using your picnic basket mostly for date nights, I highly recommend choosing a basket designed for two people:

The Piccadilly Picnic Basket comes with two of everything, including cutlery, wine glasses, and plates. The design of the basket is oh, so romantic, with leather details and a curved handle that’s reminiscent of a picnic in an old Audrey Hepburn movie.

The Vineyard Willow Picnic Basket (along with two of each dish) has separate storage to fit two wine bottles — maybe one red and one white. You can use the wine glasses and corkscrew that also come with the basket to pop open a bottle and sip on a glass in the fall breeze.

For The Best Budget Option

Picnic baskets often feature an impressive level of detail and craftsmanship — giving them a high price tag. However, there are plenty of options that give you everything you want in a basket without breaking the bank.

The Willow Picnic Basket is a picnic basket for two that includes dishes, glassware, an insulated cooler bag, a picnic blanket, and more for under $50. If you have found yourself spending a little bit too much money on your summer vacations (I totally understand), this basket will give you everything you need without buyer’s remorse. 

If you’d prefer a reasonably priced picnic basket that serves four instead of two, check out the Bee & Willow picnic basket. When you choose this one, you get four porcelain plates, four plastic wine glasses, four sets of stainless steel flatware, and a wine bottle opener for only $65. 

Best Options For The Most Storage

If you have a hefty amount of picnic supplies or want to store personal items in your basket, too, you will enjoy an option with maximum storage.

Consider these picks if you need a particularly spacious basket:

The Large Willow Hamper is 17.8 x 12 x 7.5 inches and can serve up to four people. This basket uses the space with dish storage inside the lid, plus leather straps on the side to carry a picnic blanket. The entirety of the bottom of the basket doubles as an insulated cooler, meaning you have plenty of room to pack all of the fall-themed snacks and drinks you need. 

The Yorkshire Picnic Basket measures to be 17 x 20 x 13.5 inches. This is the biggest basket on this list, and the exterior is durable enough to hold as much as you can fit into it. The dishes and glasses are stored on the sides of the basket’s interior, leaving the rest of the space to be filled with your food, drinks, entertainment, and personal items. 

Best For Long Trips

If you’re going to be walking a few miles or exploring your vacation spot before a picnic, you need a comfortable basket that is super easy to carry.

Here are my picks:

The Picnic Backpack is designed with comfort as the top priority. Feel free to pack your bag, have a picnic in a scenic spot, then take your picnic with you. Head to a pumpkin patch, on a scenic walk, or to a football game — there’s no place you can’t take the backpack! You won’t have to worry about the basket getting in the way or becoming too heavy to carry with one hand. 

The Ultimate Picnic Cooler is designed for versatility and comfort. The exterior of this bag is canvas rather than wicker, and it has an adjustable padded strap that can be worn on the shoulder or cross-body. It’s stylish and functional, which is one of my favorite combinations.

The Best Picnicking Ideas

Once you have the picnic basket of your choice, it’s time to put it to good use! 

While you can always have a picnic in a park around your house, it’s always fun to dedicate an afternoon or evening on vacation to a picnic in a picturesque spot.

Go On A Road Trip

What’s wonderful about road trips is the amount you can throw in your car without filling it up. Rather than being limited to one carry-on or 50 pounds for a checked bag, you can bring as much as you can fit in your car. 

Fall is a classic time for road trips; the weather is perfect, the scenery is beautiful, and major cities are less busy than they are in the summer. Why not hop in the car and head somewhere you’ve never been?

Once you have chosen a road trip, I recommend bringing the Vineyard Willow Picnic Basket if you are traveling with one other person, or the Large Wicker Picnic Basket if you are traveling with more. Both of these baskets have charming good looks and will make for an amazing fall picnic. 

Be sure to pack some pumpkin bread, apple cider, and maybe even a pecan pie, and find a park in your road trip destination that has the space for a long picnic under a yellow or orange tree. 

Bring It Abroad

While you might think that bringing a picnic basket on a trip out of the country will be clunky and cumbersome, the picnic baskets I picked for long trips will make the process easy and painless. 

The Picnic Backpack and the Ultimate Picnic Cooler are both easy to carry and can be used for packing food and drinks or personal items on the plane. That means you won’t have any trouble flying with one of these options.

Happy Picnicking!

Whether you are trying to have an autumn picnic in the UK or a picnic in Paris, you won’t regret adding an outdoor meal to your vacation itinerary. 

To discover some of the best wine and food for your picnic, check out:

• 10 Best Wines For Summertime Sipping According To A Sommelier
• The Alberta-Born Cheese Locals Love — It’s Really Gouda!
• 7 Fantastic Chocolate And Wine Pairings To Try At Home