I know for many of us parents, fall couldn’t get here soon enough.
And while our calendars might be filling up with pumpkin patches, pumpkin spice latte dates, leaf peeping
and preps for trick-or-treating, let me draw your attention to something else.
Something that could easily and casually find itself on your to-do list this October, November and possibly into December, all depending on Mother Nature and her moods (amiright, Oklahoma?!!)
As it stands now, temperatures are (finally) significantly cooler … so why not take dinner outdoors?
I did, and it was magnificent; and we weren’t the only ones taking advantage of that perfect patio setting!
Check out 3 of my favorite spots to enjoy 70 degree weather, picnic-style tables, outdoor lighting and space any tiny tot, toddler or dog will LOVE!
Louie’s Bar and Grill on Lake Hefner
Louie’s Bar and Grill on Lake Hefner isn’t a stranger to most of us who live here – but if you haven’t been in a while, let me just tell you that they continue to add small joys here and there for families who stop in.
Louie’s provides a great wide open space, mostly fenced in, so parents can enjoy adult conversations while kids make friends building tiny towns, castles and whatever else their imaginations dream up with bright-colored outdoor blocks.
And for the older kids, and adults young at heart, have a game of cornhole.
Chisholm Creek’s Vibrant Scene
Now if you need a busier scene, but still want to eat under the setting sun, take the family Chisholm Creek
this fall season. They, too, continue to update and create beautiful spaces for everyone to take part in and enjoy.
This small mall of restaurants, so to speak, also offers a diverse culinary menu. From Birra Birra (a personal fave of my mom’s), Spark, Uncle Julios, Razzoo’s and Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen to name a few – you really can’t go wrong.
Most, if not all, of those restaurants offer outdoor seating with plenty of entertainment for the kids.
Picture it: a gorgeous orange and red sunset, a backdrop buzzing with good energy, the smell of food that profoundly speaks to your stomach, a beautiful pond and colorful lighting.
For the kids, the playground is always the main course at Chisholm Creek. Yeah, they’ll eat … but they will
likely be more interested in the slide, the faux boulders, playing tag and making up their own rules for massive games of chase.
(Pro tip: keep your eyes peeled for all the holiday activities at Chisholm Creek come November and December! Follow @ChisholmCreek to keep up with all that’s going on there!)
NEW Knox Farm Park: Picnic Paradise
Finally, consider eating outdoors at a brand-new local park! If you are anything like me and my kids, you are always looking for a good place to play. I don’t believe my kids have ever met a park they didn’t love. If they can run, climb and/or swing – they are sold!
Enter: Knox Farm Park. My kids affectionately call it “ the park with the cows. Located at 178th and Hefner Parkway, the pa
rk has two huge black and white sitting cow figures (which can be seen from the Parkway!) It’s located in the new Knox Farm neighborhood.
The theme? Farm life, of course! In addition to the cows, check out a kid-size chicken coop, stacks of fake hay and even faux grass. Pack a picnic dinner and spend the evening here winding down.
I hope you’ll make time to enjoy a meal or two outdoors this season. Take care. and have a GOURD time this fall!
