How to Choose the Perfect Picnic Venues in Chicago
When you’re looking for the perfect company picnic venues in Chicago, the hard part isn’t necessarily finding a place – it’s finding the right place when you have so many options.
So how do you decide which picnic venue is the best for your company? We’ve pulled together a few considerations to help you narrow it down.
Guests and Space
Before you begin searching for picnic venues in Chicago, you should know a rough estimate of how many guests you’re inviting. As you look through the different options, you’ll be able to see how many people each location can accommodate.
Duration of Event
Will your company picnic last a couple of hours or all afternoon? Know what you’re working with before you start your research, because each venue may have different time limits or you may have to pay more for a longer event. For instance, local forest preserves close at sunset which means all guests AND rentals need to gone and cleaned up before gates close. This is especially important in later summer when the sun begins to set earlier in the day.
Travel and Proximity
It is important to think about the location of your guests and how easy travel and parking will be. If most of your staff commute from the suburbs, it might be best to find a picnic grove that is easily accessible off a major highway and located closer to the suburbs. Cook Country Forest Preserves usually have plenty of easy parking while still close to the city. If you prefer being closer to downtown, WCF has a hidden gem with easy parking right near a major highway, so you don’t have to sacrifice city views — ask us about UIC Picnic Grounds!
Your Food or Theirs
Some picnic venues in Chicago require you to use their exclusive catering partners, while others allow you to bring in your own food and drinks. If you have a strong preference, then be sure to ask about these policies beforehand.
Activities/Team Building
If you plan on adding activities like inflatables for kids or incorporating a team building program into your summer picnic, then you’ll want to be sure your venue has the space for it. Check with the coordinator about what’s possible if your company books an event.
Company Picnic Planning Assistance
Your mission to find the perfect picnic venues in Chicago can be time-consuming, but you don’t have to do all the work yourself. WCF Events specializes in company picnic planning for small and large companies. We work with a variety of venues in the city, suburbs and across the U.S. Our experts can source a location that will be a great fit for the type of picnic you want to host.
Fill out a request for a proposal or schedule a call to get your planning started!
