Basket Case: Los Angeles Picnic Planner

8350 W Third St, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (map)

Upscale West Hollywood gourmet cafe and market features luxe sandwiches, salads and decadent bakery goods. A range of a la carte options are offered to-go, including a cheese plate with accompaniments for $12.

9001 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90048 (map)

Swing by this cafeteria-style restaurant on Beverly for your pick of fresh hot and cold meal items. Hot-portion highlights are slow-roasted pork and always-popular mac 'n' cheese. While they wrap everything up snuggly to-go, make sure you don't forget to take some of their namesake beverage with you--their five delicious flavors include blueberry-mint and peach-ginger.

8142 W 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048 (map)

The Little Door's charming little sister, this casual French-Med patio cafe and artisanal gourmet market offers everything a picnic planner could ever want: delicious to-go delicacies like lentil salad, leek & gruyere tarts, soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts, wine and drinks as well as set-price themed baskets. Oui oui!

2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068 (map)

You bring the picnic provisions, they'll provide the entertainment: This spectacular concert spot carved into the Hollywood Hills is a long-standing summer favorite in Los Angeles. It's also one of the only venues where having the "bad" seats is a good thing. Take advantage of the lawn (and cheap ticket prices) this year with Sunday night performances by artists like Santigold, Ray LaMontagne, Adele and Death Cab For Cutie.

5801 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036 (map)

Set next to LACMA along Wilshire's Miracle Mile, the tar pit lawn is a perfect location for leisurely afternoon reading and sunbathing. The winding path that leads around the George C. Page Museum gets a lot of foot traffic from neighboring nannies and rambunctuous kids, but the well-maintained yard is often overlooked as a picnic place, so come for the museum (adults $7, kids 5-12 $2; 13-17 $4.50) stay for the outdoor relaxation.

24250 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265 (map)

It's just you, the sea, the sky, two baseball diamonds and a meticulously groomed soccer field at this park located in the Malibu Bluffs. Pack your picnic basket and a blanket and plan to spend the day in unabashed sunshine. And if you'd prefer ultimate privacy, roughly five more miles up the PCH you can trade the grass for Dana Point's sandy secluded beach cove. Either option is prime for an award-winning date.

471 S Roxbury Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210 (map)

This green gem is nestled at the base of Beverly Hills and Century City high-rise apartment buildings. Four country-club-worthy tennis courts host many matches. Two cement basketball courts are available for pickup games, while two sand volleyball courts make the drive to Manhattan Beach seem ridiculous. Picnicking, sunbathing and taking the tots for a romp on the pirate ship-themed playground are popular and, of course, free..

15601 Sunset Blvd, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 (map)

This popular Westside hike provides beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and coastline--grab your blanket, basket and bottle of wine and bask in the surroundings. Their is a small parking lot just off of Sunset Boulevard on Temescal Canyon, but after that you're on your own with the wilderness.

1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049 (map)

Perched high atop the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking the 405 freeway, this sprawling, stone-and-glass complex is home to priceless art as well as some of the most imaginative gardens in the city. After taking the monorail up the hill, you can buy a glass of wine and snacks from the various on-site cafes. Bring your camera, travel Scrabble or a good book and enjoy the sight of robust cactus farms, gurgling fountains and a sweeping east-to-west panorama of everything from Hollywood to the Pacific Ocean. Best of all, admission is free.

6360 W Sunset Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028 (map)

If the weather keeps you indoors, choose your own adventure at Hollywood's only theater with reserved seating. They take the movie-going experience pretty serious around here--plush recliners offer three extra inches of seating space, super-wide armrests and plenty of legroom. Purchase your tickets, then grab a bite in the full-service cafe or sip a cocktail at the bar.

630 W 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071 (map)

You cannot bring food into the book stacks of this historic art deco building, but you can take your treats into the cafe. When you're finished, examine the storybook character panel carvings in the children's court. The colorful chandeliers and catalog card-lined elevators in the Tom Bradley atrium, outdoor fountains and pools, and the main lobby's painted ceiling are also beautiful testaments to learning.