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No summer in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) is complete without a relaxing afternoon at the park, enjoying a delicious meal with your friends, family, or a loved one in the serenity of nature.

However, if you’re looking for a picnic experience this summer with a little more “oomph" than your typical sandwiches-over-a-gingham-blanket feast, look no further than some of the town and region's luxury picnic providers.

These five services host fancy picnic dining experiences at scenic locations in Niagara-on-the-Lake, or provide artisanal to-go picnic meals — either way, it’s all the fun of picnicking, and zero of the work for you.

One of the first local places to offer luxury picnic experiences, Picnics by Niks lets you enjoy any occasion with a picnic meal in the vineyards or fruit orchards of Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Forget paper plates and plastic forks: Picnics by Niks offers a full meal with custom tables, stemware and place settings, themed decor, and pillows and blankets.

A custom picnic setup for two begins at $275, with four hours of allotted time. For more information, including more prices and packages, visit picnicsbyniks.com.

Whether it's a girls' day out, date night, or a party for the kids, this company helps set up luxury picnic events for all occasions, including an à la carte menu with charcuterie boards, local pies, scones, and cupcakes, and custom tablescaping.

There's also the option to rent several other fancy add-ons to your experience, including a seven-foot hoop, champagne trolley, a vintage boho peacock chair and stool, and more.

They offer several experience packages, starting from $275 for up to 14 guests, in locations like the Niagara Parks or on the shores of Lake Ontario. For more information, including prices and packages, visit msha.ke/cedarhousep.

Looking for something more “on-the-go?” Picnic Niagara offers portable picnic carts with a five-course farm-to-table meal you can pick up from its location in Queen’s Royal Park, near the gazebo.

A base meal for two to three people includes plates and cutlery, and rental of a cart, blanket, and seat cushions, at $130 for a regular, dairy-free or vegetarian menu. Add-ons like an umbrella, portable chairs, additional platters and more are also available starting at $10.

For more information, visit picnixniagara.com.

All you cheese lovers out there: this one’s for you. Cheese Secrets Gifting Station sells to-go picnic baskets with selections from its sandwich menu, specialty dips, desserts, and a picnic basket and blankets to rent. You can also throw in a charcuterie platter with some of the Gifting Station’s popular cheeses, including its top-seller Five Brothers cheese, a creamy combination of Gouda and Swiss appenzeller.

A basket for two goes for $45 plus tax, with baskets also available for four to six people. For more information, visit picniclovesniagara.com.

Finally, whether you’re looking for a picnic experience that’s bright and simple, artsy and bohemian, or classically elegant, Picnic Social has it all. They offer six different luxury picnic set-ups for four people, however, food and drinks are not included: guests can bring their own, or they can have it delivered to their table by Picnic Social for free.

Each picnic experience is $200 for two to three hours, and additional guests can be added for $50 per person. For more information, visit picnic-social.com.

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