Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comIt’s been almost a year since I’ve shared a Date Night post, but fall is always the one season Emmett & I resurrect our weekly date night and try to make time for festive and fun activities together (catch our fall to-do list in this post). The trees in our neighborhood are looking extra gorgeous, and are really starting to change, so I figured it was time for that mountain picnic we’ve been planning. Yesterday, we took our RZR up the mountain behind our house to catch the sunset, check out the fall foliage, and enjoy some hot pumpkin soup! Click through for some beautiful fall scenery, to check out our little picnic (and my beloved new english picnic basket), as well as some fall favorites for date night. 

*This post is sponsored by Walmart. All content, ideas, and words are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that allow us to create unique content while featuring products we actually use & enjoy!

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comI’ve been wanting a proper picnic basket for awhile now. Usually when we take food to go, we just use our camping cookware and it doesn’t feel very special. When Walmart asked me to partner for a fall related post, I knew exactly what I wanted to share… the mountain picnic Emmett & I had been planning. It felt like the perfect opportunity to curate my ideal, grown up picnic setup. Since we’re at the mercy of the weather and changing leaves, I took advantage of Walmart’s free 2-day shipping (and returns, if needed) on orders over $35. I wanted to be set once the weather cooled, so we could spontaneously have dinner on the mountainside! I grabbed some blankets and my dream picnic basket…

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comThis picnic basket is the real deal, and is certainly a big improvement over our camping dishes that have seen better days. It’s perfect for a romantic meal outside, live music on the lawn, or soaking in the fall foliage mountainside. It comes with everything you need and more. I bought the smaller basket that serves two. It comes with cutlery, glassware, place settings, a corkscrew, salt & pepper, a mini charcuterie board, napkins, plus an insulated wine pouch & lunch bag for storing cold items. It also arrived with a super soft fleece blanket that attaches to the side. Let’s be real- I also really love the way it looks, in addition to its practicality.

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comIs that not the most charming and functional picnic basket you’ve seen? Emmett was also impressed! I can’t wait to make lots of memories, share many meals, and put this thing to good use in the coming years. This will definitely be the first of many fancy picnics!

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comSince it gets chilly when the sun ducks behind the mountains, I thought soup sounded like an excellent warm idea. I poured hot pumpkin soup with browned butter sage into Emmett’s thermos before leaving home- I got him this thermos for Christmas over a decade ago (when he was working construction) and it’s still one of our most used items. After we setup our spot, we poured the soup and it was still steaming & hot!

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comI also packed a fresh baguette and uncovered the mini charcuterie board that comes with the picnic basket. I prepared everything at home in advance, so it was quick & easy to setup, eat, and enjoy the view.

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comThe weather in Salt Lake feels pretty perfect lately, and the leaves have already started to put on a show. I love this time of year near our house! We usually come to this spot at least once a week to hangout, chat, hike around, and take in the view. Last week the leaves looked nothing like this, and next week I imagine it will be even better (unless we get an early snow). Do you live in an area that has stunning fall foliage? What are the trees currently looking like in your location? Living at altitude, the colors usually turn a bit earlier than down in the valley.

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comIf you’re also itching for all the autumnal vibes, be sure to check out Walmart’s fall home lookbook! They have lots of inspiring categories to shop & browse (decor, dining, entertaining, budget fall finds, seasonal cookware & bakeware, crafts, etc). I’ll link some of my current favorites and everything from our picnic below.

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comClick directly on my finds to be redirected to the source, or use the numbered links below the collage to shop…

01: stanley thermos // 02: cheese board // 03: running stitch blanket // 04: all season cotton blanket // 05: black lantern // 06: herringbone blanket // 07: english style picnic basket // 08: tartan throw // 09: napkins // 10: cast iron skillet // 11: stonewashed cotton throw

In regards to our blankets, we have an existing waterproof camp blanket I toss down first (here is a similar one), then I layered the large all season cotton blanket (#4… this one comes in multiple colors and I love the pattern), and last- I dropped the stonewashed cotton throw (#11) on top for easy access, in case it got cold.

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comCozy blankets, a stellar view, hot seasonal soup, and a good glass of wine… this honestly felt like my ideal low-key date night. It was fun to get out of our regular dinner routine and do something different.

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comWe’re fortunate to live in such a beautiful location! This special spot is just minutes from our house. If you’re wondering how we get to these remote areas without having to hike all day- we hop in our RZR (pictured below), cruise around, and go off the beaten path. It’s one of our favorite outdoor hobbies. I was actually a little worried about strapping our gorgeous new picnic basket to the back of the side-by-side, in fear things would break during the bumpy ride, but everything made it perfectly. I’d say that’s the ultimate test for a picnic basket fit for an outdoorsy family… gorgeous and durable enough to off road. Ha! It certainly has our stamp of approval.

Date Night : Fall Mountain Picnic - roomfortuesday.comWhat fall festivities are you looking forward to, or have you already enjoyed this season? I’d love to squeeze in another picnic before it gets too cold. This was too much fun! I’m also working on finishing my fall decor at home. My pumpkin-filled porch is still a work in progress, but I’ll share it with you soon… next week or the following!

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10 Comments

  1. Good morning! What a glorious evening!! Nature was putting on a show, for real. That picnic basket seems to have everything you could want, and I love the black and buff colors. (Outside is the one place I favor neutrals.) How dreamy that you have such a beautiful spot so accessible. Unless it’s an actual park, I feel like most of the land near us is private. And to be perfectly honest, we’re not off road explorers. We do make time regularly for walks together. I keep saying this, but I think it’s actually true that fall has arrived here.🤞 The leaves have just barely started to turn. I think I missed the window for my favorite apples at the orchard, but next week we’re attending yoga and wine outside at a local farm. I’m super excited! I saw on IG your carload of pumpkins! Every year, I have to resist buying all the pumpkins; our local farmstand has an epic selection. (And they roast fresh chiles right there, so I linger happily just for the aroma!) Thanks for spreading autumn cheer this morning! We’re dealing with yucky Jason injuries this morning, so I appreciate the “refocus.” Here’s to a beautiful day!
    PS You may have also solved my black & white dishes dilemma; I would never have thought to check Walmart!

    1. Good morning, Peggi! It was a fun time with gorgeous views. We have so much BLM land here in Utah, and we’re lucky most of these pretty spots near our house are open for public use. The state also maintains the trails, which is really nice. We need to get back into the habit of daily walks- thanks for that awesome reminder! It definitely feels and looks like fall here, now. It feel like it took longer than usual this year. Today I’m sporting a sweater and boots, and the high is 60, so I’m feeling pretty festive. We also missed the apple picking, but I did make time to go grab pumpkins this week! Yoga and wine at a local farm?! I want to come! That sounds like my kind of day. I hope Jason is ok. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with that- it’s always stressful when our furry family members require a trip to the vet. Hang in there, friend! Sending all the healing vibes your way. xo

  2. I love your date night ideas, and this one looks dreamy. We have a pretty scenic town ourselves, with a ton of options for picnicking nearby; and our leaves are really starting to show themselves as well. The picnic basket would be a wonderful couples gift! Truth be told, the last picnic I went on was as a child. I may just have to invest in a great picnic basket and surprise Jeff with a date night. I adore everything in this roundup, and will definitely be checking out the fall look book. Yesterday was productive and Im hoping that means a relaxing fall morning enjoying one more cup of joe in the crisp, misty air. Cheers to Wednesday. Btw: the daybed for your office looks incredible! It’s really starting to come together. Have a great day. Xo

    1. You’re definitely right- the basket would make such a sweet gift. Maybe that will be my new go-to wedding gift. I’d say we “picnic” often, but never intentionally. It’s more of a grab some easy food & drinks, hit the road, then find a pretty spot to eat. I feel like the basket setup gives us an excuse to slow down, make delicious food, and be more intentional about it. I bet your kids would really enjoy it, too! A fun way to eat out of the norm. I’m so glad to hear yesterday was productive and as a result you’re taking it easy on this fall morning! I’m having my second cup of coffee right now. Ha! Cheers to Wednesday! Thanks for your sweet words about the daybed. It worked out really well and I’m happy we were able to find someone local instead. I’ll have to put together a blog post with the latest update :) Have a great day, Lauren! xo

  3. Beautiful pictures! Your picnic looks dreamy. Enjoy the weather, as it snowed at Alta last night!

    1. Thanks, Teri! We’re headed to Snowbird this weekend for an overnight stay at the Lodge and I’ve heard it’s supposed to be below 30, with potential snow. The photos from Alta are beautiful! I hope you’re having a great fall season yourself :)

  4. You always inspire! I am dying to make this happen now. We live in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains in NM and have some amazing areas we could picnic. I will have to add a couple of lightweight beach chairs to the supplies. We’re both at least 20 years older than you two and most likely wouldn’t be able to get back up after sitting on the ground for any length of time, LOL. Already checked out WalMart online for a basket.

    1. I’m so thrilled to hear that, Jonelle! Our friends just moved to NM and the landscape looks absolutely breathtaking. It’s been years since I’ve visited, but a picnic in the foothills sounds magical! We also packed our camp chairs, just in case we couldn’t find a good sitting spot. Haha! I was surprised how many basket options were available online at Walmart! If you don’t like the pattern or color of the one I bought, they have lots more to choose from. You’ll have to let me know how it goes :)

  5. I’m so jealous of your beautiful weather and all the fall colors you are getting! The set up is so inviting! Wow, that picnic basket is so nice and decked out with all the essentials. We got a picnic basket for a wedding gift and I thought it was so clever. We have used it a lot of times. Need a waterproof blanket..thanks for the recommendation.
    Looking forward to bonfires, picnics and outdoor events this fall. Hope your weekend was great!

    1. I LOVE the idea of gifting a picnic basket for weddings and am wondering why I didn’t think of it sooner. I would’ve loved to receive one of those. I can definitely envision more picnics in our future- we had a fun time, and the views here are stunning with the leaves changing lately! Here’s to bonfires, outdoor events, and all the fun fall things. We went to Oktoberfest over the weekend, which was a lot of fun.