As warmer temperatures settle in and we begin to see more sunny, spring days, spending time outdoors will become more desirable. If you're into lounging outside on a blanket and reading a book or even having a picnic with your significant other, area parks are the perfect place to enjoy those luxuries.

So, why not take a stroll down to Alligator Park in Huntington Woods, where you can snag a bench under the trees and spend an afternoon with your favorite page-turner? Or, pack you picnic basket and a blanket and sprawl out on the grass at Jaycee Park in Berkley. Neither park has rest room facilities, so go before you go. Click here to check out more parks in Berkley and Huntington Woods.

In Clawson, City Park, at the corner of Elmwood and Bywood, and Parkland Park, at South Rochester Road and  Parkland Boulevard, are great destinations for a picnic under the sunset or an afternoon reading session. And, if you have to bring the kids, Clawson's parks offer playgrounds and recreation facilities to keep them entertained while you enjoy some time to yourself. Even if you're from another community, spring and summer are the perfect seasons to explore what nearby towns have to offer. 

Royal Oak, for example, boasts 48 parks, all open from 6 a.m. until between 8 and 11 p.m. Amenities include hiking and biking trails, disc golf, nature areas, sport fields and picnic pavilions. For a real escape, visit a couple of parks every week until you find your perfect match. And, as the weather warms up, don’t forget to bring your blanket, book, lunch and some relaxing music. Click here for a complete list of parks in Royal Oak.

There are 14 designated parks in Ferndale. And Ferndale's parks, like parks all over, have varying degrees of playgrounds, pavilions and grill pits. Some have ice rinks, some have basketball courts and some have baseball diamonds. All, however, have grass to lay a blanket down (except Schiffer Park). But that doesn't mean they are all good for a picnic. So we asked Ferndale Patch readers what they thought. We received five responses – yes, we know, not enough for a scientific survey. Yet, if you don't respond, we can't count it. So, with our five responses: Two votes for Geary Park, two votes for Martin Road Park and two for the park that is part of the Gerry Kulick Community Center. (There were multiple suggests per response.) The final vote was for any park other than Harding. Geary Park and Martin Road Park are large parks, with playgrounds, pavilions and space for kids and adults who might want to toss a football. The Kulick park is smaller, but with a nice playground. There are no grill spots, however. Just patches of grass for picnicking.

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