Family gathered around a picnic tabl

By Gerald L Dlubala

The weekend was predicted to be perfect, and started with the good feelings that only a few days off, great weather and a planned outing can provide -  the packing begins in anticipation of spending quality time relaxing on park benches or enjoying meals on metal picnic tables at a park or campground, free from household chores like grass cutting and car washing.

You can feel it, even anticipating the drive, with windows open and fresh air filtering through like your personal stream of good vibes. But before you hit the road, you should probably give a quick glance at a couple of social media review sites to see what others are saying about the places you're considering.

"Benches and picnic tables were neglected and in disrepair. Splinter city!"

"The facilities were filthy. We had to clean up before we could even enjoy ourselves. Could've done this at home."

"Seriously, only one site in the whole campground designed for disabled access? We enjoy getting out too, you know."

"Very tall grass and weeds everywhere. Pack your mower if you want to picnic here."

"I had to use the restroom and it was gross…"

"Take your own grill if you're planning on grilling. We assumed they provided one, but all we found was a rusty metal grill bottom which appeared to be used for makeshift bonfires or burning trash."

"Whoa! Time to sit down and look into this further," you say to yourself.

These are just a few of the actual negative reviews on local, state, and national park review sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor. They are not very welcoming, and certainly not reviews that a local, state or national park or other facility wants to be associated with.

It's also not the image park users should have when planning and daydreaming about getting out into nature and enjoying time away from the rigors of everyday life.

When you consider that many state and national parks now offer Wi-Fi at their sites, the reviews and experiences, both good and bad, are immediate and reactionary, spreading faster than that invasive honeysuckle patch.

Parks are a logical choice when people are thinking about relaxing, fun and memorable family times. And although a great outdoor experience can mean different things to different people, there are several things that park and campground managers can provide and do to help make those reviews trend towards the positive side instead of the negative.

Metal picnic tables make it easy to maintain a clean appearance

Successful family outings start with a great place to centralize your day, whether it's a campsite or general picnic area. Wherever it starts, quality picnic tables in a mowed, inviting area are a must.

Round metal picnic table

Constructed of solid materials such as metal, recycled plastic, concrete, aluminum or wood and maintained regularly, a good picnic table presents itself as a centralized location for supplies, board and card games, dining, or just sitting and relaxing while taking a break and enjoying the day. A good, sturdy picnic table is expected.

Solid, well maintained, quality picnic tables and benches can make or break an outing. They should be clean and set up on a pad or level ground area. With all the use and wear that picnic tables get, they should be checked regularly for missing or damaged parts, and if made of wood, they'll need to be routinely inspected for splinters or any rough edges that could cause snags or harm to hands running over them.

One option that more and more parks and businesses are choosing is the use of metal picnic tables, especially those covered with a thermoplastic coating. The thick plastic coating on these metal picnic tables is easy to clean because they repel liquids and stains, even graffiti spray paint. Another major benefit of metal picnic tables is that the thermoplastic covering is also resistant to UV rays, so the tables keep their original appearance for years. With this durable protection, the metal picnic tables repel water and won't be damaged by rain, sleet or snow. As an added bonus, metal picnic tables can be manufactured with expanded or perforated metal openings and still retain their rigidity. This prevents water or liquids from pooling on the tables.

Burgers and dogs, beans and brats

Outdoor cookouts create memorable outdoor experiences, not just with food but also with all the activities that come with it.

Gathering the coals, or kindling wood for the fire, and the smell of that burger or hot dog searing over an open flame automatically brings big smiles and good times.

Standard park grills or commercial charcoal grills should be provided, cleaned and regularly maintained by the parks. Best located in close proximity to the picnic table, the difference between seeing park barbecue grills that are clean and ready for the next user or some that were left to rust, with burned trash in the bottom has a major impact on the public.

Clean grills for parks go a long way in making the impression of your park or campground a positive one, instead of one that ends up in the one-star social media review like those above. What would you rather see posted on the review of your park, a picture of some great food cooking on your park grill with a smiling family and positive comments, or a rusted remnant of a charcoal grill being shown like it belongs in the junkyard for dearly departed grills?

Along with regular ash cleanout, a mild scrubbing with a wire brush and a light oiling will go a long way to keep your commercial charcoal grills both user-friendly and routinely used. A sign posted with directions for the grillers to follow for cleanup and with plenty of park trash cans nearby may be a great addition to nudge the users to do their part in maintenance and cleanup and show that you care about your facilities.

Beating the heat

Many parks and campgrounds have water spigots for general, shared use. But it would also be beneficial to have drinking fountains strategically placed, (commonly around restrooms because of the available water supply), to offer a refreshing, cool drink to those in need. With summer being the busiest time for parks, and a trend of record-breaking summer temperatures, quality parks and campgrounds can easily add drinking fountains and have them available for their visitors to keep them hydrated and safe during their outing.

Keep areas accessible

Recycled plastic picnic tables that ADA-complian

Families use parks for get-togethers. This can include all age ranges and degrees of mobility. Everyone should expect and receive the chance to experience the great outdoors. That is why it is critical to include ADA picnic tables. These special ADA metal picnic tables allow for someone to easily roll up a wheelchair and participate.

Areas of greater concentration, around picnic tables, park benches, park grills, restrooms and outdoor play areas should be maintained with regular mowing and clear paths to venture from one area to the other. Nothing can disrupt an outdoor party like having to step around tall grass and weeds, or push away overgrown bushes or ivy to move about. If hiking/biking trails and nature walks are offered, those paths should be kept reasonably maintained and passable for those that care to use them.

But mom, I gotta go!

The idea of spending the day at the park should not be overshadowed by undesirable, unsafe, less than clean, public restrooms. A serious deal breaker and frequent topic of negative park social media reviews cover restroom facilities, their location, ease of use, and cleanliness (or lack of), and are at the top of reviewers lists when assessing, evaluating, and discussing their outdoor experience. Don't make such a basic necessity cause your park or campground to receive negative or diminished reviews.

That's the way I like it

With all the great outdoor venues available, park and campground visitors can be selective in where they want to spend their valuable time. With the increased availability of comments and reviews on sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor, it is more important than ever that attention be given to the basic needs and expectations of campers and picnickers. Clean, easily accessible areas, equipped with quality picnic tables (consider easy maintenance metal picnic tables), commercial charcoal grills, and the availability of drinking fountains and safe, clean restrooms will keep visitors coming back time after time. And staying away from social review sites.