Go PICNICKING

Pack the basket and the family, then head out to enjoy the sun.

Nothings says "summer" like a picnic.
Whether you stop by Arby's for takeout, or pack a gourmet meal in a wicker picnic basket complete with its own set of dishes and cheery red-and-white-checkered tablecloth, the food will taste better in the great outdoors.
Best of all, there's no cost aside from the food. And the view is always free.

TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME
Don't forget the watermelon and sunflower seeds when you head out to Redbird Field in Isanti.
As you're enjoying America's favorite pastime, why not pack a supper that builds off our national colors? It'll make for great eating, and colorful pictures.
Hometown ball games start at 7:30 p.m. on weeknights and at 7 p.m. on Sundays.
Redbird Field is located near the soccer complex.
Or, check out the Cambridge Athletic Complex just east of the fairgrounds. League games are played most nights, and there are often tournaments on weekends.

FOR MORE: hometeamsonline.com

LOOK AT THEM GO

Instead of baseball, consider checking out a new sport: BMX. Kids and adults race pedal bikes around a dirt track in Isanti every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the summer.
Bring a blanket and set up near the fence – just stay far enough away to avoid the dirt that shakes loose as the riders fly around corners and over moguls.

FOR MORE: www.rumriverbmx.com


HEAD TO THE PARK

There's a plethora of things to do before and after you eat when you visit the Cambridge City Park along the Rum River.
Kick your appetite up a notch by challenging another to a game of tennis. Watch the kids on the swings. Launch a canoe (bring your own or rent one from Outdoor Edge). Take a dip in the cool water. Or, merely lie in the grass and watch the clouds move by.
There are several shelters with picnic tables to choose from so you don't even have to bring your own chairs. Ah, don't you love it when things are easy?
If you're in Isanti, try Bluebird Park. In Braham, Hidden Park off Fourth Street Northeast is set up with grills.

FOR MORE: 763-552-3343, www.outdooredgemn.com

SEE A GLORIOUS VIEW

One of Isanti County's best kept secrets is the beauty of Springvale County Park.
If you don't pay attention to the signs, you'll miss it. There's only a small asphalt parking lot visible from Highway 95.
But it is what's inside this park that will pull you back again and again. The five miles of unpaved trails meander through prairie and forest. Turn a corner and be amazed by the perfect way the trees frame a view of the small lake along the west edge. Or, look up and see a hawk majestically circling the sky.
Lay your spread out in a meadow and enjoy the break from the rest of the world – without having to drive Up North to get it.

Directions: Off Highway 95 in Springvale Township, two miles east of Highway 47.

READY FOR A SWIM?
Isanti County's one public beach sits on its prettiest lake.
Spectacle Lake's beach is on a south end point. It's not large, but a dip in the clean water is sure to refresh you on a muggy day.
Bring a meal that is easy and light, with plenty of leftovers. You're not likely to leave for awhile.

Directions: Highway 95 west to CR 7; turn left. Turn left onto Cobalt and follow the signs.