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Steam rising from the cement? Seek refuge – and take advantage of the warmer weather! – on the nearest patch of green grass. Before you join those lounging at Blanche P. Levy Park, aka College Green, swing into DIG for help packing a picnic that’ll have onlookers brimming with envy. Located on 36th street, DIG is focused on providing delicious meals with farm fresh ingredients and their Summer Picnic Box includes BBQ sauce glazed chicken served with sides of roasted street corn, chef's herb potato salad, tomatoes & cucumbers, and kale caesar. Once you’ve eaten your fill, pop over to the Peace Garden by the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center for some additional Zen. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you spot the iconic silver peace symbol sculpture. Other clues: the grove of distinctive Chinese elms (take a good look at the bark on those trees!) and dozens of daffodils and azaleas. 

If you’re looking for a bench with your name on it, Edward W. Kane Park is a good bet. And if oak leaf hydrangea, grape hyacinth, and rose of Sharon mean anything to you, bring your camera. Once a surface parking lot, Kane Park is now home to a bevy of garden beds, an elevated lawn (frisbee, anyone?), and a paved pathway. The variety of peak season plant life is a big draw for staff, patients, and family members looking for a change of scenery from nearby Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania – as is HipCityVeg, a popular answer to the quick and healthy lunch conundrum. Serving a variety of vegan options including salads, sandwiches and smoothies, this neighborhood favorite may best be enjoyed with a gentle breeze and book on your lap.

Want more local intel? Penn’s campus may have 100 acres of green space, but three of them are particularly enchanting. Jot this down for your next lunch break: The James G. Kaskey Memorial Garden and Park (otherwise known as the BioPond). Before you set out for this hidden gem off Hamilton Walk and to maximize your time outside, stop by Just Salad to upgrade your lunch with a salad, wrap, or bowl filled with real goodness from local sources prepared fresh and fast right in front of you. While many spend years on campus without discovering this woodland and aquatic pond, the area is a true urban oasis. Home to a variety of flora and fauna, with countless footpaths winding through serene gardens and secluded forests, there couldn’t be a better setting to unfurl a picnic blanket and spend some quiet time among the (500) trees.

Speaking of on-campus jewels, there are a couple of others to consider adding to your back pocket. Exhibit A: public commons and pedestrian walkway Shoemaker Green. What’s going on behind the scenes of the 2.5-acre site? A sustainable site management plan to improve water quality, minimize runoff, reduce the effect of the urban heat, and increase local biodiversity. Amble over to Shoemaker Green Rain Garden – yes, as pretty as it sounds – where floodplain species flourish and brown-eyed Susans and blue flag irises abound. And for sustenance, duck into Franklin’s Table Food Hall and check out the newest addition, PaperMill Fresh Asian Kitchen with its one-of-a-kind Spurrito, a spring roll burrito perfect to enjoy as you stroll or sit.

Nothing says lunch on the go like mouth-watering falafels tucked into a fresh baked pita, with a side of shawarma fries and a refreshing soda or shake. Goldie Falafel is another convenient option for grab and go goodness  – particularly if you’re over by Penn Park. This 24-acre park is a playground for active urbanites, and comes complete with picnic tables, benches along winding pathways, and green space galore. The Park includes synthetic turf athletic fields, the Dunning-Cohen Champions Field with a seasonal air structure and the James "Ace", Adams Field, a multi-purpose stadium, as well as the 12-court Hamlin Tennis Center. The University can attribute a 20% increase of campus green space in 2011 to Penn Park, and plant lovers will appreciate the 500+ mainly native trees selected to spruce up the former industrial site. An amazing shot of the Philly skyline can be seen through the trees, making this one of the best outdoor rooms with a view for this summer in the city.