In Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, players can enjoy picnics with their Pokemon (once they've got past the intro stage). This is great for a lot of reasons. Firstly, it's adorable to see Pokemon wandering around, interacting with each other, and curling up for a nap. More importantly, however, having a picnic with Pokemon gives players the opportunity to increase friendship levels, make sandwiches for stat boosts, and even breed their Pokemon using the egg basket.
Players can sit down for a picnic in most places across Paldea, but there are a few exceptions. The areas must be wide-open, flat spaces. Players won't be able to have a picnic in the middle of a town or city, and it's a good idea to avoid places where a lot of aggressive Pokemon are gathering. Other than that, players can settle down for a picnic anywhere. Here are a few key locations that would make good picnic spots for Pokemon Scarlet & Violet players.
5 Mesagoza (South)
Heading over to the Pokemon Center at Mesagoza (South) will leave the player with a large, flat open space with some cute Pokemon wandering around. This is a great spot for picnics for many reasons. Players can decamp right near a Pokemon Center, which is always useful. Additionally, the gates of Mesagoza City are right there, which will give the player access to stores like Deli Cioso, which stocks useful sandwich supplies.
Mesagoza (South) is also a pretty peaceful area. The Pokemon here are low level, so any wild encounters players have on the way will be easy enough to defeat. There aren't any herds of aggressive Pokemon that linger here either. This makes it the perfect peaceful spot to bond with Pokemon early in the game, and it's a safe place for new players to get to grips with Pokemon picnic mechanics.
4 Cascarrafa (West)
The land around the Pokemon Center at Cascarrafa (West) is a great spot for a Pokemon picnic. Cascarrafa is home to another branch of Deli Cioso, which has some useful sandwich ingredients — like Chorizo, which gives a decent Exp boost; and Chili Sauce, which gives a decent Raid buff.
There are some large flat areas here to have a picnic, and the Asado desert is a stone's throw away. That area is home to the Quaking Earth Titan, so it's a good idea to stop here to have a picnic first and make a decent sandwich. Players can focus on ingredients that boost Exp points, for example, in order to make the most of defeating the Quaking Earth Titan.
3 West Province (Area Two)
Flying to the Pokemon Center in West Province (Area Two) will land the player in the hills above Porto Marinada, a great spot to explore. The coastal area nearby is great for catching Water-type Pokemon, and the grassy hills above create a nice view for a picnic. It's also a nice open spot to wander around if players are trying to hatch eggs.
There are some wild Tauros in the area, which are notoriously aggressive, so it may take a little wandering to find a peaceful spot. Once players are in a peaceful spot, though, they can enjoy a restful coastal picnic. Players can create a sandwich that increases their Water Encounter level. The Vegetable Sandwich, Zesty Sandwich, and Great Zesty Sandwich are all good choices here, and may help players in their mission to complete the Pokedex.
2 Cortondo (East)
East of Cortondo, there is a large flat grassy area, which is ideal for a Pokemon picnic. This is a prime area for Tera Raid Dens to spawn, so recharging here and making a sandwich with a boost to Raid Power. Plus, the Pokemon around here are fairly peaceful, so players won't have to worry about dealing with a sudden Pokemon rampage. It's also a great area to explore, with some interesting species of Pokemon and a few treasures to be found.
The city of Cortondo is, of course, home to several useful stores, including a branch of Deli Cioso, which is useful for stocking up on sandwich ingredients. If players want to tackle some of the Tera Raid Dens nearby, they should pick up some Basil, Watercress, Chili Sauce, and a Fried Fillet or two. Of course, which ingredients players choose will depend on the type of the Pokemon tucked away in Tera Dens, but stocking up on a wide range of ingredients will help.
1 East Province (Area Three)
East Province (Area Three) has some open flat spaces, ideal for picnics. Hanging around near the Pokemon Center is always useful, and the city of Zapacico is nearby. In the sandwich store Every Wich Way in Zapacico, players can grab new recipes from a man standing near the counter, which is super helpful.
Players can choose to have a picnic near the Poison-type specialist Atticus in the Team Star Base. This is one of the tougher Team Star battles, and having a picnic here will give players a chance to rest and gain a few Exp points. Making a sandwich that boosts Exp points for Ground Pokemon would be a good move here, as Ground-types are excellent against Atticus's team. Try the Ultra-Herbed-Sausage Sandwich.