Scale of tourism=picnic_site

General talk Tagging general discussion
1

TL;DR: Is tourism=picnic_site the non-overnight equivalent of tourism=camp_site or tourism=camp_pitch?

In my area, it is common to take an evening or day away at a state or federally run “Day Use Picnic Area”, consisting of, at a minimum, a picnic table. In a mountain setting, it is common for there to also be a firepit or grill, and in a beach setting, it is common for there to also be a shade pavilion. The area likely has 1 or more sets of toilets, an associated parking lot, and possibly some drinking water spouts scattered among the sites.

According to the wording used on signage and websites, the single reservable unit is a “site”, and a collection of sites is a “picnic area” or “recreation area”. A single site can be designed to accommodate as few as 8 people at a single table, or as much as 100 people at a collection of tables (example).

Looking around on the map, I see both the “site” and the “picnic area” mapped as tourism=picnic_site. This feels incorrect, as they are conceptually different things on different scales. We differentiate between these two scales for camping with tourism=camp_pitch for the reservable, individual unit, and tourism=camp_site for a collection of tourism=camp_pitch. So is tourism=picnic_site the equivalent of =camp_site or =camp_pitch, and what tag should be used for the other one?

Before anyone asks, yes, I am aware of leisure=picnic_table. I find this not a valid solution since large group “sites” include multiple picnic tables

2

There are a few possible options already in use.

tourism=picnic_area (used once) & leisure=picnic_area (2x!)

There’s also picnic_area | Keys | OpenStreetMap Taginfo =yes (324x, mainly in France but with a sprinkling in other places, apparently as an import in 2025)

3

I see leisure=picnic_table as a single table, usually with benches and can typically seat 4-6 people. In recent years, they have often been added as outdoor dining spaces / hangout spaces in schools, parks, factories, etc.

I see tourism=picnic_site as a location where there are at least 2-3 leisure=picnic_table on a landscaped site that allows a pleasant visit (not noisy, smelly, etc., hopefully there is nature and a nice view). You might also be able to sit on the grass / a blanket to eat. There is no upper limit on the number of leisure=picnic_table in one tourism=picnic_site, but more than 10 would be rare. There are few other requirements, but a rubbish bin in common and in rural areas there is likely to be off-road parking for cars and other light vehicles.

I am sure that amenity=shelter and shelter_type=picnic_shelter exist, but they don’t seem to occur frequently in the places that I have visited. They seem more like something that one would find in a park or restaurant’s / pub’s outdoor seating area.

The presence or absence of car parking, toilets, drinking water, BBQ areas, playground, shops, etc. does not affect any of the above, other than the likelihood of off-road parking in rural areas. However, they are enhancements that might be present at a tourism=picnic_site.

I see leisure=picnic_table as the equivalent of a space for one tent. It should probably be mapped as a node.

I see tourism=picnic_site as the equivalent of a (basic) camp site. It should probably be mapped as an area.

I see shelter_type=picnic_shelter as the equivalent of a glamping pod. :) It can be mapped as a node or an area.

I have no word for something that might need a relation.

In the context of picnics, the concept of reservations is completely alien to me.

picnic_area=yes seems to be used as a secondary tag with caravan_site=motorhome_stopover. It doesn’t seem to refer to an independent location.

4 Likes