Family Friendly: Oliver Winery Picnics

When my husband and I were first married, we spent many weekends driving all over Indiana with the goal of checking off all of the boxes in our Indiana Wine Trail Passport. We saw the most beautiful parts of this great state and drank delicious wines. Fast forward 15 years and we’re exploring even more of Indiana with four kids in tow.

Portions of our Oliver Winery visit were provided gratis for the purpose of sharing information with you.

Oliver Winery is Kid Friendly

The term “kid friendly” can be misused frequently, so I want to make sure you know what I mean before you pack your kids up in their carseats and make the 45 minute drive to this gorgeous property. When I say “kid-friendly”, I mean that children are welcome and there are things for them to do or places for them to explore. I don’t mean that the dazzling tasting room is child-proofed, it’s not. I don’t mean that there are puppet shows and playgrounds, there are not.

Oliver Winery has a pond with lily pads and frogs and dragonflies. There are birds and fish and wild grasses. My kids loved the short hike around the large pond and they had a great time skipping rocks and laughing with other kids on the wooden dock.

My kids danced to the live music, smeared crackers with cheese and popped fresh grapes in their mouth from our picnic spread. It was a very beautiful afternoon and each of us enjoyed ourselves.

Picnic Packages for the Whole Family

We reserved an Oliver Picnic Package ahead of time and even had reserved VIP seating on the patio on a busy Saturday. The picnic package for two was a great fit for our family of two adults and four young children. Next time, I would order extra baguette. Add your favorite Oliver Winery beverage to your picnic and you’ve got an amazing small plate spread. Picnic packages are available March – October.

The Picnic Package includes a souvenir wine tumbler for each guest, an assortment of gourmet cheeses and meats, baguette, chocolates, dried fruits and olives. The items provided may vary, but this is what we found in our picnic. You’ll want to reserve your picnic package at least five days in advance.

Saturdays and Events at Oliver Winery

On Saturdays, Memorial Day through the end of August, the patio is alive with live music and groups of families and friends enjoying the atmosphere, the entertainment and of course, the wine. Other fun events take place throughout the summer and fall seasons, from food truck events to festivals and children are welcome to most of them, but check the details because certain events will specify that children are not invited.

Wine Tasting at Oliver Winery

The tasting bar area is for adults ages 21+, so bring along another adult and take turns trying your new favorite wines. For a few dollars, you’ll have the opportunity to drink your way through a guided tasting experience. This is the perfect opportunity to decide which bottle you want to purchase for your picnic. Oliver allows guests to purchase one bottle of wine per person to consume on the grounds. If you want to buy more, you’ll just have to take it home to enjoy.