The Picnic Grove: Budget Place to Hang Out in Tagaytay

The Picnic Grove Tour

From Maryridge Good Shepherd, we next went to the nearby Picnic Grove. This is a very famous place in Tagaytay that boasts of spectacular view of Taal, with minimal entrance fee. We initially planned to have our packed breakfast here, but since we already did, we just roamed around the picnic grounds.

Row of picnic huts, The Picnic Grove

First, we paid our entrance fees (Php200, Php50 each 4yrs old and up) at the Payment Center beside the Admin Office in order to avoid the long lines, which we anticipate it will have later on since it's a Saturday. All payments are to be made here, from entrance fees to table/cottage rentals (ranging from Php100 to Php500, depending on the size), including the parking fee (Php35 in our case). You'll get an exit pass for your vehicle that you must present to the guard when you exit the park's premises.

Taal From the Viewdeck



We then proceeded to the viewdeck to take pictures of the breathtaking view Picnic Grove offers of Taal Volcano, the world's smallest volcano. However, it got crowded there quickly so we just followed the cemented eco-trail going to the picnic huts. At the bottom of the viewdeck is the zipline and cable car jump off stations. 


Following the Eco-trail



Zipline and cable car station



 







Following the eco-trail, we passed by a hanging bridge.

Hanging bridge at Picnic Grove

Then we reached the picnic huts area. We didn't pay for picnic hut rentals since we really did not plan on staying that long. We just sat by an empty hut, pausing for breath and trying to cool ourselves since it's beginning to feel hot. Here, we just took advantage of the unobstructed view of Taal, snapping photos away. I think the view here is actually better than the one from the viewdeck.

TIP: If you're in a budget, you can also bring your own tents or picnic mats so you won't have to pay for the table/cottage rentals.

Alec and Caleb with Taal as backgroud

Caleb walking along the narrow seat




Alec playing hide and seek



Family picture, Picnic Grove





 



After hanging out for some time in one of the picnic huts, we continued with our tour of the park. We saw some horses for rent in case one wants to go horseback riding. Personally, I think the horses were not so well kept and are in dire need of better care.

Foreign tourists trying out the fish spa

Fish spa with foot massage for Php199

We also saw the fish spa booth where people can have their feet nibbled on by fishes, removing dead skin off in the process. There's also an area where you can catch fish and take them home with you for a fee. Of course, there's a catch to this: you have to catch them with a very fragile scooper. The kids wanted to try this but we were just on the first day of our 3-day vacation and it would be impractical to bring along with us a bunch of fish. Anyway, there's always a next time.

Catch as many as you can!

A dog drinking off a fountain

We then went to the rows of souvenir shops. They offer a wide range of products such as shirts, magnets, bags, wallets, hats, bracelets, necklaces, keychains made from different materials and designs. One of our yayas bought a colored shirt for Php140 (it was her first time in Tagaytay) and hubby bought a coin purse for Php40.

Adventure Jungle, Picnic Grove

There's also the Adventure Jungle, which is a satellite of Kinder Zoo Adventure Jungle in Manila Zoo. It is like a photo-op booth where you can take pictures with animals for a fee. I think the kids will have a great time here, but we saw it when we were about to leave. Also beside it is the Butterfly Garden, where you can enter and interact with the butterflies for Php50.

Thoughts on Picnic Grove

This is not the first time we've been to Picnic Grove. We've visited here time and time again, whenever we're with kids or just looking for a budget place to enjoy Taal's view without spending lots of money. From what we saw recently, the park was relatively clean when we got there. I think it's because it's too early for the trash to accumulate. Later in the day, however, I think the place would be quite crowded and, of course, with the crowd comes the trash. The huts have obviously seen better days and are in need of repainting. I think their CR though has improved since it's now equipped with a working bidet and their faucets have water, in the women's toilet, that is.

There were still lots of vendors roaming around the park selling various items like food, toys, while some offer massage services. A negative thing, in my view, is that some of them can get very insistent and pesky in trying to make people buy from them, even giving the toys to children so parents would be forced to buy them. There was even one vendor who was standing by the hut we're in despite us saying that we won't buy from her. She only went away when hubby noticed that my wallet was kind of near where she was so he got it and hid it in his pocket. I hope the park's management can find a way to regulate these vendors because they can really be bothersome. And always make sure that you watch your things. It's better to be safe than sorry.

All in all, I think Picnic Grove has been and will continue to be a great place for friends and families, kids and adults alike (especially those who are in a budget) who are looking for a place to hang out and enjoy the view of Taal.

View of Taal from Picnic Grove

The Picnic Grove Complex

Tagaytay-Calamba Rd., Barangay Sungay East-End, Tagaytay City
Telephone: +63 46 413 4206