We have several scenic gems in Newton County, including Turner Lake, City Pond, Factory Shoals Park and Lake Varner. The last one may offer the best vistas (though Factory Shoals is one of our personal favorites); however, if you wanted to have a picnic at Lake Varner, you had to settle for sitting on the grass. We agree that's how a picnic should be, but it's not so suitable for larger, or more ambitious, gatherings.