Moms spend a lot of their time working around the house to create a happy home. So, although it is often the center of their lives in a very positive way, it’s also the site of a lot of their work. Rather than staying at home, here are some ideas of where to take Mom for Mother’s Day. She’ll enjoy getting “away from the workplace” and being pampered without breaking the bank.
Art Museums, Events, Tours
Depending on where you live, your city may have an art museum which offers free admittance for Mom on Mother’s Day. To make this field trip even better, keep the comments about how boring museums are to a minimum and show interest in the exhibits. If you can’t must some enthusiasm for a museum visit, you’ll ruin the trip for mom so instead check around for other locations near your home that might offer similar Mother’s Day savings with broader appeal to the whole family – a butterfly house, botanical garden, or historic home or district. If your mom isn’t into art and flowers, look into behind-the-scenes events and tours. Some of my favorite memories are from these types of outings – a tour of the U.S. mint, a trip to a potato chip factory, an NBC Studios tour and a tour of a vineyard. You can find places like these by searching for “things to do in (my city)” or by searching Groupon (Local – Things to Do), Living Social (Local), or Certifikid.
Restaurants To Celebrate Mother’s Day
Many restaurants want to help you celebrate Mother’s Day. They may have special pricing for the day or offer Mom a particular meal at a discounted price. Check Eat, Drink, Deals for offers (last year’s Mother’s Day deals were posted on May 1). Some restaurants will give Mom a flower or other gift for coming in to dine with them. Call your mom’s favorite restaurants and ask them if they have anything special planned for Mother’s Day.
Picnic
Perhaps you’d prefer something a little less public for Mother’s Day. Prepare a meal you know Mom will love and then find a great place to have a picnic. This is a great option for Moms who enjoy being outdoors. If you choose a location with hiking trails, you can enjoy a family hike after you eat. A national park near us has paddleboats and kayaks. Some parks have tennis courts and volleyball courts too. Check out what activities and equipment is available at your picnic location in advance so you can plan and pack accordingly that day.
Shopping
What Mom doesn’t like to go shopping? Purchase a gift certificate to Mom’s favorite store and then take her to spend it. Some malls offer gift cards that can be used in any store within the mall. If you are up for a few hours of shopping with mom, a mall gift card is a nice way to treat her to not only a few nice things, but also to time with you.
Manicure Or Pedicure
Treat Mom to a manicure or pedicure. Mom deserves to be pampered and many day spas or salons may have special prices for Moms who are being treated for Mother’s Day. Compare prices at the spas or salons near your home to find the best price available (you can find some of these at the sites I mentioned earlier for local activities – Groupon and Living Social).
Plant Flowers
Does your mother love flowers? Rather than purchasing a bouquet of cut roses, go with her to a nursery to pick out a rose bush and plant it in her flower garden. A rose bush will produce roses year after year for her to enjoy instead of dying shortly after the holiday. The same would be true for other perennial flowering plants (I’m partial to lilies, tulips and daffodils). Help her pick out plants and flowers that she likes and then help her incorporate them into her landscaping.
Lots of Photographs Of Mom On Mother’s Day
Get everyone in the family to take photographs with Mom in them during her special day. In most families, Mom usually takes the pictures so there may not be many with her actually in the photo. After you’ve taken the photos, make sure to print some off and frame them or put together a scrapbook so she can enjoy the pictures long after Mother’s Day.
Think of other things Mom enjoys doing. Take her to the bookstore, beach or anywhere else she enjoys going. Most moms will appreciate being thought of and treated to a day out where she doesn’t have to cook and clean up.
Love the photo session idea! Mom is often the designated photographer, and is rarely found in the photos 🙂 While I know most moms are more than happy to be BEHIND the camera, what a blessing for all the family and future generations to have some precious photos of Mom.