Celebrate Mother’s Day in Boston: A Perfect Family Day Out

Mother’s Day is a special occasion to celebrate the incredible women in our lives. Boston, with its rich history, vibrant culture, and beautiful scenery, offers a plethora of activities for families to make this day memorable. Here’s a guide to enjoying a delightful Mother’s Day in Boston with the whole family.

Morning: Brunch with a View

Start your Mother’s Day celebration with a delicious brunch. Boston boasts numerous family-friendly restaurants that offer special Mother’s Day menus. Some top picks include:

City Table: Located in the Lenox Hotel in Back Bay, City Table offers a relaxed, elegant atmosphere and a diverse menu featuring locally sourced ingredients.
The Friendly Toast: This quirky spot in Back Bay serves up hearty and creative breakfast dishes that both kids and adults will love.
Stephanie’s on Newbury: Known for its comfort food, Stephanie’s offers a cozy atmosphere and a lovely outdoor patio for enjoying the spring weather.

Late Morning: Stroll Through the Boston Public Garden

After brunch, take a leisurely stroll through the Boston Public Garden. The garden is in full bloom in May, making it a picturesque spot for a family walk. Don’t miss the famous Swan Boats, a beloved Boston tradition since 1877. A ride on these pedal-powered boats offers a peaceful and scenic view of the garden’s lagoon.

Boston Public Garden. Bob Linsdell, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Afternoon: Explore the Museum of Fine Arts or the New England Aquarium

Depending on your family’s interests, you have a couple of great options for the afternoon:

Museum of Fine Arts: Spend a few hours exploring the vast collection of artwork. The museum often hosts special exhibits and activities for families. Be sure to check out the Art of the Americas Wing and the stunning contemporary art galleries.
New England Aquarium: If your family loves marine life, the aquarium is a must-visit. From the mesmerizing Giant Ocean Tank to the playful penguins and touch tanks, there’s plenty to see and do.

If your mom is elderly and has a home caregiver who often takes her for walks, this is the perfect opportunity to take her somewhere special. Spend the afternoon exploring a museum like the Museum of Fine Arts or the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. These cultural institutions offer a peaceful and enriching experience that she will surely appreciate.

Late Afternoon: Charles River Esplanade

Head to the Charles River Esplanade for some outdoor fun. This picturesque park along the Charles River is perfect for a family bike ride or a relaxing picnic. You can rent bikes, paddleboats, or simply enjoy the beautiful views and fresh air. There are also playgrounds for the kids to enjoy.

Evening: Dinner and a Sweet Treat

End the day with a lovely dinner at one of Boston’s family-friendly restaurants. Consider:

Legal Sea Foods: A Boston staple, Legal Sea Foods offers fresh seafood and a kid-friendly menu.
North End: For Italian cuisine lovers, head to the North End. There are numerous restaurants to choose from, each offering delicious pasta, pizza, and other Italian delights.

After dinner, treat mom to something sweet. Visit Mike’s Pastry or Modern Pastry in the North End for a famous cannoli, or stop by J.P. Licks for some homemade ice cream.

Evening: Catch a Show or Relax

If you’re up for it, catch an evening show. Boston’s theater district often features family-friendly performances. Alternatively, if you prefer a quieter evening, head back home and relax with a family movie night or play some board games.

Take a Load Off Mom

So instead of laundry, cooking, and cleaning, take a load off mom. Get laundry pickup and delivery from your local Boston dry cleaner and eat out so that you can take mom on a shopping spree and help her find the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Treat her to a day of relaxation and pampering, letting her know just how much she is appreciated.

Tips for a Smooth Mother’s Day Outing

Plan Ahead: Make reservations for brunch and dinner to avoid long wait times.
Dress Comfortably: Boston’s weather in May can be unpredictable, so dress in layers and wear comfortable shoes for walking.
Capture the Moments: Don’t forget to take lots of photos to remember this special day.

Mother’s Day is all about making mom feel cherished and appreciated. With its mix of history, culture, and natural beauty, Boston offers the perfect setting for a memorable family celebration. Whether you’re exploring the city’s landmarks, enjoying delicious meals, or simply spending quality time together, Mother’s Day in Boston is sure to be a hit with the whole family.

Things to do on Mother’s Day in Boston

Spring has sprung in Boston. As flowers bloom and birds tweet, we know that Mother’s Day is just around the corner. How can we honor and show appreciation for the mothers in our lives, women who work tirelessly day in day out and make significant sacrifices to ensure that their children are healthy, happy, and successful? Here are some ideas:

Go shopping

Is that a surprise? Women love shopping. So instead of laundry, cooking and cleaning, take a load off mom. Get laundry delivery service from your local Boston dry cleaner and eat out so that you can take mom on a shopping spree and help her find the perfect Mother’s Day gift.

Take a stroll in the Boston Public Garden

Mothers with young children frequently take their children to the local park playground to play and teach them social skills. A stroll in the park will let your mother enjoy it for herself. The Boston Public Garden is a beautiful and relaxing place to spend some time with your mother. You can take a leisurely walk around the park, admire the flowers, and enjoy the scenery. If your mom already has a home care companion who takes her to walks, then you can take her to a museum.

Visit a museum

If your mother is an art lover, the Museum of Fine Arts is the perfect place to spend the day. You can check out the latest exhibits, admire the works of famous artists, and even take a guided tour. How about the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum? This museum is a must-see for anyone interested in art, culture, and history. The museum has a vast collection of art, including works by famous artists such as Michelangelo, Rembrandt, and Raphael. Besides art and culture, Boston has a variety of other museums that can be of interest to mom. Take her pick!

Take a cooking class together

Many cooking schools in Boston offer classes where you can learn to make a delicious meal with your mother. It’s a fun and interactive way to spend some quality time together and learn some new culinary skills. Well, if your mother loves food but not cooking, then you can simply treat her to a special Mother’s Day brunch and enjoy some quality time together.

Take a day trip

Mother probably stays home a lot and spends most of her time in the neighborhood. How about taking a day trip to Martha’s Vineyard? It’s just a short ferry ride from Boston. Spend the day exploring the island’s quaint towns, beautiful beaches, and scenic landscapes. Or take a Boston Harbor cruise. Enjoy the beautiful Boston skyline and the scenic harbor with a Mother’s Day brunch or dinner cruise.

Enjoy a show or concert

If your mother loves Broadway shows or live music, dance and theatre performances, treat her to a night out and enjoy a Boston Pops concert, Boston Ballet, comedy club or jazz performance.

Mother’s Day is an opportunity to acknowledge and thank mothers for their hard work, dedication, and unconditional love. It is also a chance to celebrate the special bond that exists between a mother and her children. By taking the time to show our gratitude and appreciation for our mothers, we can strengthen our relationships and create meaningful memories.

Celebrating Mother’s Day During COVID-19

We usually celebrate Mother’s Day with flowers and gifts for mom, taking her out to dinner and may be a shopping spree or a trip to the spa or salon. While our city is still in lockdown, with restaurants, salons and shops closed, how are you celebrating Mother’s Day?

Mother’s Day Gifts

For the most part, we can order gifts online and get them ready by Mother’s Day. If you cannot get a gift delivered in time, don’t forget that your local drugstore is still open and carries a variety of health and beauty products that your mom would love – from age-defying skin care, hair coloring and styling to perfumes and manicure products. Your community pharmacy may provide curbside service so you can stay safe.

Take a load off

Mom is always busy caring for her family. The list of household chores is never ending. During the quarantine, the amount of cleaning and disinfecting has probably quadrupled. So a great gift would be to take over some of her work. How about letting the local dry cleaner nearby do the laundry? Schedule a laundry pickup before Mother’s Day, so that she is relaxed and not worried about doing the laundry.

If mom’s work includes caring for grandpa and or grandma, which is not unusual in this age of the “Caregiving Crunch,” you can take a load off her by hiring respite care providers from the local home care agency. A home health aide can provide respectful professional care and companionship for a senior loved one while the family caregiver takes a break.

Fun activity together

Do something fun with your mom at home, such as watch a movie on tv, take a trip down memory lane by viewing old photos together, make handicrafts or artwork, give mom a manicure, and so on.

Dinner

If your mother is living in the same house, you can perhaps cook a nice dinner or if you are not a good cook, you can order a big meal online and get it delivered to the house. But if your mother is not under the same roof, you can try sharing a virtual dinner on Zoom. That way, you can still see and chat with each other during dinner.

With a little creativity and preparation, we can still give mom a memorable Mother’s Day during these unprecedented times. Stay safe and have fun with your mom on Mother’s Day!

Photo by Karolina Bobek ✌ on Unsplash