Give mom the priceless gift of experience this year-plan a day doing what she loves best.
For the devoted home cook
Instead of cooking for mom, plan a day of cooking an amazing meal with her. Treat her to a copy of The Sunset Cookbook, filled with all the Western-style dishes she loves. Plan a menu of her faves, do the grocery shopping, and clean up afterward so mom is free to simply have fun in the kitchen.
> More: 14 iconic Sunset Cookbook recipes
For the foodie
OK, you can do the Mother's Day brunch, but think outside the box by assembling a DIY picnic of amazing, made-in-the-West delicacies. Need some recommendations? Check out where to find top-notch products in our list below.
> More:
Cheeses
Jams
Olive oil
Wild mushrooms
Oysters
Artisanal chocolates
For the wine lover
Impress mom with your wine savvy by arranging an at-home tasting of the year's best special occasion wines (because who's more special than mom?). Alternatively, treat her to a day of sipping at a winery near you.
> More: Our favorite special occasion wines
> More: Urban wineries in the West
For the passionate flower gardener
Take mom on an outing to a nursery near you, and then spend the day plotting, planting, and pruning floral beauties in her garden. If you're not a green thumb yourself, bone up with our tips on all things flower gardening, including how to attract pollinating bees, humming birds, butterflies, and more winged guests to the garden.
> More: Nurseries and gardens to visit this season
> More: How to make a garden bloom
> More: Attract winged guests to your garden
For the aspiring edible gardener
What better way to spend the day than laying ground for the gift that keeps on giving? Help mom get her garden started with our tips on the best planting methods and the top fruits, veggies, and herbs for home gardens. By next year's Mother's Day, she'll have plenty of experience, not to mention some delicious bounty.
> More: How to grow your own vegetables
> More: Best crops for your edible garden
For the budding homesteader
Is mom curious about expanding her homesteading activities beyond edible gardening? If raising chickens appeals, help her get into the act by ordering her a coop and chicks, and steering her toward our chicken-raising tips. Or if mom's sights are set on beekeeping and honey making, buy her a starter kit and get her plenty of guidance from our beekeeping chronicles.
> More: How to raise backyard chickens
> More: All about beekeeping and honey making
For the creative crafter
Help mom breathe new life into her home with fun decorating projects, from making a memory box table (pictured) to creating an outdoor chandelier.
> More: 30 easy home decorating projects
For the DIY project queen
If mom is all about transforming found objects into one-of-a-kind treasures, we've got a trove full of projects to make her day: turning broken doorknobs into patio flooring (pictured), outdated clothing into stylish throw pillows, sewer pipes into plant holders, and much more.
> More: 21 DIY salvage makeovers
For the adventurer
With spring at its peak, Mother's Day is the perfect time to enjoy a day of hiking, kayaking, or cycling with mom. Looking for an urban adventure? Check out our favorite city bike rides.
> More: Lovely spring hikes
> More: Spend a day on the water
> More: Scenic cycling routes
> More: Top 10 city bike rides
For the avid shopper
Treat mom to some retail therapy in a primo shopping district near you.
> More:
Denver
Santa Fe
San Diego
Los Angeles
San Francisco Bay Area
Seattle
Related: Mother's Day gift guide
