Top 10 Mother's Day Activities

Sunset Magazine

Give mom the priceless gift of experience this year-plan a day doing what she loves best.

For the devoted home cook
For the devoted home cook


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
For the foodie


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
For the wine lover


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
For the passionate flower gardener


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
For the aspiring edible gardener


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
For the budding homesteader


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
For the creative crafter


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
For the DIY project queen


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
For the adventurer


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
For the avid shopper


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