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Mother’s Day is a special day, but sometimes finding the perfect gift to show love and appreciation for her can be challenging. Sometimes, the greatest gift of all isn’t even truly a gift. Rather, it is the time and attention you give her. If you haven’t already planned to shower your mom with unique gifts or made reservations for brunch or lunch, here are some Arkansas Mother’s Day Weekend activity ideas that are sure to make the most important woman in your life feel extra special.
Enjoy a brunch outing.
It so happens that Mother’s Day falls on Sunday every year, which is also the universal day for delicious brunch. Treat Mom to her favorite place — just remember to call ahead to make a reservation, or check out the restaurant’s website/social pages for brunch information.
Mother’s Day Brewery Brunch at Point Remove Brewery | Morrilton
Mother’s Day Brunch at the Little Rock Zoo | Little Rock
Red Door Restaurant | Little Rock
The Grumpy Rabbit| Lonoke
The Humble Crumb | Sherwood
Crooked Gate Farm & Café | Leslie
Cypress Social |North Little Rock
The Empress | Little Rock
Petit & Keet | Little Rock
Allsopp and Chapple | Little Rock
Mother’s Day Brunch & Fashion Show | DeWitt
Pink House Alchemy | Fayetteville
Murder, Mom, Me and Tea Party | Eureka Springs
Basin Park Hotel | Eureka Springs
Eleven at Crystal Bridges | Bentonville
Make pottery.
Working together to make art won’t just allow you to leave with a one-of-a-kind piece, you can laugh and bond as you explore a new activity. Because it’s so relaxing, you may find Mom opening up like never before. We have so many amazing potters in the Natural State, and you can try your hand at painting pottery at one of these places.
Pottery Worx | Russellville
The Painted Pig |Little Rock
Melt Art Studio| Searcy
The Muddy Pig Studio | Little Rock
Invite her to high tea.
Whether you make the brews and treats yourself or head out to an Arkansas tea house, Mom will love sipping her beverage out of fancy China and snacking on tea sandwiches.
Lavender & Lace: A Mother/Daughter Empowerment Tea| Fort Smith
The Humble Crumb | Sherwood
Urbana Farmstead | Little Rock
The Empress | Little Rock
Have a Mother’s Day book club.
Have Mom pick a book from an Arkansas author, everyone read it and then gather together to discuss. If the kids are still little, this could be modified to be a read-aloud of Mom’s favorite picture books.
Great Summer Vacation Reads from Arkansas Authors
Cozy Winter Reads by Arkansas Authors
Eli Cranor: An Author That’s Ozark Tough
Irony is the Protagonist for Author James Babb
Back to School Reads by Arkansas Children’s Authors
Pick your own fruit.
This activity is especially fun if you have a lot of kids who want to get in on the action. Then, when you all get home, you can whip up a treat for Mom with your selections. A strawberry in a Champagne glass, while she waits, is highly recommended.
Royal Berry Farm | Royal
Cox Berry Farm | Clarksville
Cadron Crest Orchard | Guy
Cadron Crest Orchard | Gentry
Rivercrest Orchard | Fayetteville
Scatter Creek Berries |Paragould
Wye Mountain Farm | Roland
Get theater tickets.
You can go to a play or a musical — or better yet, a drive-in movie! Nothing playing on Sunday? Gift Mom tickets to a great show later in the year.
The Collins Theater | Paragould
Walton Arts Center | Fayetteville, AR
The Weekend Theater, Little Rock, AR
TheatreSquared | Fayetteville, AR
Arkansas Repertory Theatre | Little Rock, AR
Imperial Dinner Theatre| Pocahontas, AR
Center on the Square | Searcy, AR
Or, here’s an idea, take in a drive-in movie!
Spruce up the garden.
If you are a gardener, you know that Mother’s Day is the perfect time to start planting seeds. Get the whole family outside and dig in the dirt together. Every time she sees them, she’ll be reminded of the special day — it’s the gift that keeps on giving! Some flowers that are fairly easy to maintain include sunflowers, marigolds and sweet peas. Support your Arkansas, local garden stores when gathering supplies!
Pittman Nursery Corporation | Magnolia
Good Earth Garden Center | Little Rock
Bradford Yard Living + Landscaping | Rogers
Sharum’s Garden Center | Fort Smith
Garden City Nursery | Bentonville
Evans Nursery | Ward
Custom Landscape and Nursery | Mount Vernon
Adam’s Nursery and Landscaping | Paragould
The Plant Outlet| Conway
Plan a Spa Day.
Mom will truly appreciate you going out of your way to set her up with a relaxing day at the spa (hey, my sons, are you reading this?) Join her if you can and turn it into a fun spa day! We know you will find the perfect spa experience right here in the Natural State, just check out the Arkansas Spa Trail.
Head out on the water.
Take advantage of the warm May weather by going kayaking, paddleboarding, boating, or just relaxing on the water with Mom. Bring the whole family and make great memories!
4 Places for Stand-Up Paddleboarding
Lake Ouachita, Arkansas’s Largest Lake
Arkansas Fishing Spots
The Top Five Things to Do at Blanchard Springs
Lake Chicot from a Pontoon Boat
Collins Creek and Bridal Veil Falls – Heber Springs
Making a Splash at Dam Site on Greers Ferry Lake
8 Must-See Arkansas Waterfalls This Spring
Kayak Fishing in Arkansas
And let’s not forget our Arkansas gem, the Buffalo National River! The nation’s first national river meanders through the Ozarks for almost 135 miles. The upper, middle and lower sections are different in scenery and in regard to rapids. The upper is best in springtime for white water action, and the middle and lower offer more leisurely floats. Pick a section depending on your adventure meter and experience. It’s Arkansas beauty that can only be rivaled by, well, obviously …your mother.
Take a tour of an Arkansas historic site.
If your mom loves history, gather the family for a tour of an Arkansas historic site. The beautiful weather and landmarks are sure to make her day even more memorable, and definitely a great photo backdrop to remember the day. There are many articles on OnlyinArk telling the story of Arkansas. Here are a few that might spark a trip idea.
Houses Full of History: The Historic Arkansas Museum
The CCC in Arkansas
A War Hero, Queen and Frontier Settlements: Arkansas State Park History
The Sinking of the Sultana: The United States’ Greatest Maritime Disaster
Shiloh Museum of Ozark History
Home Sweet Southern Home: Historic Houses of Arkansas
Hatchet Hall: A Piece of Women’s History in Eureka Springs
The History of Old Main
Historic Churches of Arkansas
Shiloh: A Flood of Memories Underwater
Jacob Wolf House: Arkansas’s Oldest Public Structure
Judge Isaac C. Parker Federal Building & U.S. Courthouse, Fort Smith
Hunt for deals at a flea market or antique shop.
Your mom is the best at finding epic deals, so why not join her for a little shopping? Head to a flea market or antique shop to add to her collection. You never know what you’ll find.
Top 8 Flea Markets in Northwest Arkansas
Highway 65 North Flea Markets + Flea Market Shopping Tips
8 Favorite Central Arkansas Antique Stores
Go wine tasting.
Did you know that Arkansas is the largest and oldest wine-producing state in the South? Many wineries along the Arkansas Wine Trail offer tours and tasting rooms, and many a mom would enjoy you driving them around on a little wine-country tour.
Post Winery | Altus
Wiederkehr Wine Cellars | Altus
Mount Bethel Winery | Altus
Chateau Aux Arc | Altus
Dionysus Wine and Brew| Altus
Cowie Wine Cellars & Vineyards | Paris
An Enchanting Evening Winery | Roland
BoBrook Farms and River Bottom Winery | Roland
Keels Creek Winery | Eureka Springs
Tontitown Winery |Tontitown
Sassafras Springs Vineyard, Winery & Events Center |Springdale
Watch a baseball game.
Mom loves to root for the home team as much as anyone! Take her out to the ball game this Mother’s Day. The Northwest Arkansas Naturals play Saturday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 14 at 1:35 p.m. Either way, hotdogs and nachos are on Dad.
Take a family bike ride.
Arkansas has some of the best cycling in the country, from mountain biking and gravel grinders to road cycling. Get the whole crew up and moving around town. Yes, you can deck out Mom’s bike with some pretty flowers.
Coler Kids at Coler Mountain Bike Preserve
Fayetteville Adventure Series Offers Guided Bike Tours
Plan a day hike.
Help mom get back in touch with nature by spending some time in the great outdoors. Hiking is an awe-inspiring way to experience the beauty of Arkansas. There are so many options, check out hiking articles and hit the trails!
Stroll through a botanical garden.
By early May, flowers will definitely be blooming, which means taking a stroll through a nearby botanical garden is a gorgeous and thoughtful way to celebrate her on Mother’s Day.
Mother’s Day in the Garden, Botanical Garden of the Ozarks| Fayetteville
Moss Mountain Farm| Roland
Peel Mansion Museum & Heritage Gardens | Bentonville
Wildwood Park for the Arts| Little Rock
Garvan Woodland Gardens | Hot Springs
Blue Spring Heritage Center | Eureka Springs
The Bernice Garden | Little Rock
South Arkansas Arboretum State Park | El Dorado
Sign up for a tee time.
Whether you just go to the driving range, play 18 holes or just head out for a family game of putt-putt mini golf, Mother’s Day is a great day to get out on the links.
The Natural State Golf Trail
9 Great Mini Golf Courses in Arkansas
Go to a museum or gallery.
If there’s a new exhibit or gallery she’s been wanting to check out, the whole family can make a day of it. Some museums may even offer special Mother’s Day tours and events she’s bound to love. Here are 15 Free Museums in Arkansas.
Whatever your plans are this Mother’s Day weekend, just make sure to be fully present, to shower your mother with all the love and kindness that she has poured into you. And take pictures, lots and lots of pictures (but not staged Instagram ones). You will be glad you did.
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