The 40 Best Mother-Daughter Date Ideas for Some Quality Time Together
Yes, Mother’s Day is quickly approaching—but you really don’t even need an occasion to spend some QT with mom. The question is, what to do? Fear not, we have a whole host of mother daughter date ideas, whether you’re a mom who’s planning a day out with your juvenile offspring or a grown woman hoping to have some one-on-one time with mom. From scrapbooking and pottery to psychic readings and glamping trips, here are our favorite ideas.
50 Awesome Mother’s Day Activities You Can Pull Off Even at the Last Minute
At-Home Dates and Affordable Outings
1. Do a Virtual Paint and Sip Class
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Channel your inner Bob Ross with mom at your side by signing up for a virtual paint and sip class. Companies like Paint the Town will provide the instruction and all the materials except the wine, and the art party-for-two can be enjoyed from the comfort of your own home.
2. Have a Game Night
Video games, board names, card games—there are myriad ways to enjoy some friendly competition and lively entertainment when you schedule a family game night.
3. Have an At-Home Spa Day
You don’t need to spend a fortune at a fancy spa to enjoy a day of pampering with your mom. Just try one of these homemade face masks, paint each other’s nails and pop a bottle of Champagne while you’re at it.
4. Make Dinner Together
Skip the restaurant dinner and enjoy a more intimate, relaxed atmosphere by cooking up a gourmet meal at home. After all, time spent together in the kitchen is a recipe for bonding.
5. Go to a Karaoke Bar
Whether you rent a private room or brave the stage together in front of an audience, any night that involves a mother-daughter duet and a few solo odes to familial love will be one to remember.
6. Visit the Botanical Garden
Schedule your date for a sunny day so you can take a walk through the botanical gardens and enjoy the serene atmosphere and natural beauty with your favorite gal. The leisurely stroll will give the two of you ample opportunity to connect and catch up, and the scenery can’t be beat.
7. Go to a Nail Salon
If an at-home spa day isn’t your speed, just head to the local nail salon for a professional mani-pedi and some girl talk. Get lunch before or after and you have the makings of a lovely mother-daughter date.
8. Do Some Antiquing
Nothing says mother-daughter date quite like casually browsing treasured heirlooms while leaning into the nostalgic mood and reliving personal memories of times past. Plus, if you’re lucky, you both might score something pretty neat.
9. Go Gallery Hopping
Take a culture day and explore some local art galleries together for a breezy date that involves exchanging opinions on what you see (and availing yourselves of any free wine and hors d'oeuvres on offer).
10. Browse a Flea Market
If you’re looking for a low-key date idea that allows a little more freedom, a flea market is the perfect place to take your mom. You can both browse together or independently, share the cool and interesting goods you find with each other and enjoy just as much casual conversation as you want while you’re at it.
11. Take a Cooking Class
In the same vein as cooking a homemade meal together—this one is a great option for mother-daughter duos who need a little guidance in the kitchen. Best of all, it can be done virtually if you wish—and there are tons of options out there, ranging from Chinese soup dumpling classes to live tutorials that yield dinner and dessert pizzas.
12. Go to a Drive-in Movie
Here, a sweet throwback activity that allows moms and daughters to enjoy a good flick whilst allowing for a little more socializing. Pack some sandwiches and plenty of snacks if the venue allows it, spread out a picnic blanket and bond over a rom-com together like the besties you are.
13. Go on a Food Crawl
Foodies will swoon for this mother-daughter date idea, which involves hitting up the best food trucks and/or casual eateries your town or city has on offer. Just be sure to coordinate an itinerary that features both of your favorite foods and pace yourselves so no one bursts at the seams.
14. Attend a Trivia Night
Team up or go toe-to-toe—either way, mothers and daughters will have a ton of fun testing their general knowledge and, in the latter case, finding out who really knows best.
15. Visit a Comedy Club
Yuk it up with mom at a comedy club for an uproariously good time and some (possibly irreverent) laughs. And yes, stand-up shows can be hit or miss, but that’s just part of the fun, no?
16. Have a Picnic
Here, an easy, breezy date idea that’s just right for a sunny spring day (Mother’s Day, for example). Whip up a pasta salad, pack a couple sandwiches and a bottle of wine, perhaps, and then find yourselves an appealing plot of grass or picnic bench at your local park. The end result will be a pretty dreamy lunch date with plenty of fresh air.
17. Volunteer Together
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly date idea, working together to give back to the community is a win. Not only is volunteering totally free (duh), it’s also scientifically proven to promote bonding and provide many mental health benefits to all parties involved.
18. Have a Psychic Reading
Inject a little fun and mystery into your mother-daughter date with a psychic reading that will reveal your respective futures…or maybe not. Bottom line: Take the results with a grain of salt and focus on making the most of the novel, shared experience.
19. Visit a Museum
Another cultural date idea is to spend some time exploring a museum with mom—preferably one with a recently opened exhibit of mutual interest. Finish up by chatting about the experience over coffee and pastries at a local cafe and you’ll feel closer (and cooler) than ever.
20. Take a Pottery Class
Artsy mother-daughter duos might enjoy getting their hands dirty at a pottery class. They’re not hard to find, and if the vibes are too sensual (a la Ghost) you can always opt to paint a ready-made pot instead for a creative activity that still yields a cherished keepsake.
21. Start a Scrapbook
This sentimental activity calls for a box of Kleenex nearby. Bust out the family photo albums, relive all the good memories and make a treasured keepsake album together with some artistic flourish.
Splurge-Worthy Outings
22. Book a Vacation Rental
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Enjoy a weekend away at a luxe vacation rental—you can cut down on the expense by booking a place relatively close to home (a mountain retreat just out of the city, perhaps?) so you can save on airfare. Either way, a weekend spent together in a fresh, new setting will be one for the (photo) books.
23. Attend a High Tea
If you live in the city, there’s a good chance there’s a seriously swanky hotel or tea room that hosts this late afternoon event. Dress to the nines and order all the biscuits, crumpets and tea sandwiches.
24. Visit an Amusement Park
Both mother and daughter can have a wildly fun time reliving a childhood rite of passage with an amusement park visit. Plus, the adrenaline-fueled thrills are great for bonding (i.e., the mother-daughter duo that screams together, stays together).
25. Attend a Sporting Event
Nothing can unite a mother and daughter quite like rooting for the home team (so to speak). Score tickets to see your favorite sporting event—box tickets if you really want to splurge—and get swept away by the cheerful and electric energy of all the other fans.
26. Go Wine Tasting
Head to a nearby vineyard on a sunny day to tour the grounds, learn about the winemaking process and taste the good stuff. After a couple glasses of vino shared between mom and daughter, the heartfelt conversation is sure to follow.
27. Go to the Opera
Yet another cultural experience fit for a special occasion, and a very sophisticated one at that. Plus, the opera is also a very fun excuse to dress up in your very best attire, so you might even consider making it a two part date by indulging in a bit of shopping beforehand.
28. Go to a Concert
Whether it’s a band that you and your mom (or daughter) both love or something completely new that you want to check out, live music is always a cool and memorable experience to share with someone special.
29. Take a Day Cruise
If there’s a body of water nearby, chances are you can charter a private cruise for two; and if that seems a bit too romantic, you can always hop aboard a more casual (and populated) day cruise instead. Either way, you’ll be treated to fresh air, scenic views and good company.
30. See a Play
You don’t need to live in the Big Apple to see some amazing stage acting. Check out your local playhouse and if one of the scheduled performances piques your interest, score some front row seats for an engaging mother-daughter night out.
31. Dine at a Fancy Restaurant
OK, going out to eat isn’t the most original idea. Still, it’s a tried-and-true option for a reason, and you can make it extra special by picking a super swanky spot. If you’re fine with a splurge, get that coveted reservation and dress to the nines for nine courses of gourmet goodness for two.
Active Outings and Adventures
32. Take a Yoga Class
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Mothers and daughters who are seeking a quieter and more zen experience can sign up for a yoga class, either in-person or virtually. Grab some tea afterwards if you please, but simply doing yoga together might make you feel more in touch with yourselves and with each other. (Namaste.)
33. Go Ice Skating
No worries if you aren’t seasoned ice skaters—nothing promotes bonding quite like desperately clinging to a wall together and/or falling on your bum and bringing your daughter down with you.
34. Take a Glamping Trip
It’s possible to reconnect with each other and with nature without betraying your inner diva—you know, because you both like the Great Outdoors and the comforts of home.
35. Go Indoor Rock Climbing
For mothers and daughters who want a little less conversation and a little more action, indoor rock climbing provides an adrenaline-fueled workout that will boost your endorphins. (Psst: research shows those endorphins promote social, and presumably familial, bonding.)
36. Go Bowling
You’d be hard pressed to find a sport more conducive to conversation than bowling—particularly when you have a small group. Our suggestion? Invite another mother-daughter duo to join you at the bowling alley, so your day out with mom is a little livelier and you have more time between turns to talk.
37. Take a Bike Ride
Find a scenic biking trail near you and get some exercise together; it doesn’t matter if you have a specific destination in mind or simply take a leisurely tour of the town—either way it’s a fun and carefree way to spend quality time.
38. Take a Hike
Don’t tell your mom to take a hike, obviously—just invite her to join you on one. Bonus points if you pack a top-notch picnic lunch to enjoy when you reach the scenic viewpoint.
39. Go Bungee Jumping
Adrenaline, endorphins and a bucket list experience that’s so memorable it will definitely make its way into that scrapbook you started on your last mother-daughter date.
40. Take a Dance Class
We vote for ballroom dancing, because your mom always wanted to learn the samba and there’s nothing that will bring you closer than screwing up the paso doble together.
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