I have a confession. Every year when Mother’s Day rolls around, I shyly harbor hopes that Dad and my two boys would make a big deal of me. (Blush!) 
My idea of a perfect Mother’s Day would involve being greeted with an enthusiastic morning greeting and a brunch at a kid-friendly restaurant with great food or a picnic at a beautiful location. The key – I don’t have to lift a finger.
I figured there are lots of other moms everywhere who harbor secret wishes of the prefect Mother’s Day celebration just like me. Every mom is a little different. Some of us just want a day to ourselves, others want some pampering at a spa, others of us would like nothing more than quality time with our family where we didn’t do all the planning.
So, I took the question to Trekaroo moms, and here are the dream mother’s day ideas they’ve come up with. From wonderful spots for brunch to beautiful gardens to picnic in, to decadent chocolate events. Some require advanced reservations, but others, you could just pack a picnic and head on out.
So Dads, if you’ve been trying to read mom’s mind to figure out what would make her feel really loved, here are some great suggestions brought to you by none other than moms themselves. Share this list on Facebook or Twitter and help out all the Dad’s out there who are probably scratching their heads desperately trying to figure out plans for this Sunday. Moms, here’s your chance to voice your secret wishes to Dad. Sign in to Trekaroo and create a list of your own or leave a comment below with your dream spot to celebrate Mother’s Day idea.
Biltmore Estate - Asheville, NC - Free Admission on Mother's Day
Awesome Mother’s Day Brunch and Dinner Spots in Southern Oregon by PitStopsForKids
CALIFORNIA
Mother’s Day Brunch and Ideas for Family Fun Around San Francisco by Lydie
5 San Francisco Bay Area Gardens to Picnic at for Mother’s Day by Lydie
Mother’s Day Brunch and Family Fun Ideas in San Diego, CA by McFam
Mother’s Day Brunches and Family Fun in Orange County, CA by McFam
Perfect Mother’s Day Brunch and Treats in the Inland Empire, CA by filmdncr
Mother’s Day Brunch and Fun Activites in Temecula, CA by B’s Mom
MIDWEST:
Mother’s Day Brunch Spots and Fun Events in St. Louis by Natalie’s Mom
Favorite Mother’s Day Ideas in the Midwest by mama.bear.johnson
TEXAS
Best Mother’s Day Ideas and Events in Texas by slofamilylife
Mother’s Day Brunch Spots in Austin, Texas by slofamilylife
Best Mother’s Day Brunch Spots and Fun Ideas Around Dallas by slofamilylife
PENNSYLVANIA
Mother’s Day Ideas and Brunch Spots in Philadelphia by Travelpangs
NORTH CAROLINA
Mother’s Day Ideas Around Asheville, North Carolina by PrincessTrioMom
FLORIDA
Best Mother’s Day Brunch and Ideas for Family Fun in Florida by Cavaletta
Photo by: Flickr/Dawn Huczek
Liling Pang is Editor and CEO of Trekaroo – a reviews website dedicated to exploring and traveling with kids. We’re powered by a community of travel savvy parents.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
Spring comes early in the desert. The rainy season is short and unpredictable, feeding the soil with desperately needed moisture in hopes of creating a short but vibrant display of color. When the desert is in bloom in Tucson and gold and blue flowers dot the saguaro and ocotillo dominated landscape, it truly is Mother Nature at her best. Early spring is also one of the best times of year to enjoy Tucson’s outdoor offerings.
Explore Saguaro National Park
Saguaro National Park, one of the most recent additions to the national park system, is home to a literal forest of giant saguaro cacti. The park is divided into two districts, Rincon Mountain District in the east and Tucson Mountain District in the west, by the sprawling city of Tucson. Its proximity to an urban area makes this park perfect for day trips. If you only have time to visit one side of the park and are traveling with younger children, I recommend the Tucson Mountain District. Start at the Red Hills Visitor Center to get your national park passports stamped, check out the exhibits, and grab Junior Ranger materials for the kids. There are two short trails next to the visitor center, the Cactus Garden Trail and Javelina Wash, which are great places to get acclimated with different types of desert flora.
From the visitor center, try taking the scenic Bajada Loop Drive through the cactus forest. The road is dirt, but 2 wheel drive vehicles should be able to handle the short drive with no problem. A great short trail within the park is the Signal Hill Petroglyphs Trail. There is a nice shaded picnic area near the trailhead, so I recommend planning this hike around lunch time. The trail to the petroglyphs is short but does involve quite a few stairs up the side of a hill. The reward at the top of the hill is the opportunity to get up close and personal with pictures that were carved into rocks over 800 years ago.
Visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Part zoo, part museum, and a whole lot of fun, a day at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is a must for families visiting Tucson. The expansive grounds are filled with animals and plants that inhabit the surrounding region. Exhibits are authentic and blend with the landscape seamlessly. A walk on the long trail will make you feel like you are having the best nature walk of your life. First a coyote appears from behind a saguaro cactus. Then a few yards later, a javelina pops out from behind an agave plant. And just when you think your walk can’t get any better you spot a Ferruginous Hawk in flight. Besides the wonderful animal exhibits, the ASDM has an Earth Sciences Corridor, complete with cave for exploring and an impressive mineral collection.
Stay at the Westward Look Resort
Located in northwest Tuscon at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains on 80 beautiful acres of rolling desert, the Westward Look Resort is a great spot for families to call home base. The resort embraces the beauty of the region with immaculate desert landscaping and peaceful walking trails. Guests can swim, play tennis, enjoy the sports park, and go horseback riding without ever leaving the resort. The guest rooms are recently remodeled spacious, and contemporary. No trip to the Westward Look is complete without an order of dessert nachos at either the Lookout Bar and Grille or via room service. Trust me, I still have dreams about them.
Read my entire review of the Westward Look Resort.
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Sharlene Earnshaw (aka doubleadventure) is Blogger-in-chief for Trekaroo and the blogger behind Double the Adventure.
Travel with kids to: CA | CO | DC | FL | HI | IL | MA | NC | NY | OR | PA | TN | TX | VA | WA
These past couple of days, walking out of my front door causes me pangs of envy. Our neighbor has a cherry blossom tree that is bursting in that dreamy feathery pink filled with hope and optimism that I love. (Our garden is kinda sad from neglect lately.) 
This short lived burst of glory that cherry blossoms bestow on us is one of nature’s gifts to our senses. They last for at most a month, so where can you go with your kids to soak in the most magnificent displays of Cherry Blossoms? Lydie Thomas has the scoop on Where to Admire Cherry Blossoms. From Pennsylvania to New York, California, New Jersey, Georgia, and Washington. If you know of a place in your home town add it to her list on Trekaroo.
