Mother’s Day 2016

Celebrate the Mom in your life with an adventure!  Here’s a list of upcoming organized events in the local parks and my personal mix of outdoor outings combined with food and beer (give Mom what she really wants)!  Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there and cheers to making fun memories.

Organized Programs

• Mother’s Day Tea Party at Greystone Recreation Center (Tuesday, May 3 from 10-11am) – Enjoy time with your mom/caregiver at our Mother’s Day Tea Party where children will create a special gift for their mother and enjoy juice and cookies; ages 18-months to 4 years; $7; adult participation required for ages under 4; program barcode #189063
• Tour Dorothea Dix Park (Wednesday, May 4 at 11:30am) – Enjoy a 1.5 hour walking tour covering the history of the land and the legacy of Dorothea Dix, the current use of the area as the headquarters of the Department of Health and Human Services and the steps the City will take in planning a future park; FREE; pre-registration is required
• Strawberry Picking with Fit4Mom Midtown Raleigh Stroller Strides (Thursday, May 5 at 3:30pm) – Join a great group of moms and kiddos for strawberry picking, homemade ice cream and more at Porter Farms & Nursery in Willow Springs; sign-up via Meetup
• Mother’s Day Surprise program at Optimist Park (Friday, May 6 at 12:30pm or Saturday, May 7 at 12:30pm): creative arts-and-craft project or edible creation; ages 3-5; $7; program barcode #188078 or #188079; pre-registration is required
• Birding with Vernon at Lake Crabtree County Park (Saturday, May 7 from 8:30-10am) – Discover different types of birds and their habitats during an easy walk with bird enthusiast, Vernon; meeting at Waterwise Gardens; Free, no preregistration required
• Family Friendly Tour: Animal Farm at NC Art Museum (Saturday, May 7 at 10:30am or Sunday, May 8 at 10:30am) – take a guided tour looking for farm animals in the galleries; ages 5-11 with adult companion; FREE; plan ahead and bring a picnic lunch or stay for lunch at Iris
• Mill Heritage and Local History Tour at Historic Yates Mill County Park (Sunday, May 8 from 2-3pm) – Watch a brief slideshow, then explore the inner workings of the mill itself and witness the power of water as it turns the milling machinery; $5/Adult, $4/Senior (ages 60+), $3/Child (ages 7-16), Children ages 6 & younger are free; preregistration is encouraged
• May Flower Folly at Historic Yates Mill County Park (Sunday, May 8 from 3:30-4:30pm) – Celebrate Mother’s Day in nature with a hike around Yates Mill Pond while searching for wildflowers, listening to a few flowery poems, learning about locally flowering plants and hear the latest buzz on local pollinators; for all ages; FREE; online registration

Get Out & Explore with Mom

• Frisbee Golf & Breakfast – catch 18 holes at Cedar Hills Park followed by delicious coffee and scratch-made biscuits and more at Jubala Coffee
• Brunch in the Gardens – grab breakfast to go from Tupelo Honey Cafe and walk to the nearby Edna Metz Wells Park or Raleigh Rose Garden
• Brunch & Trains – grab brunch at Cafe Carolina or Irregardless Cafe and then head over to Pullen Park for train rides, carousel rides and playground time
• Jog & Beers – go for a light run or walk along Crabtree Creek greenway followed by delicious beers at the nearby Big Boss Brewing Co
• Sweet & Reflective Lunch – head to Lucettegrace for a refreshing coffee or tea and yummy lunch followed by a 10-minute walk to the gardens at Haywood Hall
• Nature & Lunch – discover the natural play area and hiking at Durant Nature Preserve and then grab drive-thru food from Panera before heading over to kid-friendly Compass Rose Brewery
• Hike & Beers – take a hike along Sal’s Branch Trail (2.8 miles) or Pott’s Branch Trail(1.6 miles) at Umstead Park (Rte. 70 entrance) and then grab takeout lunch from Brier Creek restaurants on your way to the nearby Gizmo Brew Works
• Bike & Beers – bike along Reedy Creek Trail and then walk over to Raleigh Brewing Company for some Hell Yes Ma’am beers!
• Sights, Pie & Beers – walk the grounds of Dorethea Dix Park and take in the grand sights of Downtown Raleigh followed by the area’s best homemade pizza (IMO) and craft beers at Trophy Brewing