Cruise the Potomac
Moms receive a complimentary flower and mimosa during this two-hour brunch on Mother’s Day. View Old Town Alexandria, the Jones Point Lighthouse, and other points of interest as you cruise along the Potomac. Mother’s Day specials run all day and start at $59.90. 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, 3 to 5 PM, 7:30 to 10 PM.
Distinguish Wine Aromas
Treat mom to a wine tasting and learn how to distinguish wine aromas. Try six different wines and artisanal cheeses, and take advantage of discounts on the drinks you enjoyed most! $40; registration required; 4 to 5 PM.
Drink 19th-Century Teas
Tudor Place Historic House and Garden
Enjoy a Mother’s Day Tea before touring one of America’s first National Historic Landmarks. The Tudor Place mansion, completed in 1816, contains 200-year-old silhouettes for your viewing. Later, have a local artist cut and frame a silhouette of you and yours. $40; 10 AM to noon, 2:30 to 4:30 PM.
Hang Out with Martha Washington
Catch a Martha Washington impersonator on the piazza, handing out lavender sachets to modern-day moms. Follow up with a garden and landscape tour at 11 AM, or roam the Mount Vernon estate. $17; 8 AM to 5 PM.
Shop at an Arts Festival
Support local artists at this festival on Mother’s Day weekend. Shop locally produced clothing, furniture, photography, and more, or rock out to live entertainment. Pizza, sausage sandwiches, and ice cream will be available. Free; 10 AM to 5 PM.
Sip and Paint
Have fun with mom while painting a 16 by 20 canvas under the instruction of a local artist. Refreshments and art supplies included. $35; 4 to 7 PM; registration required.
Smell the Azaleas
Tour thousands of blooming azaleas while curator of the azalea collections Barbara Bullock lectures on the origins, culture, and research history of this shrub. Get advice about growing your own azaleas, and check out the progress of the Glenn Dale Hillside Renewal Project, a renovation designed for increased azalea blooms. $12; 1 to 3 PM; registration required.
Spa Day for Two
Take advantage of this spa’s “Mother and Daughter Bonding Ritual” special, and book a two-hour treatment for you and mom! Receive a 50-minute Parisian facial, a lavender oil massage, and complimentary spa tea or wine. $380; book online.
Start a Cook’s Garden
Stop by the U.S. Botanic Gardens and start a cook’s garden for–or with–mom. Then try a few new recipes using your new plants. If cooking isn’t your mom’s thing, join the rose garden tour at the National Garden Lawn Terrace at 11 AM. Both events are free. 2 to 4 PM.
Tour an 19th-Century Apothecary
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
View the Apothecary Museum’s collection of herbal botanicals, medical equipment, journals, and more, alongside displayed invoices from prominent customers, including Martha Washington and Robert E. Lee. Free for moms; $5; 1 to 5 PM.
