Things to do for Mother's Day in Grand Rapids

Treat Mom to a Grand Rapids getaway this Mother’s Day! From brunches and spa treatments to outdoor adventure, museums, flower shops, gift fairs and more, there are lots of ways to show her – or any nurturing female figure in your life – how much you care.

Mother’s Day is May 10 this year, so don’t wait to start planning. For inspiration, here are some of the best things to do in Grand Rapids this Mother’s Day weekend.

Take Mom Out to Brunch

Kick off the weekend with Mother’s Day brunch in Grand Rapids. Try local favorites like the aptly named Brunch House GR, the new Sugah Please Breakfast Brunch Bar or Lucy’s, named the nation’s 12^th best brunch spot in a 2024 Yelp survey. You can also search our restaurant listings for the kind of cuisine Mom likes, and click through to individual restaurant websites to see if they’re offering a Mother’s Day brunch. It’s a busy day, make reservations if you can!

If it’s a nice day, take Mom on a picnic brunch. The Grand Rapids Downtown Market, home to 20+ artisan vendors, opens at 10am Sundays, so you pick up all the fixings you need before you pick Mom up. Then again, the Downtown Market was named one of America’s Top 13 Must-Visit Food Halls in 2025, so Mom might enjoy tagging along.

There are all sorts of scenic picnic settings to choose from. One of our favorites is downtown GR’s Ah-Nab-Awen Park  , which offers great city views and easy post-picnic access to downtown’s100+ shops and museums.

Mother’s Day is the third day of our annual Cider Week GR festivities (May 8-16). If Mom enjoys hard cider, check out our Cider Week page to what events and activities she might like.

Outdoor Activities & Events

If your mom is a nature lover, you’ll find various attractions she’ll love to explore. Wander the themed outdoor gardens at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, which will be filled with the dazzling glass art sculptures of Dale Chihuly on Mother’s Day (and every day after through Nov 1). Visit the Grand Ideas Garden to give Mom inspiration for her own garden. Take a stroll through Millennium Park, one of the nation’s largest urban greenspaces, to see spring wildflowers in bloom.

Moms who enjoy outdoor adventure will have fun paddle boarding or kayaking in America’s Best River Town, biking the Kent Trails , or taking a special Mother’s Day trip to one of Lake Michigan’s sandy beaches! Other fun Mother’s Day trips easily accessible from Grand Rapids include Holland, which is hosting the final day of its annual Tulip Time Festival ; Grand Haven for a stroll along a picturesque boardwalk and pier; or Rockford, known for its charming downtown and Rogue River Nature Trail.

Peruse Art & Local Museums

If you’re staying in town, get an Attraction Pass GR for every member of the family. It grants you admission to several of Grand Rapids’ most exciting cultural attractions, including the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, Grand Rapids African American Museum & Archives , Grand Rapids Art Museum , Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and Grand Rapids Public Museum  , at an incredible discount. Don’t miss The Spirit of Independence: Artists’ Reflections on Freedom, a Grand Rapids Art Museum exhibition honoring America’s 250^th anniversary in 2026. You can purchase one-day or three-day Attraction Passes to keep busy all Mother’s Day weekend.

Mother’s Day is also a great opportunity to take a self-guided tour of downtown GR’s public art. Our center city murals, Heartside murals, painted ticket booths, community legends sculptures and “Rad Women” electrical boxes all feature many works by and about women. Most pieces are located within our Downtown Refreshment Area, meaning Mom can purchase an alcoholic beverage from 60+ participating businesses and enjoy it as she sees the outdoor sights.

Pamper Her at a Spa

Is Mom overdue for some pampering? (That’s a rhetorical question, especially if she competed in Saturday’s Amway River Bank Run.) Opt for a relaxing Mother’s Day weekend at one of Grand Rapids’ many day spas, where she can unwind in peace. Maybe she’d like a leisurely facial at Lex Facial Bar and Spa , a meditative mood soak at Woodhouse , some dry salt therapy at Pink Lounge , or a full-day package at Tanaz Spa . Or treat Mom to a leisurely overnight stay at downtown GR’s JW Marriott hotel – its luxurious on-site Seraphina Spa is open for business on Mother’s Day!

Make it a Family Day

If Mom wouldn’t dream of a special day without involving the kids, there are plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy. Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park  is offering half-off admission to mothers on May 10. The West Michigan Whitecaps  play a 2pm baseball game, and Moms can run the bases with their kids after the game. The Grand Rapids Children’s Museum , Craig’s Cruisers  and GameTime Fun Park  are all open for adventure. John Ball Zoo  is also open, and it’s a great day to see adorable baby hippo Hugo; meet Phil, voted the world’s most popular penguin in 2025; and experience the breathtaking beauty of the Grand Rapids Lantern Festival.

Get Her a Local Gift for Mother’s Day

In Grand Rapids, you can support local shops while seeking out the perfect Mother’s Day gifts. 

Start with fresh flowers, which you can get for pickup or delivery from shops like Ball Park Floral & Gifts  and Eastern Floral . Pick out a bouquet of her favorites, or grab a flower arrangement curated for Mother’s Day. Then head to cute gift shops, such as Art of the Table , Commune , Courage & Soar  and Rebel , to select a token of your love and a sweet Mother’s Day card in anticipation of the holiday. 

Still stumped? Try a gift card for a local spa or restaurant, retail therapy in the walkable Uptown shopping neighborhood, or a trip to Woodland Mall  or RiverTown Crossings Mall , where Mom can pick out her own ideal gift before grabbing a bite to eat. There are lots of places to find a great Mother’s Day gift in Grand Rapids! 

Mother’s Day Weekend Getaway to Grand Rapids

Mother’s Day is the one day a year dedicated to the person who does so much for the family day in and day out, so why limit the celebration? Make the fun last a little longer and turn Mother’s Day into a weekend getaway with a stay at one of Grand Rapids’ charming bed & breakfast inns. 

Or book a downtown GR hotel to put Mom in the middle of 300+ restaurants, shops, museums, cultural attractions and entertainment venues, all within a 10-minute walk. The historic Amway Grand Plaza   has all Mom needs for a relaxing weekend, with nine different on-site bars and restaurants as well as the elegant Celeste Salon and Spa  , which is open on Saturday. CityFlatsHotel is a charming boutique hotel where no two rooms are alike so Mon can enjoy an experience as unique as she is. There are 11 more downtown hotels to choose from – plus nearly 100 more throughout the Grand Rapids area.  

Start planning your Mother’s Day weekend in Grand Rapids today!