Mom deserves the royal treatment on Mother’s Day and like all mothers, that means quality time. Here are a few ideas for spending time with the best lady on Earth in Richmond.
Outdoor adventure
With Richmond being an island city, surrounded by the Fraser River, there are plenty of opportunities to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, especially if the weather is favourable. You can walk or bike up and down the West Dyke Trail and land at Terra Nova and pop by the Sharing Farm to see what’s growing, or spend some time at the Terra Nova Adventure Playground (challenge mom on the zip line). If you really give a “hoot” about your mom, perhaps take her to the Richmond Nature Park where there will be an owl and hawk show from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show is presented by Orphaned Wildlife Rehabilitation Society and proceeds go back into educational programs. Another convenient adventure awaits at Minoru Park or Garden City Park, which lend themselves to enjoyable picnics.
Brunch
Perhaps mom prefers a nice sit-down meal. OpenTable.com has a handful of places to have brunch. The Boathouse Richmond is offering a special brunch buffet. Fresh Restaurant at the Radisson starts its Mother’s Day brunch at 11:30 a.m. and has a Mexican theme. If you’re feeling fancy, try Globe@YVR as it puts on an exquisite brunch for $99. American Grille at the Marriot in central Richmond is also advertising a special brunch. The most important thing is to call ahead, of course, as many of your favourite restaurants fill up a week in advance.
Steveston
Take mom to Steveston. Go for a walk and meander through the opening day of the Steveston Farmers and Artisans Market. You can buy mom a special gift and take home some fresh, local food to make a homemade dinner. Note that this year the market will be held at the Steveston Community Centre parking lot. And sure, it’s likely that you’ve walked around Steveston before but it’s all about spending quality time with her on this day. As for lunch you can go either way: call a local restaurant ahead of time for a reservation or grab something to go, such as fish and chips.
Get adventurous and go for a big walk and head on over to London Heritage Farm’s 10th Annual Plant Sale. This big spring event is for homemakers and gardeners of all types. Take some plants home on this day and help mom out in the garden. If mom likes to garden, so be it. But perhaps she’d rather put her feet up, have a drink and watch the kids muck around in the dirt. Organizers are offering kids a free plant at the checkout. Perennials, annuals, herbs, hanging baskets and vegetable seedlings will be available.
Tea
There are at least two popular afternoon tea options for mom in Richmond. After going to the plant sale you can have tea at London Heritage Farm. Reservations are required ([email protected] or 604-271-5220). Or, have tea at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. There, traditional tea service is priced at $59 per person and there are three seating times.
