Ten Ways to Impress Your Mum This Mother's Day

Don't just settle for a simple breakfast in bed for your mum this Mother's Day, it's time to up your game. Take her on an unexpected adventure or surprise her with an experience she'll never forget. Our city is bustling with Mother's Day opportunities. Whether that's a high tea lunch surrounded by her favourite four-legged friends from the SPCA or a scenic crocodile bike ride along the Wellington waterfront. There's a little something out there for every mum, and every price range too. Spoil your beloved ma this Mother's Day with any number of these mum-friendly activities.

TAKE HER FOR A COCKTAIL AT LIBRARY BAR

For the classy bookworms, treat your mum to a cocktail at The Library Bar on Courtenay Place and enjoy their two for one cocktail deal every Wednesday. Surrounded by the glorious smell of old books, you and your mum can indulge in an apple pie daiquiri or even a Catcher in The Rye whiskey. See The Library's full drink menu here.

Mark Gee

LISTEN TO A BALKAN CHOIR AT THE CARTER OBSERVATORY

For those music-loving mums, join the Vox Ethno female Balkan choir, performing traditional choral music from Serbia, Bulgaria and Russia. Beginning at 7.30pm on Mother's Day, Vox Ethno will transport you around the world and beyond, their talent only accentuated by the incredible acoustics of the Planetarium Dome. Then take your lovely mum on a moonlit walk through the Botanic Garden to top it off.

EXPERIENCE HIGH TEA WITH FUR BABIES

For those animal-loving mums, spending Mother's Day with some furry four-legged friends is bound to go down a treat. The SPCA in Newtown is hosting a special Mother's Day High Tea starting at 10.30am. For $32 a ticket you and your ma can spend the day cuddling the cutest centre animals and enjoying sandwiches and scones along with dainty petit fours served on vintage china. Bubbles will also be available to purchase on the day.

PICK UP FRESH CROISSANTS FROM PANDORO BAKERY

For the mums who love a good sleep-in. There's nothing that says Mother's Day more than a decadent breakfast in bed, an assortment of all your ma's favourite brekkie foods. Pandoro Bakery is the ultimate one-stop destination for the best handcrafted and freshly made danishes, bread and of course, croissants in town. With three different locations in the Wellington CBD, you're bound to find the perfect pieces to create the ultimate Mother's Day breakfast in bed.

HAVE A LAUGH AT THE NZ INTERNATIONAL COMEDY FESTIVAL

The NZ International Comedy Festival has just started its annual run. If you're not entirely sure about your mum's sense of humour, The Big Show 2019 is a failsafe option featuring three world-class comedians in 100 minutes. If you'd prefer to treat Mum on the special day itself, there are plenty of shows to choose from, including professional improvised comedy, Urzila Carlson with her new show 'Token African', Venezuelan stand-up Ivan Aristeguieta and UK comic Lauren Pattison in her only Wellington show.

INDULGE IN DECADENT CHAMPAGNE HIGH TEA AT HIPPOPOTAMUS

Treat your classy mum to an indulgent Champagne high tea at the Hippopotamus Restaurant at the QT Hotel. With delicious treats and Champagne, you and your mum can enjoy a view of the Wellington waterfront in style. Starting from 2pm on Mother's Day, your mum will be treated to a glass of Mumm Champagne (very fitting) and a gift from the Hippopotamus pastry kitchen. What better way to show her you love her?

SURPRISE HER WITH TICKETS TO A FILM FESTIVAL

Perfect for those Grand Designs-loving mums, the Resene Architecture and Design Film Festival is the perfect opportunity to gift your mum with an experience she'll find both interesting and inspiring. The film festival focuses on the lives and works of some of the most celebrated names in architecture and design and is showing at The Embassy Theatre from 23 May. Your design savvy mum is bound to leave the theatre buzzing with fresh inspiration.

HEAD FOR A GOURMET PICNIC AT WAITANGI PARK

For the nature-loving mums out there, a gourmet picnic lunch at the sunny Waitangi Park, overlooking Wellington's waterfront is the perfect way to get a bit of vitamin D and indulge in some tasty picnic snacks. Your Mother's Day plans don't have to cost a dime, pack some of your mum's most favourite treats and soak up the Wellington sun with her on Mother's Day. Check out more of these great picnic spots around Wellington here.

RENT A CROCODILE BIKE FOR A SCENIC WATERFRONT RIDE

For those adventurous mums out there, a scenic croc bike adventure around Oriental Bay is the perfect way to get a bit of fresh air and have some mum-friendly fun. Pop down to the Enormous Crocodile Company at 5/22 Herd Street and rent a ride for the day. Make sure to do all the pedalling yourself, letting your ma kick her feet up and enjoy the ride. Then to finish the journey, stop off at Kaffee Eis on Oriental Parade and treat your mum to her favourite rum and raisin or fresh feijoa gelato.

WORK THROUGH VARIETIES OF FRENCH CHAMPAGNE

For those mums dreaming of a romantic Parisian holiday, give her a little taste of the lifestyle at the Crave Cooking & Catering School in Lyall Bay. Starting from 4pm and running for two hours, you and your mum can enjoy a variety of Champagne from the French grower Garance and learn mouth-watering recipes for the most descendant petit fours, those bite-sized French sweets that will make your mum feel like she's one step closer to walking the streets of Paris.