As April comes to a close, Mother’s Day is getting closer, this year falling on Sunday, May 11.
While many celebrate Mother’s Day with sentimental gifts, others may be looking for an activity to celebrate the women in their lives. Luckily, Connecticut has plenty of fun outings that mom, aunt or grandma would enjoy. Whether the mother figures in your life like live music, a nice meal, outdoor activities or simple relaxation, the state is sure to have the perfect Mother’s Day activity for all.
Here are eight things to do for Mother’s Day in Connecticut.
Pick your own flowers
Flower pickers gather the first of the blooms at Wicked Tulips in Exeter on April 6, 2023.
If mom is a fan of flowers, take her to Wicked Tulips, a flower farm with the biggest you-pick-tulip event in New England, complete with over 1.5 million blooming tulips of various colors and 75 varieties.
Tickets for Wicked Tulips must be pre-purchased online for a specific date and time. Admission, which includes 10 tulips, costs $5 for kids or $20-25 for adults, depending on the day. Additional tulips can be purchased for $1.25 per stem. Wicked Tulips is open from April 24 through May 9 in Preston, with hours from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Enjoy afternoon tea
Pamper mom with an elegant afternoon tea service aboard the Essex Steam Train. The train’s “Mommy & Me Tea” event takes guests on a scenic 90-minute train ride through the Connecticut River Valley in a restored 1920s era Pullman Dining car. Dress in your Sunday best, listen to comforting classical music and take in the scenery while enjoying an assortment of teas, finger sandwiches and pastries.
Mommy & Me Tea is offered at noon on both May 10 and May 11, with tickets starting at $54.99.
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See a show
If mom likes the performing arts, consider spending Mother’s Day at Middletown’s Wadsworth Mansion. Ballet Hartford will be putting on a special Mother’s Day performance of “Sleeping Beauty,” followed by a luncheon with tea sandwiches and sweet treats.
Performances will be held at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Sunday, May 11, and tickets cost $70 per person.
Go out to brunch
While Mother’s Day brunch is offered at tons of restaurants in Connecticut, one venue in Portland is hosting a special lavish brunch that will make mom feel like a queen. At Saint Clements Castle and Marina, mom can enjoy brunch in a literal castle from the 1800s, complete with lush surrounding grounds and breathtaking waterfront views of the Connecticut River.
The castle’s Mother’s Day brunch includes a gourmet buffet of decadent desserts and chef-inspired dishes, including a personalized omelet station, sliced prime rib and a wall full of donuts. Tickets to the brunch cost $70 for adults or $30 for children ages 4-12. Reservations can be made online for 10 a.m., 10:30 a.m., noon or 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 11.
Cruise the Connecticut River
A view of the Connecticut River from Middletown, Connecticut.
For moms who would love a day on the water, the Connecticut River Museum hosts special Mother’s Day cruises on two of their boats: RiverQuest, a tour boat that explores the river’s ecology and wildlife, and Onrust, a re-creation of a 1614 sailboat.
On May 11, RiverQuest will offer hour-long cruises at 10 a.m. and noon, and Onrust will offer a 90-minute cruise at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 for mom and children or $20 for other adults.
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Attend a wine tasting
Does mom love a good glass of wine? Treat her to a fancy day of wine tasting. This year, Aquila’s Nest Vineyards in Newtown is hosting a gourmet chocolate and wine pairing at noon on Saturday, May 10.
Held in the vineyard’s grand piano wine tasting room, this two-hour Mother’s Day event will include a sample of four nuanced wines and award-winning smooth chocolates. Tickets, which must be reserved online, cost $37 per person.
Run a 5K
If you and mom are the active type, consider running a race together on Mother’s Day. This year, the annual Bridgeport Hospital Mother’s Day 5K will start at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday, May 11, starting and ending at the hospital’s Milford Campus.
The event not only consists of a 5K, but fitness options for the whole family: a timed 5K run and walk, a 3K walk and a kid’s fun run for ages nine and under. Registration for the races costs $35 for adults or $15 for students ages 10-18, while the kid’s fun run is free to enter. Prizes will be distributed to the top runners, as well as the fastest mother-daughter and mother-son teams.
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Go to the farmers’ market
For the moms who love to shop, head over to Bozrah Farmer’s Market on Saturday, May 10 for a special Mother’s Day Market full of handmade clothing, fresh baked pastries, unique crafts, flowers, plants and plenty of other goods from local vendors. From 11 a.m.-2 p.m., enjoy a day of shopping, food trucks and live music with mom.
This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Mother’s Day 2025: 8 things to do in Connecticut
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