Best Mother’s Day experiences across the UK to treat your mum to this year
Are you looking for the perfect gift to treat your mum or mother figure to this March? Look no further than our handy guide.
Mother’s Day is coming up and we have a whole host of fabulous experiences to treat your mum or mother figure to this March.
While some countries have a history of celebrating mothers which goes back centuries, the modern day version of Mother's Day began in the United States in the early 20th century. The celebration occurs on a different day depending on the country you're in, with many countries holding the celebration in March or May. In the UK, Mother’s Day is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent - and this year, it’s on Sunday 19th March.
While flowers and chocolates are lovely gifts to give your mum, have you considered an experience for something extra special? Experience days are a fantastic opportunity to spend quality time with your mum or mother figure, and to do something you wouldn’t do ordinarily. Perhaps you could choose something that’s on your bucket list, or pick an activity out of your comfort zone.
We’ve selected the best Mother’s Day experiences in the UK, including classics like afternoon tea and spa days, to more out-there options such as goat yoga and immersive experiences. No matter what experience you choose for your mum, it’s bound to put a smile on their face because, after all, it’s come from their favourite thing (you!).
Let’s take a look at the top experiences, just in time for 19th March.
For a full range of experiences, stay up to date with our Going Out section where we have UK-wide activities like the best Downton Abbey tours and Peaky Blinders tours.
Save 44% on VIP Funny Girls show tickets
Become a VIP for an evening with this experience from Buyagift which will see you and your mum enjoying the Funny Girls show from a special box, plus a three course meal and a glass of bubbly each in the Funny Girls restaurant.
Best Mother’s Day experiences in the UK at a glance:
- Waterloo: The Best of ABBA
- Shirley Valentine at the West End, from £10
- Dalí: Cybernetics - The Immersive Experience, from £19.90
- Candlelight: A Tribute to ABBA, from £20
- The Bodyguard, from £22.50
- Hamilton at the West End, from £24
- Yoga with Goats for Two in the Suffolk Countryside, £36
- Entry to Kew Gardens and Palace for Two Adults, £36.99
- Vegetarian Sushi and Asian Tapas Afternoon Tea for Two at Inamo,
£81.78£46.95 - VIP Funny Girls Show Tickets with Three Course Dinner and Fizz for Two,
£86.90£49 - Sparkling Afternoon Tea Edinburgh Bus Tour with Red Bus Bistro, £78
- Pottery Wheel Experience for Two, £80
- Arcane Afternoon Tea for Two at Wands and Wizard Exploratorium, £84
- Two's Company Spa Day for Two at Bannatyne Health Clubs,
£200£89 - Alice in Wonderland VR Escape Experience for Four at MeetspaceVR,
£110£90 - Three Course Meal with Sides and a Cocktail for Two at The Gherkin, £139.99
- Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour for Two Adults, £140
- 7,000ft Tandem Skydive, £149
Best Mother’s Day experiences in the UK for 2023
Sparkling Afternoon Tea Edinburgh Bus Tour with Red Bus Bistro
What’s better than an afternoon tea? An afternoon tea with bubbly. And what’s better than an afternoon tea with bubbly? An afternoon tea with bubbly where you can see the sights of Edinburgh from the comfort of a lovingly-restored 1966 Routemaster. Obviously!
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Enjoy an afternoon tea for two and take in Edinburgh’s most iconic sights, like the Palace of Holyroodhouse, Edinburgh Castle and the Old Town.
Buy Sparkling Afternoon Tea Edinburgh Bus Tour with Red Bus Bistro for £78 at Buyagift
Another great way to explore a city is on foot. Here are our top London walking tours, Cambridge punting tours and Edinburgh ghost tours.
Yoga with Goats for Two in the Suffolk Countryside
For something truly unique to treat your mum to this Mother’s Day, head on down to a farm in Woodbridge, Suffolk for goat yoga. The experience does exactly what it says on the tin: it’s a one hour and 15-minute class with goats, and it has some fantastic health benefits, too, (as well as being a fun activity) like enhanced mood, lower blood pressure, and heightened flexibility.
Buy Yoga with Goats for Two in the Suffolk Countryside for £36 at Virgin Experience Days
Are you an animal lover? Then check out the best animal experiences.
Candlelight: A Tribute to ABBA
If you grew up to the sound of ABBA’s Dancing Queen, Chiquitita, Waterloo, and more, then this Candlelight concert is the perfect gift for your mum (and hopefully she’s a better singer than ours). The fabulous Morassi Quartet will be performing a setlist of ABBA’s greatest hits in a hall adorned with candlelight.
Buy Candlelight: A Tribute to ABBA tickets from £20 at Fever
Not up for ABBA? Don't worry, there are plenty more candlelight concerts to see in 2023.
Shirley Valentine at the West End
This celebrated one-woman play starring Sheridan Smith, written by three-time Olivier Award winner Willy Russell and directed by three-time Olivier Award nominated director Matthew Dunster, is sure to be an experience to remember. Located at the Duke of York's Theatre in London’s iconic West End, see the play which inspired the Academy Award nominated film.
Buy Shirley Valentine tickets from £10 at ATG Tickets
Check out our guide to the top London theatre shows and here's how to get cheap theatre tickets.
Vegetarian Sushi and Asian Tapas Afternoon Tea for Two at Inamo
Located in Covent Garden and Soho, Inamo restaurants are as innovative with their cuisine as they are stylish. In this Mother’s Day experience, you’ll share halloumi yakitori, shishito peppers, bang bang cauliflower and more savoury bits, as well as sweet treats like passionfruit mousse, vegan chocolate and raspberry lolly, and more. At the moment, this gift is almost half price (we won’t tell anyone if you don’t).
Buy Vegetarian Sushi and Asian Tapas Afternoon Tea for Two at Inamo for £81.78 £46.95 at Buyagift
Two's Company Spa Day for Two at Bannatyne Health Clubs
Probably one of the most classic Mother’s Day treats is a trip to the spa. Virgin Experience Days has put together this package which lets you enjoy full access to the health club’s facilities, as well as a 40-minute treatment each. Choose between a ‘best foot forward’ massage paired with either a facial plus a hand and arm massage, or a back and scalp massage, or a hand, arm and scalp massage.
This experience is available at your chosen Bannatyne Health Club, and there are 39 locations to choose from.
Buy Two's Company Spa Day for Two at Bannatyne Health Clubs for £200 £89 at Virgin Experience Days
Take a look at the best London spa experiences on RadioTimes.com.
Dalí: Cybernetics - The Immersive Experience
It’s not often that you hear of an artist who is also into science, but Salvador Dalí was interested in the latest innovations and inventions, so it makes sense that his work is immortalised in a digital exhibition. With digital displays, sound effects, projection mapping and more, this is a special experience that you and your mum or mother figure will love.
Buy Dalí: Cybernetics - The Immersive Experience tickets from £19.90 at Fever
For a complete guide to the best immersive experiences, check out the one the RadioTimes.com team have put together.
Alice in Wonderland VR Escape Experience for Four at MeetspaceVR
If you and your siblings are clubbing together to buy a Mother’s Day present, this next experience is perfect for the whole family. In the VR escape room, you’ll follow the White Rabbit to save Wonderland from the spell which has been cast by the Queen of Hearts.
Buy Alice in Wonderland VR Escape Experience for Four at MeetspaceVR for £110 £90 at Red Letter Days
Alice in Wonderland makes an appearance on our best escape rooms and best VR experiences lists, too.
Hamilton at the West End
If you and your parent are local to London, why not spend an evening at the theatre? Hamilton is one of the most popular West End musicals for a reason - it’s the winner of 11 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, has won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and a Grammy Award for the Best Musical Theatre Album.
Buy Hamilton tickets from £24 at London Theatre Direct
Arcane Afternoon Tea for Two at Wands and Wizard Exploratorium
Are your family Harry Potter fans? Then prepared to be spellbound by this interactive afternoon tea experience. You’ll use your magic wand to unlock ingredients and create your own teas, then enjoy sandwiches and desserts
Buy Arcane Afternoon Tea for Two at Wands and Wizard Exploratorium for £84 at Buyagift
Are you into fantasy films? Take a look at The Cauldron in east London, and here's how to get cheap cinema tickets for the latest flicks.
7,000ft Tandem Skydive
Are you and your mum adrenaline junkies? If so, this tandem skydive experience is one you can tick off your bucket list together. Strapped to a skydiving professional, you’ll reach speeds of up to 120mph before your parachute opens and you descend to the ground, enjoying breath-taking views as you go.
Buy 7,000ft Tandem Skydive for £149 at Virgin Experience Days
For more experiences which will keep you on your toes, take a look at the best UK zombie experiences.
Entry to Kew Gardens and Palace for Two Adults
Explore the magnificent gardens and palace at Kew with this Red Letter Days package. There’s no better time than spring to visit Kew Gardens, where you can stroll through the World Heritage Royal Botanic Gardens, then enter the glasshouses to explore plants from all over the globe.
Buy Entry to Kew Gardens and Palace for Two Adults for £36.99 at Red Letter Days
VIP Funny Girls Show Tickets with Three Course Dinner and Fizz for Two
Are you based in Blackpool? If so, this next experience is for you. Funny Girls has dominated Blackpool’s entertainment scene since 1994 and it shows no sign of slowing down. Before the show, you’ll be treated to a three course meal in the Funny Girls restaurant; choose from delicious dishes like mango and chilli prawns, salmon fillet, and baked summer berry cheesecake, all while sipping on some bubbly.
For more laugh-out-loud entertainment, we've put together a guide to the best London comedy shows, and here's how to get Just For Laughs London tickets.
Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour for Two Adults
Not only will you and your mum enjoy a delicious afternoon tea, comprised of sandwiches (marmalade included), cakes, scones with clotted cream and jam, and hot drinks, but you'll learn about famous London landmarks from the comfort of a double decker bus, too.
Each table comes with a unique built-in screen featuring an animated Paddington and Mrs Bird, who will tell you all about the London landmarks, like Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, and St Paul's Cathedral.
Buy Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour for Two Adults for £140 at Virgin Experience Days
Check out the complete list of best London bus tours.
Three Course Meal with Sides and a Cocktail Each for Two at Searcys at The Gherkin
This next experience is a little pricey, but if you've got the cash to splash, you may as well spend it on your mum. Head up to the 40th level of The Gherkin and take in the breath-taking views while tucking into a three course meal and a cocktail.
Be sure to take a look at our complete guide to the best London rooftop gardens to try this year.
Waterloo: The Best of ABBA
Is your mum a Dancing Queen? Then get her tickets to Waterloo: The Best of ABBA – The Arena Show tour in an arena near you! There are plenty of cities to choose from, such as Birmingham, Cardiff, Liverpool and Leeds. With a complete live cast and band, stunning visuals, costumes and choreography, this tribute show looks back at ABBA's incredible rise to stardom.
Buy Waterloo: The Best of ABBA tickets at Ticketmaster
Calling all Super Troopers! Why not get ABBA Voyage tickets, too?
The Bodyguard
Manchester is a hub for great theatre shows. The northern city's Palace Theatre and Opera House play host to some of the best travelling performances in the UK, such as The Lion King and Jesus Christ Superstar, and The Bodyguard is no different.
Treat your mother figure to tickets to The Bodyguard at Manchester's Palace Theatre in April. If you're both fans of the film, you'll know it's about an ex-Secret Service agent who is hired to protect a famous singer from a stalker — and the two, unexpectedly, fall in love.
Buy The Bodyguard tickets from £22.50 at ATG Tickets
For a list of Manchester theatre shows coming up in 2023, take a look at our guide.
Pottery Wheel Experience for Two at Poppins Pottery
What better way to spend Mother's Day celebrations than learning a new skill together? Whether you think pottery could become a hobby or just a fun afternoon out for the two of you, head on down to Poppins Pottery in Devon for an unforgettable experience and for a pottery keepsake, too.
In this experience, you and your mum will get to design your own pot then get behind the potter's wheel to create it. It will then be kiln-fired and posted to you, to take pride of place in your home.
Buy Pottery Wheel Experience for Two at Poppins Pottery for £80 at Buyagift
For more pottery classes and experiences up and down the country, take a look at our guide.
Our Going Out section has the latest ticket releases like Kendal Calling tickets and Wireless Festival tickets.
