Planning ahead and making reservations is hard, but no need to worry, you can still treat Mom to a beautiful day in Charleston. We have rounded up a few events where you can show up on the day of and take Mom on a Charleston adventure that she will remember for years to come!

1. Explore the Sunday Brunch Farmers Market

Head over to the Pour House on James Island for an afternoon filled with local vendors, live music, and food trucks. They have over 40 local vendors with products ranging from floral arrangements to handcrafted pasta. The market runs from 11am-3pm and Mom is sure to find a new local obsession. If you need a snack after all the shopping, Micho inside of the Pour House serves brunch tacos, burritos, and tostadas from 11am-3pm.  

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2. Have a few brews at Palmetto Brewing

Shake things up this year and trade out the mimosas for uniquely flavored brews! From 12-7pm, when you buy Mom a beer (obviously she deserves one) they will throw in a surprise Mother’s Day gift! They have a wide selection of beer including sours, IPAs, stouts, and lagers. If Mom has a hard time choosing a flavor, both of you can get a flight and compare notes! If all the brews make you hungry, make sure to check out the Gobble Gobble food truck on site. Their “Cluck Cluck” sandwich is so good Mom will instantly forgive you for forgetting to make a reservation.

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3. “Your Mother is a Bad Ax” at The Bearded Ax

Hear me out on this one, throwing an ax is super empowering and fun, especially when there’s a free mimosa bar and chair massages to go along with it. They are also offering Mom 50% off her axe throwing! Along with the mimosa bar, they also serve over 50 craft beers, mead, and wine. While this is the farthest thing from a conventional Mother’s Day activity, it’s quality time that she will surely never forget! You can book a lane through their website and they are open from 12-9pm on Mother’s Day. 

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4. Shop around the Bay St Biergarten Mother’s Day Market 

Bay St Biergarten is getting a group of local vendors together so that your mom can “pick out a gift she actually wants,” genius! She can sip on a complimentary mimosa while she shops on their patio. The market runs from 11am-4pm and features 12+ local vendors. Grab a beautifully decorated cookie from Coastal Confections or a ready made gift basket filled with local products from Fields + King. 

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5. Take a donation-based yoga class at Smythe Park in Daniel Island

Kick off your Mother’s Day with a relaxing flow designed for all levels at 10am on Mother’s Day. If you’ve never been to Smythe Park on Daniel Island, the views are absolutely stunning and it’s always great doing yoga out in nature. This class will take place right on the water, so it will be extra relaxing and peaceful. Show up at 10am ready to relax and breathe with other moms who could use a self-care day!

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6. Experience a Mead and Chocolate Pairing at Deep Water Vineyard 

Since you didn’t make a reservation, you may have to go off the beaten path a bit to find a fun activity for you and Mom. Deep Water Vineyard on Wadmalaw is partnering with Evolution Through Chocolate for their first ever mead and chocolate pairing. The $20 tasting will include 4 meads paired with 4 handcrafted chocolates and the pairings are as follows: Draft Strawberry Mead with a Lavender Sea Salt Truffle, Draft Traditional Honey Mead with a Spicy Truffle, Draft Orange Mead with a Blood Orange Truffle, and Still Bourbon Barrel Aged Mead with a Bourbon Barrel Aged Coffee Reduction and Cherry Truffle. Indulge your sweet tooth with this one of a kind experience and get your tickets here!‍

7. Stroll through King St on Second Sunday

Second Sunday is the perfect opportunity to experience King St without the usual hustle and bustle of the crowded sidewalk. When they close down the street to traffic, it gives the local restaurants and shops the opportunity to provide additional seating and display their products where all can see. You might even get lucky and there could be an opening at one of the restaurants to sit outside and have a meal. If not, there’s plenty of other food trucks to sample along the way. 

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8. Play with cute adoptable dogs while sipping on beers at Brewlab

Brewlab and Christine’s Tate+Zoey Gift Shoppe Boutique are partnering with Libby and Mace's Place Rescue to honor human and fur mommas this Mother's Day. From 12-3pm Mom will be able to meet adorable adoptable dogs while sipping on Brewlab’s tasty brews! There will be food on site as well as a photographer that can take a picture of you and Mom in exchange for a donation to help homeless animals. Although you already shower Mom with your love, adding a little puppy love to the mix never hurts!

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9. Free Admission for Mom at Patriot’s Point

If you’re looking for a photo op with Mom on Mother’s Day, Patriot’s Point has one of the best views of the Charleston skyline. They are offering Mom free admission to the more than 1,000,000 square feet of ships, exhibits, and spaces that Patriots Point Naval and Maritime Museum has to offer. If she’s a fan of history, there are plenty of places to learn along the way. They will also have Niños Creamery ice cream food truck on-site serving frozen favorites like scoops, sandwiches, and popsicles. They are open from 9am-6:30pm, so you have plenty of time to explore with Mom!

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10. Free admission for Mom at Magnolia Plantation

Spend your day in the beautiful spring gardens at Magnolia from 11am-4pm. They are offering moms free admission with the purchase of one adult admission. Magnolia's romantic garden is the only one in South Carolina to be named one of "America's Most Beautiful Gardens" by Travel + Leisure Magazine and it is the oldest public tourist site in the Lowcountry. After you stroll through the gardens, enjoy live classical music and relax with your family. Mom will appreciate spending the day surrounded by the natural beauty of the gardens.

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If you want to learn about more local events that are actually worth going to in Charleston, download the Whim app and follow me!