It’s spring in Chicago, hooray! And with the nicer weather comes flowers, patio weather, and Mother’s Day! I’ve put together a list of online gifts and now, I want to talk about my favorite gifts: events and experiences! Here’s a round-up of my picks for celebrating Mother’s Day in Chicago!

P.S. If a mom sent this blog to you, Mother’s Day is Sunday, May 12, 2024. 😉

Beauty & Spas

There’s nothing like a spa day to pamper mom! All we want is someone else to care for us for a little while! Here are some of my favorite salons and spas. 

• AIRE Ancient Baths Chicago – AIRE is located in a historic West Town building and offers massage, tours of your own pace through several baths of different temperatures, exfoliations, and even a wine bath! Book an appointment for her (or yourself) or get a gift card.
• Face Foundrie – Face Foundrie is my go-to for skincare and facials! They have four locations in the Chicagoland area. Gift cards are available.
• H2O House – H2O House in Lincoln Park specializes in scalp treatments paired with massage. Get the Hydration Base for $98 which includes a scalp test, hair follicle purification, head acupoint, and neck and shoulder massage. Follow it with a blow-out in their salon and leave feeling so refreshed! Sign me up!
• The Now Massage – This massage boutique has 6 Chicagoland locations – West Loop, South Loop, Lakeview, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, and Naperville. Each beautifully zen space offers three different massages and an array of enhancements like herbal heat therapy, gua sha, and soothing eye masks. Get a gift card or sign her up for a monthly membership!
• The Spa at Four Seasons – The service at The Four Seasons is, of course, on another level! They offer massages, nail services, facials, and body treatments. Take advantage of the pool while you’re there, too!
• Urban Oasis – This Lincoln Park Massage Therapy Spa offers so many great services like TMJ Relief, Thai Massage, and Ashiatsu Oriental Bar Therapy. You can book 30, 60, or 90-minute massages and they have gift cards and special packages.

Activities & Events

I want to do all of these fun Mother’s Day experiences! Hint, hint, Manny!

• Floral Arrangement Workshop at B Collective at Lost Never Found – Tickets include a welcome glass of champagne and everything you need to create and take home a beautiful bouquet! They also have a food menu you can order from!
• Wine Tasting at Vin 312 Winery – This Lincoln Square craft winery has a tasting room where you can learn about their process in a relaxed setting.
• Of the Earth Sculptures at Morton Arboretum – If the weather is good and you feel like taking a walk in a beautiful place, head over to the Morton Arboretum to see the amazing giant sculptures by Olga Ziemska!
• Paint & Sip Workshop at Bottle & Bottega – Painting, wine, and a great time go hand in hand at Bottle & Bottega! Both Chicago locations, Lakeview and South Loop, have multiple Mother’s Day events. Book as soon as you can since they fill up fast!
• Make charm bracelets at Beadniks Chicago – just like you’ve seen on TikTok, Beadniks in West Town offers make-your-own-charm-bracelets sessions by appointment. They’ll walk you through the process and you get to take home your custom jewelry!
• Tortilla Making Class at La Luna – On May 7 and May 28, La Luna in Pilsen is offering a step-by-step class by Chef Marco Colin on making handmade tortillas while you sip a margarita and sample tequila. Then you get to eat tacos. Sounds like a win-win to me!

Afternoon Teas

Get your Downton Abbey and Bridgerton on and take part in a timeless tradition. I think having tea is a classic way to spend a Chicago Mother’s Day! Here are some of my favorite tea services:

• LondonHouse (Loop) offers daily tea service this Spring from 12 pm-3 pm. This is a modern tea with great river views and is priced at $90 per person. We love LH!
• The Lobby at The Peninsula Hotel (River North) is currently offering its Spring Afternoon Tea, Fridays through Sundays, 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm. $140 per adult and $65 per child, ages 5-12 years old. Pre-paid reservations via Tock are required. They host a special Mother’s Day Brunch on May 12.
• The Gwen Hotel (River North) is always a blast! Their Tipsy Tea Party is high-energy (meaning there’s a DJ) and would be so fun with a group of moms! I did this a few years ago with some friends and we loved it! Reservations are available on Tock for Saturdays (Noon and 2:30 pm seatings) and Sundays (1 pm seating). April’s theme is “Tea for Tulips!” and May is “Mamma Mia!” $70-95 per person.
• The Allis at Soho House (Fulton Market) has an elevated afternoon high tea experience on Fridays and Saturdays from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. Afternoon Tea Service is $63 and Sparkling Tea Service is $76. Reservations can be made on OpenTable.
• Alma at Hotel Zachary (Wrigleyville) offers Spring Tea on select Sundays until May 26 and has a special Mother’s Day Tea on May 12. Spring Tea is $45 for adults and $25 for children (4-12). After tea, you can make your own dried floral bouquet.
• The Langham Chicago (River North) has one of my favorite afternoon teas! The details are always exquisite. This spring they are offering a Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea through May 26 on Saturdays and Sundays. $130-150 per person.

Budget-Friendly Ideas

Want to celebrate without breaking the bank? Here are some free and low-cost ways to spend some quality time together!

• The Bloomin’ Spindle Classes – This new-ish yarn shop offers knitting lessons, a crochet club, and choose-your-own-project classes! Grab a gift card here.
• Dear Mama Market – Dear Mama is a pop-up Mother’s Day Market by Soul Good Coffee at Sketchbook Brewing. They’ll have 15 local vendors, cold brew, and lots of fun!
• Spring Flower Shows (Garfield Park & Lincoln Park) are always a good idea! Both shows at Garfield Park Conservatory and Lincoln Park Conservatory are free to attend and close on Mother’s Day! My family and I recently went to GPC and loved it!
• Volunteer at Share Our Spare – Share Our Spare collects new baby essentials like diapers, clothing, high chairs, and strollers for Chicago families in need. Find an open volunteer day and sort items like kids’ clothing, process inventory, and assemble kits.
• Spend the day in Chinatown – I just did this and had such a great time! We had lunch at SGD Tofu & BBQ, got boba, visited the public library, went shopping, and explored Ping Tom Park.
• Coffee and window shopping in Lincoln Square – There’s nothing like a good window shopping session and stroll with a stop at the cafe. There are plenty of coffee and food options in this area to keep your stamina up while browsing all the great boutiques.

I hope this gave you some good ideas for a Chicago Mother’s Day, either for yourself or a special mom in your life! For more ideas, see my online shopping guide,

Cheers!

Christine