The Chinese Garden at the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach is a perfect place to spend time with Mom, and admission is free. The society says the garden celebrates beauty, harmony and tranquility. Mary Thurwachter/The Coastal Star
Celebrate this Mother's Day by taking her away from home
By Mary Thurwachter
Flowers are lovely, chocolates divine. But after we’ve all been cooped up much of the past year to avoid the virus, it’s likely that getting out and about with Mom will be an even more welcome Mother’s Day gift this month. Our moms are often like a breath of fresh air, after all. We offer some suggestions to replenish their fresh air supply.
Explore a magic garden
Moms enjoy taking their toddlers to the Chinese Garden at the Society of the Four Arts in Palm Beach. But grannies like it, too. It’s all about beauty, harmony and tranquility — things mothers crave.
When you wrap up your stroll through the Chinese Garden, be sure to survey the adjacent Philip Hulitar Sculpture Garden and Four Arts Botanical Gardens.
Not to be missed are the exquisite works of renowned sculpture artists, floral paths, ponds, fountains and unique gardens. Sit a bit on a bench in the shade and just say ahhhhh! www.fourarts.org/gardens
Palm Beach County has miles of nature trails and boardwalks ideal for hiking with Mom. Discover the Palm Beaches
Slip into sensible shoes and take a hike
Walking is always nice, but if you do it on a nature trail you probably want to call it a hike. There are many parks and nature preserves to choose from.
Make sure Mom’s wearing sensible shoes and maybe insect repellent — and a sun hat is always a good idea. Whether it’s dry soil, a boardwalk or marsh, hiking outside makes treadmills seem like a snooze. Plus, the scenery rocks.
Keep an eye out for birds.
https://discover.pbcgov.org/parks/pages/naturetrails.aspx
Shop till you drop!
OK, these options aren’t exclusively outside, but some moms enjoy retail therapy as much as anything. With them in mind, here are two Mother’s Day offerings to consider.
• The Delray Beach Downtown Development Authority presents the Downtown Delray Beach Orchid Giveaway May 1-8 in honor of Mother’s Day.
With every $200 spent shopping at downtown Delray Beach venues during that time, buyers can show their receipts to pick up a complimentary orchid from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 6-8 in front of these stores: Hands at 325 E. Atlantic Ave., Sara Campbell at 1051 E. Atlantic Ave., and Sunday State Style at 157 NE Second Ave. (May 8 only). Shoppers also can enter to win a Mother’s Day prize package that comprises a collection of downtown merchants’ certificates worth more than $500. Enter May 1-17 online at www.downtowndelraybeach.com/mothersday
• Boca Raton’s Mizner Park welcomes everyone to treat Mom to a special meal, treat or surprise May 9.
Dining options with specials include Cielito Artisan Pops, which offers specialty pops with edible flowers; Kapow! with brunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering complimentary bottomless mimosas and flowers for mothers; a Mother’s Day brunch at Max’s Grille; a prix fixe meal for dining in or takeout at Ruth’s Chris Steak House; and a Mother’s Day brunch menu at Tanzy.
Shops offering Mother’s Day discounts include Comfort Shoes, Gramercy Hair Salon, Hästens, Kendra Scott, and Sugarboo & Co. www.miznerpark.com
Café des Beaux-Arts, at the Flagler Museum, offers an a la carte dining option three days a week in which you can feast under the palm trees that surround the museum. The Flagler Museum
Picnic under the palms
You can, of course, pack a picnic basket and find a lovely spot in the shade to dine with Mom. But for a treat, plan a weekday outing (between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays) under the palms at the Flagler Museum in Palm Beach.
Don’t worry about bringing your own edibles (in fact, that’s not allowed). The museum's Café des Beaux-Arts offers a new a la carte option called Picnic. The Flagler's Gilded Age-inspired food and beverages — and the picturesque setting — are sure to make Mom feel like the special woman she is. www.flaglermuseum.us/visiting/cafe-des-beaux-arts
Experience waterways via kayak or paddleboard
Experience a more intimate connection with nature and, as a bonus, hone your upper body. Mom’s, too. The sightseeing is amazing. Check out the Snook Islands, part of the Lake Worth Lagoon that has been transformed from a dead zone to a harbor that attracts hundreds of species of birds and marine life. Paddlers can expect a relaxing experience, no matter their skill level, as well as a refreshing dose of nature, including jumping mullet and soaring osprey.
Paddleboards and kayaks can be launched from the Beach Club at the Lake Worth Golf Club. www.kayaklakeworth.com
Check out the FlowRider at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Discover the Palm Beaches
Try the ultimate surfing machine
If you don’t own surfboards and are a tad intimidated by the Atlantic Ocean, the next-best thing for you and Mom is to check out the FlowRider at the Boca Raton Resort and Club. Show Mom just what a balanced child you are and then give her a chance to test the waters. It’s safe. It’s wet and wild and a lot of fun, too.
www.waldorfastoria3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/boca-raton-resort-and-club-a-waldorf-astoria-resort-BCTRCWA/local/boca-raton-flowrider.html
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