Mum’s deserve special treatment all year round but Mothering Sunday provides the ultimate excuse to Treat the matriarch in your life to a day they’ll remember.

Whilst shop-bought chocolate and flowers are guaranteed to score you a few brownie points, this year why not go all out and spoil them by planning an entire day full of great food, adventure, and excitement?

Luckily, the city of York in North Yorkshire UK is awash with plenty of brilliant sights and attractions that are guaranteed to appease even the fussiest of mums. This historic city is bursting with world-class museums, bustling shopping centres and top restaurants- after all there’s a reason why it’s been voted the best city break location in the UK.

As we count down to March 19th, here’s our guide to the best things to do in York on Mother’s Day.

Afternoon Tea at Betty’s Tea Room

With stunning interiors inspired by the famous Queen Mary ocean liner, and first-class hospitality guaranteed, treating your mum to a trip to Betty’s Tea room is a brilliant way to say thanks for raising me.

Located in St Helen’s Square, close to a collection of beautiful buildings, Betty’s York serve up a delicious afternoon tea that comes complete with scrumptious sandwiches like egg mayo and Yorkshire chicken as well as mouth-watering cakes and sweet treats including fondant fancies and scones.

As you may expect from a top-quality tearoom, there’s a plethora of tasty hot drink options, everything from earl grey tea to freshly brewed coffee is on the menu.

Mother’s Day is a busy time of year for Betty’s and if you haven’t booked in advance you can expect to wait a while before you’re seated. If you don’t want to queue, but still want to treat your mum to some Betty’s goodies, you can pick up a special Mother’s Day hamper from the gift shop.

Explore York’s Wonderful Museums

If some of your mum’s favourite pastimes include admiring history and art, then you’ve chosen well by taking her to York. This fascinating city is steeped in history and after a quick walk through the cobbled streets you’ll soon capture glimpses of its storied Roman and Viking past.

Adorning the city’s skyline you’ll find York’s ancient Roman walls, the most complete example of this type of Roman structure found anywhere in the UK. Tell your old lady to bring her walking boots and spend a couple of hours completing the wall walk, looking out for ancient arrow markings as you go.

If the weather is inclement, or you think your mum would enjoy a few hours of museum exploration, take her to the Yorkshire Museum, which is located close to the iconic Lendal Bridge. Here you can explore five permanent collections that cover biology, geology, archaeology, numismatics, and astronomy. At the moment there’s even a fascinating Jurassic exhibition which features an incredible assortment of dinosaur skeletons.

Aside from the Yorkshire Museum, York Castle Museum is another great option if your mum appreciates history. The Castle Museum was built on the site of a structure first erected by William The Conqueror; here you can immerse yourself in York’s modern past and there’s even a Victorian prison to explore.

Give the Gift of Retail Therapy

Remember all the times that you mum ventured out to buy you new shoes? Now it’s your turn to return the favour: treat your mum to an afternoon of retail therapy.

York is blessed with plenty of great shopping options both in the city centre and on the outskirts of town. In the city centre you’ll find a plethora of popular high street brands dotted around Market St and there’s also the bustling Copper Gate Centre.

Inside Coppergate you’ll find the trendy department store Fenwick as well as the body shop if you’re thinking of treating your mum to some beauty products. There’s even Warren James the jewellers if you want to go all out and spoil your ma with a nice watch or pendant.

Just outside of York city centre you’ll find York Designer Outlet, the go-to place for discounted designer goodies. From Michael Kors to Kurt Geiger, Dune to Guess, here your mum can shop to her heart’s content.

If you don’t quite want to shop until your drop, you’ll find plenty of place where you can perch down and enjoy a coffee at York Designer Outlet. Options include Caffe Valeria, Starbucks, Café Nero and 200 degrees.

Enjoy a Special Meal at The Star Inn The City

York’s restaurant scene is both diverse and extensive. From the banks of the River Ouse to the heart of Coney Street, you’ll find an abundance of top-class dining spots serving everything from Brazilian to Japanese.

For small plate options and tapas, you can’t go wrong with places like Skosh or Ambiente but for something a little bit more special treat your mum to an incredible meal at The Star Inn The City.

This stylish riverside brasserie, which is located on the edge of York’s Museum Gardens, is run by Michelin-starred chef Andrew Pern. The restaurant’s mantra is to bring a taste of the Yorkshire countryside to the city, and they serve an impressive collection of modern British dishes which can be enjoyed as you admire view of the River Ouse.
Daily fish specials, seasonal game and fresh vegetables (all locally sourced) feature prominently on the menu, whilst the eatery’s desserts are both decadent and very moreish.

If you can’t find time on your York outing to book a table for dinner, try visiting in the morning and treat your mum to a delicious breakfast. With mouth-watering pancake stacks, freshly baked Danishes and a ‘Full Yorkshire’ all on offer, The Star Inn The City is rightly regarded as one of the best places for breakfast in York.