top ideas for mothers day
Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and if you’re looking to make it extra special this year, we’ve rounded up some beautiful ways to celebrate.
From packing a picnic in one of Melbourne’s gorgeous green spaces, to booking a table at a café Mum will absolutely love, or finding that perfect, thoughtful gift from a local boutique - there are so many ways to spoil her.
Whether she’s all about good food, fresh air, or a little retail therapy, these ideas have you covered for a perfect day!
TOP PICNIC FOOD IDEAS
Frozn Street in Hastings isn’t your big chain situation. This is boutique, beautifully styled and proudly family-run, created by a passionate young couple who’ve poured their love into every detail — and you can feel it the moment you walk in.
Step inside Arthur’s Candy Store in Windsor and you’ll feel like you’ve walked straight into a childhood dream. With 85 Pick N Mix options, this huge lolly shop is a MUST for all sweet lovers!
Somerville has a new reason to get excited at lunchtime -(or even breakfast time!), with Pate Mi opening its doors and serving up seriously good Vietnamese street food - a first for Somerville!
If you’re wandering the Cowes foreshore with the fam and need a little something sweet to keep the good vibes rolling, Mamma has the perfect pit stop – Sweet n Sassy, a bright and cheerful ice cream and loaded shake shop!
Vanilla Lounge is an Oakleigh institution who has just sweetened the deal with a next level dessert bar directly opposite. It’s a choose your own adventure dessert paradise… and Mamma is obsessed.
Holy moly folks, Miller’s Bread Kitchen in Dromana is so delicious, Mamma thinks you need to add it to your ‘must visit’ list!
Oui oui, mon Cheri!
Cheri is the newest European eatery and patisserie in South Melbourne and Mamma is completely and utterly in LOVE!
Ok folks, Mamma is calling it… Heart Bakes in Port Melbourne is BETTER than it looks on Instagram - get there ASAP, your taste buds will thank you later!
Hidden away down a little dusty court, you will find Flinders Sourdough Bakery, home to the yummiest sourdough bread, melt-in-your-mouth cookies and pastries.
Gelato Lab in Black Rock has had a makeover and is now owned by a lovely husband and wife team. The decor here is bright orange and you can now sit inside to enjoy your gelato!
This is where the magic happens! Dozens of doughnuts get pumped full of jam, loaded with Nutella, cream and custard; covered in M&Ms, Oreo’s and peanut butter, every hour here!
This BRILLIANT new shop lets you choose your own masterpiece while they make it up right before your eyes! How good is that?!
Mamma’s giving you a heads up - with over 30 flavours of scrumptious ice-cream to choose from here, you may have a hard time making a decision!
BEST CAFES, BREWERIES
AND RESTAURANTS
Located upstairs in The Glen’s dining precinct, you will find the unique Brick Valley - a LEGO themed yum cha restaurant. Yes, you heard Mamma… LEGO and yum cha. Turns out it’s a match made in heaven!
There’s a new brewery - right in the heart of Frankston!
Located beach side is the newest establishment from Moon Dog Brewery - this is the Moon Dog Beach Club!
A family friendly brewery with a playground? Now you’re speaking Mamma’s language. You’ll find Banks Brewing hiding at the end of an industrial cul-de-sac in the beachside suburb of Seaford.
Set at the base of Mt Baw Baw, at The Toolshed in Noojee, you are surrounded by breathtaking beauty in every direction you look. Huge colourful trees (spectacular in Autumn!) and a abundance of beautiful birdlife, this hidden gem feels like something straight out of a storybook.
This place is pure heaven!
This restaurant/bar is set on a sprawling 2 acre property, including an absolutely stunning heritage home, complete with an open fireplace, HUGE beer garden and multiple dining areas.
Perched on top of Red Hill, nestled under the hop vines; this rustic, charming barn in the middle of the bush is where delicious craft beer is produced and great BBQ food is served!
In the middle of the pine tree lined street, a top of the lavender fields in Main Ridge, you will find the sweetest little Red Hill Lavender Farm Cafe.
If you are looking for the perfect spot for a family Sunday brunch - or any day really - then you have found it here!
Located on Seaford beach, the upstairs restaurant overlooks the bay and is the perfect place to watch a storm come rolling in, or enjoy the sunset and listen to the waves crash.
Devilbend Farm Beer Brewery is a great family friendly spot that place that the whole family will love!
It’s the perfect location for a picnic - they even supply picnic blankets - where you can set up by the dam or next to the goats and enjoy a grazing board full of soft, whipped or hard cheeses and some locally produced wines or craft beers.
In the front courtyard area there are sprawling gardens bursting with colourful flowers, gigantic trees full of all sorts of birdlife, and a kids playground!
Nestled underneath shady trees, just opposite the walking trail and across the road from views of the stunning Merricks Beach, lies Merricks General store.
Situated by the stunning McCrae foreshore, you could be forgiven for thinking you have stepped into an European oasis here at Alatonero!
Right on the waterfront, with views of the city out in one direction, and red cliffs in the other - you will LOVE this spot!
Wow - Mamma has stumbled across a gem here! Feed some farm animals, have a coffee AND grab fresh produce onboard a 1910 red rattler train carriage!
If there is a lover of all this auto in your fam - you need to bring them to this great cafe for a meal!
This is a slice of paradise that the whole family will enjoy. Sit back, enjoy great food and even a cocktail - while the kids can play in the sand right in front of you.
How good is a cafe that totally caters for kids, but still has AMAZING food?! Add this one to your list folks, you will LOVE it.
This awesome family friendly brewery offers amazing beer, local spirits, a cubbyhouse and games for kids AND kids eat free on Sundays!
It’s laid back, has an amazing vibe, uses fresh, locally produced products and the staff are friendly, attentive and extremely accommodating. Oh, and they make KILLER cocktails!
This place is simply magical. It feels like you have stepped into your very own enchanted garden! From the fairy lights up above, to the greenery spread throughout, every where you look is a feast for your eyes.
The cafe is on a homestead surrounded by beautiful bush scenery, even offering small bushwalk trails. The rainforest room is phenomenal!
BEST PLACES TO GRAB A GIFT
Tucked away in the heart of Tyabb Village is a hidden gem that is Dear Reader Bookshop – the cutest second-hand bookshop that’s bursting with books that are just waiting for little (and big!) hands to discover.
Tucked away in the treasure trove that is the Tyabb Packing House village, The Gift Shed is your go-to spot for all things “bloke’. Whether you're shopping for your Dad, your partner or a mate, this little shop packs a serious punch!
If there’s two things this Mamma adores, it’s supporting small/local businesses and browsing the aisles of craft markets! So needless to say the combination of those here at T&S Emporium in Somerville is just heaven!
Whether you’re a lover of all things chocolate, prefer the sugar rush of freeze-dried candy or are a connoisseur of American candy - you will find it here.
This is SUCH a stunning and quirky shop. From the pink exterior to the bright and leafy inside - it’s a treat for your eyes.
Nestled amongst the vines and trees at the back of Mont Rouge Estate in Red Hill, is this charming little family-owned chocolaterie and ice creamery
Did you know that there’s a VODKA DISTILLERY in the South? This Mamma did NOT, and WOW, this place is amazing!
Sit in a cosy little bar, enjoy a cocktail or spirit flight, a cheese board or a toastie, whilst hearing all about the distillery process from their delightful staff.
Calling all chocoholics - there’s a new chocolate factory in the south that you are going to want to visit, your taste buds will thank you!
These delectable chocolates make the perfect treat, especially when we are stuck at home!
The aroma fills your lungs as soon as you step through the door. Chocolate; sweet, sweet chocolate!
BEST NATURE SPOTS
Feeling like some outdoor adventure with the kiddos? Well, Cape Schanck Lighthouse Reserve is the perfect place for you!
*Kids are free - over 18s $6 entry. (City of Frankston locals are free)
Over 16 hectares of lush ti tree bush-land to uncover 100 weird and wonderful pieces of art, hidden amongst the bushes. Perfect picnic spot to let the kids imaginations run wild.
This unsuspecting waterfall is the perfect family friendly destination, as the walk to the viewing point is only 200m from the carpark! Perfect for those little legs!
With heritage buildings, most still in their original condition, the vast openness sprinkled with the most majestic old trees, and surrounded by the bay - it is pure tranquility.
No words or pictures can fully explain the sheer beauty of this spot. The scenery in every direction and the rich Australian history you’re walking amongst, is pretty spectacular. Fort Nepean on Melbourne’s Mornington Peninsula is the site of the first shot of the British Empire in WWII - as well as the last know location of Prime Minster Harold Holt before he disappeared!
If you’re looking for the perfect spot for a weekend picnic with INCREDIBLE views, you simply cannot go past the STUNNING Seawinds Gardens in Arthurs Seat.
Here’s the perfect outdoor adventure for all ages, with absolutely stunning scenery surrounding you in every direction.
Here’s a great place to head out and enjoy the fresh air and sunshine! Bring the bikes - and prams - and choose your adventure!
Mushroom Reef Sanctuary is the perfect spot to discover some fossils, collect pretty shells and just take in the sheer magnificence of the Mornington Peninsula.
The treat for the kids as this beautiful reserve are the hidden huts - or ‘dragon nests’.
Descend the spiralling staircase showcasing the most stunning scenery. Once you get to the bottom you are rewarded with the spectacular jetty and access to a sprawling stretch of sand.
Wow! What a beautiful spot! Mamma just LOVES the peaceful tranquillity of this stunning place.
This great nature reserve is perfect for a family adventure. There’s so much to explore!
Did you know that you can hunt for real life fossils, right here amongst the picturesque cliffs of Beaumaris?
There really is something so magical here. It’s a mixture of the white sand, the red caves and those huge cliffs - accompanied by the sound of the crashing waves - pure HEAVEN.
This marine sanctuary is home to many waterbirds - even ducks and swans at times - starfish, crabs, fish and pelicans!
The Nobbies sit at the southern tip of the fabulous Phillip Island but you feel like you could be at the edge of the earth.
The Australian Garden as part of the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne is a stunning destination to the explore with the entire family. Pack a towel - you will certainly want to have a paddle!
ALL of the BEST parks and playgrounds in the South to Picnic at!