The time has come to celebrate our moms, grandmothers, or other family members we’d like to honor on this special day. Whether you’re looking to celebrate Mother’s Day in San Francisco on a budget, or you want to go all-out with a nice Mother’s Day brunch, we’ve got plenty of ideas to help you get the ball rolling.
🗓️ Mother’s Day is on Sunday, May 10, 2026.
Attend a Mother’s Day tea at the Ferry Building
Head to San Francisco’s Ferry Building for a charming Mother’s Day tea hosted by Little Moon Bakehouse. Diners will enjoy a full set of exquisite pastries, including black sesame mooncakes and lemon tarts, as well as a bouquet.
Join the free fun on Mother’s Day at the Exploratorium
The Exploratorium presents a special Mother’s Day-themed experience for families, especially “mamás latinas.” They will offer bilingual programming for everyone, folklórico dances, hot chocolate tasting, and paper flower making. This is one of the Exploratorium’s rare “pay as you wish” days, so don’t miss out.
Dear San Francisco is a genre-defying, immersive show that weaves acrobatics, poetry, music and movement into a love letter to San Francisco, tracing its history from the Gold Rush to modern-day moments.
The historic Golden Gate Park Band is back for 2026, and Mother’s Day brings a special performance dedicated to mothers everywhere. The program will include Sir Arthur Sullivan’s “Pineapple Poll,” Leroy Anderson’s “Bell of the Ball,” and Nubia Jaime Donjuan’s “Little Mexican Suite.”
Later that day, Dalwayne, DJ Guid8nce, DJ Sep, Irie Dole, and Rik Jam will perform at Crucial Reggae Sundays from 4:30-7:30pm.
Some would argue that brunch is the most important meal of the day. Be sure to get your recommended daily allowance of crispy bacon, fluffy pancakes, mimosas, and egg scrambles at these spectacular brunch spots around the city, from the elegant patio at Foreign Cinema to the generous spread at Brenda’s French Soul Food. Now’s the time to make a reservation!
Italiani Veri is a 90-minute musical variety show led by Arianna Bergamaschi, coming to The Palace Theatre in San Francisco. Expect world-class live music, stand-up comedy, immersive projections, and special local guests.
There are plenty of wonderful exhibitions on view in SF right now. If you’re a San Francisco resident, Saturdays are free for you at the de Young and Legion of Honor, and every day is free for you in the Gardens of Golden Gate Park.
We recommend checking out the Monet and Venice exhibition at the de Young and Chiharu Shiota: Two Home Countries at the Asian Art Museum. Read our article for more.
Look into these Mother’s Day restaurant specials
Several San Francisco restaurants pull out all the stops with Mother’s Day menu specials. Check the special menus at Chotto Matte, Astra at the St. Regis, Z&Y Peking Duck, and Colibri Mexican Bistro.
AURA is a 45-minute immersive show that blends music, large-scale visual projections, and Grace Cathedral’s soaring architecture to create a dynamic art installation that illuminates arches and intricate details.
Whether you want to pick up some produce at a bountiful spring farmers market or you’re looking to do some gift shopping at one of SF’s eclectic artisan fairs, you’ll find plenty of recurring markets to look forward to around Mother’s Day.
- Outer Sunset Farmers Market & Mercantile (Sundays, 9am-2pm)
- Inner Sunset Flea Market with Sunset Mercantile (second Sundays, 10am-4pm)
- Inner Sunset Farmers Market (Sundays, 9am-1pm)
- Clement Street Farmers Market (Sundays, 9am-2pm)
- Stonestown Farmers Market (Sundays, 9am-1pm)
- Fort Mason Center Farmers Market (Sundays, 9:30am-1:30pm
- Alemany Flea Market (Sundays, 7am-3pm)
San Francisco is home to endless memorable gardens, but the most unique ones can take some digging to find. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of interesting and unforgettable gardens in SF for you to get a breath of fresh air.
From SF Botanical Garden’s Garden of Fragrance to the Academy of Science’s Living Roof, here are some of the most unique local gardens that make for a lovely escape within the city.
San Francisco is full of countless awesome plant stores and nurseries, but we’ve rounded up the best ones so you can continue growing your plant family. Whether or not you have a green thumb, these spots are certainly worth a visit. If you’re looking for a more interactive experience, Succulence has a planting bar that lets you create your own beautiful arrangements, and Arcana doubles as a wine bar with weekly jazz nights.
In the Bay Area, a beautiful view is always right around the corner. Whether you’re looking for a quick stroll along the Lands End Trail or a more strenuous day hike up Mission Peak, these incredible nearby routes are great for a chance to stretch your legs.
San Francisco is home to some of the best parks and gardens in the world, so there’s no shortage of awesome picnic spots for you to enjoy a meal with friends. Whether you want to support a local cafe and get some amazing food to go, or you prefer to pack your own delicious recipe to enjoy out in the sunshine, you’ll love all of these great options.
Mother’s Day in San Francisco is a great opportunity to explore the Bay Area on an unforgettable day trip. From wine tasting at Castello di Amorosa in Calistoga, to seeing all the beautiful spring blooms at Filoli Estate & Gardens, we love these destinations that appeal to the whole family.