Our moms and those who are mother figures in our lives deserve thanks more often than we show them. Mother’s Day gives us all a great excuse to make them feel extra special and for us to show them that we care!

To all those looking for a great gift for mom but are coming up short we have some great suggestions of gifts, experiences, and stays to help you come up with something. Whether it’s a small gift with a lot of meaning, a rejuvenating weekend away from their day-to-day, or even something free like quality time in nature, we’ve got you covered. Or, mom, if you’re looking to give you’re kids a little hint… send them this list of things from a favorite place of yours: the Petoskey Area.

 

Mother’s Day Special Meals

Several area restaurants will be offering Mother’s Day specials to take moms out for brunch. Each location we will mention has a different menu and ambiance that they offer.

Pond Hill Farm Mother’s Day Brunch offers farm-to-table quality items and offers an add-on option this year of a vase of flowers for the table from Emlia Acres for mom to take home afterward.

Boyne Mountain’s Beach House Restaurant in Boyne Falls and The Country Club of Boyne in Harbor Springs will each put on their own special brunch buffets to honor and celebrate mom!

The Inn at Bay Harbor will be having a Mother’s Day Buffet in their Sagamore Room. Their lakefront dining is pretty incredible and is your option for a beautiful lake view.

Spring & Porter Mother’s Day brunch is bound to be an unforgettable brunch experience – order from their rotating menu of fresh options. They haven’t divulged if there will be special offerings for Mother’s Day but with current brunch menu items like Spring Street French Toast and Chicken Benedict, oh man, it can’t get much better!

Cafe Sante of Boyne City will be having a Mother’s Day Brunch with their unique European-flare cuisine – one you surely won’t want to miss. How can you pass up on the most exquisite croque madam you will have laid your eyes on?

Both The Perry Hotel and Bay View Inn will also be having Mother’s Day Brunch offerings this year on Sunday, May 12th. The Perry’s brunch will be a la carte from the menu and Bay View Inn will be offering dine-in buffet and carry-out options.

H.O. Rose’s vegetable skillet is a savory, filling brunch option to warm up your belly. Topped with two eggs any way you’d like them, it’s sure to be more than enough to satisfy your cravings. Paired with one of the best views in Petoskey, you can’t beat it. Photo credit: Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau

 

A Weekend Getaway or Retreat

Several area lodging properties will have Mother’s Day happenings and packages going on, let’s take a look at each of them! For all lodging specials check out our Lodging Specials page on our website.

The Highlands at Harbor Springs will be having a Mother’s Day Retreat over the course of three days. The Highlands is a ski resort in the winter months and is located on the countryside of Harbor Springs with tons of offerings in the warmer months. During this retreat, mom will have a champagne welcome reception, be pampered at the spa, yoga & sound healing, a wellness lunch, a Floral Centerpiece Design Workshop taught by Sweetwater Floral, and end the weekend with a spectacular brunch at the Country Club of Boyne. Feel free to check out booking some of these things individually on The Highlands website.

The Bay View Inn will have a Mother’s Day lodging special that will include their infamous Mother’s Day Brunch in their Roselawn Dining Room. Make reservations ahead of time for this one!

Staying for the weekend doesn’t have to be about what you pay to do, there are plenty of free things to do with mom if she enjoys being in nature or maybe even a scenic drive! Take a look at or “OUTDOOR” tab on the website for some inspiration: a hike, bike ride, walking trail,  Petoskey Stone Hunting, or even birding on a nature trail. So many great options to spend quality time together.

The Inn at Bay Harbor will be offering 15% off for Mother’s Day weekend May 10 – 12 where you can enjoy breakfast for two each morning, an outdoor hot tub, shuttle service to Bay Harbor Village, Downtown Petoskey, and more. Don’t forget to check out their other offerings at an additional charge like Afternoon Tea and their spa amenities.

 

Special Places to Shop

Each of our area communities has great shopping districts to explore! Whether you are looking for a locally handcrafted item, housewares, new shoes, outdoor items, jewelry, or even an area souvenir there is something for every mom. Here are some of our favorites…

Grandpa Shorters & The Katydid, Petoskey

These two stores are close to each other and under the same ownership but offer a slightly different array of gift items for mom. Grandpa Shorter’s can offer you everything from funny, quirky gifts to a nice pair of Mukluks. This is also a spot where you could buy mom a Petoskey Stone too! The Katydid has a bit different assortment of gifts for mom. Think garden and lawn ornaments, Petoskey merch, cards, unique jewelry, and locally made gifts.

Northgoods, Petoskey

In Downtown Petoskey, Northgoods offers handcrafted art, candles, and other goods that would be the perfect gift for mom. They have lots of jewelry (think Petoskey Stones and other cool things) and cards too!

Sturgeon River Pottery, Petoskey

Sturgeon River Pottery is located on Charlevoix Avenue on your way from Petoskey to Bay Harbor. The large outdoor area of garden and yard decorations welcomes you to the shop. This truly might be one of our favorite hidden gems to grab a gift on a holiday – not just pottery either! They have handcrafted home goods, garden decorations, art, and more.

American Spoon, Petoskey & Harbor Springs

American Spoon in Petoskey and Harbor Springs offers a variety of jarred goods like jams, spreads, sauces, syrups, and mixes. Perfect place to put together a little gift box or pick from a premade gift package they offer from time to time. For example, maybe you pick up a little pancake breakfast kit with pancake mix, “spoon fruits”, syrup, and more. The best part – the samples!

Murdick’s Fudge and Kilwin’s, Petoskey

Don’t forget about if your mom has a sweet tooth! Murdick’s and Kilwin’s in downtown Petoskey as well as Kilwin’s Chocolate Kitchen near Bay View are both great places to pick up fudge, chocolate, and all sorts of yummy sweets. Grab yourself an ice cream cone while you shop, you won’t regret it – don’t shop hungry!

Other sweets stops: Alpine Chocolat Haus, Boyne City; Candy Harbor, Bay Harbor; Howse’s Fudge, Harbor Springs; Tom’s Mom’s Cookies, Harbor Springs; JoJo’s Cookie Co., Petoskey; Johan’s Pastries, Harbor Springs and Petoskey; The Sweet and Savory Pie Company, Petoskey and Alanson

HANNI Gallery, Harbor Springs

Downtown Harbor Springs, HANNI Gallery’s collection of gift items for moms gives you so much to choose from.  Jewelry, art, home goods, candles, and other special handcrafted items. You can find Harbor Springs and Petoskey area special gifts as well!

Sturgeon River Pottery’s outdoor area is full of so many great gift ideas! Photo credit: Petoskey Area Visitors Bureau

Check out our area flower shops!

Petoskey: Flowers from Sky’s the Limit, Monarch Garden & Floral Design, Willson’s Garden Center, Alfie’s Attic, Flowers by Kegomic, Sweetwater Floral (Walloon Lake)

Harbor Springs: A R Pontius Flower Shop, Emlia Acres (online for local pick-up or delivery), Open Sky Farm (available at local outlets)

Boyne City: Upsy-Daisy Floral, Boyne Avenue Greenhouse & Florist

Alanson: Flowers by Melissa

 

Gift Shopping Events and Other Fun Things for Mom

Leading up to the holiday and shortly after some great things are going on to make note of. Several art and craft market events are happening in the coming weeks that will be perfect opportunities to browse some gifts for your mom. And the best part about this, local and handmade gifts will be so special! Additionally, fun activities and events are going on you could take moms to in the coming months. We recommend checking out the following events:

Buy now, experience later by buying a ticket to an upcoming event in the area. Did you hear that MAMMA MIA is coming to Great Lakes Center for the Arts this August? Tickets go on sale June 1st.

About the author

Ellen Auten is a native of the area, and a lover of hiking, snowboarding, foraging, and a great meal. She enjoys promoting the next fun thing to do in the Petoskey Area – but also likes to recommend local favorites and learning opportunities for all. She hopes to help in your planning process for your next trip to the Petoskey Area of northern Lower Michigan.