Make New Memories for Mother’s Day by Channeling Your Inner Adventurer

Want to spoil mom with a memorable Mother’s Day weekend that doesn’t involve a spa (because, let’s face it, she’s likely been there and done that)? Try one of these experiential trips instead, where you and she can enjoy hands-on fun while learning new skills, tapping into your creative side or paying it forward.

Forget tanning on the beach or an eight-course brunch. You’ll both come away refreshed, recharged and reeducated with these trip ideas.

Snap Your Way Through a Photography Adventure

Sure, you can rely on your smartphone to capture the best parts of your Mother’s Day extravaganza.

But rather than sharing your blurry shots on Instagram, consider booking a photocentric getaway that doubles as a creative learning experience. Test your eye for capturing shadows and light during a Puerto Vallarta sunset photography workshop, or learn how to snap Iceland’s extraordinary natural beauty during a workshop in Reykjavik.

For a unique twist, combine Mom’s love of photography and history with the PhotoWalks Freedom Trail Tour in Boston, a 90-minute walking tour.

Soak Up the Tunes at an Outdoor Music Festival

Mother’s Day weekend is the perfect time to set out on a road trip that includes a stop or two at some of the country’s best music festivals. Catch authentic roots and blues at Knoxville, Tennessee’s, Rhythm N’ Blooms festival, or watch dozens of acts from a soothing hot tub at the Hangout Fest in Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Spice Things Up

Take the Little Havana Food Tour in Miami, where you’ll get to nibble picadillo-stuffed empanadas, authentic Cuban sandwiches and tropical guava pastelitos. Explore the neighborhood’s main drag, the lively Calle Ocho, while learning about Cuba’s heritage; then refresh with a guarapo (sugarcane) juice or rich, dark Cuban coffee.

Another tasty option is the Ethnic Eats Tour in Philadelphia, which features tastes of Vietnamese roasted-pork banh mi, two Thai appetizers and Indian cuisine, and also includes visits to a Buddhist temple and an Asian grocery store.

Take the Plunge with an Active Adventure

Enroll yourselves in an introductory scuba diving class led by the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) — they run classes at more than 300 resort dive centers in 150 countries.

Or learn how to ride the waves by taking beginner surfing lessons at the female-run Surf Diva in San Diego. You can attend either a weekend clinic or a five-day course. Bonus: Equipment is included for these adventures.

Volunteer with an All-Female Building Crew

Add some skills to your tool belt by joining one of Habitat for Humanity’s 30 short-term “Travel and Build” Global Village service trips, where you can experience another culture while also helping to build affordable housing or helping out an orphanage.

Or keep it local by signing up for one of the organization’s Women Build events across the U.S. No experience is necessary; all volunteers are supervised by experienced construction pros.

Get Crafty

Book a day or a weekend where you can learn anything from glass blowing and pottery to fiber arts and jewelry making. For example, the Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona, offers dozens of different crafting workshops, such as flame-working, creating jewelry and steel sculptures.

Or combine Mom’s bucket-list dream of going to Paris with a chance to learn the art of perfume making or how to paint with watercolor in the City of Light.