Every year, Mother’s Day descends on us in a gentle cloud of guilt, glitter, and overpriced floral arrangements. It beckons like a Hallmark commercial but hits like a therapy bill. This year, however, Pensacola has decided to rewrite the script — and this time, sons are invited, too.

Welcome to:

Love You, Mom: Pensacola’s Mother’s Day Scavenger Hunt Adventure — a two-hour expedition into heartfelt bonding, questionable reenactments of cinematic mother-child scenes, and enough walking to spark flashbacks to the mall days of your youth when Mom “just needed to pop into one more store.”

This is the Mother’s Day event where all her kids — daughters, sons, stepkids, bonus kids, and that one nephew who’s just always around — can prove their love not with a text, but with a two-hour trek across historic downtown Pensacola.

“She raised you, fed you, forgave your terrible high school phase — and now all she asks is for you to pose like Baby in Dirty Dancing in front of the Saenger Theatre.”

Two Tiers of Love (and Accountability): $30 or $50

Standard Tour — $30 per person

Includes the full scavenger hunt experience, digital travel guide, prize bag, and enough self-reflection to last until next year.

Mother’s Day Experience Tour — $50 per person

Includes everything above plus:

A flower for Mom (symbolic, photogenic, slightly wilt-resistant)
A $12 food or dessert voucher at Seville Quarter (yes, food only — this is a mother-child event, not a rosé brunch bender)
A chance to be the favorite child, even if only briefly

“I didn’t know how to say thank you for 18 years of emotional labor, so I bought the $50 ticket.”— A son, clutching a flower and visibly sweating

An Adventure for Moms and the Brave Souls Who Love Them

The journey winds through Pensacola’s most charming historical locations — Seville Square, Plaza Ferdinand, the iconic Saenger Theatre — blending family bonding with light cardio, heartfelt laughter, and occasional bickering over which street the next clue is on.

Expect challenges like:

Dance Like No One’s Watching: Sons, this means you, too. Let go of that toxic masculinity and twirl with your mother like it’s 1997 and the living room radio is playing Céline Dion.
Movie Magic Reenactments: Recreate scenes from famous mom-child films like Mrs. Doubtfire, Throw Momma from the Train, Mommie Dearest, or Forrest Gump. Bonus points for commitment.
Mom & Me (or Mom & He) Moments: Recreate awkward childhood photos, including that time she forced you into matching polos.
Heartfelt History: Solve clues that reveal stories of influential women in Pensacola’s past — because your mom didn’t raise a historically illiterate child.
Tasty Treat Stops: Use your food voucher for dessert if you must, but only if you share a bite with Mom.
Family Fun Challenges: Whether it’s balancing a balloon or spelling “unconditional love” backwards, you’ll work together — awkwardly, but together.
Interview a Stranger: Ask locals their best piece of mom advice. One person simply said, “Don’t get her kitchen gadgets. Ever.”

“I didn’t expect to enjoy this. But seeing my grown son do the chicken dance in front of a statue? Worth every penny.”— Mom, radiant, vindicated

A Celebration of Cinematic Moms (and Their Reluctant Children)

This event is a tribute to all the iconic movie moms — both beloved and terrifying. There’s the fierce Molly Weasley from Harry Potter, the steely Morticia Addams, and of course, the deeply misunderstood Joan Crawford of Mommie Dearest, whose aversion to wire hangers became the battle cry of emotionally complex mothers everywhere.

Whether your mom is a Donna Sheridan from Mamma Mia (spontaneous dancing encouraged) or more of a Margaret White from Carrie (please leave the telekinesis at home), this scavenger hunt gives her what she truly wants: quality time and tangible proof that she raised at least one semi-functional adult.

“She’s not a regular mom. She’s a scavenger hunt mom.”— One son, wiping brownie crumbs from his face

Why This, and Not Brunch?

Because brunch is overcooked eggs and emotional avoidance. This is a walk through memory lane with side quests, sentimental selfies, and a chance to show your mother you still remember how to hold her hand.

My son actually said ‘I love you’ without being prompted. I suspect heatstroke, but I’ll take it.”— Local mom, fanning herself with the scavenger hunt map