Girls’ Day Out: The Best San Antonio Mother/Daughter Dates

I am a loud and proud girl mom. Two of the four bedrooms in our house are pink, and when my husband travels, we watch princess movies and give each other pedicures. I usually trip over at least one Barbie on the way to my kids’ bedroom every night, and my Kindergartner has to wear a tutu over her shorts every day. My two little princesses and I don’t enjoy holing up in the house (castle?) all the time, and we’re always looking for the best places for mother/daughter dates. I crowd-sourced my friends, and here’s what we came up with. Let me know what we missed!

My oldest daughter, getting what I assume is either pink or bright pink nail polish.
My oldest daughter, getting what I assume is either pink or bright pink nail polish

Indulge in a pedicure.

Yes, it feels a little silly to put your young daughter in a fancy chair and have an adult scrub her calluses. Yes, it costs $30 and lasts maybe three days. But my girls think it’s so fun and grown-up, and while it’s not something we’d do every week, it’s a fun splurge. Our favorite nail salon is The Rim Nails and Spa.

Splurge on a special dessert.

ALL kids love sweet treats (not just girls!), but there’s something extra fun and girly about having a dessert in the middle of the day. We like to go to Cupcake Couture for cupcakes and Brindle’s for ice creamthey have dairy-free flavors for my allergic youngest daughter.

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Paint your own pottery.

I’d recommend this for the five-and-over crowd; otherwise you may pay $50 for a ceramic blue monster (not that I’m speaking from experience or anything). Places like Clay Casa or the Painted Plate generally charge a fee for their supplies, on top of the fee for the pottery itself. You can paint a piece, and then they glaze and fire it for you. They make great gifts for Christmas and Father’s Day!

Visit the American Girl store.

What’s girlier than American Girls?! Even if your kids don’t own the dolls (mine don’t), they will still enjoy looking at all the dolls and trying out all the accessories. The American Girl pop-up store is located in La Cantera next to Neiman Marcus, and while you’re at La Cantera, you can grab an ice cream at Marble Slab and browse the books at Barnes and Noble.

Catch a show.

San Antonio is home to several lovely theaters, and watching a play is a great way to bond! On the low-key side, the Magik Theatre is reasonably priced and features short shows, making it a great option for little girls. The Majestic has Broadway shows regularly, and many are child-friendly. If you’ve never been, seeing the inside of the beautiful theater itself is worth the price of admission.

My girls about to enjoy The Little Mermaid
My girls about to enjoy The Little Mermaid

Hit a bucket of balls.

We love going to Top Golf, a three-story, state-of-the-art driving range. Eating lunch and taking turns hitting the balls is a great way to unleash our competitive side and chat. On Sunday mornings Top Golf has a great brunch, and there’s usually not as much of a crowd. Downstairs, there is a kids’ area with a Wii that you can use while you wait for a bay to become available.

Have a tea party.

Located in King William, Madhatter’s Tea House is a cute little restaurant that has high tea as well as kids’ tea. It’s right off of South Alamo Street, so it would be easy to grab some B-cycles and head to the Mission Reach trail right after!

Take a hike.

San Antonio has a plethora of trails to choose from, and though they may whine, my girls feel good about themselves after a hike. Our favorites are Hardberger Park (because of the awesome playground) and Eisenhower Park because of the hills! Afterwards, treat yourself to a smoothie at Smoothie King to rehydrate.

I’m so glad we live in a city with so many fun mommy/daughter date venues! What’s your favorite?

 

Kristin
Kristin moved to San Antonio from Baltimore in 2006. Although she had a brief 2 year stay in Fort Worth, the margaritas, breakfast tacos and the kind souls of our residents drew her back for good. She's a third grade teacher and group fitness instructor, and single mom to Molly (2009), Sadie (2011), Daisy (dog) and Charlie (cat). When she has free time, she's either training for a half marathon or on a patio somewhere with a Titos and soda. Favorite Restaurant: Sustenio Favorite Landmark: The Pearl Brewery Favorite San Antonio Tradition: The Elf Movie parties at Alamo Drafthouse