Jennifer Garner recently gave her 86-year-old mother an unforgettable experience by taking her to witness one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. This heartwarming trip came shortly after the dynamics of Garner’s relationship with Jennifer Lopez made headlines.

The 53-year-old actress shared the details of their adventure with her 17.2 million Instagram followers, revealing their unforgettable journey to Canada to see the Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis.

“My mom, Pat, is quite the adventurer,” Garner expressed in a video montage. “This year, she told me she needed to see the Northern Lights. She really needed to see them.”

Garner recounted their trip to Yellowknife in Canada’s northern territories, noting that upon their arrival on New Year’s Day, the sun set at 3:45 p.m. She shared an array of photos capturing the essence of their journey.

In the photos, both Garner and her mother were seen wrapped up warmly in thick winter coats adorned with fur-trimmed hoods, braving the cold for their once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

The Alias alum wrote in the caption, ‘If experiencing awe is good for you, 2026 started off with [heart emoji]. Thank you, Mom.’

Jennifer Garner sweetly treated her 86-year-old mother to an epic trip to see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World which she documented on Instagram

In a brief clip, Garner described the magical setting: “The moon was full, casting such a bright light. It was so bright you could see a moon shadow as if the sun was shining.”

The mom-of-three — who shares her brood with ex-husband Ben Affleck — noted that guides warned her the Aurora, the solar-powered display of rich lights in the sky, might not be visible.

However, luck was in their favor, as the adventurous travelers discovered exactly what they came for.

Garner said, in awe, ‘But guess what… just like mom ordered, right overhead, bright in the sky, bright to the naked eye, [there were] greens and yellows and purples from one side of the sky to the other, dancing overhead. It was so beautiful.’

Wrapping up the inspiring snippet, she said, ‘Mom, you had a really good idea. What a great way to bring in the New Year. I’m so glad you love adventures.’

The emotional video ended with Garner gasping in amazement as she repeatedly said, ‘Wow.’ 

The silver screen siren’s caption ended in gratitude, as she wrote: ‘Thank you Yellowknife NWT, Canada.

‘@lovingsonm and @aurora_hunter — you were wonderful guides. Thank you for caring for my mom like she was your own.’

‘My mom, Pat, she’s an adventurer. This year she told me that she needed to see the Northern Lights. Needed to see them,’ she emphasized at the start of a video montage

Garner gushed over the beauty of the breathtaking sight

‘So, off we went in search of the Northern Lights to Yellowknife in the northern territories of Canada. As soon as we landed on New Year’s Day the sun set,’ Garner recalled while posting various photos from the excursion

‘Just like mom ordered, right overhead, bright in the sky, bright to the naked eye, [there were] greens and yellows and purples from one side of the sky to the other, dancing overhead,’ Garner described

Jennifer and Pat are seen in New York back in June

In June 2024 she and her mother made an appearance on the Today and discussed the death of her dad, William Garner.

During the morning chat with Hoda Kotb, the subject of Pat’s husband William came up, as the host noted, ‘Another thing we admire about you is your husband passed a little bit ago — and I can only imagine how hard it was to get out of bed, to just start another day — but one day you just decided, “Today’s the day.”‘

Pat replied: ‘Well I pretty much decided anyway, before, that I would be all right. I was so worried about being a widow and then one day I had an epiphany, “You will be alright.”

Turning to her mom, Garner effused: ‘He loved how much people love you, so he would be right there smiling,’ as co-host Savannah Guthrie confirmed the couple were married for 59 years. 

She later added, ‘I mean, I have a pretty special mom. My mom is not judgmental of people or of things or if things are happening to you. She is just kind of gifted at giving to people and seeing what people need and just quietly taking care of them.’