Whether you identify with Abraham Lincoln, “All that I am, or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother,” or George Carlin, “I remember when I was a kid I used to come home from Sunday School and my mother would get drunk and try to make pancakes,” this is one holiday that should not be planned at the last minute. Use oM’s guide to celebrate a truly memorable Mother’s Day in and around New York City. (Don’t just buy a bouquet, take her to a tulip festival. Forget the box of chocolates, enjoy a walking tour of the best sweet spots in SoHo.)
Send Mom to a beautiful resort and spa for a weekend full of body and soul rejuvenation, wine tastings, and entertainment at the annual Tulip Festival. The spa package offered May 10-12 includes accommodations, yoga classes, two daily meals, nature walks, and more ($99/adults, $49/children). (honorshaven.com)
Bring the family to the New York Botanical Garden’s Mother’s Day Garden Party and enjoy food tasting, games, music, crafts, and a Beauty and The Beast performance at this outdoor celebration May 12-13. Prices vary. (nybg.org)
On May 13, book the Brooklyn Museum Mother’s Day Brunch and Tour, which includes brunch at the Rubin Pavilion, a guided tour of mother-minded exhibits, and a discount coupon at the gift shop ($55). (brooklynmuseum.org)
Join the Stone Barns Mother’s Day Celebration on May 13 for a day packed with farm activities like planting, a Mothers and Babies tour of animals, a tea party, and much more. Prices vary. (stonebarnscenter.org)
If you’ve never experienced a Hudson River ride on the Bateaux New York, this is a great time to sip some bubbly, have a bite, and take in the Manhattan views on the Mother’s Day Cruise. ($69.90/brunch, $119.90/dinner). (bateauxnewyork.com)
Check out Open Table for a list of 341 restaurants with Mother’s Day menus in the New York area, including brunch and dinner specials in all five boroughs, North Jersey, the Hudson Valley, Long Island, and even upstate. (opentable.com)
Canela Spa in The Bronx is offering 12% discounted spa gift cards when ordering online, using discount code MDAY12. Help Mom relax with the $90 Xpress Package’s 25-minute massage and 30-minute facial. (canelaspa.com)
Treat Mom to a delicious farm-fresh feast on May 13 at Richard Gere’s Bedford Post Inn, where a prix-fixe Mother’s Day menu may include Maine Lobster Salad, Wild Ramp Crust Ellensburg Lamb, and Pork Belly ($75). (bedfordpostinn.com)
Taste the city’s best sweets at places like Jacques Torres Chocolate, Kee’s Chocolate, and Marie Belle with the Mother’s Day Chocolate Walking Tour in SoHo ($80). (walkinny.com)
On May 13, honor moms, and women everywhere, at this Mother’s Day walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, with proceeds going to Milagros Day Worldwide’s efforts to end domestic violence ($20). (mothersdaywalk.eventbrite.com)
This all-natural spa in Brooklyn is offering Mother’s Day deals on everything from Steam Mists to full-body Detoxes, with savings of up to $90. (greenspany.com)
Work as a team during the Prospect Park Mother’s Day Duathlon, which combines there different courses for every level of fitness. Prices vary. (lin-mark.com)
Moms will love the chance to bond with the little ones at the Mother’s Day Tea Party in Garden City. Kids can create special craft gifts for their Moms too ($19.95/adults, $12.95/children). (thecupcakecornergc.com)
Find the perfect gift for Mom—or let her pick out something of her own—at the Pre-Mother’s Day Market at Bohemian Hall, featuring local artisans and vendors on April 29. (astoriamarket.com)
On May 12, support local artists while showing Mom how much she means to you at this outdoor Heaven Hill Farm Mother’s Day Market in Vernon. (heavenhillfarm.com)
Photo: Jack Brodus
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram