16 Places to Take Mom for Mother's Day That Are Better Than Brunch

If your mom has an artsy streak, take her to the Laumeier Art Fair.
12580 Rott Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63127
(314) 615 - 5278

Laumeier Sculpture Park is a relaxing oasis for art lovers on any given day, but this weekend you can also enjoy an art fair while you’re there. You’ll find work from 150 juried artists from across the U.S., beer and wine tasting events, local food and beverage vendors and live music. If you’ve procrastinated getting your mom a gift, this would be the perfect time and place to buy her something unique….just saying. RFT photo.

If your mom likes theater, take her out for a show.

There are options all over town this weekend for the mom who reminisces about her high school drama geek days. The entire family can enjoy productions such as “Kiss Me, Kate” at the Ivory Theatre, "Fiddler on the Roof" at Looking Glass Playhouse and "The Addams Family" at the Kirkwood Theatre Guild. You’re sure to get an encore for next year’s Mother’s Day festivities. Photo of the Ivory Theatre courtesy of Flickr / Paul Sableman.

If your mom likes craft cocktails, then take her to The Preston.
212 N Kingshighway Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
(314) 633-7800

The newest restaurant at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel is a sleek, stylish spot with some of the most delicious drinks in town. And unlike other mixology meccas (Planter's House, Elaia), the Preston is open on Sundays. Save room for dessert: The chocolate melt, which features hot caramel, salted peanut gelato and peanut brittle beneath a chocolate shell, is one of the tastiest -- and most visually interesting -- desserts we've had all year. RFT Photo.

If your mom is all about being outdoors, bike the Katy Trail.

Grab a bike at Katy Bike Rental in Defiance, then pedal down the path to one of the many wineries along the Katy Trail. Sugar Creek, Augusta Winery, Montelle Winery, Mount Pleasant Estates….no matter which you choose, you can’t go wrong. A little nature, a little exercise and a little (or a lot) of wine -- now that’s a Mother’s Day plan we can agree with. Photo courtesy of Flickr / N.

If your mom wants family-friendly fun, take her to Grant’s Farm.
10501 Gravois Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63123
(314) 843-1700

If little ones will be in tow during your Mother’s Day celebration, Grant’s Farm is an ideal choice. The ancestral home of the Busch family, Grant’s Farm is named for the former president of the U.S. and is basically a smallish zoo. Kids will love feeding the goats, watching the animal shows and taking a spin on the carousel. Then you can sit back with some snacks and a beer in the biergarten. Photo courtesy of Grant's Farm.

If your mom just needs a day off, treat her to a massage at one of St. Louis’ spas.

Or a manicure. Or a pedicure. Or a facial. Or whatever else one does in a spa. Being a mother is a 24/7 job, so give Mom some much needed me-time with a day at one of the beautiful spas around town. We don’t know about you, but some spa treatment at The Chase Park Plaza or the Four Seasons sounds like a luxurious relaxation experience. Photo courtesy of Flickr / Merlin Phuket.

If your mom likes to party, take her to Cinco de Mayo.

Who said Cinco de Mayo ends after May 5? The party continues this Saturday on Cherokee, with live entertainment, a parade, art booths and demonstrations, and more. Bring the celebration to a satisfying close with the dismantling of a Donald Trump pinata, created by St. Louis restaurateur and artist Francis Rodriguez and a team of artists. It’s the perfect excuse to start celebrating Mother’s Day a day early -- and then you can go out for one of the countless Mother’s Day brunches to treat that hangover on Sunday. Photo by Nick Schnelle.

If your mom is a fashionista, take her to the Little Black Dress: From Mourning to Night exhibit at the Missouri History Museum.
5700 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63112
(314) 746-4599

Few clothing items are more versatile and iconic than the little black dress. This exhibit follows the LBD through time, from its reputation as a funerals-only garment to its revolution into a high fashion staple. With over 60 dresses on display, artifacts to explore and an opportunity for her to design her own dress, this is the perfect event for the stylish mom in your life. Photo courtesy of Flickr / Missouri History Museum.

If your mom is competitive, take her to the Blueberry Hill open dart tournament.
6504 Delmar Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63130
(314) 727-4444

The greatest sport in the indoor league is a favorite of moms who enjoy a beer and a smoke -- that's why Blueberry Hill's smoking area is attached to the darts room. Mother's Day is the championship day in the nation's longest running tourney, which takes place all weekend. Let Mom show off her skill, or just come to watch and grab a drink. It's a win either way. Photo courtesy of Flickr / Frank Reedy.

If your mom likes a fiesta, take her to Rosalita's.
1235 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 621-2700

This Tex-Mex joint on the Wash. Ave strip is always hoppin' -- just the place for a mom who's out to have a good time. Fill her up with chili con queso and an El Presidente margarita. If you decide to celebrate mother's day a day early, you can join in the Derby de Mayo bar crawl. Now that's our kind of mom! Photo by Jennifer Silverberg.

If your mom is a music aficionado, take her to see the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.
718 N Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 533-2500

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra performs Gustav Holst's "Planets" suite this weekend -- a huge crowd pleaser. Moms love classical music, especially when performed by the best band in the city. You'll give her an excuse to dress up and go out with a trip to this gorgeous music hall. Photo by Dilip Vishwanat.

If your mom is a book nerd, take her to the St. Louis Fine Print, Rare Book & Paper Arts Fair at UMSL.
J. C. Penney Building
UMSL North Campus
1 University Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63121

Moms love fine prints -- you're only here because dad invited her up to see his etchings, after all. So naturally she'll geek out over all the historic photos, original watercolors, prints by Audubon, illustrated books and more. The event is taking place all weekend, but on Sunday there will also be artist demonstrations and free Ted Drewes(!!). Can't beat that. Photo: Haudrich-2016.jpg: Charles Bird King (1785-1862), Chippeway Squaw & Child, from “McKenney and Hall: History of the Indian Tribes of North America” (Philadelphia: 1837-1844).

If your mom is an avid sports fan, take her to Busch Stadium for a game.
700 Clark Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63102
(314) 345-9600

There's no better time to treat her to baseball tickets than on Mother's Day. The Cardinals play the Pirates at 1:15 p.m. for all the moms. There's two other perks to this game as well: one, it's a Prairie Farms Ice Cream game, which means free ice cream in Ford Plaza for two hours before game time. Two, 30,000 fans ages 16 and up with get their own Cardinals performance t-shirt with pink accent colors in honor of Mother's Day. And who doesn't like free stuff? Photo courtesy of Flickr / Phil.

If your mom is a bit of a cougar, take her to Boxers n Briefs.
55 4 Corners Ln.
East St. Louis, IL 62207
(618) 332-6141

This is for the mother who is the exact opposite of conventional. Let her wild side fly with a night out at Boxers n Briefs, where the male entertainers (okay, fine, strippers) can make all her Mother's Day dreams come true. Photo courtesy of Instagram / geobro.

If your mom has a green thumb, take her to the Missouri Botanical Garden.

4344 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63110
(314) 577-5100

The Missouri Botanical Garden is a beautiful landscape for any special occasion (and a perfect spot for family photos...moms can never get enough of those). To top it off, the Botanical Garden serves a special brunch at the Sassafras cafe, complete with a menu specifically for Mother’s Day. Get details here. Photo courtesy of Flickr / florador.

If your mom is a risk taker, take her to one of St. Louis' casinos.

She says she struck it rich when all you kids came into her life, but really, who can resist a little extra dough? Give her full permission to try her luck with some of your cash at one of the casinos in the area. There are special Mother's Day dining options at some of them as well, including River City Casino, Ameristar St. Charles and the Casino Queen. But no matter where you decide to take Mom on Mother's Day, you're sure to score the jackpot -- after all, she's the person who will love you regardless. Photo courtesy of Flickr / Brian.