Tampa Bay Rolls Out The Red Carpet For Mom This Mother's Day

TAMPA, FL -- Whatever the mother in your life loves to do, you’ll find an event that’s ideal for her in Tampa Bay this Mother's Day weekend.

Here’s a list of ideas for moms who want to be pampered, moms who enjoy the outdoors, moms who love music and moms looking forward to just having a great meal that she doesn’t have to cook.

Brunch At Eddie V’s

Eddie V’s Prime Seafood and Steaks, 4400 W. Boy Scout Blvd., Tampa, will host a Mother’s Day Jazz Brunch Sunday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Eddie V’s will serve up an elegant feast while Mom enjoys the sounds of a live jazz band.

The three-course meal will include such gourmet specialties as cornmeal-crusted fried green tomatoes with fresh lump crab, sweet corn and remoulade; deviled eggs with black truffle, smoked salmon, jumbo lump crab and caviar; lobster quiche Florentine with butter-poached Maine lobster, goat cheese and fresh spinach paired with a Fuji apple salad; Alaskan king crab omelet with three-citrus Hollandaise filled with asparagus, red peppers, green onions, sharp white cheddar cheese served with a toasted house-baked sesame and sea salt bagel; and, to top it off, Bananas Foster cake with butter pecan ice cream or butterscotch panna cotta with salted caramel biscotti.

The cost is $49 for adults and $15 for children. Click here for reservations.

Fun And Games With Mom

If Mom prefers something a bit more casual, GameTimeat 1600 E. 8th Ave., Tampa, is offering a free meal to mothers on Mother’s Day.

Mom will receive one entrée or appetizer free with the purchase of one entrée or appetizer of equal or lesser value. Or Mom will receive an appetizer or entrée up to a $12.99 value with the purchase of a kid’s meal. That includes GameTime’s blackened salmon filet, blackened chicken pasta and fettucini alfredo. Following brunch, the entire family can spend some time playing games in the video arcade or, better yet, Mom and Dad can enjoy GameTime mojitos while the kids play games.

Brunch At The Beach

Combine a day at the beach with a brunch buffet at the Sirata Beach Resort, 5300 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, on Sunday, May 13 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mothers get a complimentary mimosa upon arrival at the brunch buffet and then can enjoy bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys for $20. Brunch is $47.95 for adults, $42.95 for seniors and $19.95 for children 11 and younger.

Queen For A Day Meets Drag Queen

Hamburger Mary’s Bar & Grille at 1600 E. 7th Ave. in Tampa will celebrate Mother’s Day with a brunch buffet fit for a queen but priced for a pauper at $15.95 with mimosas and Bloody Marys for $3. Brunch begins at 11 a.m. but stick around to catch Hamburger Mary’s award-winning Drag Diva Show at 1:30 p.m. and free Mother's Day drag queen bingo at 5:30 p.m.

The Clearwater Hamburger Mary's, 28910 U.S. 19 N.; St. Pete Hamburger Mary's, 2901 Tyrone Blvd.; and Brandon Hamburger Mary's, 2016 Town Center Blvd., offer the all-you-can-eat Sunday Diva Brunch for $12.95 with bottomless Bloody Marys for $3 to $5 and unlimited mimosas for $5 to $10, depending on location. The Drag Queen Revue begins at 1 p.m.

Reservations are suggested.

Meet The Zoo Moms

Moms are invited to meet all the new zoo moms at ZooTampa at Lowry Park, 1101 W. Sligh Ave., Sunday, May 13 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. All moms are admitted for free with the purchase of one full-priced, single-day admission. Once there, moms can visit with DeeDee the Bornean orangutan and her new baby, Zsa Zsa the pygmy hippo with little Holly Berry and Hutan the siamang gibbon’s new arrival.

A Day At Bok Tower Gardens

If your mom is the type who prefers to stop and smell the roses, take her to Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales, where she will receive free admission on Mother’s Day and can spend the day exploring the gardens with a stop at the Blue Palmetto Café for lunch and a stop at the Plant Shop where mom can spin the wheel to receive savings on botanical gifts. Visit the website for more information.

It’s A Jungle Out There

Take a walk on the wild side with Mom at Sarasota Jungle Gardens, 3701 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota, where moms receive free admission all weekend.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, Babycakes, the ring-tailed lemur, has a new baby that she wants to show off. Mom can spend a relaxing day wandering through the tropical botanical gardens and winding trails, visiting with the residents of the 10-acre park. For more details, visit the website.

Moms On The Run

Moms who prefer a bit more action can enter the Great Mother’s Day Race.

Started in 2012, the Great Mother’s Day Race is a 5K family-friendly run/walk that supports the Big Brothers/Big Sisters nonprofit organization.

The event includes race medals, T-shirts, awards and prizes, food and drinks, and free pictures.

There will be a Saturday, May 12 race at Siesta Key Beach, 948 Beach Road, Sarasota, and a Sunday, May 13 race at Al Lopez Park, 4810 N. Himes Ave., Tampa.

Click here to register.

Wind Down With Wine

Have a peachy day with Mom at the fourth annual Peach Festival Saturday, May 12, at Keel & Curley Winery,5210 Thonotosassa Road, Plant City.

Begin the day picking your own peaches with the family from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sample peach cider and stroll through the craft and food vendors while the kids visit the kids’ zone.

Then send the kids home with the baby-sitter and enjoy an evening of live music on the Keel & Curley stage and specials on peach wine from 6 to 11 p.m.

For The Shop-Aholic Mom

Treat your mom to a day of shopping and pampering at the free All About Women Expo at Westfield Brandon mall Sunday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Featured areas include Beauty, Wellness, Fashion and Girls Wanting to Have Fun. Learn make-up and hair care techniques, get massages, sample products, talk to doctors and health professionals, watch a fashion show, get complimentary hair and nail treatments courtesy of Divine Designs Salon & Spa, enjoy cheesecake samples from The Cheesecake Factory, enjoy a chapter reading and cafe samples from Books-A-Million Brandon, raffles, glam bags and more… all for free.

Register to have access to the VIP area (limited to the first 250 registrants) with wine tastings, a painting class, photo booth, appetizers and a glam bag full of swag.

Mamma Mia!

Celebrate Mother’s Day with the Tampa Bay Water Ski Show Team,which will present a free tribute to the music of ABBA on Saturday, May 12 at its facility at Tower Lake, 130 Burbank Road, Oldsmar. The pre-show starts at 5:30 p.m. and the main show begins at 6 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Concessions will be available.

Pamper Mom

If you really want to get on Mom’s good side, consider treating her to a Mother's Day Hide Away Spa Day on Saturday, May 12. The Vision Group will host the spa day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Carillon Lake Club House, 3901 Carillon Blvd., Lakeland.

Enjoy an environment that will cater to every inch of your mind, body and soul with bottomless mimosas, a gourmet brunch, the sounds of smooth jazz, shopping, raffles and door prizes. Tickets are $25.

If you are hosting a Mother's Day event and want to spread the word, contact editor D'Ann Lawrence White at dann.white@patch.com.

Image via ZooTampa

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