Get out of the restaurant! So many people take mom out to lunch or brunch for Mother’s Day. While it is an easy trip to plan, let’s be honest, it’s been done before. This year we encourage you to break the mold and plan one of these incredible last-minute trips instead. 1. Winery Tour Skip the Olive Garden, and take mom right to the vineyard. Finding a local vineyard for a day date is a great idea for plenty of reasons. You’ll get outside into the warm spring air, you’ll skip the crowds at the restaurant, and you’ll probably learn a thing or two. Not to mention, there will be wine. If mom doesn’t drink, no worries! Many wineries also have grape juice presses. Even if they don’t, the tour and educational aspects of this trip make it worthwhile. 2. Spa Trip Treat your hometown as a tourist and seek out the top-rated spa nearby. While you can treat mom to a service, we suggest going with her. Enjoy the thermal spa as well as a massage together. If the spa offers an overnight option, we’re fans of that, too. 3. Get Outside Once upon a time, it was likely mom’s key goal to get you outside and into nature. Now that you’re grown, flip the script and take mom back to the places you enjoyed the most as a child. Be it a close by state park or favorite playground, plan a picnic at a place that meant a lot to you as a child. It’s an easy way to say thank you and share cherished memories. 4. Take in a Movie The movie theatre is unlikely to be crowded on Mother’s Day. That’s exactly why we love this idea. Let mom pick the movie this time, and no matter what it is, tell her it was the greatest movie you’ve ever seen. 5. Find a Casino This is a fun one! You’re likely to avoid crowds if you go after the brunch crowd has thinned out. Pull some slots, throw some dice, and hope someone hits it big! This is a great, non-traditional way to create new memories with mom in a laid back, exciting environment. 6. Visit a Museum If mom is into history, or just learning new things, find a local museum to visit together. Another spot unlikely to be crowded on Mother’s Day, you’ll find the absent crowd makes it simple to discuss what you’re learning. Exploring each other’s perspective on new ideas can create common ground and experiences that last long past the day. 7. Flower Farms Spring is perfect timing for flowers, and the local florist knows it. They make it easy to blindly give mom flowers, but we prefer the idea of taking mom to a local flower farm and letting her choose her own flowers. It’s a day that is inspired by beauty and gives you the chance to learn a bit about the floral industry. You’ll likely get a greater value for your dollar, too. 8. Take a Train Finally, find your local train station. Book tickets and head somewhere that’s a day trip away. We like the idea of making no plans for what you’ll do in the town. Just allow a few hours to explore the local dining and shopping scene before heading home. The spontaneity allows you to either find a hidden gem that you’ll forever treasure, or have an absolute fail-blog style day that you’ll laugh about for years to come. Top the day off with a memento to recall your special day. We love the idea of giving mom a gift that symbolizes love and commitment. Our best sellers page is the perfect place to start. This list of beloved QALO designs showcasing something different from any other jewelry that mom likely owns, and was designed to showcase love, quality, and commitment.