Are you ready for Mother’s Day, my friends? Because it’s coming right up on May 8. Like most of us, you’re probably not prepared, right?
Never fear: Whether you are a mother, or have a mother, or just want the mother of all deals, here are some ideas for things you can do on a budget.
SAIL TO CATALINA
Mother's Day brunch at the beautiful Descanso Beach Club on Santa Catalina Island is $40 per adult — $25 for kids — and if you stay Sunday night at either Pavilion Hotel or Hotel Atwater, you receive 50 percent off your Sunday night stay with rates from $79 per person (includes brunch). The menu includes prime rib of beef with horseradish and au jus; maple glazed ham; lemon ricotta hot cakes; roasted heirloom mixed potatoes; pork link sausages and more. Note that the price doesn't include the ferry. To save $10 on the Catalina Flyer, a catamaran that makes one trip a day from Newport Harbor, go to this link: Catalinainfo.com/catalina-express.html. (And don't confuse it with the Catalina Express, which makes numerous trips from Dana Point, Long Beach and San Pedro. Check with the AAA auto club for discounts, or buy a discount gift card at Costco.)
KICK UP YOUR HEELS IN LAUGHLIN, NEV.
If the mom in your life is a country music fan, note that the Aquarius Casino Resort in Laughlin is offering a package deal: a two-night stay and two tickets to see Miranda Lambert on May 6 for $334. Two-for-one drink specials are also included, along with free transportation to and from Lambert's show at the Laughlin Event Center. You can stay in Laughlin more cheaply, but this sounds like fun. Call me crazy, but I suspect people will be partying on that shuttle. Without the package, tickets to see Lambert are $66. Reserve on AquariusCasinoResort.com .
TAKE A SKY RIDE IN PALM SPRINGS, CALIF.
If Mom loves going up on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, note its Summer Pass goes on sale May 1. Could be a nice gift. The pass is valid through Aug. 31 and includes unlimited tram admissions for one person, plus a 10 percent discount on additional tram fares, a 10 percent discount at Peaks restaurant or Pines Cafe, and unlimited free parking. At $75 for adults and $40 for kids, it's a nice way to get up into the Mount San Jacinto State Park forests and explore 50 miles of hiking trails, picnic areas and campgrounds. Passes may be purchased at the tram's Valley Station or online at pstramway.com starting May 1.
SEE WHAT’S BLOOMING IN BIG BEAR, CALIF.
Wildflowers are in bloom, and reduced spring lodging rates are in effect, so it's a great time to head up the mountain. On May 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., talk to staff about what to look for, or at 11:30 a.m. there will be a guided wildflower walk starting at the Baldwin Lake Ecological Reserve. Location: Highway 18 east of Big Bear City. The reserve is at the 18 and Holcomb Valley Road on the north side of Baldwin Lake. Learn more: mountainsfoundation.org. And find Mother's Day deals and specials here: Bigbear.com/things-to-do/special-events/mothers-day/
BOUND FOR BAJA
The beachfront Rosarito Beach Hotel is offering two nights in a standard oceanfront room for $249, including two tickets to a May 7 dinner dance, plus Sunday brunch for two. Kids 12 and younger stay free. You can upgrade to a deluxe condo for $365. (Note: this is the weekend of the annual Rosarito-Ensenada bike ride). Additionally, the hotel is running a monthlong Mom's Spa Escape package in May including oceanfront room, dinners for two, one 30-minute Swedish massage for mom plus one 30-minute body exfoliation. One-night packages in standard rooms are offered Saturdays-Thursdays for $149, and two-night packages are $279 Fridays-Sundays. In deluxe condominiums, corresponding one-night packages are $219 Saturdays-Thursdays and two-night packages are $375 Fridays-Sundays. Not available Memorial Day weekend. Email reservation@rosaritobeachhotel.com to reserve; the earlier, the better.
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Got a travel tip on how to save money? Send it to me. If I use it, I'll give you credit. Contact Marla Jo Fisher: mfisher@ocregister.com
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