Bountiful brunches are just the beginning of things to do for Mother’s Day in Santa Cruz, which falls on Sunday, May 13.
From shopping to the great outdoors, we’ve rounded up the best ways to spend some quality time with Mom throughout Mother’s Day weekend.
So go ahead and start planning to spoil, indulge, and celebrate the mom in your life—she deserves it.
Mother’s Day Sunday Brunch
Bargetto Winery
Bargetto’s creekside courtyard makes for a scenic brunch setting on mom’s special day. Enjoy a gourmet buffet catered by Erika’s Catering and raise your glass of hand-crafted wine in a toast to the guest of honor.
When: Arrival at 11:30 am, Brunch served at 12:00 pm
Cost: General $55 / Children 5 and older $43
Call or Email for reservations.
Bargetto’s Mother’s Day Brunch Menu
Chaminade Resort & Spa
Indulge mom with panoramic ocean views, sparkling champagne, and a phenomenal buffet featuring a seafood bar, omelet station, and carvery. You might want to go the extra mile and treat her with a gift certificate to the spa, too. Just saying.
When: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Cost: Adults $66.95 / Children 6-12 $18.95
Call 831-475-5600 for reservations.
Chaminade’s Mother’s Day Brunch Menu
Paradise Bar & Grille
You might not be able to take mom to Italy, but you can treat her to brunch by the sea overlooking the colorful Venetians of Capitola Village. Paradise’s Mother’s Day Menu includes specials like a Grilled Prawn Omelet and Paradise French Toast. Be sure to save room for dessert…Fresh Squeezed “Island Style” Key Lime Pie, anyone?
When: Special menu 10:00 am to 12:30 pm
Paradise Mother’s Day Menu
Roaring Camp Railroads
Come for the brunch buffet, stay for a train ride through the redwoods or down to the beach. Roaring Camp will be serving a special Mother’s Day menu in Bret Harte Hall, with live music accompaniment by Pat Hull. Save $2 off train tickets with your brunch admission.
When: 9:30 am to 2:00 pm
Cost: Adults: $39 and Children: $29
Roaring Camp Railroads Mother’s Day Brunch Menu
Sanderlings Restaurant
The buffet at Sanderlings includes a carving station, seafood bar, a variety of salads, and entrees like Seascape Eggs Benedict. Build up your appetite or walk off your meal with a stroll down Seascape’s path to the beach.
When: 9:30 am to 2:30 am
Cost: Adults $56.95 / Children $21.95
Sanderlings Mother’s Day Buffet Menu
Saturn Cafe
Mother’s Day Brunch at Saturn features bottomless mimosas, or our favorite, the “Saturn Fizz”, and comfort food with a vegetarian/vegan twist, including many gluten-free items. Pro Tip: Order the Coconut Cream Pie French Toast to share!
Saturn Cafe’s Weekend Brunch Menu
Severino’s
Severino’s is pulling out all the stops for mom with an “endless” champagne brunch and a complimentary rose. A carving station, prawn cocktails, and dessert extravaganza are just a few of the specials that await. Extend the day’s festivities with a walk to the Cement Ship at nearby Seacliff State Beach.
When: Brunch 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (Dinner 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm)
Cost: Adults $45 / Kids 12 and under $18 / under 5 Free
Severino’s Mother’s Day Menu
Shadowbrook
Hop in the cable car and ride in style to your Mother’s Day feast. Shadowbrook will be serving its dinner menu all day along with Mother’s Day specials such as Sweet-Glazed Ham and Slow-Roasted Leg of Spring Lamb. Desserts include Crème Brûlée and House Made Strawberry Sorbet.
When: 11:00 am to 8:45 pm
Call 831-475-1511 for reservations
Shadowbrook’s Mother’s Day Menu
Teen Kitchen Project
Celebrate mom and support this great organization — Teen Kitchen Project is a local non-profit that feeds families in crisis due to life-threatening illness. Entrees prepared by volunteer teen chefs include Eggs Benedict, Veggie Tofu Scramble, and Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.
When: 9:30 am
Where: Teen Kitchen Aptos, 8061 Aptos Street
Cost: $15
TKP Mother’s Day Brunch Menu
Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea
Treat mom to a good, old-fashioned spot of tea at the delightful Buttercup Cakes. Enjoy afternoon tea service complete with petite sandwiches and plated desserts.
When: 5/12 & 5/13 from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: Buttercup Cakes
Cost: $30/Guest
Additional Mother’s Day Brunch Restaurants
- Ella’s at the Airport
- Gayle’s Bakery
- Inn at Pasatiempo
- Johnny’s Harborside
- Your Place Farm to Table
- Hindquarter Bar & Grille
- Hilton Santa Cruz/Scotts Valley
- Michael’s on Main
- Zelda’s on the Beach
- The Hollins House
Mother’s Day Weekend Shopping
Little Craft Pop-up MAMA Edition
When: 5/12 from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Where: Luma Yoga
Cost: Free Entry
The Little Craft Pop-up comes to Luma just in time for Mother’s Day, bringing the best in locally-made gifts. Shop for the moms in your life or treat yourself—the first 25 moms receive swag bags! Activities include Mama & Me mini portraits, live custom calligraphy, and customizing a bouquet for mom at the flower bar.
Mother’s Day Pop-Up Market at Beer Thirty
When: 5/12 from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Where: Beer Thirty, Soquel
Roses of Yesterday and Today Mother’s Day Open House
When: 5/13 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Where: 803 Browns Valley Road, Corralitos
Stop and smell the roses at the annual Roses of Yesterday and Today Mother’s Day Open House. Enjoy light refreshments, the garden in full bloom, and potted roses for sale. While you’re in Corralitos, take mom on a little wine tasting tour along the Corralitos Wine Trail.
40th Annual Mother’s Day Plant Sale
When: 5/12 9:00 am to 2:00 pm; 5/13 10:00 am to 2:00 pm
Where: Cabrillo College
It’s pretty obvious why Cabrillo College holds its annual spring plant sale on Mother’s Day weekend, isn’t it? This popular event boasts over 1000 different organic vegetable starts, perennial edible crops, annuals, bedding plants, culinary & medicinal herbs, cut flowers, natives, perennials, salvias, succulents and vines.
Downtown Santa Cruz Wine Walk – Mother’s Day Edition
When: 5/13 from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Where: Downtown Santa Cruz
Cost: Advance $35 / Day of (if available) $40
It’s kind of outdoors, and kind of indoors. There might be a little shopping, but really it’s all about taking mom out for some quality time together, strolling through downtown shops and wine tasting. Featuring wines from the Santa Cruz Mountains and Central Coast, this is a great opportunity to taste and discover mom’s new favorite and keep it stocked for visits.
Mutari Chocolate Factory & Shop
Chocolate is guaranteed to put a smile on any mom’s face. Head over to Mutari Chocolate Factory & Shop and pick up some hand-dipped, single origin, Mutari chocolate dipped Route 1 Farms organic strawberries! Plus, moms can enjoy 10% off on Mother’s Day!
Outdoors and More
Mother’s Day Strawberry U-Pick Community Event!
When: 5/12 and 5/13 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm
Where: Live Earth Farm, 1275 Green Valley Rd., Watsonville
This weekend-long event not only celebrates moms, it’s the grand opening of a new strawberry U-Pick field and farm stand at Live Earth Farm. Bring the whole family and enjoy the first organic strawberry harvest of the season. Strawberry shortcakes and mimosas sweeten the deal, with proceeds to benefit the Farm Discovery Program.
Mother’s Day Walk: Women of Big Basin
When: 5/13 from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Where: Big Basin Redwoods State Park
Cost: Free; Day-use parking $10
What better way to celebrate the strength and spirit of motherhood than with a stroll among redwoods and living history reenactment that pays tribute to some key women in Big Basin’s history. This 0.5 mile, 2-hour guided walk is wheel chair and stroller accessible.
34th Annual Mother’s Day Run/Walk for Shelter
When: 5/13 from 7:00 am to 11:00 am
Where: Ramsay Park, Watsonville
Work up your appetite for brunch and kick off Mother’s Day with a beautiful trek around Watsonville’s slough trails. This race/walk benefits Pajaro Valley Shelter Services and its mission to help families experiencing homelessness help themselves. All ages and skill levels are invited to join the fun, including families with strollers.
Mother’s Day at The Seymour Center
When: 5/13 from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Where: Seymour Marine Discovery Center
Cost: $6 – $8
The Seymour Center is surrounded by a beautiful path along the ocean, perfect for walking off brunch. Take the littles to learn about moms who live in the ocean and make a special ocean-themed Mother’s Day gift on the spot. Plus, every mom receives a flower. Aww!
