Mother's Day is fast approaching, and after more than a year apart, many moms and grandmothers say the best gift they could receive is time together with their families.

Last year at this time, most local restaurants, events, venues, and attractions were still closed or canceled — or just starting to reopen with limited capacity. We were all staying apart, Mother's Day was "celebrated" on Zoom.

This year, families are fully vaccinated, places are open, and moms everywhere are saying that flowers are lovely, but, "Your presence would be my greatest present." We've rounded up some fun "mom dates" to spoil Mom around town on her special day, but give her what she wants most — time with you.

Bunch of brunches
First things first: Mom's gotta eat a feast on Mother's Day, but there's no rule in the good-kid handbook that says you've got to cook for her. In fact, she might prefer a meal out. Unlike last year, restaurants are open and serving brunches galore. We've got a list of them here, in fact. Heading over toward Dallas? Those brunches are here. Don't wait too long to book, though, as reservations are filling up fast.

Tea for two
The Queen loves her cuppa, and Mom deserves the same "royal tea" on her special day. Want to skip the dining room crowds or the full feast on Mother's Day? Some ideas for a lovely, sophisticated tea party instead:

Fort Worth Opera presents FWO GO: Mother’s Day Tea & Teddy Bear Tea. Fort Worth Opera will celebrate motherhood with a socially distanced Mother’s Day (Eve) Tea and performance of opera and musical theater favorites. Adults can enjoy a glass of champagne; traditional tea; and sandwiches, scones, and sweets while opera singers serenade. Children ages 12 and under can sip on sparkling cider or tea and feast on kid-cuisine in their own "Teddy Bear Tea." Note that it's the day before Mother's Day — Saturday, May 8 at 2 pm — at Ashton Depot in Fort Worth. $25-$50. More information and reservations (required) here.

Garden Tea at the Dallas Arboretum. Enjoy a relaxed, seated tea and then stroll through the gardens. Tea service includes a demitasse of soup followed by assorted tea sandwiches, scones, sweet treats, and seasonal tea selections. Reservations are required, and the $53 price includes parking and garden admission. Add champagne service for an additional $10 per person. Note that reservations are sold out on Mother's Day, but are available seven days a week at 11 am and 2 pm. More information and reservations here.

Afternoon Tea at Hotel Crescent Court. Set among the Uptown Dallas hotel's Conservatory sunroom and tranquil courtyard, overlooking peaceful fountains and greenery, this fashionable Afternoon Tea features an array of luxury tea blends (such as Damman Frères Teas), served with tea sandwiches, freshly baked scones paired with clotted cream and housemade preserves, and a lovely plating of tea cakes and pastries. The experience now also offers an "endless champagne," option, as well. While Mother's Day is sold out, the tea services takes place each Saturday and Sunday (12-2 pm). Reservations, $78-$114, can be booked here.

Sweets for your sweet mom
If Mom's got a sweet tooth, she's got a place on The Moms Love Chocolate Tour. The folks behind Dallas' famed Tacos & Margaritas Tours are rolling through some of Dallas' premier chocolatiers, pastry makers, and ice cream shops on this special tour. They'll travel around Dallas in an air conditioned motorcoach (socially distanced and masked), viewing landmarks and learning about historic neighborhoods. Chocolate trivia will be played for prizes, too. Price includes motorcoach transportation, beverages onboard (including soft drinks, water, and you can BYOB). Kids are welcome, there are several tour dates, and spots are still available on Mother's Day. Tickets, $48-$53, can be booked here.

Learn to bake brownies with Mom at Candor Bread's Brownie Workshop, 10-11:30 am May 9 at Davis Street Espresso, 819 W. Davis St., Dallas. The 90-minute hands-on class will teach you how to mix up 5 Mile Brownies you'll leave with an understanding of what a perfect bake should look and taste like. Participants will take home brownie batter you have made in class, a recipe card, and more instructions on baking at home. More information and registration ($30) here.

Artful afternoon at a museum
Museums feel like "special occasion" places — maybe because they're so quiet? Take Mom on a museum date to these special exhibitions that'll be open on Mother's Day:

Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth presents Shirin Neshat: "I Will Greet the Sun Again." This special exhibition just sticks around until May 16, so now's the time to see it. The intriguing exhibition surveys approximately 30 years of the multidisciplinary artist’s video works and photography, investigating her passionate engagement with ancient and recent Iranian history, the experience of living in exile, and the human impact of political revolution. More information here.

Amon Carter Museum of American Art presents An-My Lê: "On Contested Terrain." An-My Lê: "On Contested Terrain" is the first comprehensive survey of the work of Vietnamese-American photographer An-My Lê. Featuring photographs from a selection of the artist’s five major bodies of work, the nationally touring exhibition considers the celebrated photographer’s nearly 25-year career exploring the edges of war and recording these landscapes of conflict in beautiful, classically composed photographs. More information here.

Dallas Museum of Art presents "Frida Kahlo: Five Works." The DMA is giving visitors the rare opportunity to see five exquisite works by the acclaimed Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, and they're only on display for about another month-and-a-half. The exhibition includes four paintings and a drawing on loan from a private collection, courtesy of the Galería Arvil in Mexico City. It's on view (for free) simultaneously with "Devoted: Art and Spirituality in Mexico and New Mexico," featuring works from the DMA’s Latin American collection. More information here.

"Out of Many, One: Portraits of America's Immigrants" is a special, limited-time exhibit of former President George W. Bush's new paintings at the Bush Presidential Center at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. On display are his 43 portraits of sports stars (including Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki), politicians, CEOs, and everyday heroes whom Bush painted to "remind us of the countless ways in which America has been strengthened by those who have come here in search of a better life." The exhibition coincides with Bush's new book by the same title. Current exhibition hours are 10 am-3 pm Tuesday through Saturday only.

Perot Museum of Nature and Science presents "The Science of Guinness World Records." All around the world, people are pushing themselves to achieve new and amazing things. From the world’s smallest stop motion film (hint: it’s measured in nanometers), to the most drum beats in 60 seconds (2,400 beats, or 40 beats per second), to the most consecutive pinky pull-ups (36), the world is full of fascinating people achieving strange and incredible feats. This first-time-ever exhibit looks into the science behind these mesmerizing accomplishments. More information here.

Relax and say "Spaaaaah"
If Mom needs a little pampering and TLC (and really, what mom doesn't?), now's the time to indulge her. Believe it or not, spas — even luxury ones — keep pretty regular hours on Sundays now. Mom may have her favorite go-to for a mani-pedi, but if you're making it a date, be sure you can book treatments together, preferably in a private room.

Hiatus Spa + Retreat, with locations across Dallas and Fort Worth, performs heavenly manicures and pedicures in zero-gravity chairs. And with a limited number of chairs and privacy doors and curtains, it's possible to make it a private "mom date." Mother's Day packages can be purchased online "for me" and "as gift," so you can purchase and book together on Mother's Day and beyond.

The Woodhouse Day Spa offers a package called "Two's Company" ($600) that treats two people to massages, facials, and pedicures. A special "Mom's Retreat" package ($375) provides 80-minute hot stone massages and facials. Woodhouse is celebrating five years in Fort Worth's WestBend shopping center, and a new location opened recently at Dallas' Mockingbird Station, which has an elegant, oversized room for duos receiving treatments together (plus, the plushest robes in town and complimentary champagne).

Vivian's Boutique Spa lavishes Mom with brunch, spa-style. The East Dallas spa has introduced new brunch-themed spa services: Sparkling Mimosa Massage, Banana Crème Brulee Facial, and White Chocolate Tiramisu Back Treatment, and Chocolate Cheesecake Mani/Pedi. Treat Mom (and yourself) to an afternoon of pampering with one of their special spa packages, including the Sip Sip Hooray package ($345), which indulges guests with a 90-minute Sparkling Mimosa Massage and a 60-minute Banana Crème Brulee Facial. Mother's Day appointments are still available.

Look at Mom go!
Of course, plenty of moms are less into chilling at a spa and more into thrilling adventures. Some options:

iFLY Indoor Skydiving has a special deal for moms who want to take flight on and around Mother’s Day. They're offering one free video to moms — code “FLYMOM21” — with the purchase of any “First-Time Flyer” package. The offer is valid from Monday, May 3 through Sunday, May 9, and is available for purchase online at www.iflyworld.com and at participating local iFLY locations. Just add a flight video to your online cart and apply the “FLYMOM21” promo code at checkout. For those who've never tried it, iFLY provides a body-flying "indoor skydiving" experience and is the world leader in via "vertical wind tunnel" technology.

Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark in Grand Prairie is letting all moms in free on Mother's Day. Moms receive free admission all day May 9 with the purchase of another ticket. The Hungry Wave Café will be serving decadent chocolate covered strawberries for Mom, she'll take home a lovely carnation, and kids will be able to make crafts and gifts for her. For more information, visit the website.

Opening weekends at Hawaiian Falls waterparks start Saturday, May 8. DFW locations in Mansfield and Roanoke will offer moms a complimentary day pass May 8 and 9 when accompanied by a child with a Big Kahuna day ticket or a season pass. Kids 2 and under are free. In addition, if a Mom already has a Hawaiian Falls Season Pass, she can “Bring a Friend Free” during Mother’s Day Weekend. More information here.

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary presents Zip Line Day. The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney presents its monthly Zip Line Day on Mother's Day. The event gives guests a chance to climb a 23-foot tree to the zip platform then proceed to a 487-foot zip line. Wheeeee! Tickets are $12, information here.

Let me entertain you
Live concerts, theater, and dance performances are starting to come back at local venues. Snag a couple of tickets and treat Mom to these upcoming shows.

Thomas Rhett in concert at Billy Bob's Texas. Country star Thomas Rhett has released four albums in his career, including 2019's Center Point Road. He's playing five shows at the World's Largest Honky Tonk in the Fort Worth Stockyards, May 6-8 and 14-15. You can feel good about your ticket purchase, too. In an effort to help those affected by the winter storms in Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, a portion of proceeds from the shows will be donated to North Texas Food Bank and other local organizations providing aid and basic needs assistance. Tickets, $50-$200, at the Billy Bob's website.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra presents "Vivaldi: The Four Seasons & Mozart." Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra will present a performance of Vivaldi's beloved The Four Seasons and Mozart's Symphony No. 39 conducted by revered former FWSO music director Miguel Harth-Bedoya and featuring violinist Benjamin Baker. The concert takes place three times, May 11-13, at Will Rogers Memorial Auditorium. Tickets, $25-$75, are available on the FWSO website.

Laughter League and Shakespeare Dallas present Circo Metropolis. Circo Metropolis is an outdoor pop-up circus experience where families can bring blankets, sit back, and enjoy an afternoon of zaniness from the dynamic clown duo Slappy and Monday and their endearing circus friends. Performances are at Samuell-Grand Amphitheatre in Dallas; 1 and 4 pm on Mother's Day, and shows daily May 7-16. Tickets are $15; $50 for family four-pack, available at the website.

The Dallas Opera presents Great Scott movie premiere. Is Mom an opera aficianado? The Dallas Opera will host an exclusive premiere screening of Great Scott to celebrate the release of the DVD of Jake Heggie and Terrence McNally’s 2015 production, starring Joyce DiDonato, Ailyn Pérez, Frederica von Stade, and Nathan Gunn. It's at 2 pm May 9 at the Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House. Tickets, $20, available here.

Dallas Symphony Orchestra presents "Hollywood Serenade: The Artistry of Caroline Campbell." Caroline Campbell joins guest conductor Steven Reineke and the DSO for a weekend of movie music favorites and violin magic. Treat Mom to a serenading of silver screen favorites like “Love Theme” from The Godfather, the popular tango “Por una Cabeza” (as heard in Scent of a Woman), “America” from West Side Story, the theme from Pirates of the Caribbean, and more. There are performances at 7:30 pm May 7-8 and 2:30 pm May 9 at the Meyerson Symphony Center. Tickets, $45-$167, are available here.