Brunch is great, but it could be better.

Though it’s getting late in the game to make plans for Mother’s Day, here are some options where you can do brunch (or dinner) and add in some live music, nature, exotic animals, historic surroundings and/or bottomless champagne.

At the time of this writing, all listed events had availability. Our advice: Don’t delay.

Let the music play

The Arcada Theatre in St. Charles is hosting P!NK’D, a P!nk tribute artist, at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 10. Enjoy P!nk’s iconic anthems and emotional ballads in what is billed as a high-energy show that promises “a fierce vocal performance paired with jaw-dropping aerial acrobatics.” For $25 you can add on the Italian feast lunch at Rock ‘N Ravioli. Tickets are available at oshows.com.

Bub City in Rosemont will be serving up an acoustic brunch starting at 11 a.m. with musician Senn Alan. Dine on brunch favorites such as cinnamon sticky buns, the Daybreaker Burrito, and chicken and waffles. Sip Espresso Martinis and Bloody Marys for $6 each during Hangover Happy Hour.

If you’re down for a trip to Chicago, City Winery is offering a Mother’s Day Soul Brunch along with the songs of Stevie Nicks presented by PureSoul at noon Sunday. Expect classics from Nicks’ solo career and her years with Fleetwood Mac. The brunch buffet ($55 on top of the ticket price) features prime rib, country glazed ham, French toast bread pudding and the Pop Fizz mimosa bar. Tickets are available on the website.

Eaglewood Resort & Spa in Itasca is offering live jazz from Lush Life during a brunch that includes bottomless champagne and mimosas, a full buffet with raw bar, carving, omelet and dessert stations, kids’ fare, and vegetarian and vegan options. The brunch runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s $74 for adults and $26 for kids 5-12. Reservations are available on Eventbrite.

Mother’s Day at Old Republic in Elgin means a patio, cocktail in hand and live music in the background. Jeorge Holms will play from 1-4 p.m., followed by Mike Dangeroux and the Tropics from 5-8 p.m. Sunday specials include the full slab of Kansas City ribs, the all-you-can-eat chicken finger dinner and the prime rib grinder. For drinks, consider the $22 Corona buckets and $22 mixed buckets. Reservations are encouraged; call (224) 535-9544 or book online.

Laugh Out Loud Fun

Stand-Up Momedy Show – Crystal Lake Raue Center for the Arts presents this hilarious comedy show at 8 p.m. Friday, May 8. The show will feature four female comedians who will bring honest, high-energy stand-up that taps into the wild world of parenting, the chaos of midlife, dating, marriage and more. Tickets start at $44. Visit rauecenter.org for more information or to purchase tickets.

Motherhood Unfiltered, May 10 A one-night-only showcase featuring Kristen Toomey, Kellye Howard, Eunji Ki, and Mo Good—bringing honest and hilarious takes on motherhood, family life and everything in between.

Museums

Mother’s Day at the Illinois Railway Museum The Illinois Railway Museum in Union will celebrate mom with a ride through history on historic trains and locomotives. Electric and steam or diesel trains will be operating. Trains depart from the East Union Depot at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Streetcar service is continuous between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. Admission for moms is free with a paying adult or child. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mother’s Day at the Volo Museum Moms get in free at the Volo Museum in Volo, as well as Jurassic Gardens. Families can explore incredible attractions, from life-sized dinosaurs in Jurassic Gardens to vintage cars, pop culture and Americana memorabilia, history exhibits and much more.

Enjoy nature

How about brunch at Brookfield Zoo Chicago? You can celebrate the mom in your life with a gourmet brunch buffet featuring savory and sweet treats as well as bottomless mimosas. Moms will be greeted with a glass of frosé before being seated. There will be live music during brunch as well as a take-away gift made by the culinary team. You can then spend the rest of the day exploring the zoo at your leisure. Tickets are $120 for adults and $40 for kids (discount for members). Time slots start at 9 and 11 a.m., and 1 p.m. Sunday.

Treat mom to a day at Lambs Farm in Libertyville with brunch at the Magnolia Cafe & Bakery. It’s $34.95 for adults, $12.95 for kids 12 and younger, and $8.95 for kids younger than 2. Seatings are at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Reservations are required at (847) 362-5050.

A hole-in-one idea

Does Mom enjoy a little friendly competition? Puttshack in Oak Brook has “all you can putt” on Sundays for $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Plus you can enjoy lunch or dinner with featured items including the signature skirted double cheeseburger, birria nacho tower, grilled chicken sourdough foldover and churro dippers.

Or if she prefers to hit ’em far, Top Golf is offering a $15 game play bonus card for every $50 gift card purchased. Have some drinks, some food and a long drive contest.

Tea m’lady?

On Saturday, May 9, you can take mom to Lucille at Drury Lane in Oak Brook and step into their secret garden for a Mother’s Day afternoon tea. Guests can curate their own signature tea blends for a keepsake to take home and savor. Reservations are available at OpenTable.

Celebrate in a historic home

Housed in a mansion built in 1847 and sitting on a four-acre estate near downtown Naperville, Meson Sabika offers an environment like few others in the suburbs. For Mother’s Day, the Spanish restaurant is offering a four-course prix-fixe menu featuring a choice of one cold and one hot tapa, an entree and a dessert for $99. A vegetarian menu is $59 per person. The a la carte menu will be available for kids. Reservations can be made at OpenTable.

Nestled among mature trees in downtown Geneva, The Patten House, 124 S. 2nd St., dates back to 1857 when it was built by prominent Geneva merchant George Patten. Now it’s a restaurant specializing in Cajun-influenced American fare. The Mother’s Day brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. features favorites including eggs Benedict, omelets and grilled salmon avocado toast — plus the regular lunch and entrée options.

More champagne?

Enjoy bottomless champagne and mimosas at Lincolnshire Marriott Resort’s lavish Mother’s Day brunch. The Grand Ballroom brunch will feature an expansive spread with carving stations, fresh seafood and made-to-order favorites. They still had some late seatings available at 1 and 1:30 p.m. as of this writing. It’s $69 for adults and $24 for kids 12 and younger.

Blooms & Bubbles: A Mother’s Day Experience – Crystal Lake Bring your mom, sister, aunt, daughter or best friends to The Dole Mansion for an afternoon of live music, local vendors, mimosa flights, small bites, build-your-own bouquets and more. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 9. General admission tickets start at $10.80.

Mom Fest – Crystal Lake The Quarry Cable Park’s Mom Fest, a “new and improved” former Mother’s Day Spring Market, is the perfect way to spend a day with mom or the other special women in your life. The event , which is Saturday, May 9, will have more than 30 market vendors, themed decor, fun cocktails and mocktails such as “Mom”osas, live music on the stage, fire pits and seating, open play for volleyball and cornhole, interactive activities and more. Tickets are $5.

For more traditional brunch ideas, click here for The Scene’s list of Mother’s Day brunches across northern Illinois.

Shaw Local Entertainment Editor Aimee Barrows contributed to this report.

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