Mother’s Day Gift Guide - Fun to Do

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Parent Category: Travel Info

Category: Things To Do

Published on Thursday, 05 May 2011 05:00

Written by Lloyd Carroll

Let‛s face it -- there is no way that any gift comes close to giving thanks to the woman who raised and made us who we are today. Nonetheless, we should all try to give a little thank you even though mom will probably say that it‛s not necessary.

If there is any individual who deserves some pampering, it‛s mom. New York City has no shortage of fine spas that offer everything from manicures and pedicures to massages. Among the spas that have gift certificates for their services are Spa Martier in Midtown Manhattan; the Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hotel, located adjacent to the Time Warner Building; and the Red Door and Exhale Spas, which have locations throughout the New York metropolitan area.

If you are not sure which spa mom would like best, then you can let her decide by buying the Smartbox Serenity book that lets her choose a treatment from over 120 facilities from such upscale providers as the Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott and Loew‛s.

Gaming properties are renown for their excellent restaurants and spas and provide a change of scenery without going too far. In Connecticut, both Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods offer top-notch dining, spas and big name entertainment on weekends.

Atlantic City’s Taj Mahal has long been known for its affordable luxurious amenities and it is located on the north end of AC’s world-famous Boardwalk. Northeastern Pennsylvania is starting to compete with both Connecticut and Atlantic City. The Mount Airy Casino Resort in the Poconos has a fine spa with restaurants in all price ranges, while the Sands Casino Hotel in Bethlehem, 35 miles south of Mount Airy, is scheduled to open this month.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with staying close to home and enjoying what New York has to offer. Both CityPass and its chief competitor, the New York Pass provide great value in that they allow you to visit a lot of New York museums and attractions for one price. The trick is that you have to do it within a certain time frame that can range anywhere from one to nine days.

My favorite deal from both CityPass and the New York Pass is that you can ride on the Circle Line River Cruise gratis. Another good freebie is that you can take a ride on Statue Cruises to either Ellis Island or the Statue of Liberty.

Why not treat mom to a truly memorable experience on the Hudson and East Rivers? Both the Spirit of New York, and its more luxurious sailing sibling, the Bateux, as well as their main competitor, World Yacht Cruises, offer fine dining brunch and dinner cruises that come with an abundance of on-board entertainment.

If you are stumped for ideas, there are a number of online sites such as www.gifts.com and www.beauty.com that are terrific resources.

Smartbox Serenity book (www.smartbox.com)

Spa Martier
1014 2nd Ave (53rd/54th St.)
New York City
646-781-9758
spamartierny.com

The Spa at Mandarin Oriental Hotel
80 Columbus Circle at 60th Street
New York City
212-805-8800

Elizabeth Arden Red Door Spa
691 Fifth Avenue at 54th Street
New York City
212-546-0200
(plus 30 other locations in New York and other states)
www.reddoorspas.com

Exhale Spa
Midtown:
150 Central Park South
New York City
212-249-3000

Santa Monica:
101 Wilshire Boulevard
at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel
Santa Monica, CA
310-319-3193
(plus other locations in New York, other states, and the Caribbean)
www.exhalespa.com

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
Pier 83, West 42nd Street
New York City
212-563-3200
www.circleline42.com

Statue Cruises
1 Audrey Zapp Drive
Jersey City, NJ 07305
201-604-2800
www.statuecruises.com

Spirit of New York Cruises
Pier 62, Chelsea Piers
West 23rd Street
New York City
866-433-9283
www.entertainmentcruises.com

World Yacht Cruises
Pier 81, West 41st St. at 12th Ave./Hudson River
New York City
212-630-8100
800-498-4270
worldyacht.com

Mohegan Sun
1 Mohegan Sun Blvd
Uncasville, CT 06382
888-226-7711
www.mohegansun.com

Foxwoods Resort Casino
350 Trolley Line Boulevard
Mashantucket, CT 06338-3777
800-369-9663
www.foxwoods.com

Mount Airy Casino Resort
44 Woodland Rd.
Mount Pocono, PA 18344
Hotel & Dining Reservations:
877-682-4791
www.mountairycasino.com

Trump Taj Mahal
1000 Boardwalk at Virginia Avenue
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
609-449-1000
www.trumptaj.com

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