10 Free Things to Do With Mom, Without Breaking the Bank
Discover free fun for mom this weekend.
You don’t have to break the bank to take your mom out this Mother’s Day. There are plenty of free events happening around the city.
Take your mom to mingle with models, feed a giraffe, view 25,000 blooming daffodils, picnic on an island, learn about remarkable Boston women at the turn of the 20th century, and more. All for free.
One venue waiving admission fees for moms this weekend is Tower Hill Botanic Garden in Boylston.
“We believe that mothers and plants should be thanked and celebrated every day,’’ said Kathy Abbott, CEO of Tower Hill Botanic Garden. “But mothers and plants are similar in how much we love them, depend on them, and yet often take for them granted. After this record-breaking winter, this is a chance to appreciate our mothers and our hard-earned spring like we never have before.’’
Attend an Artweek Boston Event:
Take mom to mingle with models and designers.
Take mom to the final days of ArtWeek Boston, which kicked off May 1 and ends May 10.
The celebration of the arts has showcased more than 125 creative events, some of which are free. At “Off the Woven Path,’’ which takes place Friday night at Midway Channel Gallery, mothers can mingle with models showcasing a collection of independent designs and meet the designers.
Midway Channel Gallery, 15 Channel Center St., 1st Floor, Boston. Friday, May 9, 6-8 p.m., artweekboston.org.
2015 Spring Ceramics Show at Gallery 224 in Allston:
Look for this plate, created by Ann Boyajian.
Take your mom to ogle the work of more than 60 ceramic artists at the 2015 Spring Ceramics Show hosted by The Ceramics Program at Harvard.
Check out functional dinnerware, sculptures, jewelry, and more. There will be items for sale too, which means mom can pick out her Mother’s Day gift right at the event. Score!
2015 Spring Ceramics Show, Gallery 224, 224 Western Ave., Allston. Friday, May 8 to Sunday, May 10, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., ofa.fas.harvard.edu.
Take a Free Ferry to Georges Island:
Picnic at this gorgeous spot on Georges Island — after a free ferry ride.
Ferry rides to Georges Island are free for everyone on Saturday, May 9, which is also its opening day (a $17 savings per ticket for adults and $10 savings for every kid ticket).
The 39-acre Georges Island, part of Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park, is about 7 miles from downtown Boston. It is the home of the historic Fort Warren, a Civil War-era fort. Take a ranger-guided tour, tour the museum, and picnic on the grounds. Enjoy views of the surrounding islands and Boston Light.
Long Wharf North at 66 Long Wharf, Boston. Saturday, May 9, 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 2 p.m. The trip takes 45 minutes, bostonharborislands.org.
Ethnic Heritage Festival at Newton Centre in Newton:
The Chinese Art & Dance Society will perform at the Ethnic Heritage Festival.
Enjoy the music and dance of six cultures at this free Ethnic Heritage Festival featuring Chinese, Iranian, Irish, Indian, Klezmer, and Russian performances. Food trucks will serve lunch, and kids can enjoy family-friendly activities. Artisan booths will also sell a variety of ethnic goods.
Newton Centre, 1000 Commonwealth Ave., Newton. Sunday, May 10, noon to 6 p.m., newtoncommunitypride.org.
Spend the Day at the Zoo:
Take mom to the zoo Sunday.
Moms will enjoy free admission throughout the day at the Franklin Park Zoo (a $19.95 savings) and the Stone Zoo (a $15.95 savings).
If your mom is a Star Wars fan, the deal is even sweeter at the 72-acre Franklin Park Zoo. That’s because Mother’s Day has also been declared Star Wars Day. Costumed characters from the 501st Legion and the Rebel Legion will roam the zoo in movie-quality getups.
Franklin Park Zoo, 1 Franklin Park Rd., Boston. Sunday, May 10, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Stone Zoo, 149 Pond St., Stoneham. Sunday, May 10, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., zoonewengland.org.
Wander a Botanic Garden:
Picnic at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.
Moms are free Saturday and Sunday of Mother’s Day weekend (a $12 savings) at Tower Hill Botanic Garden.
There is plenty for mom to see, including the Field of Gold, which contains more than 25,000 blooming daffodils, nine formal garden areas with lots of early floral color, views of Mount Wachusett, a “Women in Horticulture’’ exhibit in the botanic library, and more. At 1 p.m., author and garden expert Kristen Green will discuss her book Plantiful: Start Small, Grow Big with 150 Plants that Spread, Self-Sow, and Overwinter. Kids will enjoy hikes and scavenger hunts. Bring a picnic lunch.
Tower Hill Botanic Garden, 11 French Dr., Boylston. May 9 and 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., towerhillbg.org.
Mingle With Sea Life (After a Hearty Breakfast):
Pay for breakfast, mingle with sea life for free.
OK, so this one’s not technically free, since you have to buy breakfast to get the free deal. But it’s still a great savings.
The Hard Rock Cafe Boston is doling out free New England Aquarium vouchers to moms who eat breakfast at its Mother’s Day breakfast buffet. Sure, your mom has to spend $13.95 on breakfast. But the free aquarium ticket will save her (or you) $26.95.
Hard Rock Cafe, 22-24 Clinton St., Boston. Sunday, May 10., 8:30 a.m. to noon, $13.95 adults, $9.95 kids, children under 2 eat free, hardrock.com/cafes/boston.
Enjoy the Outdoors on Memorial Drive:
Spend a relaxing day on the Charles.
Take mom walking, biking, or rollerskating along the scenic Charles River. It’s all happening on Memorial Drive, which is closed to traffic between Western Avenue and Mount Auburn Street through November.
Sniff Lilacs at the Arnold Arboretum:
Take mom to smell the lilacs.
At Lilac Sunday, a Boston tradition at the Arnold Arboretum, mom can sniff more than 370 lilac plants and take part in activities for the whole family.
This year, Food Truck Festivals of New England will bring 20 food trucks to the arboretum between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Don’t miss newcomers Heritage Truck Catering, which serves farm-to-truck cuisine, and Zinneken’s new food truck, which serves Belgian waffles with gourmet toppings.
Arnold Arboretum, 125 Arborway, Boston. Sunday, May 10, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (arboretum is open dawn to dusk), arboretum.harvard.edu.
Celebrate the Remarkable Jewish Women of Boston:
Molly Picon was a Yiddish actress in Boston in the early 1900s.
Go back in time to the early 1900s, and discover the women who brought Yiddish theater to life during a free presentation titled “Celebrate the Remarkable Jewish Women of Boston’’ at Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture, The Vilna Shul.
Learn about Yiddish actresses Sophie Tucker and Molly Picon (pictured), eat a kosher dairy brunch, and take a tour of the Vilna Shul to learn more about the building’s history.
The Vilna Shul, 18 Phillips St., Boston. Sunday, May 10, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., vilnashul.org.
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