Mother’s Day on a Budget: 15 Free, Affordable and Fun Ideas to Celebrate Mom

On Mother’s Day, show Mom she’s worth a million bucks without spending it

By Mary Welch

Published April 3, 2025

There are few things that everyone can agree upon — but here’s one. Mothers are the best.

Although we should celebrate mom every day, one day a year is reserved for treating her like a queen — even if you don’t have a king’s ransom to spend.

Don’t fret. There are plenty of wonderful things to do with mom that will make her day special without breaking the bank.

Here are some ideas for a budget-friendly Mother’s Day celebration.

Family Night at a Drive-In

Gather the family, blankets to cuddle under and popcorn to snack on and head to the StarLight Drive-In. Want to make it extra special? She gets to select the movie.

An Old-Fashioned Picnic

Have a picnic. There are plenty of parks so grab a basket of food and have a picnic, starting with Piedmont Park. What’s better than some fried chicken, chips and brownies? You can either make the food at home or do take out. Mom will love the old-fashioned family togetherness. Don’t forget to bring along a Frisbee or a ball for a bit of competitive family games.

Spa Specials

Treat her to a spa treatment. Now, hold on. We know that pampering can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Mother’s Day brings out the budget-friendly specials at places like RestFuel, a wellness boutique that offers advanced relaxation treatments and Restore Hyper Wellness, which offers services such as cryotherapy and compression, so shop around. Even if they don’t have a branded Mother’s Day special, check out spas such as Perspire, an infrared studio with five metro locations that have a reasonable introductory one-time offer.

Check out Must-Try Spas in Atlanta.

Man’s (and Mom’s) Best Friend

Moms, especially on their special day, deserve lots and lots of hugs, snuggles and kisses. So, for the animal-loving mom, head over to one of Atlanta’s animal shelters and take a dog or a cat home for the weekend. What’s more fun than helping an animal? Mom and the family will have a special day taking the pup for walks, throwing balls and getting lots of doggie kisses. At LifeLine Animal Project and the Atlanta Humane Society, as with other shelters and rescues, you can host an animal for a weekend. Mom will love it — and you just might add to the family.

Food Hall Feast

Dine at a food hall. The joy of food courts — and Atlanta has some of the best in the country — is that there are plenty of choices for every member of the family — and prices are reasonable. Check out Chattahoochee Food Works on the Westside, Halidom in East Atlanta, Krog Street Market, Ponce City Market and Politan Row at Colonel Square. Make it extra special by bringing a small vase with flowers to put on the table.

Check out our Ultimate Guide to Atlanta’s Food Halls.

After the meal, take some extra time to walk around. Surrounding these awesome food courts are lots of interesting shops and outlets that mom will enjoy. Don’t forget to walk over and see the famous street graffiti art at the Krog Street tunnel.

Family Fun

Game on. Round up the family and head over to Puttshack, Fowling Warehouse, Five Iron Golf, Flight Club, Your 3rd Spot, the Roof at Ponce City Market, Painted Duck or Painted Pin for some family fun that all can play and enjoy. And don’t forget: on Mother’s Day, Mom wins.

Check more places to chill out.

Mom’s a Queen, too

Yes, the whole family can head over to the Pub at East Atlanta Village for a special Mother’s Day All-Ages Drag Brunch. We guarantee it will make the day one to remember — and one she’ll definitely tell her friends about. Local drag queens will perform Disney and pop classics, such as Taylor Swift songs. The brunch is hosted by Cora Nova, who is currently overseeing RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 17 every Friday at the Pub. It’s appropriate for the whole family and there’s a special kids’ menu and mocktails.

Go Antiquing

There are lots of secondhand stores, outlets and vintage stores in Atlanta but the biggest is the monthly Scott Antique Market Show, and this year it’s on Mother’s Day. So let mom indulge in her love of bargains, vintage dishes, antique jewelry, furniture and clothes as the family shops the 361,000 square feet at Atlanta Expo Center.

If mom is into thrifting, check out our guide.

Fun at Festivals

The Chastain Park Spring Arts Festival is always a Mother’s Day favorite. Bring the family — and the family dog — to this award-winning festival that features more than 185 painters, photographers, sculptors, leather and metal craft artisans, glass blowers and jewelers. This free festival also has artist demonstrations, live music and lots of great food and beverages. The festival is part of the Atlanta Foundation for Public Spaces, which also sponsors the Spring Festival on Ponce and the Old Fourth Ward arts festivals, among others.

The Sweet Auburn Springfest is also in full gear with lots of food, vendors, a children’s area and music to enjoy. Held in Atlanta’s Sweet Auburn District, it’s one of the city’s most popular festivals.

The High is Free

The admission is free at the UPS Second Sunday at the High Museum of Art, and this year, Mother’s Day falls on the second Sunday. That’s right. Take the whole family for a day for a day of art and fun — on the house (or UPS, more precisely). Enjoy art-making activities, performances, music by a local DJ as well as viewing the High’s internationally known art collection. Take MARTA and get off at the Arts Center Station so you don’t have to worry about parking (or parking fees).

Georgia State Fair

Carnival rides, kettle corn, petting zoo, cotton candy, music and special events can only mean one thing — a state fair. Exactly. So head on down to the Atlanta Motor Speedway and have some good old-fashioned fair fun. Among the special attractions are a Stone Age Dinosaur Show, Ben Jackson: Comedy Hypnotist, Flores Circus Thrill Show and Lady Houdini.

Sweets for the Sweet

Moms love chocolate, so make her day with handcrafted chocolates. French Bread Chocolate just opened a store at Ponce City Market, its first store outside of North Carolina. The shop offers bonbons, caramels, signature desserts and drinking chocolate. Xocolatl Chocolate, located at Krog Street Market, makes gourmet chocolate made on the premises from bean to bar. Mom will surely enjoy the variety of chocolates, including flavored (raspberry, ginger spiced and barrel-aged dark whiskey), single-origin chocolate, and even trail mix.

Bird’s–Eye View

How many times have you thought about riding the SkyView Ferris wheel but never got around to it? Well, Mother’s Day is the perfect time to head down to Centennial Olympic Park to take the ride and enjoy the view. Every family member will enjoy it. Afterward, walk through the park and enjoy quiet family time.

Moms and Daughters to the Finish Line

Celebrate women and fitness at the 2025 Northside Hospital Atlanta’s 4 Miler that starts at Lenox Square on May 10 and is sponsored by the Atlanta Track Club. Moms and daughters (ages 9 and up) will enjoy getting fresh air and exercising together. If you average about a 25-minute-per-mile pace, the course will take one hour and 40 minutes. Reasonable accommodations can even be made for those with disabilities. Not only do you get a finisher medal and a T-shirt, but every participant also gets flowers at the finish line.

Looking for more ideas to celebrate mom? Check out our brunch guide.

Journalist Mary Welch writes business and lifestyle stories for local and national publications.