Mother’s Day: Free aquarium tickets, concert and more specials

If you’re hitting the road with Mom this weekend, here are some deals that might just sweeten the trip. Lots of places offer freebies or discounts in honor of Mother’s Day this Sunday. Here are some I like.

The deal: The Aquarium of the Bay (Embarcadero at Beach Street in San Francisco) gives mothers and grandmothers free entry (usually $16.95 each) on Sunday. In keeping with the theme of the day, the aquarium is making special “Moms of the Bay” presentations to explain how animals give birth and care for their young.

The deal: Give Mom flowers in a different way by taking her to the Mother’s Day Rose Show at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco (9th Avenue and Lincoln Way in the Hall of Flowers) on Sunday. Rose experts will be on hand to answer questions about the display from 12:30 to 4 p.m. After the show, Mom may take a rose home. The event is free and open to the public.

The deal: Grand Canyon West [(888) 868-9378] in Arizona run by the Hualapai Nation is offering a bunch of discounts on Saturday and Sunday. Buy a Legacy Package for $44 and Mom’s ticket is half off. The package includes a shuttle to viewpoints, a walking tour of Native American dwellings, performances, a Highpoint Hike and more. (Admission to the glass bridge SkyWalk costs an additional $29.95 per person.) The discount is good for California, Utah, Nevada and Arizona mothers; use the promotion code “Mthday” when making a reservation.

The deal: The Pick ‘n’ Fiddle Trio plays a free concert 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday called “Music for Our Mothers: A Bluegrass Tribute.” It’s a family jam too, so bring plastic milk jugs or washboards to play along. It takes place in the courtyard of the Fowler Museum at UCLA’s north campus in Los Angeles.