If you're looking for things to do over the Easter holidays, we've compiled a list of some of the best family activities and Easter days out taking place across the country. Here are the top Easter events guaranteed to keep the kids and grandkids entertained...
1. Cadbury World (Birmingham)
What better place to visit for an Easter day out than Cadbury World? This attraction is a self-guided tour where you can ride the Crunchie rollercoaster on a 4D chocolate adventure, find out how your favourite Cadbury brands are made, jump into a Beanmobile on the Cadabra ride and take a trip through a chocolate wonderland full of familiar characters, travel back to Victorian times to find out where the Cadbury business began, reminisce on some of your favourite Cadbury adverts down through the years, meet Freddo or the Caramel Bunny, doodle with chocolate in the Have a Go zone, enjoy a family show in the entertainment marquee, and let the kids run their legs off in the African Adventure Play Area. For an extra fee there's also the chance to take a soak in the Flake bath, jump out of an Easter egg and surf on a Cadbury Dairy Milk bar in the green screen photo experience. You can then have your fun family snap printed on to a large bar of Dairy Milk to take home as a souvenir.
Where: 69 Linden Rd, Birmingham, B30 1JR
Cost: Family of four from £63
2. Bocketts Farm (Surrey)
A trip to a farm is a must for a Spring family day out, and you won't find much better than the award-winning Bocketts Farm Park. It's a working family farm set in the Surrey countryside, and jam packed with offerings for a full day of fun. Meet the many farm animals from fluffy chicks to greedy goats, piglets, lambs and llamas. There's a huge indoor barn, where kids can enjoy stroking and feeding animals, and you may even be lucky enough to see a baby animal being born. Little ones will enjoy a tractor ride, and Bocketts has loads of play areas too, including a huge undercover soft play area that's open to all ages with a giant four lane slide for older kids and a baby play zone. There's also a pedal around for little ones to drive a tractor. Outside, there's an adventure play area, trampolines, a Go-Kart track and bouncy pillows. Bocketts host special events throughout the year, and this Easter, kids will be able to meet the Easter Bunny, complete an Easter trail with chocolate treats, get creative in the Easter Craft Corner, enjoy live shows in the Easter garden, and enjoy homemade food at the 18th Century Old Barn Tearooms. Also, be sure not to miss out on the pig race!
Where: Bocketts Farm Park, Young Street, Fetcham, Leatherhead, Surrey, KT22 9BS
Price: Adult £19, child (3-17 yrs) £21, child (2yrs) £17, under 2s free, Senior 60+ £17
3. Hampton Court Palace (Surrey)
Discover the home of Henry VIII this Easter and learn about his wives and their children. Experience the splendour of the Great Hall and its beautiful tapestries, and transport yourself back to the days of Tudor feasting in the kitchens. Explore the 60 acres of magnificent gardens and learn about Hampton Court's role as a film and tv set for dramas such as Bridgerton and blockbusters such as Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again. Let childrens imaginations run wild in The Magic Garden playground, where they can storm the battlements, besiege the towers and expose the secret grotto (visit the website for opening times). This Easter, the Lindt GOLD BUNNY Hunt is making a return to Hampton Court Palace. Roam through Henry VIII's lush gardens, keeping your eyes peeled for Lindt GOLD BUNNY statues peeking out from colourful daffodils or early buds from the Tulip Festival. Follow the trail (about 90 minutes) and match the names of influential characters to the distinctive red ribbons adorning each bunny statue. Your quest will be rewarded with a delicious Lindt GOLD BUNNY 10g chocolate treat! The trail and playground are included in palace admission.
Where: Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Ct Way, Molesey, East Molesey, KT8, 9AU
Price: During peak time - Adult £29, child £14.50 (under 5's free), senior 65+ £23.20.
4. Kent Life (Kent)
Kent Life is a 28 acre heritage farm park with an oast house (a building designed for drying hops) and with a charming vintage village that offers a snapshot of life in the 1950s. It runs a packed schedule of events and is a great value day out. Meet Spring's new arrivals in the farmyard, with lamb bottle feeding demonstrations throughout the day. Hop on a fun farm ride, enjoyed the indoor soft play area, feed the Alpacas and pigs, groom a pony, watch an owl flying demonstration, or cook up a storm in the mud kitchen with Mr Moo's Messy Play. There'll be Easter crafts, and kids can follow the clues on the Easter Bunny's Scavenger Hunt, before meeting the Easter Bunny for a yummy Easter treat. For a small additional fee, kids can paint-a-pot. And the Teddy Parlour returns for Easter - for an additional fee, little ones can build a teddy to take home. There are fantastic shows at the Big Top too, with everything from games to science experiments and magic shows.
Where: Kent Life, Lock Lane, Sandling, Maidstone, Kent, ME14 3AU
Price: Family ticket £45
5. Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire)
The place, one of England's largest houses, was built between 1705 and 1722, and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. It's notable as the birthplace and ancestral home of Sir Winston Churchill. Families can hop on a miniature train between the Palace and the Walled Garden, where you can find your way out of the beautiful Marlborough Maze. During Easter weekend (Friday 29th March - Monday 1st April) families will be able to enjoy lots of egg-citing activities, including circus skills, balloon modelling, bubble performances and a travelling vintage variety show. The Easter Bunny will be making special appearances over the weekend too, and children can enjoy an Easter egg hunt around the grounds. Blenheim Palace will be partnering with Hotel Chocolat again this Easter. So stop by the Chocmobile to indulge your sweet tooth. Blenheim Palace Adventure Play (this is a separate charge not included in entry to Blenheim Palace) is filled with tunnels, bridges, nets and hidden chambers, and children can clamber, climb, paddle, slide, splash and zip through different zones.
Where: Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1UL
Price: Family ticket (£99 - includes free annual pass) Adventure Play is £7 per child and £5 per adult.
6. Wookey Hole Caves (Somerset)
Enjoy the history, geology and legends of Wookey Hole Caves and discover surprises hidden in the Enchanted Valley. The Big Easter Event will take place between 22 March - 14 April. Kids will have heard of the Easter Bunny, but have they heard of the Easter Witch? She loves to celebrate Easter at Wookey Hole and roams around looking for children to treat. Families will be able to enjoy the caves and more recently discovered chambers at their own pace. There will be three live shows a day from the Wookey Hole Circus in the onsite theatre, an Easter egg hunt around the park and a brand new experience in the 4D cinema. And families can finish off the day with a round of adventure golf in the newly refurbished golf course.
Where: Wookey Hole Caves, The Mill, Wookey Hole, BA5 1BA
Price: Adult £22.95, Child (3 yrs - 15 yrs) £18.45, Under 3 yrs free
7. Hertfordshire Family Easter Festival 2024 (Hertfordshire)
The Hertfordshire Family Easter Festival will take place 30-31 March. There'll be shows, music, rides, street food and lots of exciting attractions for families to enjoy. The BIG Easter egg hunt will have children searching for four characters hidden around the festival. Each character will have a clue to find the next one, and once all four have been found, they'll reveal where the Easter bunny is hiding. DJs will get everyone moving in the family neon rave, and even the adults can have a go in the huge inflatable park. There'll be crazy golf, VR simulators, a wrestling tent, circus school, a toddler and baby tent, a carnival fair ground (at a small additional fee), a beer tent with board games, alongside street food and live music. Attractions and entertainment are included in the ticket price.
Where: Herts County Showground, Dunstable Road, Redbourn, AL3 7PT
Price: From £22.50 per person (under 2's free)
8. Hever Castle (Kent)
Enjoy over 600 years of history and award-winning gardens at the double-moated 14th century Hever Castle, the childhood home of Anne Boleyn. Take in the uplifting display of spring blooms from late daffodils to tulips, as you celebrate Easter with family fun throughout the school holidays. Meet the dinosaur explorers (selected dates only) as they wander around the grounds, and take part in a craft activity and sand dig. Kids will love the Tudor Towers Adventure Playground and the Yew Maze, and it should be warm enough for a splash through the Water Maze (just be sure to bring a change of clothes). Archery is also available at an additional cost.
Where: Hever Castle, Hever Road, Edenbridge, TN8 7NG
Price: Castle and gardens family ticket £61.15
9. Chessington World of Adventures (Surrey)
Chessington loves to go all out at special times of the year, and this Easter, EGGSplorers returns with an Easter Activity Trail, Easter Bunny meet and greet, and show. Burrow through the underground town Enchanted Hollow, where actors, dressed as animal residents, celebrate Easter - and the bunnies love an egg hunt! Venture across the theme park hunting for giant decorated Easter eggs in the Activity Trail, and hop along to the Easter show. Alongside this, there are 40 rides and attractions for all ages, from a large soft-play area to thrilling rollercoasters and water rides. Encounter more than 1,000 animals in the zoo and explore the underwater world at SEA LIFE. Turn your day into an Easter short break with a stay in one of Chessington's Resort Hotels. Adding to their Jumanji, Giraffe, Tiger, and Room on the Broom themed rooms, Chessington has added Oreo cookies (sleep in a giant Oreo bed) and Capri Sun (which has a little yellow slide) themed rooms.
Where: Chessington World of Adventures Resort, Leatherhead Road, Chessington, Surrey, KT9 2NE
Price: Online one day tickets starting from £34
10. Beamish (County Durham)
Beamish is an open air museum that brings the history of North East England to life from the 1800s to the 1950s, with staff in period dress. Hop on board a vintage tramway and explore the 1900s Town and see how families lived and worked in the years leading up to the First World War, visit the Pit Village school and chapel, venture down a coal mine, have fun at the fair, purchase treats from the old fashioned sweet shop, and get a fancy up-do in the 1950s hairdressers. There's so much to do at Beamish, you'll spend a whole day here. But this Easter, it's promising a really cracking day out, with plenty of Easter-themed events to take part in.
Where: Beamish Museum, County Durham, DH9 0RG
Price: Family ticket (two adults, two children) is £71. This ticket is valid for a year from the date of purchase. So you can return as many times as you like during those 12 months.
11. Muncaster Castle (Cumbria)
Explore the castle and its 800+ years of history and 77 acres of gardens including cultivated areas, lawns and woodlands, with fantastic play ares, including rope ladders, a suspended net bridge and slides. This Easter, children will be encouraged to test their problem-solving skills in a Protect the Egg Workshop. Design and craft a protective shield for your egg and then brace yourself as these creations face the ultimate test in The Big Egg Drop from the castle roof! Will your design hold up and protect your egg from the fall? Explore the gardens through the Easter Spring Trail and take part in The Big Muncaster Egg Hunt before being rewarded with an Easter treat.
Where: Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, Cumbria, CA18 1RQ
Price: Castle and garden tickets from £20.25 per adult and from £12.60 per child. Under 3s go free.
12. Longleat Safari Park (Wiltshire)
A day out at Longleat Safari Park is definitely one to tick off the bucket list. Visit the stately home, where special exhibitions feature rarely seen objects, from first edition book to timeless masterpieces; go on a drive through safari, where the kids will squeal with excitement at the monkeys climbing on the car; pull on your comfy shoes for a walking safari; lose yourself in the world's biggest hedge maze; take a boat to feed the seals; clamber, climb, swing and slide in the fantastic play areas, each designed for different age groups, and jump on board the narrow gauge miniature railway around scenic woodland. Longleat always hosts wonderful additional seasonal activities, and this Easter, to celebrate the arrival of African painted dogs at Longleat, the safari park is hosting an exclusive Easter event called 'Predators'. Visitors will be encouraged to channel their inner carnivore and take on challenges of strength, speed and more. Get up close and learn about mini predators in the Close Encounters zone to learn how small but deadly creatures can pack a punch when it comes to hunting in the wild. Take part in a painted predators session and put your hunting instincts to the test and set off on an Easter trail with a difference - a predators-themed trail around the park to track down 10 hidden footprints, with a sweet treat for those who return victorious.
Where: Longleat, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 7NW.
Price: Adult ticket costs £39.95, child tickets cost £29.95. It might seem pricey but for all there is to do at Longleat, we feel it's value for money.
13. Peter Rabbit Explore & Play (Blackpool)
Hop into a fun-filled Easter at the multi-sensory, oversized world of Peter Rabbit. Help Peter Rabbit find the missing Easter eggs, as you take on interactive challenges. Crawl, climb and slide through Mr McGregor's Garden, create pond music in Jeremy Fisher's home, help Mrs Rabbit prepare dinner in The Burrow, and discover what inventions Mr Bouncer has been busy creating in his workshop. Make your way to The Secret Treehouse Club and meet the mischievous Peter Rabbit.
Where: Peter Rabbit Explore and Play, 91 Promenade, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 5AA
Price: Adult £4.50, child (ages 1-14) £9.50
14. BeWILDerwood (Cheshire and Norfolk)
BeWILDerwood is an award-winning outdoor adventure park filled with treehouses and a maze within the treetops, super slides, zip lines and storytelling. It's the home of Boggles, Twiggles, Thorny Crocklebogs and other characters, and at BeWILDerwood Norfolk, families can take a boat ride and hear all about the adventures of Swampy the March Boggle. There'll be plenty of additional activities at both sites this Easter, making it the perfect Easter day out. Children can meet the Easter Bunny at the Storytelling Stage and bounce along the trail to find out where the Pesky Bunnies have hidden their Easter eggs - find them all to win a prize. There'll also be Easter-themed arts and crafts at the Big Hat, where children can make their own bunny ears.
Where: BeWILDerwood Norfolk, Horning Rd, Hoveton, Norwich, NR12 8JW. BeWILDerwood Cheshire, Malpas, Bickley Moss, Cheshire, Whitchurch, SY13 4JF (check the website for directions).
Price: Under 92cm go free, 92cm-105cm £20.50, over 105cm £22.50, over 65s £14.50.
15. Meet Bluey at Kew Gardens (London)
Kew Gardens is one of the most famous botanic gardens in the world. Housing the world's most diverse collection of living plants, it's a UNESCO World Heritage site and a world-leading scientific research centre. Discover rare and threatened plants in the world's largest Victorian glasshouse, home to 1,200 species from Asia, Australasia, the Americas, and Africa. There are acres of gardens to explore and lots for children to enjoy. The Hive installation, in the heart of a wildflower meadow, recreates life inside a beehive, and little ones can explore all the things plants need to grow as they climb, run and jump in the Children's Garden. There's also a 18 metre high Treetop Walkway. And this Easter, the hugely popular kids animated tv series Bluey is coming life at Kew Gardens. There'll be fun outdoor activities and games inspired by fan-favourite episodes of the show, and the chance to meet Bluey at the Gardens at intervals on each day throughout the event.
Where: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, London, TW9 3AE
Price: Online tickets during peak months - Adult from £20, child (4 to 15) from £5, children under four go free.
16. Audley End Miniature Railway (Essex)
This Easter, climb on board Audley End's miniature train and journey into the enchanted woodland to visit the Easter Bunny and the Farmyard Friends. Spot little bunnies, colourful eggs and blooming flowers before the train stops for a live show. And before you head back to the station, each child will receive a springtime souvenir. After the train ride, a life-sized fairy will help you plant your own flowers. Follow the magic through the paths to find the fairy and elves in their homes. A stage show will be an opportunity to hear Violet the Flower Fairy share the joy of Spring, and the Easter entertainment continues in the picnic field, where children can enjoy the adventure play area. Seasonal treats will be available from the Woodland Cafe.
Where: Audley End Miniature Railway, Audley End Road, Audley End, Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 4JB.
Price: Adult from £18.50, child over 92cm from £18.50, child under 92cm from £9.25, Child under one year goes free.
17. Godstone Farm
Meet the friendly animals from pigs, sheep, goats, cows, llamas and alpacas, to cute rabbits, chickens, guinea pigs and other small animals. Children can also explore the outdoor play areas, which include sandpits, slides and climbing walls and towers, and Godstone Farm has opened a huge new soft play area that has four tiers and seven slides. Dino fans will love the dinosaur discovery trail, where large dinosaur models can be found in a woodland setting. For children under six, there's a ride-on toys area with bikes, tractors, and trailers. This Easter, there'll be spring crafts, character meet and greets, an egg drop challenge, and the chance to upgrade to create your own egg slime.
Where: Godstone Farm, Tilburstow Hill Road, Godstone, RH9 8LX
Price: Adult online from £14.95, child (2-16 years) £14.95, child (under 2 years) £7.50, child (under 1 year old) free.
18. Old McDonald's Farm & Fun Park (Essex)
There are more than just your average farm yard animals to meet that Old McDonald's. Children will get the chance to meet more exotic creatures such tortoises, wallabies and chinchilla and enjoy several rides and attractions, including a doggy roller coaster and crazy barn ride. There's an animated show, soft play and outdoor adventure play. And there'll be lots of Easter activities from an egg hunt and magic shows to circus workshops, puppet shows, crafts and baby animal encounters.
Where: Old McDonald's Farm, Weald Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 5AY
Price: Peak season - Adult from £16.15, child from £15.30, under 2's go free, seniors from £14.45.
19. Bury Transport Museum
Bury Transport Museum brings to life the industrial heritage of the North West and it's packed with historic vehicles. There's period costume to try on and hands-on activities to enjoy. This Easter, Peter Rabbit is coming to visit and there'll be more family fun with three theme park rides suitable for toddlers, alongside face painters and craft activities. Complete the day with a ride along one of the heritage steam or diesel trains through Irwell Valley.
Where: Bury Transport Museum, Bolton St Station, Castlecroft Goods Warehouse, Bury, BL9 0EY
Price: Event ticket cost - Adult £20, child (2-17) £17.50, under 2s go free.
20. Child friendly exhibitions (London)
There are lots of child friendly exhibitions taking place in London this Easter. Lego fans will be wowed by Art of the Brick. It's toured 24 countries and is a 'must-see' exhibition. More than a million bricks have been used to create over 100 incredible works of art for both adults and children to enjoy, and the exhibition includes re-imagined versions of some of the world's most famous art masterpieces.
Meanwhile, due to popularity, the Balloon Museum's Emotion Air exhibition has been extended until 14 April. The immersive exhibition explores the relationship between art and emotions through the medium of inflatables. Children (and adults!) will love diving into an enormous ball pit, crawling through a giant inflatable structure and swinging and rolling huge balls back and forth. There are Insta worthy photo opportunities galore, and the combination of lights and sounds make it a stimulating multisensory experience.
Bubble Planet offers a somewhat similar experience with a giant ball pit and lots of Insta worthy photo opportunities. But it's probably more suitable for smaller children, as it also includes a small ball pit area and an LED room, where children can chase around after projections of colourful fish swimming on the floor.
Where: Art of the Brick, 152 Brick Ln, London, E1 5EG; Balloon Museum, 1 Old Billingsgate Walk, London, EC3R 6DX; Bubble Planet, 22 Fulton Rd, Wembley, HA9 0TF
Price: Art of the Brick - Adult tickets starting at £15.90 and child tickets starting at £11.90. Children under four go free.
Balloon Museum - family tickets start from £90. Children under age three go free. Look out for discount codes online. Go to balloonmuseum.world for more details.
Bubble Planet - Adult tickets starting from £17.90 and child tickets starting from £13.90. Children under four go free.