Best Easter activities for 2023: from chocolate making to UK Easter trails

Luckily for you, the RadioTimes.com team have done all of the hard work for you, and compiled a best list of truly egg-cellent activities to do this Easter. After all, finding experiences is something of our speciality. Last summer, we brought you the best Alton Towers deals and the best Thorpe Park deals, and we're constantly searching for how to do the things you love as a family for less, such as how to get cheap cinema tickets, how to get cheap theatre tickets and how to get cheap football tickets.

In this complete guide, you’ll find cracking suggestions like Easter scavenger hunts, woodland trails, and farmyard trips. With picks from all across the UK, you’re bound to find one near your home town - but if you fancy travelling a little further afield, we have some top tips on how to travel cheaply.

So, without further ado, here are the best things to do this Easter.

For further days out inspiration, head over to our dedicated Going Out section. We have guides like the best London spa experiences and the best driving experiences.

Best Easter experiences at a glance:

• BucketRace's Easter Scavenger Hunt, £15
• Create a Paper Craft Garland at Home with Peach Blossom, £19.50
• The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure, from £19.80
• National Sea Life Centre Birmingham, from £26 £21.50
• Children's Two Hour Art Workshop with Art-K, £25
• Two for One London Chocolate Tour, £58 £29
• BBC Earth Experience, from £32.50
• Chessington World of Adventures Resort, from £60 £36
• Family Alpaca Walk and Meet the Animals at Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm, £45
• Piggy Pet and Play for Two at Kew Little Pigs, £60 £49.99
• English Heritage membership, from £53 annually
• Family Visit to Kew Gardens for Two Adults and Two Children, £54
• Family Snorkelling Experience and Entry at Skegness Aquarium, £120 £64
• Chocolate Delight Workshop for Two, £70
• National Trust membership, from £84 annually
• Chocolate Extravaganza Cookery Class, £89
• Family Forest Laser Tag for Four and Lunch, £119 £99
• Flower Arranging Workshop for Two, £178.25
• Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour for Two Adults and One Child, £200

Best Easter trails and activities in the UK for 2023

Whether it’s a trail or scavenger hunt outside, or a crafting session in the comfort of your own home, the RadioTimes.com team have got you covered with our selection of activities. There’s something for everyone on our list, from little ones up to teenagers, and we’ve considered a range of budgets, too, so you won’t have to break the bank to have an egg-stra special Easter holiday.

Jump to:

• Best Easter trails
• Best chocolate making experiences
• Best spring activities
• Best family days out
• What is the best way to travel around the UK?

Best Easter trails to do this year

BucketRace's Easter Scavenger Hunt

Perfect for adults and children alike, this four hour scavenger hunt will have you racing across London to complete Easter challenges. You’ll compete against other teams to win the crown, working out clues to find landmarks around London, and the challenges include: performing a song next to Hyde Park’s bandstand, clucking like a chicken in public, competing in a Space Hopper race, and taking part in an egg and spoon race.

The scavenger hunt takes place on Sunday 9th April, so save that date in your diary.

Buy BucketRace's Easter Scavenger Hunt for £15 at Fever

Easter Adventure Quest

Set in various locations throughout the Easter school holidays, English Heritage has created the exciting Easter Adventure Quest. This egg-cellent adventure quest challenges you to hunt for clues and complete tasks, as well as take part in traditional Easter games, all with the goal of finding those all-important Easter eggs. At the end of the quest, you’ll be rewarded with an adventurer’s certificate and a chocolate treat.

The quest costs £2, which you can pay when you arrive at your chosen English Heritage site.

Buy an English Heritage membership from £53 a year at English Heritage

For more exciting activities across the country, take a look at the best Manchester theatre shows — there are plenty of kid-friendly musicals and plays, too.

Family Alpaca Walk and Meet the Animals at Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm

In the Warwickshire countryside, you’ll embark on an Easter trial with a twist, as this one involves alpacas! The experienced team at Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm will take you to meet your new furry friends, before showing you how to harness up your own alpaca ready to go on a walk around the farm. Selfies are welcomed with the alpaca, and they might even strike a cheesy grin for you.

Buy Family Alpaca Walk and Meet the Animals at Lucky Tails Alpaca Farm for £45 at Virgin Experience Days

For more activities like this, take a look at the best UK animal experiences.

Family Visit to Kew Gardens for Two Adults and Two Children

There are various trails to wander at Kew Gardens in Richmond, London, across its 326 acres of plant life from around the globe. There are flowers like corn poppies, sacred lotus and king protea, as well as orange, apple and arabic coffee trees, plus you can visit greenhouses and dry rooms which recreate various plants’ perfect habitats, like tropical, mountain and coastal environments.

On top of that, there’s the Kew’s Children’s Garden, which is packed with fun things for your kids to explore. Plus, one of the RadioTimes.com team ate the best chocolate ice cream from the café next to the Children’s Garden, just for your information...

Buy Family Visit to Kew Gardens for Two Adults and Two Children for £54 at Virgin Experience Days

Take a look at best London experience gifts and best London theatre shows for more exciting things to do in the capital city.

The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure

The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure at Covent Garden is perfect for little ones. At the immersive experience, you'll join Beatrix Potter, Peter Rabbit and friends on a hunt around Covent Garden's stalls and streets to save Jemima Puddle-Duck from the grasp of Mr McGregor.

Also at the Easter Adventure, youngsters can enjoy drawing, colouring and writing, and post a letter to Beatrix Potter, as well as get the chance to drive a mini rover at Mr McGregor's Obstacle Course.

Buy The Peter Rabbit Easter Adventure tickets from £19.80 at Fever

If you enjoy a wander, take a look at the best London walking tours and best Edinburgh ghost tours.

Easter egg hunts at National Trust

From April onwards, many National Trust properties are offering Easter trails and Easter egg hunts for the whole family to get involved in. Each trail is slightly different, for example at Polesden Lacey in Surrey, little ones can dress up as their favourite creature. Meanwhile, at London's Rainham Hall there's an egg and spoon race plus a wind chime forest to explore, and at Dyffryn Gardens in the Vale of Glamorgan, you can take turns in finding out if you can guess spring smells.

Before you set off on each trail, you'll receive a sheet and pencil, bunny ears and a chocolate egg (with vegan and Free From chocolate eggs to choose from, too). The trails cost £3 to take part.

Not yet part of the National Trust? Become a member from £84 annually

Best chocolate-making experiences to do this Easter

Two for One London Chocolate Tour

What’s one of the best things about Easter? Chocolate! Fellow chocolate lovers will thoroughly enjoy this walking tour across London’s top chocolate suppliers. You’ll meet a knowledgeable guide, who used to be a coffee and cocoa commodity trader, then you’ll visit a number of chocolate suppliers (including Queen Elizabeth II’s supplier), and there’s the chance to try the delicious truffles and chocolates, of course.

Buy Two for One London Chocolate Tour for £58 £29 at Buyagift

Chocolate Extravaganza Cookery Class

Located at The Smart School of Cookery in London, Essex or Buckinghamshire, this chocolate experience is sure to get your taste buds tingling. During the class, you’ll learn how to create a variety of yummy dishes including chocolate fondants with toasted coconut and chocolate ice cream, chocolate soufflé with a dusting of raspberry and green tea sugar, rum truffles, and deconstructed lime and chocolate cheesecake with a whisky biscuit crumb and lime and mint foam.

Buy Chocolate Extravaganza Cookery Class for £89 at Activity Superstore

Chocolate Delight Workshop for Two

Gather a fellow sweet-toother and head on down to a workshop in either Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham or Bristol. The workshop begins with a history of chocolate — from the bean to the bar — and when your mouth is suitably watering, you’ll be taught how to create delicious Belgian truffles from raw ingredients.

Buy Chocolate Delight Workshop for Two for £70 at Buyagift

Best spring activities to do this Easter

Piggy Pet and Play for Two at Kew Little Pigs

One of the best things about spring is new life: flowers like tulips, daffodils and snowdrops begin to sprout, and we see plenty of farmyard additions like lambs and piglets.

Head on down to Old Amersham Farm in Buckinghamshire where you’ll have the chance to groom, pet and play with micropigs and piglets, as well as meet their parents and grandparents. With over 40 little pigs calling the farm home, you’ll notice each one has its own personality.

Buy Piggy Pet and Play for Two at Kew Little Pigs for £60 £49.99 at Buyagift

Flower Arranging Workshop for Two

Spring has officially sprung when you see new buds sprouting and leaves on trees forming (finally!). Bring the springtime cheer from outside and into your own home with this flower arranging workshop.

Based in Hackney, London, you’ll learn all of the essentials for creating a blooming marvellous bouquet, from picking a colour palette to keeping your flowers in perfect condition. At the end of the session, you’ll walk away with a hand-tied bouquet.

Buy Flower Arranging Workshop for Two for £178.25 at Virgin Experience Days

Other fun activities in the Big Smoke include best London art exhibitions and best London rooftop gardens.

National Sea Life Centre Birmingham

Continuing with the animal theme this Easter holidays, why not take your little ones to the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham to explore the vast marine life the rescue centre has to offer? You and the family can walk through the UK's only 360-degree Ocean Tunnel and meet over 2,000 species of sea life, including a pair of Alaskan sea otters.

Buy National Sea Life Centre Birmingham tickets from £26 £21.50 at daysout.com

Children's Two Hour Art Workshop with Art-K

The Easter holidays are the perfect excuse to get creative as you have more time on your hands (less time at work and less time helping with homework!), so why not take your little ones to a fun art workshop? Youngsters will be able to pick whichever medium best suits them, such as acrylic, watercolour, clay and paper sculpture. A teacher will then help guide your kid into creating their own masterpiece in this two-hour session.

Buy Children's Two Hour Art Workshop with Art-K for £25 at Virgin Experience Days

Looking to try your hand at a new craft? Check out the best UK pottery classes.

Create a Paper Craft Garland at Home with Peach Blossom

Fancy an Easter crafting day but getting the little ones out and about is just too much hassle? We feel you. Bring crafting into the comfort of your own home with this next package from Virgin Experience Days.

Guaranteed to keep youngsters busy for hours, the kit will see you making a wonderful paper craft garland to hang in your home. No experience is necessary and there’s a video tutorial to walk you through the construction, however, there are a few fiddly bits you might need to help with.

Buy Create a Paper Craft Garland at Home with Peach Blossom for £19.50 at Virgin Experience Days

Be sure to check out our Virgin Experience Days offers guide for the latest deals on days out.

Best family days out to go on this Easter

BBC Earth Experience

The RadioTimes.com team were lucky enough to be invited to the opening of the BBC Earth Experience, and we can confirm it would be an amazing day out for the whole family this Easter holidays.

When you walk through the doors of the immersive experience, you'll be greeted with massive, floor-to-ceiling screens showing plant and animal life, such as fireflies, starfish, elephant seals, and snub-nosed monkeys. There's a viewing platform to experience the moving installations from a different height, as well as a creepy crawly room and sea life room.

Buy BBC Earth Experience tickets from £32.50 at Ticketmaster

Family Snorkelling Experience and Entry at Skegness Aquarium

One of our RadioTimes.com writers grew up going to Skegness on family days out, so this next experience is an absolute must-do for them – and we're sure it will be for you, too! If you're local to the Midlands, or don't mind a bit of a travel, the snorkelling experience at Skegness Aquarium is one the whole family will remember for years to come.

On the day, you'll meet and interact with baby sharks like Hasselt Catsharks, Epaulette Sharks, Coral Catsharks and a Brown Banded Bandoo Catshark, and you'll each get a certificate at the end of the experience to say you've done it. Plus, this voucher includes entry to Skegness Aquarium, too.

Buy Family Snorkelling Experience and Entry at Skegness Aquarium for £120 £64 at Red Letter Days

Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour for Two Adults and One Child

This bear-y fun afternoon tea is one you’ll remember for months to come, as the experience really pulls out all of the stops (and we’re not just talking about bus stops!). Enjoy a Paddington themed menu of sandwiches — including marmalade, of course — scones, and hot drinks, and experience some of London’s top landmarks, such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament and St Paul's Cathedral, from the comfort of a double decker bus.

What makes this afternoon tea experience particularly special, however, is the built-in screen on each table. At each landmark, an animated Paddington and Mrs Bird will tell you all about the famous sights.

Buy Paddington Afternoon Tea Bus Tour for Two Adults and One Child for £200 at Virgin Experience Days

For a complete guide on top bus tours, take a look at our round-up of the best London bus tours.

Chessington World of Adventures Resort

The Chessington World of Adventures Resort is located near Epsom in the south of the UK, and at daysout.com, this theme park currently has almost half price off tickets so there's no better time to snap up tickets for the whole family.

At Chessington World of Adventures Resort, you can explore various lands, such as Pirates; Cove and Mexicana, hold your nerve on over 40 rides and attractions, and say hello to animals in the zoo and sea life centre.

Buy Chessington World of Adventures Resort tickets from £60 £36 at daysout.com

Family Forest Laser Tag for Four and Lunch

Who out of your family is the most competitive? If you don’t already know, you’re about to find out. The whole family will get kitted out in camouflage ninja suits complete with a Fortnite-themed gun, before heading out onto the playing field to claim victory. At the end of the laser tag experience, you’ll share Pizza Hut pizzas and drinks — it’s thirsty work, you know!

Buy Family Forest Laser Tag for Four and Lunch for £119 £99 at Red Letter Days

For more adventurous experiences, take a look at the best UK zombie experiences.

What is the best way to travel around the UK?

To save money and the environment — plus to cut out those pesky traffic jams — travel by train instead of car this Easter.

Travelling by train is one of the cheapest ways to get from A to B, and we've put together a comprehensive guide on how to get cheap train tickets. Just one of the top tips included in the article is getting a Railcard to save a third of the fare.

On average, a Railcard user saves £140 per year on train tickets, and there are many eligible categories, such as the 16-25 Railcard, Senior Railcard, Two Together Railcard, Disabled Persons Railcard, Veterans Railcard and more.

Buy a Railcard for £30 at Trainline

Some brand-new experiences for this month include the Star Wars fan exhibition in London, and be sure to check out the best art exhibitions in London for some free events, too.

Plus, if you're struggling with what to do this weekend, why not buy a Virgin Experience Days gift card?