Easter egg hunting requires fuel
Don’t put your eggs all in one basket when it comes to Easter celebrations. Numerous places around the area are hosting egg hunts, Easter bunny visits, and much more spring fun. Even if you’re not big on the holiday, there are attractions and activities beyond bunnies and candy-filled eggs that will have the whole family hopping with joy. Here’s where you can find them, listed in order of start date. And if I’ve left out any good ones, feel free to let me know in the comments.
Spring Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Ticonderoga Farm
When: Weekends March 12 – April 3
Admission: $14.95 ages 2 and up
With giant slides, awesome jumping pillows, playgrounds, animals, mazes, and more, the farm in Chantilly is a blast everyday (it’s open daily), but they take the fun up a notch on weekends in early spring. Along with the permanent amusement, there are egg hunts ( and visits from the Easter Bunny. Be sure to check the website for timing of specific activities. For an idea of what’s there, see this post about their Winter Festival, which is much of the same, but with Easter instead of Christmas festivities. And this post about a class field trip has info and pics, too.
Bunnyland
Where: Butler’s Orchard
When: March 19, 20, 25, 26, 28 & April 1-3, 9am – 4pm
Admission: $9/child, $7/adult
One of the more popular spring festivals in the area, Butler’s has all the trappings for seasonal fun: bunnies, eggs, and other Easter-related treats to get young guests in the holiday spirit. Attractions include hayrides down the Bunny Trail, egg hunts, the Rubber Ducky Derby, giant slides, and a small petting zoo. Face painting and pony rides are also usually offered for an extra fee. Concessions are available, and there are also plenty of picnic tables if you prefer to pack a lunch.
Nova Parks Egg Hunts
Where: Parks throughout Northern Virginia
When: Various dates
Admission: $10
Several parks in Northern Virginia are hosting all kinds of Easter fun to celebrate the holiday and the season. Easter bunny visits and photo ops, egg hunts, crafts, and more activities will be part of the festivities. Registration is required. Go here to see where and when you can jump in on the fun!
Egg Hunt
Where: Meadowside Nature Center
When: March 25, 10am – 3pm
Admission: $8
Search for real eggs in othe meadow, then dye and decorate the eggs you find. Enjoy other spring-themed activities throughout the event as well. Fun for the entire family! Don’t forget to bring a basket to collect your eggs. Egg hunts are scheduled for every half-hour throughout the day. Reservations are required.
Easter Egg Decorating
Where: Brentwood Arts Exchange
When: March 26, 1pm
Admission: Free
Fun! Glitter! Eggs! The Brentwood Arts Exchange promise all three at this free family-friendly workshop. Create beautiful decorated eggs that will impress friends and even the Easter Bunny. Children will receive their first two eggs for free. Additional eggs will be available to purchase 2 for $1.
9th Annual Eggstravaganza
Where: Tudor Place
When: March 19 & 26, 10am – 12pm
Admission: $10/child, $8/child member, $5/adult
Rolling green lawns, bright spring blooms, and the elegant mansion on a hill serve as backdrop for this festive annual attraction. Join the Easter Bunny as children of all ages enjoy an Egg Hunt and thrilling Egg Roll Contest down the grand South Lawn. Crafts include paper chick “pets” and colorful butterflies, plus there will be games for all ages. Plan to take a self-guided tour of Tudor Place’s 5½ acres of glorious gardens, and be sure to bring a camera!
Fabergé Egg Family Festival
Where: Hillwood Estate and Gardens
When: March 19-20, 10am – 5pm
Admission: $18/adult, $5/ages 6-18, free for 5 and under
Celebrate spring’s arrival in traditional Russian style! Hillwood’s annual festival has programs, music, art, and activities for all ages. Happenstance Theatre will present stories of Russian Easter traditions in a fun family play. A favorite for all ages is the “Fabergé’s Workshop” to create a Fabergé-inspired egg. Samovar Russian Folk Music Ensemble takes visitors back to Old Russia as they play traditional instruments, and the Kalinka Dance Ensemble performs Russian folk dances. And centuries-old Russian springtime games like egg-rolling and egg and spoon racing will entertain children of all ages.
Dinosaur Egg Hunt
Where: Hidden Oaks Nature Center
When: March 19-20 & 26-27
Admission: $7-9/child
Stomp over to Hidden Oaks, where children ages 2-8 can enjoy a dinosaur-themed program and outdoor egg hunt while visiting dinoland in Nature Playce and make a dino craft. Pre-registration is required. Programs run several time throughout the day for 45-minute sessions.
Easter Weekend Itinerary
Where: Lansdowne Resort
When: March 25-27
Admission: Varies by activity
The resort, spa, and golf club in Northern Virginia has curated the perfect Easter Weekend Itinerary for local residents, traveling guests, and families alike. Activities include Build-A-Bunny workshops, a Flick & Float screening of the movie Hop while floating in the indoor pool, Easter Day Brunch, and an Eater Egg Hunt. Details and prices are on the website.
Bird Egg-stravaganza
Where: Woodend Nature Sanctuary
When: March 26, 10am – 12pm
Admission: $10/child
Join the Audubon Naturalist Society for a nature-themed egg hunt at their Bethesda headquarters. Children can search for eggs along the Woodend Nature Sanctuary trails. Afterwards, they can cash in their eggs for prizes, participate in crafts, and enjoy other nature themed activities
Easter Eggstravaganzas
Where: Various locations around the DC-Metro
When: March 26
Admission: Free
These festivals held in several neighborhoods around the area offer all kinds of Easter fun – egg hunts, Easter bunny visits, face painting, yummy treats, games, prizes, and more. They’ll take place in Northwest DC, Capitol Hill, Springfield, Gainesville, and Alexandria.
5th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Madame Tussauds
When: March 26, 8am, 8:30am, & 9am
Admission: $25/adult and three children
If your kids are early risers, then keep this event in mind: A fun and educational “eggs-ploration” through American History at the wax museum! Tons of eggs will be hidden throughout the Presidents Gallery, and once children have collected the empty eggs, they can then trade them in at the end of the hunt for an Easter gift bag full of goodies. Guests can also enjoy a meet & greet with the Easter Bunny, an on site petting zoo, plus Easter crafts and face painting! All children must be accompanied by an adult. Tickets can be purchased online.
Falls Church Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Cherry Hill Park
When: March 26, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Join this annual family celebration hosted by the city’s Recreation and Parks Department. Children dressed in their spring finest can hunt for candy and special eggs in Cherry Hill Park and have their photo taken with our special guest, the Easter Bunny! BYO basket — they’ll supply the candy, fun, and happy springtime memories. In addition to scrambling for eggs, children ages 11 and younger can participate in a make-your-own-candy-bag craft project and have a chance to meet and take pictures with the Easter Bunny.
Spring Fest
Where: McLean Community Center
When: March 26, 10am – 12pm
Admission: $5, free for 2 and under
Spring Fest is a special event that includes self-guided arts and crafts projects, entertainment and the opportunity for your children to get a professional photo with Bunny. Remember to bring your Easter basket for our parent/child Easter egg hunt. Registration is required for all participants, and sign up soon, as space is limited. Recommended for ages 3-8.
11th Annual Stead Park Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Stead Park
When: March 26, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free
Hop to it and join Friends of Stead Park and Foundry United Methodist Church for their annual Community Easter Egg Hunt! In addition to the egg hunts, there will be special “golden eggs” filled with a prize for each age group to find; crafts and snacks; selfies with the Easter Bunny, and twice as many eggs as last year. Bring your own basket and register in advance.
Champagne Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt
Where: Mandarin Oriental Washington, DC
When: March 27
Admission: $74/adult, $35/child
If you want to get fancy for the holiday, celebrate Easter with an extravagant Champagne brunch and a waterfront egg hunt on a beautiful sprawling garden, plus visits from the Easter Bunny at one of the city’s swankiest hotels. Enjoy a lavish buffet-style meal at Muze with multiple live cooking stations spread throughout the restaurant. Children can hunt for eggs hidden throughout the hotel’s stunning garden overlooking the Tidal Basin, accompanied by the Easter Bunny. There will also be fun-filled activities in the hotel’s supervised Little Fans Clubroom.
Easter Monday: A Washington Family Tradition
Where: National Zoo
When: March 28
Admission: Free
Celebrate Easter on Monday at the Zoo! Join them for special family-focused activities and live entertainment. A traditional Easter Egg Hunt and animal demonstrations as well as visits from the Easter Panda will be part of the festivities! This event will be held rain or shine.
White House Easter Egg Roll
Where: White House Lawn
When: March 28, 8am – 5pm
Admission: Free, tickets required
The mac daddy of Easter events in DC, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll requires tickets won through lottery for admission. You should know by now if you were “successful” in scoring them or not; but if you don’t, you can check your status on recreation.gov. Unofficial tip: I heard from a friend who was lucky enough to go one year that people were giving away extra tickets at the entrance. While I can’t confirm that’s always the case, if you’re going to be in that area and really want to go, it wouldn’t hurt to stop by and see if folks are being so generous. Note that entries are timed, so while it goes all day, guests only stay for their designated amount of time.
Egg Hunt & Marshmallow Harvest
Where: Great Country Farms
When: April 2-3, 10am – 5pm
Admission: $10/child $12/adult at the gate
After a long cold winter, nothing chases away the chill like a visit to the farm. Head to Great Country for the first “crop” of the spring– Marshmallow Picking! Do marshmallow peeps grow on trees? Be sure to check it out and harvest a few to roast on the bonfire with Farmer Bob. You can even purchase a s’mores kit to melt away that chocolate craving. Guests can also help find Easter Bunny eggs during egg hunts (by age – see the schedule) with over 18,000 treat-filled eggs. Plan to visit spring chicks and baby animals, check out the spring plantings in the greenhouse, take a hayride and rejoice in the new season. Don’t forget to bring your camera for photo ops with the Easter Bunny. Buy advance tickets online for only $10/adult — visit the website to purchase, and look for the schedule of events there, too.
