Tag Archives: Do DC with Kids

Don’t put your eggs all in one basket when it comes to Easter celebrations around the DC area! Numerous places host egg hunts, Easter bunny visits, and much more spring fun this time of year. 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.) Happy Spring!

Spring Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Ticonderoga Farm
When: Through April 23
Admission: $10.95/weekdays, $14.95/weekends 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.

Egg Hunt & Marshmallow Harvest
Where: Great Country Farms
When: April 1-2, 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.

Bunnyland
Where: Butler’s Orchard
When: Weekends April 8-9, 14-15, 17, 21-23, 10am – 5pm
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!

Easter Photos & Fun
Where: DC Area Simon Centers
When: During the Easter season
Admission: Free (photos cost extra)
To help families hop into the season, DC-area Simon centers are hosting egg-tastic festivities and community events for the entire family. Shoppers around the region are invited to visit Arundel Mills, Clarksburg Premium Outlets, Fashion Centre at Pentagon City, Hagerstown Premium Outlets, Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets, Queenstown Premium Outlets and St. Charles Towne Center to experience a variety of seasonal celebrations, including Easter Bunny photos, egg hunts, and appearances by Peter Cottontail!

Bunny Train Ride
Where: Walkersville Southern Railroad
When: April 8,9, & 15
Admission: $15/adult, $14/seniors, $12/ages 1-12
All aboard for a trip back in time with the Easter Bunny! Travel over track that the Pennsylvania Railroad originally built in 1872. See Walkersville Southern’s turn-of-the- century railroad station and tool house, then visit with the Bunny on the train (who will also give each child an Easter gift!). Ride in vintage 1920s passenger cars or on an open flatcar as your rail excursion runs past a 100-year-old lime kiln, and then out into picturesque Maryland farm country. Enjoy juice and Uncle Ralph’s cookies in the museum after your ride. Reservations Required! Look for a ticket deal through CertifiKID.

2nd Annual Peeps Day
Where: National Harbor
When: April 8, 12pm
Admission: Free
It’s the second annual PEEPS Day, a day to celebrate the spring season and the uniqueness of everyone’s favorite marshmallow treat! The day begins at 12pm and features games and activities, a DJ, a movie, and the National Harbor World PEEPS Eating Championship! Read more about a family day at National Harbor in this KFDC post.

Easter Egg Decorating
Where: Brentwood Arts Exchange
When:April 8, 2pm
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.

10th Annual Eggstravaganza
Where: Tudor Place
When: April 8, 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!

Easter Eggstravaganza & Wagon Rides
Where: Frying Pan Farm Park
When: April 8
Admission:
Children ages 1-5 can hunt for eggs that have treats and surprises in them at the Visitor Center, with time slots available from 10am – 3pm. After (or before) your search, take a wagon ride (extra $2) — time slots are open from 10:30am – 4pm. And, of course, there’s lots more farm fun to enjoy while you’re there!

Easter Eggstravaganza and Spring Fashion Show
Where: Lord & Taylor Tyson’s Corner
When: April 8, 9:30-11:30am
Admission: Free
Head to the Easter set in lower level Lord & Taylor Court on by 9:30am* to take part in the Easter Eggstravaganza to “hunt” for fun-filled Easter Eggs. After, stick around to enjoy complimentary face painting, snacks and treats, balloon animals, and a Spring Fashion Show featuring the hippest-hoppiest looks for Spring and Easter. While you are here, don’t miss getting your picture taken with Tysons Corner Center’s Easter Bunny!

Dinosaur Egg Hunt
Where: Hidden Oaks Nature Center
When: April 8-9, 14-16
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 Eggs-Stravaganza
Where: Roer’s Zoofari
When: April 8-9 & 15-16, 9am – 6pm
Admission: $15 ages 2 and up
Celebrate the arrival of spring at an Easter event that promises to be entertaining for all ages! Safari tours, face painting, a bounce house, kids zone, and hourly Easter egg hunts (BYO basket) will be part of the fun. Visitors are also invited to explore the zoo’s updated animal exhibits, including several endangered species! Animal encounters, animal feed, and camel rides will also be available for a small additional fee. Advance tickets required.

Easter Eggstravaganzas
Where: Various locations around the DC-Metro
When: April 8 & 15
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, Northeast DC, Capitol Hill, Springfield, Gainesville, and Alexandria.

Fabergé Egg Family Festival
Where: Hillwood Estate and Gardens
When: April 9, 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.

Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Upton Hill Park
When: April 13, 11am
Admission: $13/advance, $14/day of
Enjoy a fun filled afternoon with the Easter Bunny on a weekday! Activities will include coloring, games, a moon bounce, and pictures with the Easter Bunny. Check-in and activities begin at 11am, and the Egg Hunt begins at 11:30am. Add on a mini-golf and food voucher for $7 more and get a great deal on lunch (pizza, chips, and choice of drink) and two hours of mini-golf from 12-2pm.

Bird Egg-stravaganza
Where: Woodend Nature Sanctuary
When: April 15, 10am – 12pm
Admission: $10/child (adults free)
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. The Big Cheese food truck will be on-site and available for coffee, breakfast, and lunch. Read more about Woodend in this KFDC post.

6th Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Tregaron Conservancy
When: April 15, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Free, but donations greatly appreciated
Join staff at 10am sharp by the Lily Pond near the Klingle Entrance for the 6th Annual Easter Egg Hunt! A separate hunting area will be set up for kids under the age of five. RSVPs are encouraged but not required. BYO basket or bag.

Egg Hunt Weekend
Where: Clark’s Elioak Farm
When: April 15-17
Admission: $6
Little ones (ages 1 to 3 and 4 to 6) will have a chance to hunt for eggs throughout the day at this Maryland Farm that looks like something out of a story book! After hunting, they get to turn the eggs in for a goodie bag. The petting farm, rides, and play areas will be open for all to enjoy, too, along with gem mining and geode cracking. Be sure to take a look at the website for a heads-up on how the egg hunts will run, so you can make the most of your day there. Read more about Clarks Elioak in the KFDC post about the best outdoor places in the area.

Falls Church Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Cherry Hill Park
When: April 15, 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 a special guest, the Easter Bunny! BYO basket — they’ll supply the candy, fun, and happy springtime memories. In addition to scrambling for eggs and photo ops, children ages 11 and younger can participate in a make-your-own-candy-bag craft project.

Storytime, Eggs-ploration, and Egg Dyeing
Where: Black Hills Nature Programs
When: April 15
Admission: $9
Staff will share the beautifully illustrated story An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Aston, then you’ll all explore what makes eggs so extraordinary. Observe how bird, amphibian, and reptile eggs are different and alike! After the eggs-ploration, dye hard-boiled eggs in natural dyes made from turmeric, beets, and cabbage! All materials provided.

Egg-Stravaganza
Where: Oxon Run Field, Congress Heights
When: April 15, 9:30am – 12pm
Admission: Free
It’s the first annual Egg-Straavaganza in Congress Heights! Hunt for eggs filled with candy and other goodies, and enjoy inflatable jump houses and other festivities. Children ages 4 and under invited at 9:30am, ages 5-8 at 10:30am, ages 9-12 at 11:15am, and all ages at 11:45am.

12th Annual Stead Park Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Stead Park
When: April 15, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Admission: Free
Hop to it and join Friends of Stead Park for their annual Community Easter Egg Hunt! Enjoy selfies with the Easter Bunny, crafts and snacks after your little ones have filled their baskets with eggs. BYO basket and RSVP to the Friends of Stead Park by April 10.

Easter Buzz
Where: Buzz Bakeshop
When: April 15, 1-4pm
Admission: $20
Go see the Easter Bunny at Buzz Bakeshop, where they will be celebrating the holiday with a cookie decorating party and a visit from its fuzzy honoree. The Easter Bunny will take a polaroid with you and give you a fun treat to take home. You might find some hidden eggs, too, while you are there!

Electronic Eggstravaganza
Where: Maydale Conservation Park
When: April 15, 1:30-2:30pm
Admission: $7
Spring is here and life is blooming. Eggs are everywhere! You’ll use GPS units to search for eggs hidden in Maydale’s different habitats for a truly fun way to learn about spring and be rewarded with a prize at the same time. Bring your own bag or collect your findings – they’ll supply the GPS units.

Kids Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Pinstripes Georgetown
When: April 16, 9:30am
Admission: $5 to hunt (brunch is separate)
Kids can join a hunt around the venue and search for colorful eggs and receive special prizes. Easter baskets are $5 each and include a special treat! All proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. After the egg hunt, enjoy brunch with the bunny, who will be there for photo ops and to ring in the special holiday. Plus, enjoy a gourmet brunch including an endless spread of Easter favorites, from carved prime rib, fresh seafood, waffles, made-to-order omelets, salad bar, delectable desserts, and more. Register here. (Note that egg hunt registration does not include Easter brunch reservations.) Read more about Pinstripes in this KFDC post.

Easter Brunch
Where: Hilton McLean Tysons Corner
When: April 16, 10:30am – 2pm
Admission: $45/adult, $25/ages 3-10
Hilton McLean Tysons Corner and härth are hopping into spring with an exciting brunch event on Easter Sunday. Families will also have the opportunity to take a picture with the Easter Bunny and participate in an Easter egg hunt with grand prizes for the winner of each age group. The meal will feature an expansive buffet menu with brunch favorites like crème brûlée French toast casserole, carving stations featuring herb pepper crusted prime rib and a cooked-to-order omelet station. Bottomless mimosas will be available for just $10 along with a specialty cocktail for $6, and a refreshing apple cider and house-made ginger beer mocktail for $3. Make a reservation here.

Egg Hunt in the Outfield
Where: Nationals Park
When: April 16
Admission: Special game tickets start at $30
Enjoy an unforgettable family experience as kids get the chance to hunt for Easter eggs in the outfield following the 1:35pm Nats vs. Phillies game. Kids will take home a commemorative Nationals Easter egg and basket. There will be a few “special” eggs including Nationals items such as jerseys, autographed items, and baseballs. The Easter Bunny and Presidents will be there as well. Although the “hunting” will be reserved for the kids, both parents and kids must purchase a special ticket to participate. The event will take place after the initial Kids Run the Bases.

Easter Monday: A Washington Family Tradition
Where: National Zoo
When: April 17, 10am – 2pm
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: April 17
Admission: Free, tickets required
The annual White House Easter Egg Roll requires tickets won through lottery for admission. If you entered, you will find out on March 31 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’ve heard in the past that people have been at the entrance giving away extra tickets they may have. 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 someone might have tickets for you. Note that entries are timed, so while it goes all day, guests only stay for their designated amount of time.