Spring is in the air, and Easter in York is bursting with fun things to do. Whether you’re searching for the biggest and best Easter egg hunts in York, excited to meet newborn lambs or want to get out into nature, there’s something for everyone. From chocolate-related activities to themed days out, York is the perfect place for an Easter holiday with kids.
With so many egg-citing events happening across the city and beyond, we’ve rounded up the very best things to do in York this Easter. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok for daily inspiration too!
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Chocolatey Easter Fun for the Whole Family! – Celebrate Easter with a guided tour at York’s Chocolate Story, uncovering the fascinating origins of chocolate and York’s rich confectionery heritage. Get hands-on with a Easter truffle-rolling experience, or for the ultimate treat, join a Chocolate Masterclass, where expert chocolatiers will help you craft and personalise delicious treats to take home. Find out more about the Easter experiences today! Visit the website
Easter Wonderland at Mother Shipton’s – This Easter, families looking for a whimsical adventure will find it at Mother Shipton’s Easter Wonderland. From Saturday 5th April to Monday 21st April 2025, tumble down the rabbit hole into a world of magic and mystery, where the enchanting woodland transforms into a wonderland of surprises and delightful Easter-themed scenes. – Visit the Mother Shipton’s website
The Rowntree Park Legendary Easter Trail – Head to the park on Thursday 17th April for Easter fun. You’ll search the park for clues to help the Easter Bunny solve a mystery and earn a reward for all your help. Bring a picnic and make a full day of it!£2.50 per child for members and £4 otherwise. 17th April 2025 – book here – www.rowntreepark.org.uk/events/booking
Easter at Beningbrough – Join in the Easter adventures at Beningbrough: pick up your trail map and bunny ears before tackling 10 challenges around the garden. Race against the egg timer, test your throwing skills at the bean bag toss, feel different textures in the sensory boxes and peep through a magnifying glass as spring buds unfurl. £3.50 per trail, which includes an Easter trail sheet, bunny ears and dairy or vegan and Free From* chocolate egg. 5th April to 21st April 2025, 10am to 5pm – Visit the website
The Easter Adventure at Stockeld Park – There’ll be lots of eggstra Easter touches around Stockeld Park over the Easter holidays, from meeting the Easter bunny to a giant Easter egg trail. Explore the Enchanted Forest, get lost in the Magical Maze, watch The Great Eggscape discover the many adventure playgrounds and enjoy indoor fun at one of Europe’s biggest indoor play areas, The Playhive. Open daily – Visit the Stockeld Park website for details
Dinos on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway – This Easter, set off on a roarsome family adventure on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway! From meeting adorable baby dinosaurs to digging for fossils and spotting giant dino eggs, there’s plenty to entertain little explorers. Hop aboard and journey through stunning scenery,taking part in dino-themed activities at stations along the line. Visit the website
Star Carr: Life After the Ice at The Yorkshire Museum – Explore what human life was like 11,000 years ago, a few hundred years after the last Ice Age, through an exciting and interactive new exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum, which brings together wonderful artefacts from one the most famous Mesolithic sites in the world. While you’re there, don’t miss the Jurassic Yorkshire exhibition (including the chance to feed a dinosaur with the VR!). Included in admission – www.yorkshiremuseum.org.uk/
The Storm Whale at York Theatre Royal – Noi lives with his Dad and six cats by the sea… One summer, Noi rescued a little whale that washed up on the beach and a friendship began that changed their lives forever.
Benji Davies’ tender and heart-warming stories of loneliness, love and courage are brought to life as one magical piece of theatre from the team behind Grandad’s Island. York Theatre Royal – 15th to 19th April 2025 – Visit the website
Easter Adventure Quest at Whitby Abbey – Enjoy a cracking adventure quest at Whitby Abbey this Easter. Hunt for clues in the grounds, track down the Easter eggs and get rewarded with a tasty chocolate treat. You can take on the quest every day of the school holidays, and it costs just £2 to take part in addition to admission. There’s no need to book, and you can pay when you arrive at the site. Book online and save 15% on your entry ticket. 5th to 27th April 2025 – Visit the website
Take a river cruise or hire a self-drive boat – Ahoy there! For a fun and memorable family experience in York, look to the river. Choose from a relaxed cruise along the Ouse with commentary from your captain, or brave the waters with a self-drive hire boat. We’ve done both and loved them equally. Use your Little Vikings Family Card for a discount on self-drive hires. Visit the City Cruises York website for more details
Experience Viking-age York – Take your little Vikings to discover York’s Viking legacy at the award-winning JORVIK Viking Centre. Take in the sights, sounds and even the smells – including rotting fish and cabbages – of Jorvik. Discover a rare collection of 1,000-year-old-artefacts whilst talking to friendly Viking hosts. Ask them what Vikings had for tea or if they did homework! This Easter, you can also see the Herefordshire Hoard up close. Open daily. Visit the JORVIK Viking Centre website
Dig into some archaeological fun – At DIG, kids get to discover only the most exciting archaeological artefacts from the 2000 years of history hidden under the streets of York. Four excavation pits are filled with Roman, Viking, medieval and Victorian finds, so you can grab a trowel and dig up the clues that show how people lived in these times. Visit the website >
Piglets Easter Egg-stravaganza – There’s lots to enjoy at Piglets Adventure Farm this Easter, from the Great Easter Egg Hunt to indoor play, lambing live, entertaining live shows, baby animals and much more. The Beach will be open too! Open daily – Visit the website
Easter at Eden Camp – Experience a journey back in time this Easter at Eden Camp, exploring the 22 original POW huts, with immersive displays, to discover the sights, sounds, and even the smells of what life was like on both the Home Front and Front Line during the Second World War. During the Easter weekend, the museum will transform back to the 1940s, complete with re-enactors, authentic displays and talks for its Living History Weekend. Visit the Eden Camp website.
Easter at Dreamery Gardens (formerly Northwood Trail) – Spring is the most beautiful time in the woods and it is a real pleasure to watch everything waking up and beginning to grow. Head to Dreamery Gardens for Easter celebrations and the hunt for the Golden Hare….Dreamery Gardens, Buttercrambe Moor Woods, Buttercrambe, York YO41 1AP – Selected dates and limited availability – Visit the website for more info
Do the Little Vikings I Spy Trail – Recommended by The Sunday Times, the free Little Vikings I Spy Trail is one of the best ways to explore York on foot with children. Collect a map from the Visit York Information Centre or click here to download it from our website.
Play a round of wizard golf – Head to The Hole in Wand in York’s Coppergate Centre and have a go at wizard-themed minigolf at the city’s newest attraction. It’s great fun and good value, too. Visit The Hole in Wand website to book
York Chocolate Festival – Get ready to indulge as York transforms into a chocoholic’s dream from 16th to 20th April! York Chocolate Festival returns for 2025, and it’s a celebration of all things chocolate. You won’t want to miss out on the fun activities lined up and many are free. Find all the highlights here.
Go for a spring walk – Spring is the perfect time for a family walk: see the flowers in bloom, keep an eye out for butterflies and enjoy some fresh Yorkshire air. Take a look at our guide to the best places for a family walk in and around York for inspiration for all ages and abilities.
Step back in time at Barley Hall – Barley Hall is a picturesque medieval townhouse tucked away down one of the oldest streets in York. Once home to the Priors of Nostell, Barley Hall has now been lovingly restored to its original splendour. Little ones can make themselves at home, and join in dress-up fun and activities in a Tudor School Room. Don’t miss the new exhibition, Bard at Barley Hall, featuring costumes from famous films and an interactive stage! Barleyhall.co.uk
Do something active – From clip’n’climb to aqua parks, soft play and swimming, you’ll find a selection of some of the most fun activities in York on our website. Take a look here for our pick of the best.
