Easter school holidays in York 2027 – Easter in York takes place from 20 March to 4 April 2027
Easter in York 2027 will be here before we know it, bringing Easter egg hunts, spring trails, family days out and plenty of chocolate-fuelled fun. Whether you’re hoping to meet newborn lambs, find a brilliant rainy-day activity or enjoy a free day out, we’ll be hand-picking the best things to do in York and North Yorkshire with children.
⭐️ Easter events for 2027 are beginning to be announced, and we’ll keep updating this guide as new activities are confirmed. Bookmark it and check back as the school holidays get closer ⭐️
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, Instagram and TikTok for daily inspiration too!
Easter in York 2027 at a glance
- 🐣 Easter Sunday: 28 March 2027
- 🍫 Best chocolate event: York Chocolate Festival
- 🐑 Best for spring animals: Piglets Adventure Farm
- 💰 Best free activity: Little Vikings I Spy Trail
- ☔ Best for a rainy day: National Railway Museum
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🐣 Easter events and egg hunts in York
Dragon Egg Hunt at The Hole in Wand York
Calling all witches and wizards! An apprentice sorcerer has muddled an Easter spell and cursed 6 dragon eggs! Find the 6 dragon eggs, collect the letter and uncover the hex to win a chocolatey prize which you can collect from The Hole In Wand. Book now before the magic fades!
📍 14-16 Coppergate Walk, York YO1 9NT
🗓 28th March to 19th April 2026
ℹ️ holeinwand.co.uk
Easter at Mother Shipton’s
EGG-splore the enchanting woodland at Mother Shipton’s and see it transformed into a springtime dream with EGG-stravagant Easter scenes inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Join the Mad Hatter at his wonderfully silly immersive Tea Party, where mischief and madness are always on the menu.
📍 Mother Shipton’s, High Bridge, Knaresborough, HG5 8DD
🗓 28th March to 13th April 2026
ℹ️ mothershiptons.co.uk
The Rowntree Park Legendary Easter Trail
The Rowntree Park Easter Trail is much loved by local families. 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! Wednesday April 1st 2026 – book here – www.rowntreepark.org.uk/events/booking
York Chocolate Festival
Get ready to indulge as York transforms into a chocoholic’s dream from 1st to 5th April 2026! York Chocolate Festival returns 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.
Easter family fun at York Castle Museum
Watch hot cross bun baking in the Castle Kitchen, get creative in artist-led workshops and explore hands-on sensory stations inspired by York’s chocolate-making history. Add in daily talks, a Victorian dress-up studio and an interactive trail, and you’ve got a full day of discovery included with admission.
📍 York Castle Museum, Eye of York, York YO1 9RY
🗓 28th March–12th April 2026
ℹ️ yorkcastlemuseum.org.uk/easter-holiday-2026/
Discover a world of fossils, nature and storytelling this Easter at the Yorkshire Museum
Meet Mary Anning, get creative in hands-on workshops and drop into daily activities inspired by the natural world. With gallery talks and a spring trail through the Museum Gardens, it’s a brilliant mix of indoor and outdoor family fun.
📍 Yorkshire Museum, Museum Gardens, York YO1 7FR
🗓 28th March–12th April 2026
ℹ️ Visit the Yorkshire Museum website
Discover York Minster this Easter
York Minster is open throughout the Easter holidays for Holy Week and Easter worship and sightseeing. From 6 to 11 April, visit for Love to LEGO! Join LEGO® artist Warren Elsmore and help recreate the medieval shrine of St William of York. Build your own section from LEGO® bricks and see it added to the growing masterpiece.
📍 York Minster, Deangate, York YO1 7HH
📅 Open daily
🎟️ Kids go free with a paying adult
ℹ️ Visit the website
A Medieval Easter at the Bar Convent
See the spectacular Arma Christi medieval scroll on special display at the Bar Convent this Easter. Discover how this remarkable scroll was used to mark Easter 500 years ago, then create your own artwork inspired by its striking imagery in the crafts corner. Closed Sundays and the Easter Bank Holiday.
📍 Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre, 17 Blossom St, York YO24 1AQ
📅 28 March – 11 April 2026
🌐 https://barconvent.co.uk/
🌸 Easter days out near York
Hop into spring with family-friendly fun at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway this Easter!
From scavenger hunts to bridge building, storytime to stay and play, the holidays are packed with something for every young explorer. Plus, enjoy a free child place with every paying adult and reduced rates over the school holidays, making it the perfect time to discover the magic of the railway.
📍 Pickering Station, Park Street, Pickering YO18 7AJ
🗓 28 March to 12 April 2026
ℹ️ nymr.co.uk
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.
📍 Whitby Abbey, Abbey Lane, Whitby, North Yorkshire YO22 4JT
🗓 Saturday 28th March to Sunday 19th April 2026
ℹ️ english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/whitby-abbey
Meet Baby Lambs and do the Easter Family Trail at Castle Howard
Spring at Castle Howard means one thing… baby lambs! Head to Skelf Island Adventure Playground to meet these adorable new arrivals and learn about life on the estate. Pair it with imaginative play on Skelf Island and a wander through the beautiful grounds for a fresh-air family day out. Those who complete the trail will be rewarded for their efforts with a chocolate treat at the finish! Included with House & Garden or Garden tickets.
📍 Castle Howard, York YO60 7DA
🗓 4th–5th April 2026
ℹ️ castlehoward.co.uk
Discover wartime Britain at Eden Camp Modern History Museum
Explore an authentic WWII prisoner of war camp and discover the stories of the Home Front, Front Line and POWs through immersive displays and interactive exhibits. Step back in time, explore the huts and vehicles and enjoy special events including the popular Living History Weekend and Back to the 1940s.
📍 Eden Camp Modern History Museum, Malton YO17 6RT
🗓 23rd March to 1st November 2026
ℹ️ edencamp.co.uk
💷 Adults £20 (£17 online), Children £18 (£14 online), Under-5s free
Easter at Dreamery Gardens
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 (Northwood), Buttercrambe Moor Road, York YO41 1AP
🗓 Opening times vary (check online before you visit)
ℹ️ dreamerygardens.co.uk
🌸 Indoor attractions & activities
Visit the National Railway Museum
See the engines, get hands on and enjoy everything that the Railway Museum has to offer. Admission’s free, and it’s one of the best museums in the city. Don’t miss the wonderful Wonderlab interactive while you’re there (extra charge applies).
📍 National Railway Museum, Leeman Road, York YO26 4XJ
🗓 Open daily
ℹ️ railwaymuseum.org.uk
Experience Viking-age York
Travel back in time this Easter and meet the Vikings. Starting on the glass floor, you’ll be introduced to the history of Viking-age York and the dig that took place under your feet. Next, hop on the ride and take a trip through a reconstruction of Jorvik and see what life was like for its residents. Finally, see artefacts up close, visit the Viking house and chat to the Vikings for even more information.
📍 JORVIK Viking Centre, 19 Coppergate, York YO1 9WT
🗓 Open daily
ℹ️ jorvikviking.co.uk
Dig into some archaeological fun
DIG is a hands-on archaeological adventure that gives kids the chance to become trainee ‘diggers’ and discover the most exciting artefacts from 2000 years of York’s history!
Four special indoor excavation pits based on real-life digs in the city and filled with replica Roman, Viking, medieval, and Victorian finds allow children to grab a trowel and explore how people lived in these times. Your experience includes a talk from an archaeologist and seeing real archaeological artefacts! DIG is a great experience for ages 5-12, with a fun play area for under 5s.
📅 Open daily
📍 DIG: An Archaeological Adventure, St Saviourgate, York YO1 8NN
🔗 Visit the DIG York website
Explore medieval York at Barley Hall
Step back in time and discover this Hidden Gem of York! Barley Hall is a medieval townhouse, restored to its former glory after being rediscovered in the 1980s. You’ll also find Beasts at Barley Hall, which tells the stories of animals in medieval life, from domestic pets (and pests) and livestock to lions, bears and even dragons, using artefacts found in and around the city of York.
📍 Barley Hall, Coffee Yard, off Stonegate, York YO1 8AR
🗓 Open daily (opening times vary)
ℹ️ barleyhall.co.uk
🌳 Outdoor activities
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
🌸 Free and cheap Easter activities
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.
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.
Easter in York 2027 FAQs
When is Easter 2027?
Good Friday falls on 26 March, Easter Sunday is 28 March and Easter Monday is 29 March 2027.
When are the Easter school holidays in York in 2027?
York’s Easter school holiday dates for 2027 are 20 March to 4 April 2027.
What are the best Easter egg hunts in and around York?
York usually has plenty of Easter egg hunts and spring trails to choose from, with previous events taking place at attractions including Castle Howard, Piglets Adventure Farm, Murton Park and Mother Shipton’s.
What can families do for free in York at Easter?
There are lots of free things to do in York during the Easter holidays. Visit the National Railway Museum, walk the city walls, explore York Museum Gardens or download our free Little Vikings I Spy Trail and discover the city on foot.
What can you do in York when it rains during the Easter holidays?
Rain doesn’t need to spoil your Easter plans. York has some brilliant indoor family attractions, including the National Railway Museum, JORVIK Viking Centre, DIG, York Castle Museum and York’s Chocolate Story. Take a look at our rainy day in York guide for even more ideas.
Are attractions in York open over Easter weekend?
Most of York’s major visitor attractions remain open during Easter weekend, although opening hours may change on Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday. Check directly with the attraction before travelling.
