On the hunt for eggs – and fun! – at Ticonderoga Farm
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 more spring fun. Even if you’re not big on the holiday, there are attractions 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 Festival
Where: Ticonderoga Farm
When: April 5-20, 10am – 5pm weekends
Admission: $7.95/weekdays, $11.95/holidays & weekends
With giant slides, an awesome jumping pillow, playgrounds, animals, mazes, and more, the farm in Vienna is a blast everyday (it’s open daily), but they take the fun up a notch on weekends for their annual Spring Easter Festival. Along with the permanent amusement, there are egg hunts, face painting, children’s games, 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 5-6, 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’more kit to melt away that chocolate craving. The Easter Bunny also hid some eggs, so guests can help find them during multiple egg hunts (by age – se 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.
Easter Basket Crafting
Where: 529 Kids Consign – Hollin Hall
When: April 6, 12-1pm & 2-3pm
Admission: $20/child
The high-end consignment shop 529 Kids Consign is hosting a special Easter basket crafting workshop with Little Pincushion Studio in partnership with Little Choux Kidgoods. During the event, boys and girls ages 4 and older will have the opportunity to design and decorate Easter baskets with author, Little Pincushion shop owner and crafting extraordinaire, Annabel Wrigley. Parents will also enjoy 25% off a fabulous selection of full-price Easter attire.
Bunnyland
Where: Butler’s Orchard
When: April 12-13, 17-18, 19-21, & 26-27, 9am – 3pm
Admission: $8.50/child, $6.50/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.
Tea with the Easter Bunny
Where: Tudor Place
When: April 12, 10-11:30am & 1-2:30pm
Admission: $20/child, $25/adult member, $30/adult non-member
Take tea with the Easter Bunny! Families can sample spring tea blends and other tasty beverages with sandwiches, petite desserts, and scones, while visiting with the celebrity of the season. After tea, join in a scavenger hunt through Tudor Place’s 5 1/2-acre garden to find the Easter Bunny’s favorite flowers and animal friends. Recommended for ages 5 and up.
Fabergé Egg Family Festival
Where: Hillwood Estate and Gardens
When: April 12 10am – 5pm & April 13, 1-5pm
Admission: $15/adult, $5/child, $12/seniors, $10/members
With spring finally in full swing, Hillwood’s Fabergé Egg Family Festival celebrates its arrival in traditional Russian style, featuring programs, music, art, and activities for all ages. Adventure Theatre will apply their clever stagecraft to the Fabergé story with the new play, Fabergé’s Treasures: A Hunt for the Easter Treasures of a Tsar. A favorite for all ages is the fun of stepping into “Fabergé’s Workshop” and using ribbons, gems, and appliqués to create delicate works of art in the style of Fabergé. Samovar Russian Folk Music Ensemble takes visitors back to Old Russia as they perform on 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. All activities take place throughout the day.
Easter Eggstravaganzas
Where: Various locations around the DC-Metro
When: April 12 & 19
Admission: Free
These festivals held in several neighborhoods around the area will offer all kinds of Easter fun and more – egg hunts, Easter bunny visits, face painting, yummy treats, games, prizes, and more. They’ll take place on April 12 in Georgtown and on Capital Hill, and Gainesville, then April 19 in Alexandria. Visit the National Community Church website for more details, including specific locations.
Easter Egg Hunt & Exhibition
Where: Evermay Estate
When: April 13, 1pm & 4pm
Admission: $10, under age 2 are free
The S&R Foundation, a non-profit that with a mission to inspire innovation and excellence in arts and sciences, invites the public to join their annual Easter Egg Hunt and Exhibition. The gardens at the historic Evermay Estate will be open for an afternoon of festive fun, including crafts, an egg hunt, and a visit from some Easter friends. Also included is a special theatrical and musical concert of Peter and the Wolf, in partnership with Imagination Stage. The gardens at Evermay, located at 1623 28th Street NW, are a perfect place for your family to welcome spring.
3rd Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Madame Tussauds
When: April 19, 7:30am, 8:00am, 8:30am, and 9am
Admission: $25/adult, $12/ages 13 and up, free for 12 and under
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 our 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 fun goodies (1 per child). Guests can also enjoy a meet & greet with the Easter Bunny, an on site petting zoo, and Easter storytelling and crafts! All children must be accompanied by an adult and there is a maximum limit of 4 children for every 1 adult. Tickets can be purchased online here.
7th Annual Eggstravaganza
Where: Tudor Place
When: April 18 & 19, 10am – 12pm
Admission: Members: $7/child | Non-Member : $10/child | $5/adult
Rolling green lawns, bobbing spring blooms, and the elegant mansion on a hill serve as backdrop for this festive annual attraction. Join the Easter Bunny and children of all ages for an Egg Hunt at 10:30am and thrilling Egg Roll Contest down the grand South Lawn at 10:45am. Decorate eggs, play games from the past, take photos with the Easter Bunny, and make the 5½-acre gardens your play space for the morning. Bring your own basket and spoon, and one hard-boiled egg per child. Festive or casual attire is appropriate.
Falls Church Annual Easter Egg Hunt
Where: Cherry Hill Park
When: April 19
Admission: Free
Easter is on its way to the City of Falls Church, just in time for the annual Easter Egg Hunt! Hosted by the City’s Recreation and Parks Department, there will be opportunities for kids ages 0-11 to meet the Easter Bunny along with hunting for some festive eggs – BYOB (bring your own basket) to collect them! This event is free to the public, but donations are encouraged. In the event of rain, the Easter Egg Hunt will be held on Monday, April 21 at 4pm. Cherry Hill Park is located at 312 Park Ave.
Spring Fest
Where: McLean Community Center
When: April 19, 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; walk-ins will not be accepted. Register early! Space is limited. For ages 3-8.
Epic Easter Egg Hunt & Homemade Peep Brunch
Where: Pinstripes Georgetown
When: April 20, 10:30am
Admission: $4 for baskets (brunch is separate)
Over 1,500 of colorful eggs full of everything from candy to complimentary brunch, bowling and bocce coupons will line the C&O canal and patio areas around Pinstripes Georgetown, as the bowling, bocce and bistro venue launches its first annual Epic Easter Egg Hunt for kids. To participate in the Pinstripes Epic Egg Hunt, guests must purchase an Easter basket from Pinstripes for $4.00. All proceeds from basket sales will benefit the Children’s National Medical Center, and all baskets come with a chocolate Easter bunny. Easter basket purchases start at 10:30am and the Epic Egg Hunt begins at 11am. Before or after the hunt, celebrate the holiday with Pinstripes’ Easter Brunch. In addition to an impressive menu of handmade Nutella crème and bananas foster waffles, made-to-order omelets, carved prime rib, fresh seafood, a beautiful salad bar and a towering chocolate fountain, Chef Laurence Cohen will be creating a line of homemade marshmallow Peeps, the favorite Easter candy featuring fluffy, gooey fresh marshmallows rolled in sweet, colorful sugar and shaped into animal shapes. Easter Brunch runs from 9:30am – 3pm and is $30 per adult, $15 per child 6-12 and free for children under 5.
Easter Monday: A Washington Family Tradition
Where: National Zoo
When: April 21, 11am – 4pm
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! And bring in your old cell phones to recycle at the MetroPCS booth. This event will be held rain or shine.
White House Easter Egg Roll
Where: White House Lawn
When: April 21, 8am – 5pm
Admission: Free, tickets required
The mack 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” 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 the 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.