Updating my what’s on guide for the Easter holidays 2023 across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire and Herfordshire has made me happy because it means spring is here! And then I get really nervous! It’s the first long holiday of the year and the kids are full of sugar highs only equalled at Christmas. Keeping them entertained for that long! Yikes. And it can be so expensive, this year more than ever!
Anyway here’s my roundup of lots of events that are taking place during the Easter holidays across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire & Hertfordshire (click a county to skip to that section). As always I’ll be sharing lots of things on the Facebook and Instagram pages as well so don’t forget to follow me on on there to keep up to date.
Easter School holiday dates in Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire & Hertfordshire
For the first time in august the Easter holiday school dates for 2023 actually match up! The kids will be off 1st April 2023 – 16th April 2023 (plus the odd inset day here and there.
Just as a little aside, the National Trust are no longer doing their Cadbury’s Easter Egg hunts as that deal ended in 2020. They’re still doing Easter Egg hunts, but it will be a National Trust Easter egg this time. (*denotes affiliate link)
What’s on during the Easter school holidays in Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire Railway Centre (reviewed here) nr Quainton have their most popul special events during the Easter School holidays. There’s the guaranteed sell-out day out with Thomas days on the 7th- 9th April. Plus one the 12th & 16th April there will also be normal steaming days.
National Trust Easter egg hunts all cost £3 per child which includes activity trail, pencil and egg (plus admission). Admission is free for members though. The dates do vary though;
- Hughenden Manor (read the review here) – 1st to the 16th April 2023. For more details click here*.
- The Easter Egg hunt** at Stowe near Buckingham runs from the 1st – 18th April. Read my review of Stowe here.
- Waddesdon Manor’s Easter Egg trail it’s advisable to pre-book. Running from the 29th March – 10th April (excluding 3 & 4 April). £3 per child which includes the egg and trail sheet, pencil and bunny ears
- The Easter Egg hunt at Cliveden** is running from the 9th – 24th April 2022. Normally Easter at Cliveden is really busy so if you’re planning on going probably best to go early and aim for a week day. Read my full review here.
- Boarstall Duck Decoy’s trail is only on from the 7th – 10th April.
Go Ape at Wendover Woods and Black Park Country Park are both open throughout Easter so you can let the kids burn off some of that excess energy. Don’t forget there’s junior trails starting from 4 years plus (if you’re up there with them) and Nets Adventure is suitable for all children ages 1+ You can book your tickets here (affiliate link)
The “Your Amazing Brain” exhibition at Discover Bucks Museum (formerly Bucks County Museum) in Aylesbury is running until the 15th April. Admission is included with galleries admission. They also have several events taking place over the Easter holidays. Help make giant sensory jigsaw pieces, trails and Easter themed crafts (crafts start at £2.50 per child), an Easter extravaganza day (suitable for ages up to 10, £8.50 per child), a huge inflatable brain and escape rooms. Visit their website for all the price details and to book where necessary. If you haven’t been since the refurb have a look at my review of the museum here and the Children’s gallery here.
Hogshaw Farm nr Quainton in Buckinghamshire is running their Easter Wonderland event from the 3rd – 14th April 2023. There will be appearances by Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter, a themed trail and lots of spring babies
There’s Easter stories at Great Linford Manor Park on the 8th April. £5 for up to 4 people, booking is essential. Have a look at my review of the park itself here.
Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire has got various Easter events from the 1st – 16th April with an Easter trail (£1 per child). There’s also family activities and family friendly tours. Read my review here.
Every Tuesday during the Easter holidays at the Chiltern Open Air Museum there are Terrific Tuesdays with craft activities and family games. Easter weekend there’s a family trail, crafts and the chance to see some of the baby lambs. Included with admission. Find out about all the Easter events here. Read my review of COAM here.
The Easter event at Thrift Activity Farm in Buckinghamshire is running from 1st – 16th April 2023. From £8.50 per person. There’s normally an Easter trail, change to collect eggs and meet all the baby animals. Read my review of Thrift here.
Amersham Museum are running a Spring has Sprung craft session on the 5th & 12th April. £5 per child. No pre-booking required.
During the Easter holidays there are a couple of craft events taking place at the Wycombe Museum in Buckinghamshire. Their Easter egg hunt is from the 2nd – 16th April (£3 per child. Closed Mondays & Saturdays). There’s a saw milling and charcoal making family day on the 2nd April. Free but must be pre-booked. On the 4th, 6th, 11th & 14th April there are craft activities as well (£4 per child. Pre-booking essential)..
Black Park Country Park in Buckinghamshire haven’t announced their Easter events or activities yet but they normally do a trail of some description. I’ll add the details once I know. There is some refurbishment going on of their toilets currently, which might have an impact on what’s available.
Princes Risborough Town Council have a free Easter Egg window trail from the 1st – 15th April. Collect your map from the library and return it for a prize.
The Roald Dahl Museum in Great Museum is having a Roly-Poly Easter from the 1st – 16th April. There will be story telling sessions, Roald Dahl themed crafts and guided walks. Lots of these are included with admission. Some cost up to £5 per person, plus admission.Don’t forget tickets are valid for 12 months and Blue Peter badge holders go free!
Milton Keynes Museum have various Easter events and crafts from the 5th – 16th April, included with admission. They’ll be doing their Easter Egg hunt on the 7th – 10th April and on selected dates there will be the chance to try out a number of paralympic sports.
What’s on during the Easter school holidays in Oxfordshire
Grey’s Court in Oxfordshire is running their Easter Egg trail** from the 1st – 16th April 2023. The one at Canon’s Ashby is on from the 5th – 10th April. At Upton House it’s on from the 1st – 16th April. The cost is £3 per child, plus admission. Admission is free for NT members though. At the Uffington White Horse the trail is available from the 7th – 10th April. Admission is free here for everyone, although parking is chargeable for non-members.
Blenheim Palace have their Easter activities from the 7th – 10th April 2023. There is a circus workshop, egg trail, puppet shows, bubble performances and mini golf and other games, all free with admission, down in the Walled Garden. There will also be fairground rides, archery, face painting and balloon modelling for a small charge.
Cogges Manor Farm nr Witney in Oxfordshire have their Easter events running from the 1st – 16th April. There will be a free trail, cooking, crafts (£1.50 per craft).
Tumblestone Hollow at Stonor Park has got an Easter trail running from the 1st – 16th April 2023. Pre-booking is essential and tickets cannot be purchased on the day. £9.50/£12.50 per child. Adults go free.
There are various family science sessions at Science Oxford throughout April. They need to be pre-booked though.
Millets Farm have opened Farmer Carters Courtyard from the 1st – 15th April. £7.50 per child, £4.50 per adult. It’s all of the extra activities they had at the Maize Maze (without the Maize Maze!). They have also just opened their newly refurbished 18 hole crazy golf course.
It’s the Big Easter Bunny Hunt at Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire from the 1st – 16th April. £3 per child (plus admission fees). Read my full review of the gardens here.
Oxford Natural History Museum, Oxfordshire have got several events taking place during the Easter school holiday. From the 1st – 16th April there’s Eggstraordinary Easter Eggventure which is a free egg trail across the natural history museum and the Pitts Rivers Museum. Each Saturday there is a drop-in specimen handling session. On the 3rd & 4th April there are family friendly sessions dedicated to fossils. On the 12th April there’s a free fossil workshop for 10-14 year olds where they can make a cast of a real fossil to take home.
Easter school holiday activities in Bedfordshire
Wrest Park in Bedfordshire is running an Easter trail during the school holidays from the 1st – 16th April 2022. £2 per child, plus admission. English Heritage members get FREE admission. Click here for more details** (Don’t forget you can save 15% on gift and annual memberships using the code EHAFF2023 and this affiliate link)
Pip and Posy are going to be at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire from the 31st March – 9th May as part of their Easter activities. From the 2nd – 24th April there’s going to be an Easter egg trail with a difference. Both are free with admission. Pre-book your tickets here** You can read my full review here
Shuttleworth in Bedfordshire has an Easter Bunny fly in and egg hunt on the 8th & 9th April 2023. The trail is £3 per child. Adult tickets are £15 per adult, children go free.
Mead Open Farm (reviewed here) is home to the Easter Wonderland from the 1st – 14th April. As well as all the usual stuff on site there’s Easter shows, an Easter trail and the chance to meet Alice and her friends.
Rushmere country park in Bedfordshire have now announced the details of their Easter activities. There will be an Easter ispy trail from the 31st March – 16th April. £4 per child. There’s also a free Xplorer challenge on the 13th April from 11am – 1.30 pm. No need to book
The Forest of Marston Vale in Bedfordshire has got a couple of events over the Easter holidays. There’s a spring craft session on the 5th April (£4 per child) and from the 6th-10th April there’s a spring activity trail (£3 per child). On the 12th April there’s a wooden egg decorating craft session from 11-2, £4 per child. Finally, from the 15th-18th April there’s an Easter egg hunt activity trail (£3 per child).
Jordan’s Mill have an Easter egg hunt from the 31st March – 16th April. £3.50 per child.
The Easter egg hunt and activity trail at Dunstable Downs from the 3rd – 10th April. £3 per child.
What’s on in the Easter holidays in Hertfordshire
The Easter event at Ashridge House (reviewed here) in Hertfordshire is a 10 day vintage fayre from the 1st – 10th April. There will be dodgems, Helter Skelters, the Big Wheel and more. Tickets are £12 per person and includes all the rides. Tickets will be more expensive on the day.
I’m not sure if the Easter egg hunt on the main Ashridge estate (reviewed here) is happening this year! It’s normally over the Easter weekend and the other NT trails are £3. I’ll update this listing if it does get announced.
The Easter Eggstravaganza at Willows Activity Farm near St Albans, Hertfordshire is on from the 30th March until the 14th April 2023. The Easter egg hunt, grotto, biscuit decorating and all of the normal activities and attractions are included with admission. Read my review of Willows here.
Celtic Harmony in Hertford are running Easter family days from the 13th – 16th April 2023, £12.50 per person. It’s a full day including activities such as a dragon egg hunt, wand making and campfire stories. We did this Easter family fun day a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. The staff were great. Read all about our experience here.
Verulamium Museum have crafts in the colonnade from the 1st – 16th April. £2 per child, plus admission.
St Albans Museum has museum minis on the 3rd April (£5 per child) and a coat of arms craft on the 5th April (£5). Pre-book via their website
The Easter trail at Knebworth House (reviewed here) in Hertfordshire is running from the 7th – 10th April. £2 per child for the trail sheet. The house, gardens and adventure playground will be open throughout the Easter holidays as well.
On the 15th April there’s a Birds of Prey event at Hatfield House. £12 per person
There are two Easter events at Tring Natural History Museum in Hertfordshire this year. There’s an Easter trail from the 1st – 17th April, £1 per child, and a craft activity to create your own cassowary egg. £2 per child. This is available on April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 13. Buy you ticket on the day.
It’s nice to see so many Easter events and activities back to normal across Bucks, Beds, Oxon & Herts. One thing I have noticed is that the prices of a lot of these activities have increased since last year! Just like everything else. Before the holidays start have a look at my 9 top tips to save money on family days out to try and keep the costs of the school holidays down.
Don’t forget, as well as all these events there’s loads of other awesome places to visit across Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire on the blog. Have a look at the searchable map to find your next day out
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Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 12 year old son, a 10 year old son and a 5 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
