London Easter Egg Hunts 2018: Our Pick of the Best

 

 
Chocoholics ahoy! It’s time for our annual guide to the best London Easter Egg hunts, from chocolate treasures in your neighbourhood, to Cadbury Easter Egg hunts at National Trust properties nearby. Hop to it.

 

 

Top 10 London Easter Egg Hunts 2018

 
1. Lindt Gold Bunny Hunt at Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey KT8 9AU (Hampton Court rail)
Journey back in time to the era of Henry VIII, as the Lindt Gold bunny leads you on a magical hunt through the palace and gardens. Find the little Lindt Gold Bunny figures hidden around and earn a yummy Lindt chocolate treat. You’ll be just in time for the reopening of the Magic Garden, a brilliant family spot. There’s also the famous maze to wander and a host of chocolate fun, including royal chocolate tasting and decorating a chocolate ceramic cup. All ages. 10am-6pm; adult from £19.20/child under 16 from £9.60/family from £34.30/under 5s FREE (Mar 26-Apr 15)

2. King’s Cross Easter Canopy Market, West Handyside Canopy, Just off Granary Square, King’s Cross, N1C 4BZ (King’s Cross St Pancras)
Kings’ Cross is where the action is this Easter weekend as the monthly Canopy Market pops up. The students at Central Saint Martins have designed an extra special Easter egg hunt (12pm-3pm, Fri-Sun), so don’t delay if you want those chocolate treats. You can also meet real live lambs, rabbits and goats at the petting zoo, make Easter bunny paper chains with House of Illustration, shop for handcrafted chocolate eggs, tuck into hot cross buns, and soak in the cool ambience with live music and DJs. 12pm-6pm (Fri), 11am-6pm (Sat & Sun); FREE entry (Mar 30-Apr 1)

3. Easter Bunny on a Steam Train at the Epping Ongar Railway, Ongar station CM5 9AB or North Weald station CM16 6BT (via Epping tube)
Beloved Bertie the Bunny is back on the Epping Ongar heritage diesel and steam trains for Easter weekend. Get your clue sheet and look out for numbered eggs along what’s one of the longest London Easter egg hunts ever. Then shake your fluffy tails at the Bunny Hop kids disco, with face painting (charges apply), balloon modelling and magic show at intervals at North Weald station. From around 10am-around 5pm (see timetables online); adult from £13 adv-£15 day; child from £7 adv-£8 day; family of up to 2 adults and 3 kids from £38 adv-£41 day (Mar 30-Apr 2)

4. Egg Hunt and The Highway Rat Screening at Discover Children’s Story Centre, 383-387 High Street Stratford, E15 4QZ (Stratford tube/overground/DLR)
Drop in at Discover Children’s Story Centre for fun London Easter egg hunts (Mar 30-Apr 2) around the wonderful museum and playground. Look for clues and claim your prize. While you’re there, why not settle in for an Easter special screening of The Highway Rat (Mar 30-Apr 3)? Adapted from the hit book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, it’s a swashbuckling tale of a rat who loves sugary goodies, and comes to a sticky end. 10am-5pm (Tue-Fri), 11am-5pm (Sat-Sun); film screenings 11.30am, pre-booking essential; adult £6.50/child age 2+ £6.50/child age 1 £2/under 1s FREE (Mar 30-Apr 3)

5. Baby Dragon Eggs at Shrek’s Adventure, Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Road, SE1 7PB (Waterloo/Embankment tube)
Swap Easter eggs for dragon eggs at the Shrek’s Adventure Easter special. Hiccup and Toothless fans can leave the interactive land of Far Far Away and head to the Isle of Berk, where you’ll witness the baby Nadder dragon hatch in front of your eyes! You can feed the dragon and also create and design your very own dragon egg biscuit (£5 extra) to take home. Puppetry, live action, special FX and a hint of magic, all with admission fee. 10am-7pm (Mon-Sun) & 11am-7pm (Thu); adult £19 online/£27.50 door; child 3-15 £15.30 online/£22 door; family from £84 online/£99 door; under 3s FREE (Mar 30-Apr 4)

6. Dusty’s Giant Easter Duck Trail at WWT London Wetland Centre, Queen Elizabeth’s Walk, Barnes, SW13 9WT (Barnes Bridge rail/Hammersmith tube)
Springtime means new babies at WWT London, and you can go on the hunt for ducklings at this giant Easter trail. Explore the urban wilds of London Wetland Centre, track the missing ducks and win a (hopefully chocolate) prize. There’s also pond-dipping and nest-building as part of the Easter family activities. All ages welcome. 10am-5pm; £1 per trail plus regular admission adult from £12.72/child from £7.72/family of 4 from £34.77/under 4s FREE (Mar 30-Apr 15)

7. Buckingham Palace Easter Sunday Fun, SW1A 1AA (Victoria rail/tube, Hyde Park/Green Park tube)
If you’re feeling like a minion to His or Her tiny Majesties, then head to Buckingham Palace over Easter for to try one of their annual London Easter egg hunts. Rex the corgi and his horse pals Majesty and Scout have been up to no good. Find where they’ve hidden pictures of themselves all over the Royal Mews. Chocolate prizes awarded! Afterwards, dress up as a groom, try your hand at arts and crafts and feel what it’s like to ride in a royal carriage. The Royal Mews is home to the royal collection of coaches and carriages. 11am-3pm, free with admission adult £11/child 5-17 £6.40/under 5s FREE (Mar 31)

8. Wizard of Oz Egg Hunt at East Village, Victory Parade, Stratford E20 1GF (Stratford tube/DLR/overground/rail)
Easter Saturday sees a magical Easter Egg hunt coming to East Village. Look for Dorothy on Victory Parade (next to Darkhorse Restaurant) from 12 midday. Then pick up your Easter basket and go hunting for Tin Man, Scarecrow and Lion, collecting eggs as you find them. But watch out for the Wicked Witch of the East! Kids can also take part in a free Easter card making workshop at Ted’s Veg nearby (3pm-6pm). All ages welcome. 12pm-4pm, FREE (Mar 31)

9. Horniman Easter Fair at Horniman Museum, 100 London Rd, SE23 3PQ (Forest Hill overground)
One of London’s most popular Easter weekend events, this cracking fair features Ugly Duckling storytelling performance, Lindy Hop dance workshops, Wild Fangs animal corner (members’ exclusive), artisan stalls and a farmer’s market, bouncy castle and tea cup rides, and a chance to say hi to the Horniman bunny. Plus a special Easter egg hunt around the Horniman gardens and museum. All ages welcome. 10.30am-4.30pm; entry to museum and gardens is FREE, £1 for egg trail + additional fees for aquarium and select exhibitions, Horniman membership available (Mar 31-Apr 1)

10. RAF Museum Animal Easter Trail, RAF Museum London, Grahame Park Way, NW9 5QW (Colindale tube)
North London’s popular museum dedicated to flying objects has a furry eggs-citing (sorry) Easter activity planned. Pick up your trail on arrival and join the hunt for all the animals in the museum, and identify which aircraft they belong to. There’s a chocolate gift for completed trails and Easter’s a great time to explore this brilliant museum. 11am-4pm, £3 per trail; regular opening 10am-5pm, FREE entry but charges apply for some exhibits (Mar 31-Apr 6)

 

NATIONAL TRUST EASTER HUNTS – LONDON AND LOCAL

 

 
The annual National Trust Cadbury Easter Hunts offers a brilliant day out for families to explore historic buildings and gardens. Find London Easter egg hunts in town or slightly further afield at: Sutton House Breaker’s Yard (Hackney), 
Fenton House and Garden (Hampstead), Eastbury Manor House (Essex), Morden Hall Park (Morden), Ham House (Richmond), Osterley Park and House (Isleworth), Red House (Bexleyheath), Claremont Landscape Garden (Esher) and more. Varying times and dates. (Mar 30-Apr 2)

We also like
Browse the shops, markets and street acts, then create your own chocolate eggs with Godiva in Covent Garden (Mar 12-Apr 1); Good Friday sees a free Easter hunt on Tooting Common (Mar 30); it’s a super sweet Easter Egg search at Battersea Park Zoo (Mar 30-Apr 2); set off on an Easter Adventure Quest at Eltham Palace and Gardens (Mar 30-Apr 2); on Easter Saturday, Gabriel’s Wharf hosts its annual Easter Eggstravaganza with chocolates, crafts and live music (Mar 31); look for hidden chicks and a golden egg at Bank of England Museum (Apr 3-13)

Don’t miss our Easter Holidays in London 2018 guide (out soon)!