14 ‘Eggcellent’ Easter Egg Hunts In Essex 2024!
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A fun way to enjoy the Easter break is to go on an Easter Egg hunt in Essex. There are many different events happening all around the county. Obviously many are aimed at children, but they can be enjoyed by the big kids at heart (adults!) too! In this post you’ll find information for some of the 2024 events!
*2024 updates in process as events are announced (Information correct at the time of writing)
Easter Egg Hunts in Essex 2024
East Essex
Colchester Zoo Egg Hunt
🗺Colchester Zoo, Maldon Road, Colchester, CO3 0SL
📅29th March – 14th April 2024: 9.30am until 6pm
Normal Colchester Zoo entrance fees apply.
I went on an Egg Hunt at Colchester Zoo years ago! The Zoo has a special place in my heart and is a great day out, even without the addition of an egg hunt!
St-EGG-osaurus Easter will be taking place at Colchester Zoo with a journey around the new dinosaur realm. Visitors can learn all about reptiles of the past.
The Easter Egg Hunt Trail will be running at the zoo for the duration of the Easter Holidays, so there is plenty of time to check it out.
Easter-themed crafts are also available for an additional fee.
National Trust Egg Hunts
Bourne Mill
🗺Bourne Mill, Bourne Road, Colchester, CO2 8RT
📅29th March – 1st April 2024
🕖11am – 4pm
I took part in the Egg Hunt when it was at Flatford Mill (which is in Suffolk only just over the Essex border) and had so much fun! You are provided with an answer sheet and follow a simple walking route around the National Trust property. Make sure you are dressed for the weather as there’s no guarantee that the route won’t be muddy!
The hunt is aimed at both adults and children. The Flatford Mill event had toy animals scattered along the route, which children will love trying to spot, but the questions you had to answer were a little on the tricky side!
You had to name the young of various animals and were given multiple-choice options. Sounds easy right?! However the animals weren’t always obvious ones, such as a pig or a cow (think more along the lines of spider and grasshopper!), and we did have to Google some of the answers!
Once you complete the sheet, you receive a small Easter Egg!
It looks like in 2024 Flatford Mill will not be hosting one of the National Trust Easter Egg Hunts, however, Bourne Mill in Colchester will still have theirs.
Being located at National Trust properties, many of the attractions have an entrance and/or parking fee on top of the cost of the egg hunt.
Markshall Estate Easter Egg Trail
🗺Coggeshall, Colchester CO6 1TG
📅29th March – 28th April 2024
🕖10am – 5pm
💰Adults: £10 | Children (3-16yrs): £5.75
Hidden around Markshall Estate arboretum are giant nests. Visitors can use The Great Nest Trail booklet to identify the eggs that they find. The trail leaflet is included in the admission price. Easter treats will be available in the Orchard Kitchen cafe.
Giant Easter Egg Hunt Walton-On-The-Naze
🗺The Naze Centre, Old Hall Lane, Walton-On-The-Naze, CO14 8LE
📅31st March & 1st April 2024
🕖11am until 3pm
💰Cost: £7 (plus pay and display car parking charges)
(A similar event also taking place at Abberton Reservoir between 10.30am until 3.30pm)
Visitors have to find giant Easter Eggs scattered around the Naze Nature Reserve (1.6 miles from Walton Pier). Once all are found, collect a chocolate prize from the visitor centre and enjoy a Spring themed craft!
North West Essex
Audley End Easter Special 2024
🗺Audley End Miniature Railway, Audley End Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4JB
📅29th March – 14th April 2024
🕖10am until 5pm
💰Entrance fees range from £9.25 – £20 per person. No tickets are available on the day during Easter Weekend and must be purchased in advance online.
Audley End Miniature Railway holds many special events throughout the year. The Easter Special runs for the whole duration of the school Easter holidays.
Entrance during the Easter Special includes: a ride along the 1.5 mile miniature railway (on the diesel or steam train and spot all the soft toys in the woods), an Easter trail along the Enchanted Fairy and Elf Walk where each child will receive a gift on completion, Easter crafts and an opportunity to meet the Easter bunny.
Easter Adventure Quest at Audley End House and Gardens
🗺Audley End House and Gardens, London Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 4JF
📅23rd March – 14th April 2024
🕖10am until 5pm
💰The quest costs £2 per child (5-17yrs) plus the normal entrance fee.
The Easter Egg hunt at Audley End House and Gardens (different from the Miniature Railway), may be better suited to those who think they are ‘too old’ for bunnies and ‘cute things’! Visitors have to look for clues and challenges and hunt down the eggs around the gardens of Audley End House. Every kid who completes the trail get a chocolate treat!
The quest will be running from 23rd March until 14th April and costs an additional £2 to take part.
Epping Ongar Railway Easter Egg Hunt
📅29th March – 1st April 2024
🕖The first train leaves North Weald at 10.10am and the last arrives at 4.30pm. Trains leave once an hour and journey lengths vary depending on where you board or what stations/direction you want to go (North Weald to Ongar return = 50 minutes)
💰Adult tickets are £18 and Children £10. Tickets are good for unlimited rides on all trains and vintage buses all day.
Once upon a time, trains from London used to go all the way to Ongar, however over the years the branch between Epping and Ongar was decommissioned. The Central Line of the London Underground terminates at Epping. The section of the disused railway between Epping and Ongar (6.5 miles) was then purchased privately and currently runs as a heritage service.
Visitors receive a clue sheet and have to spot as many numbered eggs from the train windows as they can, which are dotted along the railway line. There is also face painting, an activity train and the Easter bunny will be wandering around at various stations and on the train.
Woodland Pirate Trail at Cammas Hall
🗺Cammas Hall Farm Needham Green, Hatfield Broad Oak CM22 7JT
📅29th March – 14th April 2024
🕖9am – 5pm
💰Children: £5.75 (plus 30p booking fee) | Under 1yr: free | Adult: £2.25
There is a half-mile trail through Cammas Wood and around the farm with a series of clues and riddles. Along the route are surprises, themed areas with plenty of photo opportunities and characters to interact with. A game card is included for every paying child and completed sheets will receive a tasty treat.
For an additional £5 per person (under 2’s free), visitors can watch a 35 minute ‘Treasure Island’ show with puppetry and singing.
South Essex
Marsh Farm Great Easter Eggstravaganza
🗺Marsh Farm Animal Adventure Park, Marsh Farm Road, South Woodham Ferrers, CM3 5WP
📅29th March – 14th April 2024
🕖10am until 5pm
💰Tickets are £14.99 (2yrs+) online in advance
*Warning* As someone who loves to visit zoos and farms, this does make me a little sad. Marsh Farm has a policy in place that doesn’t let only adults visit, you have to be with a child. Without a child, you will be turned away at the gate on both regular days and special events.
As well as being able to see baby animals and all the things you’d see on a normal visit to Marsh Farm, the Marsh Farm Great Easter Eggstravaganza has an egg hunt, crafts, and an opportunity to meet the Easter bunny. Each child also receives a chocolate treat.
Old MacDonald’s Easter Festival
🗺Old MacDonald’s Farm & Fun Park, Weald Road, Brentwood, CM14 5AY
📅29th March – 14th April 2024
🕖10am until 5pm
💰Adults £18.50, Children (2-15yrs) £17.50 online in advance. Gate prices are 50p more per person.
Old MacDonald’s Farm & Fun Park doesn’t have an adults-only restriction. However, tickets do include unlimited rides at the fun park, which are aimed more at younger visitors. During the Easter Festival visitors can enjoy all the regular attractions on offer along with an Easter Egg hunt, Easter crafts, puppet shows, circus workshops, baby animal encounters, and more.
Southend Pier Easter Egg Hunt
🗺Western Esplanade, Southend-on-Sea SS1 1EE
📅TBA*
🕖10am until 6pm (4pm on Friday)
💰Cost: £2 (plus pier entrance fee)
Southend Pier is the longest pleasure pier in the world! On Easter bank holiday weekend they are holding an Easter egg hunt on the pier. Activity sheets cost £2 per child and are available at the pier entrance (regular pier fees apply). Once the activity sheet has been completed, prizes can be collected from the Royal Pavilion.
Hopefield Animal Sanctuary
🗺Sawyer’s Hall Farm, Sawyers Hall Ln, Brentwood CM15 9BZ
📅30th & 31st March 2024
🕖10am – 4pm
💰Children (2-15yrs): £11 | Adult: £9
On the 30th and 31st March, Hopefield Animal Sanctuary has its Easter weekend event. As well as being able to see the 500+ rescued animals at the sanctuary, visitors can enjoy meeting the Easter Bunny, an Easter trail, the Easter Bunny’s workshop, inflatables, live performances, and more. Arts and crafts will be available for an additional fee.
Hopefield Animal Sanctuary is open from 10am until 4pm. Tickets can be pre-booked online. There is a cafe onsite that sells plant-based hot and cold snacks.
Easter 2K Obstacle Run at Kelvedon Hatch
🗺Parsonage Farm, Kelvedon Hatch, Brentwood, Essex CM15 0LA
📅30th March – 1st April 2024
🕖Start time: 10.30am
💰£24 (plus booking fee)
Located at the Secret Bunker at Kelvedon Hatch is the Wild Forest Obstacle Activity Centre. If you are looking for something a little different from an egg hunt, there is a 2K obstacle run that all the family can take part in.
The course will have 15 obstacles and the final section includes an egg and spoon race to the finish line. Each child will receive an Easter treat. Don’t forget to bring your own marshmallows to toast on the fire pit!
Inspired to take part in an Easter Egg hunt Essex 2024? Pin it for later!
