Easter

Hop along to the English Riviera in South Devon during the Easter holidays and you may well spot a bunny or two.  Fill your Easter basket at an egg-citing chocolate egg hunt or take part in a host of other Easter-themed events for all the family.  Celebrate the arrival of spring and the joy of spending time outdoors in beautiful countryside and coastal settings with a relaxing garden walk or trail. The Naturally Inspiring English Riviera landscape is the perfect place to enjoy some great, value-for-money, family-fun activities this spring.  

Egg-citing Hunts 

Easter wouldn’t be the same without an egg hunt for the young ones. And you’ll find lots to choose from across the English Riviera. Become an eggs-plorer and crack the Easter Egg Trail across 4 acres of lovely grounds at Babbacombe Model Village. There’s gigantic fun as you find the hidden eggs amongst 400+ miniature buildings and charming characters. Children get a chocolate treat for finding all 20 eggs and don’t forget to pick up a free fun activity leaflet to take home. Travel back to Victorian times and find all the eggs hidden across 2 floors of fascinating displays at Bygones in St Marychurch and claim your prize.  Head to Kents Cavern for Easter Egglow, a new underground illumination event with glowing eggs hidden in the caves.  

A Cracking Time at an English Riviera Attraction

Discover that it’s not just birds that lay eggs at Paignton Zoo.  Find out about reptiles, tortoises, crocodiles, and other fascinating creatures. Paignton Zoo will be home to over 80 giant wild animal models made from thousands of LEGO® bricks in The Great Big Brick Safari 2020.  Pick up a Safari Trail to follow as you wander around the zoo.  

Delicious Chocolate Treats  

In Brixham why not sample the highest quality, handmade chocolate treats such as chocolate soup, chocolate toasties and strawberry hot chocolate at Ella's Chocolate Emporium & Tea Rooms.  Torbay Chocolate Festival at the Spanish Barn, Torre Abbey Museum is a one-day celebration of the UK’s talented chocolate makers with a full programme of talks, live music, demos and workshops. Suitable for all ages and under 5’s go free.

Easter Baking  

Whilst most of us love to indulge in some extra chocolate at Easter, it’s also a time for other sweet treats. Occombe Farm’s Easter Kids Cookery School provides all the ingredients for 7 to 12 years to bake some Easter themed goodies to take home. The Spring Bake Off is a cookery experience for kids. Create a showstopper and a technical challenge to become a star baker.  

Egg-xplore the Area 

Hop aboard the Dartmouth Steam Railway at Paignton and play I-spy as you journey along the beautiful coastline towards Kingswear.  Look out for the rabbits in the fields as the train majestically puffs along. 

Easter Walks and Trails 

Pick up a spring trail at the Visitor Centre at the gorgeous Cockington Village and use the clues to find all the letterboxes hidden around the Cockington Country Park. The trail can be done by all the family, and the small charge supports the work of Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust.  Help Sidney the Easter stork deliver the baby animals to the right parents with Sidney’s Big Easter Mix up Trail at nearby Occombe Farm in Paignton.  At Berry Head Nature Reserve in Brixham take a morning walk with Mike Langman and learn about the Spring Migrants including the resident Guillemots.  Discover the 'Best of Babbacombe' with a circular guided walk with English Riviera Walking Tours, with accompanied children under 16 going free.  

Springtime South Devon Gardens and Parks

Our unique micro-climate in the English Riviera means springtime comes earlier than in other parts of the country. Whilst your garden at home may still be sleeping, ours are coming into full bloom with a wonderful show of spring flowers.  A great way to enjoy the spring sunshine (and encourage the children to get a little exercise to work off all that chocolate!) is to take a pleasant walk along Roundham Head in Paignton.   At the top of the cliff there’s a beautiful parkland with spectacular views and a charming Spitfire Garden. Nearby Goodrington’s Youngs Park is a natural habitat for swans, geese and wild birds and is perfect for children of all ages plus the family dog.

More family-friendly Easter events on the English Riviera are added all the time, so be sure to check our what’s on guide regularly below to discover all that's going on.