Looking for inspiration to keep the kids (and yourself) entertained over the Easter holidays? You’re in luck. Across Britain, there’s a whole host of activities to dive into, from classic Easter egg hunts and chocolate-filled fun to hands-on museums and action-packed castle adventures. Best of all, they’re all easily accessible by train – and with Railcard you can enjoy incredible discounts on rail travel around Britain, including the Family & Friends Railcard where up to 4 adults and 4 kids can travel on one Railcard and get one third off fares for adults and 60 per cent off for kids. With nine Railcards to choose from, saving customers an average of £172 a year, it pays for itself in no time. Find the one for you at railcard.co.uk. There’s also a handy online calculator to determine what you could save – simply enter your journey details and the relevant Railcard and it will calculate the discount you can get. What’s more, you can also enjoy great offers like 2FOR1 and a third off selected attractions when you travel by train with National Rail’s Days Out Guide – making keeping the family entertained even easier.
Here’s our pick of the best family days out by train this Easter – with options for whatever the British weather throws at us.
The Watercress Line offers nostalgic steam train rides through the scenic Hampshire countryside, stopping at heritage stations along the way. It’s a fun family day out at any time of year, but during Easter (2-6 April) you can meet the Easter Bunny before you hop on board (and get a chocolate treat), and children can enjoy Easter sing-a-longs and activities both during the ride and at stations. The Watercress Line is also home to the Harry Potter footbridge (formerly at London’s King’s Cross station), a must-visit for Hogwarts fans. Meanwhile, train buffs will love the three-day steam gala later in April, featuring guest engines and behind the scenes tours. Nearest train station: Alton
Cornwall’s Eden Project is hosting an Easter Egg hunt with a difference. It’s calling on little explorers to hunt for rare dragon eggs hidden around the site, cracking clues to find each one and solving the final riddle to become a member of the Cornish Dragon Conservation Society. Along the way there’s lots to learn about conservation and protecting endangered species, and kids can get creative and make their own dragon headpiece in a craft workshop. Meanwhile, adults can enjoy vibrant spring blooms in the gardens and biomes. Nearest station: St Austell (a connecting bus runs from the station)
If there’s ever a time to visit a museum dedicated to chocolate then it’s Easter. York’s Chocolate Story offers a unique and interactive (yes, that does mean tasting!) journey through the world of chocolate. Learn about the city’s chocolate making history and its iconic creations, including the Chocolate Orange and the KitKat, decorate your own chocolate lolly, watch live demonstrations by chocolatiers, and enjoy some free samples. Adults can also choose to indulge in a Chocolate & Rum or Chocolate & Gin tour, pairing drinks tastings within sweet treats. Special Easter events include rolling your own chocolate eggs. Nearest station: York
Hampton Court is hosting the ultimate Easter hunt over the holidays (21 March – 12 April), with Lindt gold bunny statues hidden around the grounds of the iconic palace. Find them all and you can claim a chocolate treat at the end. Once you’ve completed the trail there’s plenty more to explore at Henry VIII’s former home, including the magnificent Great Hall, 60 acres of gardens and the famous maze. Vibrant displays of tulips will be coming into bloom too, with the annual tulip festival (from 11 April) showing off tens of thousands of flowers in playful displays throughout the grounds. Nearest station: Hampton Court Railway Station
As the biggest castle in Wales – and the second biggest in Britain after Windsor – Caerphilly Castle (2FOR1 entry with National Rail Days Out) is both an imposing and impressive sight, spanning 30 acres, surrounded by water and featuring huge gatehouses, towers and walls. It’s even got its own leaning tower, which sits at a 10 degree angle (compared to Pisa’s mere 4 degrees). Children will have fun hunting for the castle’s resident dragons, and over the holidays there are eight days of Easter events, including dragon-egg-themed trails, face painting, crafts and storytelling sessions. Nearest station: Caerphilly
Are Easter egg hunts too easy for your little ones? Get them to level up their problem solving skills at Bletchley Park (2FOR1 entry with National Rail Days Out), home to the World War II codebreakers. No longer a top-secret spot, it’s now a fun and fascinating attraction for the whole family. There are interactive displays, hands-on exhibits and faithfully restored WW2 rooms, including code breaking huts. Children can take part in the Secret Mission challenge, completing tasks, signing the Official Secrets Act and joining in with some codebreaking. There’s plenty of outdoor space for letting off steam, too. Nearest station: Bletchley
Spring is the perfect time to take in some wildlife, and at Arundel Wetland Centre (2FOR1 entry with National Rail Days Out) there’s an abundance of it, including over 50 species of ducks, geese and swans. Wooden boardwalks weave through 65 acres of reedbeds and water meadows, and there are guided boat safaris to get you up close with wildlife. Look out for kingfishers, water voles and rare Dalmatian pelicans. Things get super cute in Spring, when you’ll start to spot groups of newly hatched ducklings on the banks. From March 20 to May 31, children can enjoy the Gozzle wetland adventure, inspired by the new Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie picture book about Gozzle the gosling. There’s an interactive adventure trail, a vet check station where kids can nurse a toy goose back to health, and special storytelling sessions. Nearest station: Arundel
The Black Country Living Museum (2FOR1 entry with National Rail Days Out) tells over 300 years of history, from the industrial revolution to the 1960s, bringing each period to life through carefully recreated shops, houses and workplaces featuring costumed characters. Visitors can go underground in a 1850s mine, take a lesson in an Edwardian classroom or shop on a 1960s high street. Over the Easter holidays, you can also get some spring cleaning tips, help the postie deliver Easter cards, join in with Easter choir practice and have a go at kneading dough in the bakery. Plus, there’s plenty of hot cross buns to enjoy. Nearest station: Tipton
The London Transport Museum (2FOR1 entry with National Rail Days Out) may take visitors on a journey through 200 years of history of transportation, but this Easter it’s all about the future, with special events and activities encouraging children to imagine London in 100 years time. Young inventors can build their own futuristic vehicle using recycled materials and design the skyline of tomorrow at art stations. The whole museum has plenty to entertain travellers of all ages, with historic vehicles – including the iconic red bus and first underground train – plus vintage transport posters and original tube maps, while interactive galleries allow children to play at being a bus or train driver. Nearest station: All London stations
Taking place over two weeks across Easter, the Edinburgh Science Festival (4-19 April) is the UK’s largest celebration of science, featuring nearly 300 different events for all ages – many of them completely free. Taking place in around 25 venues across the city, including the National Museum of Scotland, there’s lots of immersive and hands-on activities to get involved with. Children can have a go at being a forensic scientist, designing their own slime, or digging for dinosaur bones, while there are talks from inspiring figures including British astronaut Helen Sharman and wildlife photographer and TV presenter Hamza Yassin.
Enjoy great value British adventures by train. From stunning nature and the great outdoors, to culture, cuisine and incredible scenery, there’s no doubt Britain has it all in spades, and these unmissable adventures are just a simple, enjoyable train ride away. So there’s never been a better time to start planning some Great British getaways, from day trips to weekends away or a longer staycation.
With Railcard, whether you’re travelling solo or with a friend, on a couples weekend or off on holiday with the family, you can save on all sorts of train journeys around Great Britain. Railcard helps you save a third off rail travel and for just £35 for the year, it pays for itself in no time. With nine different Railcards available, find the one for you at railcard.co.uk.
