Easter is arguably my favourite time of year to travel. I’ve been going away over Easter since I was little, and there’s something special about that first proper spring long weekend after several grey (and often wet) months.
Over recent years I’ve done budget UK breaks to Devon, holiday parks, European city breaks to Marrakesh and Champagne, and even long-haul trips to Nashville, USA and Mexico. R is only 1, so we’re early in our Easter travel journey together, but last year’s trip to Norfolk was successful and so this year we’re heading to Scotland: Inverness, Loch Ness, and the Isle of Skye.
Here’s everything I’ve learned about planning Easter breaks with a baby or toddler, from making it affordable to maximizing those bank holidays for long-haul travel.
Making Easter holidays more affordable
Easter has a pricing premium – everyone wants the same long weekend. But there are ways to make it work without spending a fortune.
Free Easter break activities
National Trust properties run Easter egg hunts (and other festivities) across the UK, many free for members. We’ve done brilliant ones at Cliveden and other local properties with friends and family – R was a bit young last year, but I’m excited to visit this time round over April.
Beyond the National Trust, look out for:
- Local parks often organise free egg hunts
- Beach Easter egg hunts on the Norfolk coast or Devon beaches
- Country walks and nature trails
- Town centre Easter events
Cheap Easter breaks: how to save money with budget-saving strategies
- Book early or last minute – Easter accommodation gets expensive, but early bookers get normal prices and last-minute deals can be brilliant if you’re flexible.
- Be flexible in your destination – Use a platform like Skyscanner and search ‘everywhere as the destination. You can filter by price and find some great options. It’s currently offering me return flights from London to Germany from £51, Ireland £52, Sweden £61, Italy £68 and Spain £78, flying Easter Friday and back Monday (typically the more expensive travel days!).
- Self-catering over hotels – We’ve saved hundreds by booking cottages or apartments, cutting costs further on breakfast and dinners in. For Easter specifically, cottage platforms like Sykes tend to have great rural and coast availability with lots of family-oriented search filters, but I’ve compared all the main holiday rental platforms for families so you can see which suits you best.
- Off-peak destinations – Everyone goes to Cornwall, the Cotswolds, and the Lake District at Easter. Norfolk was really reasonable last year, so finding somewhere that doesn’t double in cost is always a good idea. I’ve personally tested a range of baby and toddler-friendly UK Airbnbs if you want somewhere to start.
- Holiday parks over hotels – Better value, weather-proof activities included, and kids’ entertainment sorted. See our Center Parcs alternatives guide for the best options.
- Tesco Clubcard – Use points for National Trust membership and days out. Genuinely useful at Easter when everything has an entry fee.
Less popular destinations = cheaper Easter flights
I’ve written about short flights under 2 hours from the UK. Uncommon cities like Seville, Krakow, Bologna, and Lille are significantly cheaper at Easter than obvious family holiday destinations.
UK Easter breaks: what we’ve tried
Norfolk (Easter 2025)
We based ourselves near Horsey Gap for a long weekend. Norfolk at Easter is brilliant – beaches without crowds, seal watching, and acres of space for toddlers to run.
The weather is always going to be risky in the UK but we had some glorious sunshine – and frankly, any glimpse of blue sky brings a smile to my face that early in the year.
Read the Norfolk family destination guide.
Devon (Easter 2022)
We stayed in Braunton and did the usual Devon things – beaches, coastal paths, cream teas.
If you’re looking at this fabulous part of the UK (I’m biased as I grew up there, but it really is gorgeous), I’ve summarised my local tips.
Scotland: our Easter 2026 plans
This Easter we flew to Inverness and did a Scottish highlands road trip around Loch Ness and the Isle of Skye. Our trip involved jaw-dropping landscapes and lots of countryside walks, and actually Easter was a perfect time to go as things were just reopening for the season. The short flight from London is a big bonus.
Holiday parks for Easter: guaranteed weather-proof fun
Easter weather in the UK is unpredictable. We’ve had glorious sunshine and sideways rain over the same trip. Holiday parks solve this – indoor pools, kids clubs, activities regardless of weather.
For a full breakdown of prices, facilities and what suits different ages, head to our Center Parcs alternatives guide – but the parks getting the most love from my mum-friends this Easter are:
- Tattershall Lakes and other Away Resorts parks across the UK: Set around eight lakes with an outdoor lido, indoor splash pad, hot tub lodges and water sports, Tattershall is our top pick for value. Easter weekend lodges start around £900, with caravans from just over £400. Plus save even more with the code ‘LBABROAD15‘ which gives you up to 15% off at Away Resorts.Â
- EuroParcs: good value holiday parks which seems to be less well known than the big names, but worth checking for availability and price, particularly if you’re flexible on location. We visited Marina Strandbag in the Netherlands and it was very affordable for a great lodge.
- Landal: High-quality lodges (they genuinely look really nice!), excellent facilities, and good value if you book early. At the moment an Easter weekend break in England and Wales starts at £429 for 3 nights, for 2 adults, 1 child and 1 under 2.
- Bluestone, Wales: Close to Pembrokeshire coast, indoor Blue Lagoon pool, adventure activities, and Easter egg hunts. Accommodation feels special, but as it’s just one resort you definitely need to book early. Current Easter weekend prices are from £945 (for a 2-bed cottage), as there’s limited options left.
- Parkdean Resort: a large UK-wide network with 50+ parks, many running Easter-themed activities and egg hunts. A good option if you want to combine a holiday park stay with a specific UK destination (like Cornwall or Scotland), rather than travelling to a fixed resort. Accommodation ranges from lodges to caravans, so there’s a decent range of price points too.
- John Fowler Holidays: a family-run operator with 14 parks across the South West coast and Wales, most with indoor pools, kids’ clubs, and on-site entertainment. Easter is a great time to visit Devon and Cornwall before the summer crowds arrive, and the parks sit close to some brilliant beaches. Accommodation ranges from caravans to lodges with hot tubs, with prices generally coming in well below the bigger holiday park groups.
Why holiday parks work at Easter: Built-in entertainment (including Easter themed activities), weather-proof, kids clubs to give you an occasional break, and self-catering to keep costs manageable.
European Easter breaks we’ve loved
Marrakesh (Easter 2023)
A few years back we took a few extra days off and went to Morocco over Easter. Morrocco offers warm weather, a very different cultural experience, and a proper break from the UK.
In short, we loved it, and keep saying we’ll go back with R. We stayed in a traditional riad but went to The Fairmont hotel for a leisurely pool day, and that’s the kind of place I’d stay with kids now. The riads are amazing but old, so often have lots of tiles, steps, and sharp corners. With older kids, this kind of accommodation would be an experience, and the whole family will love the hospitality you get with it.
Champagne, France (Easter 2024)
We’ve been to Champagne many times over Easter and the summer, and it’s like a home-from-home for us now. We went last July with R and while different, it still worked well.
It’s close to UK (a short hop on the Eurotunnel or Eurostar), beautiful in spring, and surprisingly toddler-friendly despite being wine country.
Last year we paired it with a week in Normandy, and some seaside air.
I’m writing my full Champagne guide soon – it deserves its own article because there’s so much more to it than fizz tasting (although that’s one of the best parts!).
Other short-haul Easter options
From our short flights guide, these cities are brilliant at Easter and usually cheaper than mainstream destinations:
- Mallorca – 2h 25m, super easy with kids and a range of holiday types available
- Porto – 2h 20m, beautiful, seafood, port wine cellars, affordable
- Seville – 2h 30m, stunning in spring with the orange blossom out, warm but not overwhelming heat.
- Copenhagen – 1h 50m, Tivoli Gardens, Danish pastries, clean and safe
- Krakow – 2h 30m, cheap, beautiful old town, good food
- Bologna – 2h 10m, food capital of Italy, porticos, less touristy than Rome
- Greece – warm enough at Easter for the beach in the south, and fantastic for families. See our guide to the best Greek islands for families for where to go.
These cities don’t get the Easter rush that Paris, Barcelona, or Rome get, so flights and hotels stay reasonable.
Before you book any European trip, it’s worth checking my guide to EU border changes for UK families. The new entry rules are rolling out this year and Easter could be the first trip they affect.
Long-haul Easter breaks: the annual leave hack
Here’s why Easter is brilliant for long-haul travel: you can take 2 weeks off using only 8 days annual leave if you work Monday-Friday.
Flights to the likes of America are also not so affected by school holiday inflations, which is why we went long-haul to the USA and Mexico at Easter in 2024.
USA: Nashville & Smoky Mountains road trip (Easter 2024)
We flew to Nashville, hired a car, and road-tripped through the Smoky Mountains, before hopping on a short flight to Cancun for a week of rest and relaxation! We flew back to London via Chicago, which was a really spectacular city (more so than we imagined!). But try packing for 3 climates… I’m not sure I’d do that with a baby just yet!
Other long-haul Easter ideas
If you’re going to use annual leave over Easter anyway for school holidays, you might as well go somewhere and enjoy proper family time:
- Canary Islands – 4 hours, guaranteed sun, minimal jet lag (see my blog on Tenerife)
- Morocco – 3.5 hours, hot in April, cultural, and Marrakesh can be paired with other destinations by the sea
- Florida – Disney at Easter, hot weather, direct flights – or the Florida Keys offers an alternative to mainstream Orlando
- Caribbean – dry season, perfect beach weather
- Dubai – 7 hours, hot but incredible family facilities, and if you can time it over Ramadan like I did back in April 2018, you can often get a good deal
See my age-by-age baby travel toys guide for keeping little ones occupied on the flight.
Other UK Easter break ideas to consider
Cotswolds – Spring flowers, Easter events at Cotswold Farm Park, and beautiful villages. See our Cotswolds with kids guide.
Brighton – Beach, pier, and a lively atmosphere. Read our UK city breaks with toddler guide.
Lake District – Easter fell walks, Beatrix Potter attractions, and stunning scenery. Better for slightly older toddlers who can walk distances or who are happy in backpack carriers.
York – Viking Jorvik, chocolate Easter egg hunts, and medieval city walks. Very pushchair-friendly, see our city breaks guide.
Peak District – Chatsworth House Easter egg hunt, walking, and dramatic landscapes. Darwin Forest holiday park is here.
What I’ve learned about Easter travel with a toddler
After years of Easter breaks doing everything from Devon rain to Marrakesh heat:
- Weather is unpredictable in the UK so pack layers, waterproofs, and sun cream.
- Holiday parks are worth the premium. Yes, they’re expensive at Easter, but when it rains, indoor pools and kids clubs save your sanity. I say this providing you’ve booked in advance and paid only a small premium!
- Book early or very late. Easter accommodation pricing is brutal mid-February to mid-March.
- Consider long-haul. The annual leave hack makes for an easy two-week holiday and often long-haul is same price as a UK cottage over Easter.
- National Trust membership pays for itself. Easter egg hunts, days out, and plenty of parkland for running around. We use it constantly over the year.
Our verdict: Easter is worth travelling for. It’s been my favourite holiday to travel over since I was little. Yes it’s expensive, yes the weather is unpredictable in the UK, but it’s the longest break until summer and kids don’t remember the rain – they remember the adventure.
Let us know in the comments where you ended up, and if we should add anywhere else to this list!
Allie, Jack & R
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