Below are 10 of the top DC Area Easter Events in 2023 to enjoy with your family! I also included a couple of fun Easter treats for your kids' baskets including the adorable book, The Easter Bunny is Coming to Washington, DC.
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Easter Events near me in DC which Require Advanced Tickets
Photo credit: Public Domain, found on Flickr.
1) The White House Easter Egg Roll
The White House Easter Egg Roll is probably the most iconic Easter event in the area!
White House Easter Roll Date: Monday, April 10th 2023
Lottery Process:
Lottery Link here!
- Lottery Opens: March 16, 2023 (10am EST) - You have time if the servers are swamped that first day!
- Lottery Closes: March 23, 2023 (3pm EST)
- Lottery Results Announced: March 27, 2023
- Last year there were 5 time frames to choose from ranging from I believe 7:45 AM to 4:45 PM. (ish it may be on the half-hour, I signed up for all of them!) Good luck everyone!
2. Ride the Bunny Train on the Walkersville Southern in Maryland for a unique Easter Event
Just 1 hr from DC, check out the Walkersville Southern railroad's Bunny Train Rides! Visit with the Easter Bunny on the train who will have a small surprise for each child. Tickets can be reserved on their website here. Rides are 1 hour and 10 minutes each.
** 2023 Tickets are already available. Recommend reserving ASAP as tickets sell fast**
Dates: April 1, 2 & 8 - 11 AM, 1:30 PM & 4 PM.
Cost: Coach seats are $18 for kids ages 2-12 and $22 for 12 and up. There are also private caboose rental options.
3. Easter Treasure Hunt at O Street Museum Mansion
The O Street Museum in the Mansion held Easter Treasure Hunts in 2022 from April 1 to April 17. I will update when 2023 dates are available. Check out their website here to reserve a time slot. I contacted the museum and they said it's fun for all ages.
Hours: 11 am to 3 PM
Cost: $42 per person
Activities: "Don your favorite Easter bonnet and celebrate spring with a fun-filled treasure hunt at The Mansion! Search for special Easter & spring-themed items found only at The Mansion. Includes: Treasure Hunt, Easter Candy, Exploration of our themed rooms & secret doors. Prizes for best dressed and best Easter bonnet."
4. Bunnyland at Butler’s Orchard, Maryland - (One of the Can't Miss Easter Events!)
Bunnyland is back this year at Butler's Orchard in Germantown MD. So much to do! Giant Slides, Egg Hunt (eggs are NOT filled and are returned), Goodie Baskets for children under 12, 2 Hilltop Hop Jump Pads (New this year – an additional jump pad for children under 40″ tall.), Farm Animals in our Hayloft and Barnyard Buddies, Pedal Tractors, Combine Slide, Straw Pyramid, Farm Fun Zone(Ball Tosses, Cornhole, Horse Hoop Toss), Hayride through our decorated Day Trail, Country Bunny Character Photo Op.
Dates: April 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 15, 16. Closed Easter Sunday, April 9. Open Monday, April 10
Hours: 9 am - 6 pm (Last entry 4 pm)
Cost: Online $12.00/Person and $15 at the Gate (Children Under 12 Months Free) Reservations are strongly recommended. Purchase here.
Additional Activities for added cost: Face painting, pony rides, and snacks.
5. Great Country Farms Easter Egg Hunt - March 25-April 8, 2023 - One of the popular DC Area Easter Events
We love Great Country Farms during the Fall but never knew they have Easter Egg Hunts! This year, they will have advanced tickets. Beyond the egg hunt, you can see the live animals, marshmallow picking for the bonfire, and wagon rides.
Cost: Admission is $10/child & $12/adult and then the Easter Egg Hunts are an add-on fee of $7.50 per child. More info and register here.
Egg Hunt Details:
- Separate 2 & 3 year old area where adults may enter with their child.
- The Egg Hunt Areas will be open from 10am-3pm and hunts start as each group of guests is ready to enter.
- Hunts Daily~ Thank you for entering the hunt area within an hour of your arrival time
- Hunts include a pick your own bucket and up to 25 treat filled eggs to gather in the bucket
- Marshmallow Roasting is available from 10am-3pm next to the Egg Hunt Areas.
Photo from GreatCountryFarms.com
6. Tulip Picking at Burnside Farms - (TBD early to mid April) - My fav of the DC Area Easter Events!
Our family's favorite spring tradition is to go to the Tulip fields at Burnside Farms! I wrote all about it in a blog post here. We've loved going for the past 3 years. Their Festival of Spring dates is announced about a week before because it is based on the blooms. Their website is here for tickets.
Easter Events that Do No Require Advanced Tickets
7. Easter Monday at the National Zoo - TBD on 2023 Dates but Easter Monday is 4/10/23
Info from 2022, will update with 2023 info when I get it: "The Smithsonian's National Zoo is celebrating Easter Monday on April 18! Throughout the day, the Zoo will offer family-focused activities, from an Easter egg hunt with prizes to special animal demonstrations and live entertainment. And don't miss a chance to meet Panda Pal!" Make sure to reserve your entry pass and check out my FREE Family Trip Guide to the Zoo!
Schedule: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
- Easter Egg Hunt | Lion-Tiger Hill
Hosted by the Association of Minority Zoo and Aquarium Professionals - Live Music by De-U Records | Lion-Tiger Hill
Animal Events
- 10 a.m: Tortoise Feeding |Reptile Discovery Center, River Otter Enrichment | American Trail
- 10:30 a.m. Elephant Demonstration
- 11 a.m. Tiger Feeding | Great Cats Circle
- 1 p.m. Beaver Feeding | American Trail Elephant Demonstration
- 1:30 p.m. Small Mammal Enrichment | Small Mammal House Komodo Dragon and Crocodile Monitor Egg Hunt | Reptile Discovery Center Maned Wolf Enrichment | American Trail
8. Egg Hunt at Potomac Overlook - April 1 - 9, 2023 (except not on the 3rd)
Visit Potomac Overlook Park in Arlington from April 1-9, 2023 (except not on the 3rd) between 11 AM and 4 PM stop into the Nature Center to purchase a map and answer sheet for $8 per participating child. Use the map to find the wooden eggs. Then return to the nature center to receive a prize. No registration is necessary!
More info here!
9. Occoquan Peep Week & Hunt - April 4-8, 2023
Picture from Occoquanva.gov
Check out the cute town of Occoquan, VA for their 2023 Peep Week from April 4 - 8 where businesses around Occoquan will display creative dioramas using Peeps! You can vote at Town Hall. Check out the town's website here for all the info. Drop off entries by April 3, 2023 to Town Hall at 314 Mill Street.
Also on April 16, they will have an Easter Hunt at 11 AM with the Easter Bunny. Bring your own basket and register ahead of time here. Tickets are $5 per child and required.
10. Meadowlark Botanical Garden Spring Egg Hunt - Newly added to the 2023 Easter Events!
From April 1 - 9, 2023, bring your family to the beautiful Meadowlark Botanical Gardens for a self-guided Egg Hunt in the Gardens! From 10 AM to 6 PM daily. "Purchase your Egg Hunt Fun Find Sheet at the admission desk and draw the pattern on each egg that you find along the Bunny Trail. Show in your completed Egg Hunt Fun Find Sheet to receive an EGGcellent prize!"
Cost: Egg Hunts in the Gardens are $8 per participant which includes garden admission. Garden admission or garden membership applies to those accompanying egg hunters. Egg Hunts and garden admissions are purchased at the admissions desk. There are no online or advanced sales for this activity. (Cost is usually $6 for adults and $3 for ages 6-17 and free for 5 and under)
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DC Themed Treats for Easter Baskets
And more Spring fun on the Best of Playgrounds in DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland.
And if you want even more Spring events, check out this post on where to see 10 different flowers in DC.
Full List of Easter Events Near Me in the DC Area
- White House Easter Egg Roll - DC
- Bunny Train - Walkersville, MD
- Easter Treasure Hunt at O Street Museum Mansion - Washington, DC
- Bunnyland at Butler's Orchard - Germantown, Maryland
- Tulip Picking at Burnside Farms - Nokesville, Virginia
- Egg Hunt at Potomac Overlook - Arlington, Virginia
- Easter Monday at the National Zoo - Washington, DC
- Occoquan Peep Week & Hunt - Occoquan, Virginia
- Great Country Farms Easter Egg Hunt - Bluemont, Virginia
- Meadowlark Botanical Garden Spring Egg Hunt - Vienna, Virginia
