Fun outdoor family activities to do this Easter

The Easter holidays are a great time to get the family outdoors. The days are longer, the countryside is waking up and plenty of activity centres run special sessions for the break. Here are our favourite outdoor Easter activities across the UK, from egg hunts and woodland trails to rafting, paddleboarding and donutting, all bookable on eola.

Easter egg hunt and trails at Llyn Brenig, North Wales

Llyn Brenig runs an annual Easter Golden Egg Hunt: follow the trail from the visitor centre, gather clues along the way and claim a chocolate prize when you crack it. It's a gentle walk with big upland views, so it suits families with younger children who need a reason to keep going. Make a day of it by adding electric family trike hire or mountain bike hire for a spin around the lake.

Easter paddleboarding in Devon, London and Oxford

Paddleboarding is calm, sociable and easy to pick up, which makes it a lovely spring outing for families with confident swimmers. Waterborn in Kingsbridge, South Devon, has run a Family Fun Easter Egg SUP Trail, a paddleboard treasure hunt for hidden Easter surprises, alongside its junior paddleboarding sessions.

Closer to the city, Paddle Richmond runs two-hour group SUP sessions on a safe, scenic stretch of the Thames near Richmond Bridge, and Oxford SUP Club offers beginner lessons for families on the river in Oxford.

Archery, caving and axe throwing near Bath and Bristol

UKAO @ Avon Valley, between Bath and Bristol, is a good pick for a mixed-age group. Its beginner target archery sessions are run by ArcheryGB instructors and suit all ages and abilities, with adapted kit for wheelchair users and anyone with limited upper-body strength, and it has run Easter archery tasters for children from eight. Older kids can also try the indoor caving challenge or kids' axe throwing, both for ages eight and up.

Rafting and indoor surfing at Cardiff International White Water

Cardiff International White Water in Cardiff Bay is home to an Olympic-standard white water course. On family rafting sessions the pumps are turned down a little so children from six can join in, while teenagers from 14 can steer their own boat on mini rafting. There's also a family kayak and canoe taster on flat water, and an indoor wave for body and knee boarding when the weather turns.

Photo by CIWW

There's more to do on and off the water on our Cardiff International White Water spotlight page.

Paddling and holiday activity days at Lisvane & Llanishen, Cardiff

Across the city, Lisvane & Llanishen Reservoirs has a visitor centre, café, walking trails and plenty of ways onto the water. Families can hire a double kayak, a canoe or a paddleboard and explore at their own pace. During school holidays it also runs children's multi-activity days for ages 8 to 15, mixing paddlesports with land-based activities.

Donutting and tubing on dry slopes

For pure giggles, nothing beats hurtling down a dry ski slope in an inflatable ring. Alpine Snowsports Centre in Aldershot runs donutting sessions from age four with no experience needed, and Norfolk Snowsports Club near Norwich offers tubing for ages six and up. In Lancashire, The Hill in Rossendale has fun tubing on two slopes, including a smaller one with a lift for little legs.

Woodland laser tag in Hampshire, Buckinghamshire and Dorset

The Outdoor Ed School runs woodland laser tag at Alice Holt, Wendover Woods and Parley, open to the public at weekends. At Alice Holt, sessions last 90 minutes and are designed for ages eight and up, and the infrared guns give you the thrill of paintball without the bruises. It has also put on Easter event sessions, so it's worth a look for older kids who want something more energetic than an egg hunt.

Family bike rides in the Elan Valley

Elan Valley, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales, has spectacular dams, rolling countryside and trails across 72 square miles. The visitor centre hires out kids' bikes for ages 4 to 14, child trailers and adult bikes, or you can take the hills easier on an e-bike. The Elan Valley Trail is ideal for a gentle family ride, with wildlife and big views along the way.

For more on bike hire and the trails, see our Elan Valley Visitor Centre spotlight page.

Tips before you go

Book early. Easter is one of the busiest weeks of the spring, and many centres run special sessions on selected days only.

Check minimum ages. Rafting, caving, laser tag and some watersports have age limits, so read the details on each activity page before you book.

Dress for spring. Water is still cold at Easter and the weather can change quickly, so pack warm layers, a towel and a full change of clothes, and ask the centre what kit is provided.

Looking for more ideas? Read our guides to where to go donutting in the UK, outdoor activities to do this spring and the best outdoor family activities in Cornwall, or browse all activities on eola to find something near you.

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