By Parkdean Resorts 16/02/2024
Less than 30 minutes from the M25, the vibrant Essex coastline is just a hop, skip and a jump away from London - making it the perfect place to visit for a seaside staycation. Offering the quintessential British beach holiday experience, Essex is home to golden sands, lively seaside resorts, colourful piers and amusements, and serene coastal landscapes. With its bays and inlets creating over 350 miles of coastline, you're guaranteed to find your perfect place to relax by the sea.
Whether you want to head into the buzzing resorts of Clacton-on-Sea or Southend-on-Sea or take a step back and explore some of Essex's hidden treasures away from the shore, there's something for everyone. And what better time to visit than during the Easter holidays? Offering great value for money, Essex is an ideal spot for a cheap Easter break in the UK.
With spring in full swing and plenty of Easter-themed activities to keep the kids (and adults!) entertained, it's the perfect time of year to visit. Today, we're bringing you a hand-picked selection of our top things to do in Essex over Easter, from Easter egg hunts to spectacular parks to visit.
Barleylands Farm Park
- Location: Barleylands Farm Park & The Village, Barleylands Road, Billericay, Essex, CM11 2UK
- Date: 29th March - 14th April 2024
- Price: Children over 2 and adult £13.20 (includes -15% discount when booking online in advance). Children under 2 £2.55. Discounted family tickets are available too
With a wide range of animals ranging from fluffy bunnies to reptiles and even birds of prey - as well as a fantastic children's play area complete with a giant jumping pillow - Barleylands Farm Park is a great family day out, whatever the time of year. While we rarely need an excuse to hang out with cute baby animals, Easter is the perfect time to visit.
Barleylands runs fun events all through the Easter holidays. From an Easter activity trail to meeting the newborn spring arrivals and even bottle-feeding baby lambs, the line-up of Easter-themed activities is guaranteed to put a smile on your kids' faces.
Barleylands Farm Park is within easy driving distance from all of our Essex holiday parks, so it's certainly a great option for a day out.
Beth Chatto Gardens
- Location: Beth Chatto's Plants & Gardens, Clacton Rd, Elmstead Market, Elmstead, Colchester, Essex, CO7 7DB
- Date: Open Tuesday-Saturday weekly and open Easter Monday
- Price:Adults £12.50 and children £3.50 (16 and under)
Once upon a time, the famous Beth Chatto Gardens were nothing more than an overgrown wasteland. However, through the hard work and dedication of gardener and author Beth Chatto herself, the landscape was transformed into the stunning and vibrant informal garden seen today. The garden is a paradise for nature lovers, who can explore the different types of flora and fauna before tucking into some delicious tea and cake at the garden's very own tearoom.
If you visit here during the Easter period, you'll be met with beautiful spring blooms that light up the garden, it's the perfect place to put you in the mood for spring and shake off the last of those winter blues.
The garden is just ten minutes away from Weeley Bridge Holiday Park, and it's a must for any green-fingered gardener looking for inspiration.
Danbury Country Park
- Location: Danbury Country Park, Woodhill Road, Chelmsford, Danbury, Essex, CM3 4AW
- Date: Open daily from 8AM until dusk
- Price: Entry to the park is free, however, parking starts from £2.50 for 1 hour - parking fees go towards maintaining the park and wildlife conservation
After taking in the exciting sights and sounds of Essex's bustling seaside towns, Danbury Country Park offers a relaxing retreat where you can unwind and stretch your legs. This stunning, privately owned estate is home to acres of woodland paths, lakes and meadows - just waiting to be explored. If you're lucky, you might even see the cute resident ducklings waddling around by the lake's shore.
During Easter, the park frequently runs family-friendly Easter-themed activities, from egg hunts to guided trails. Keep your eye on their Facebook page for Easter announcements coming in 2024.
Thanks to being dog friendly and under an hours' drive from all of our holiday parks in Essex, a visit to Danbury Country Park is a must.
The Naze Centre
- Location: The Naze Nature Discover Centre, Old Hall Lane, Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex, CO14 8LE
- Date: Open daily from from 10AM-5PM
- Price: Entry to the visitor centre and reserve is free, however, parking starts from £1.20 for 1 hour
Situated on a headland on the North Essex coast, the Naze Peninsula is home to an important nature reserve - providing a temporary home for migrating birds, as well as other resident wildlife. It's also home to Naze Tower, an impressive historic structure which was once used to guide passing ships along the Essex coast. Today the tower is home to a museum and art gallery, and stands tall next to the reserve's visitor centre.
Easter is an especially great time to visit, with the brighter skies illuminating the landscape and spring flowers making an appearance. When it comes to Easter activities, the fun's not limited to the kids - and creating a colourful Easter flower arrangement is the ideal way to while away a relaxing afternoon, surrounded by the beautiful natural landscape of The Naze. The centre regularly plays host to activities and events, from guided walking tours to arts and crafts sessions. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for details of upcoming activities.
Less than a mile away from Naze Marine Holiday Park, the Naze nature reserve is a beautiful place to stroll along to on a sunny spring day.
Easter activities at Parkdean Resorts
Don't forget, when you book an Easter break at one of our holiday parks in Essex (or across the UK) our fantastic entertainment team will be on hand to provide plenty of Easter fun - just steps from your accommodation - so make sure you take a look at your welcome pack upon arrival to see what's on in your particular park. On a Parkdean Resorts Easter break you can look forward to*:
Whether you're looking for an Easter weekend break or want to make the most of the school holidays with a longer stay, we've got the perfect Easter holiday for you and your family. Book your break online today.
*Entertainment schedules and activities vary by park - and are subject to change.