What are the best Easter events happening in Southampton this year?

When two bank holidays make it an extra long Easter weekend. When days get lighter and longer and you may be able to go without your extra-thick coat.

Spring in Southampton has a certain buzz about it. The daffodils are out, the waterfront feels alive again and the city quietly fills with Easter egg hunts, family trails and long, lazy brunches. Whether you’re visiting for a long weekend or entertaining kids during the school holidays, Easter’s a brilliant time to explore the city and the surrounding Hampshire countryside.

So grab your bunny ears and start exploring the Easter fun to be had around Southampton.

Easter activities in Southampton for families

If you’re travelling with kids, Southampton and the surrounding area go all-out during the Easter holidays. Expect family trails, Easter egg hunts and hands-on activities that make the most of spring.

Across Southampton city centre, Easter trails pop up during the school holidays. Kids can follow clues, hunt for colourful eggs and collect prizes at the end. Popular trails include:

• Southampton Old Town: There’s a new Easter trail for 2026. The Easter bunny needs your help with their tea party. Follow the trail map to find picture clues around the city. The trail’s free to enter. It runs from Saturday 28th March – Sunday 12th April, from 10am – 5pm.

• Sir Harold Hillier Gardens in Romsey: A relaxed self-guided games trail through the gardens, with playful challenges like balancing and building tasks. They also host outdoor holiday clubs here too. Price per trail is £3. Non-members of the garden will need to purchase day admission tickets too.

Craft-loving kids are in luck. There are some super cute creative activities to choose from this Easter. In the city centre, you’ll find:

• SeaCity Museum: Interactive children’s activities and Easter crafts at their Culture Club. The museum’s open from 10am to 5pm daily.

• Southampton City Art Gallery: Make a Peter Rabbit puppet, decorate Easter eggs and bags at these engaging art sessions. Activities cost £8 and sessions run at multiple times during the day.

These events usually run across the full school holiday period, making them ideal for families visiting midweek as well as over the Easter weekend.

Animal encounters near Southampton

It’s not all about the Easter bunny. Spring is lambing season, which means nearby farm parks are at their most adorable over Easter.

Within a short drive of Southampton you’ll find Easter-themed activities such as:

• Marwell Zoo: Their Easter holiday trail leads you around the zoo to discover egg-laying animals. Hunt for a golden egg whilst admiring the magnificent animals too. Easter Egg-splorers runs from Friday 27th March to Sunday 12th April 2026.

• Longdown Activity Park: At this brilliant family farm park just outside the New Forest, kids can bottle-feed kid goats and calves. You can meet alpacas and pigs and take part in daily animal encounter sessions. Running from Friday 3rd to Monday 6th April, there’s no additional charge to take part in their Easter egg hunt.

• Birdworld: Head to Birdworld in Farnham for their Easter egg hunt, running between 28th March and 12th April. Discover hidden eggs and collect letters at each stop to spell a secret word.

• Paulton’s Park:Around 20 minutes from Southampton, there’s more to this park than Peppa Pig. It also has animal enclosures alongside its rides. This Easter, you can meet Bobtail Bunny characters and there’ll be special Easter activities daily.

These countryside attractions are perfect if you want to swap city streets for green space and fresh air.

City centre culture

Southampton has a brilliant cultural scene right in the city centre. Think art galleries, historic houses and big touring theatre productions. And if you’re up for exploring a little further, nearby Portsmouth, Winchester and Bournemouth add even more culture to the mix.

• Mayflower Theatre: Southampton’s theatre is a regular stop for West End touring productions. This Easter, there are family-friendly shows like Mayflower Studios’ production of A Squash and A Squeeze (31st March to 4th April) as well as Horrible Histories (2nd to 4th April). And there are also music and comedy acts heading there too.

• Tudor House: This beautifully restored timber-framed building tells the story of Southampton through centuries of merchants, sailors and everyday residents. Look out for the Off with Their Heads experience for kids aged 6+ to make their own clay head.

• Winchester: Mark Spring Equinox with the Vikings at Winchester City Museum. At the Winchester Theatre Royal, there’s The Cat in the Hat as well as Dinosaurs Live over the Easter holidays.

• Portsmouth: About 35 minutes from Southampton, historic Portsmouth makes a great day out. The D-Day museum this Easter hosts a Wings, Wheels and Waves family trail and craft activities. The New Theatre Royal has kids shows including Alice in Wonderland and Tales from Acorn Wood.

• Bournemouth: Fancy some music? Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre hosts The West End Tenors (3rd April). There are also tributes to Wham (4th April), Taylor Swift (12th April), The Beatles (11th April) and KPop (5th April).

All of these south coast cities are awash with history, art and culture. You’ll find many other exhibitions and events taking place over Easter weekend. It’s a good idea to visit their websites to check details of what’s on when.

Stay with us this Easter