21 Things To Do in Cornwall this Easter

UPDATED: 3 March 2025

We love Easter in Cornwall. Our sub-tropical climate means that spring breaks here before anywhere else in the UK, and with Easter Day falling on 21 April this year, the longer, warmer days will be well upon us for the holidays.

Which means the gardens and clifftops will be bursting into colour, the ocean warming up after the winter freeze, and – if we do get that April rain – there’s an array of egg-citing things to do under cover, too.

Time then, to book your holiday cottage in Cornwall and tick off our top 21 things to do in Cornwall this Easter holidays.

1. Easter Egg Hunt on the Beach

Whether it’s the Easter bunny or Easter lobster that delivers your eggs, there’s nowhere better than the beach for a family egg hunt. So ready yourself for days with the sand between your toes, hunting high and low for chocolatey treats in the dunes, caves and rock pools. What better way to encourage the kids out into the seaside scenery and work up an Easter appetite?

2. Get the Good Times Rolling

If you’re spending Easter in Padstow, don’t miss the traditional egg rolling event through town. Decorated eggs have been rolled down Duke Street on Easter Sunday morning for as long as anyone can remember. So decorate your own hard-boiled egg and join in this fun family Easter event that also raises vital funds for the RNLI.

3. Easter Egg Hunt at Lanhydrock

Prefer to follow the clues on an organised Easter egg hunt? Families will love the Easter trails around the stunning National Trust gardens and estates throughout the Easter period. Our favourite spot local to Padstow is Lanhydrock, where you can hunt for clues through gardens bursting with magnolias, camellias and rhododendrons, to complete the trail and win a chocolate egg reward. (Normal admission applies, plus £3.50 per trail.)

4. Easter Dining in Padstow

If you want to tuck into an Easter feast with no effort whatsoever, book a table at one of Padstow’s eminent eateries. If you’re hankering for sea views head to Greens of Padstow, where you can tee up a family meal with a round of crazy golf, or two. For a traditional roast in a cosy pub ambience try Stein’s Cornish Arms. Or why not cross the estuary by ferry to feast in the stately St Enodoc Hotel – the newest addition to the Ainsworth collection?

5. Host an Easter Feast in Your Holiday Cottage

When you holiday in Padstow you’ve got some the UK’s finest ingredients right on your doorstep – from fresh seafood and sun-ripened veg, to locally-reared meats and artisan accompaniments. So why not fill your baskets at the nearby Padstow Farm Shop, Stein’s Deli, Padstow Kitchen Garden and Sabzi, and cook up your own feast of seasonal ingredients? All of our holiday cottages in North Cornwall are equipped with high-spec kitchens where you can whip up your own spectacular meals, or you could even roast a leg of Cornish lamb on the barbecue.

6. Explore Padstow’s Beaches

North Cornwall’s beaches are magical places to spend some time, no matter what the weather. If it’s sunny and warm you can spend long days stretched out on the sand and exploring rock pools, or try a bracing dip come rain or shine. The RNLI lifeguard service in operation from the Easter holidays, and we have some of the best beaches here in the Padstow area. Local favourites include Hawkers Cove, Harlyn, Constantine and Treyarnon.

7. Walk off your Easter Feast

What with all the chocolate eggs and Easter feasting, you’ll want to work up an appetite and work off your belly with some Easter walks in the glorious Cornish scenery. Before the sizzling summer days are upon us, spring’s milder climate is made for long walks along the South West Coast Path. Strike out west of Padstow to Stepper Point and a necklace of sandy bays, or follow in John Betjeman’s footsteps from Daymer Bay to Polzeath via St Enodoc.

8. Freewheel along Cornwall’s Cycle Trails

There are a few better ways to explore the beautiful Cornish countryside than on two wheels. For families, there are numerous safe, off-road trails to enjoy in Cornwall, including the Camel Trail between Padstow and Wadebridge, the Bissoe Trail between Devoran and Portreath and mountain bike trails in Cardinham Woods.

9. Visit Spring Animals on Old MacDonald’s Farm

Kids love meeting cute spring animals such as lambs, chicks and bunnies – all of which you’ll find at Old Macdonald’s Farm near Porthcothan Bay. Here you can feed the newborn lambs, cuddle chicks and pet alpacas, ponies, ducks and geese. It’s a haven for families with younger kids, who can also enjoy pony rides, take a spin on the pedal kart track or ride a miniature train. The café serves delicious snacks, too. 

10. Go Alpaca Trekking on Bodmin Moor

If alpacas are your favourite animals, go one step further with the unique holiday experience of trekking across beautiful Bodmin Moor with these cuddly animals. Inviting all ages to get out and experience the incredible moorland landscape with these fluffy companions, Alpaca Trekking Cornwall will take you on a memorable adventure, and you’ll also get a delicious cream tea at the end of the trek. Booking essential.

11. Go Surfing in Cornwall

Ready to brave the waves this Easter? Yes, the water’s still a little chilly in spring, but this means that the line-ups are less crowded, making it the perfect time to learn to surf. Padstow is surrounded by world-class surfing beaches, so why not hit the waves with a local surf school such as KingSurf in Mawgan Porth or Waves in Harlyn? With toastie, high-tech wetsuits and all the accessories you need to keep you warm, you’ll barely notice the chill and be up and riding in no time.

12. Get Active on a Coasteering Adventure

Fancy being fully immersed in the Cornish landscape on a thrilling adventure between land and sea? Be prepared for your knees to wobble and your heart to pound as you swim through gulleys, ride whirlpools, explore sea caves and jump into the sea from the cliffs. Cornish Rock Tors run coasteering trips for all ages and abilities, from easygoing routes for first-time families, to power coasteers (with the aid of a RIB boat) for extreme adrenaline junkies.

13. Take a Chocolate Factory Tour

Ever wanted to step into Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory? Well there aren’t any chocolate rivers or Oompa-Loompas at the Chocolarder factory in Penryn, but this is a real-deal chocolate maker doing some weird and wonderful things with cocoa in Cornwall. Take a tour and find out how chocolate is made from bean to bar, and stock up on speciality Easter eggs at the shop. Note this is only for children aged 14 years and older.

14. Make Your Own Treats at a Chocolate Workshop

Fancy some finger-licking family fun? All ages from kids to gramps can enjoy a chocolate-making workshop at Coco Kitchen in St Ives. Mould, design and decorate your own Easter treats, and – of course – you can take home anything you make. All ingredients provided.

15. Easter Quest at Pendennis Castle

If you want to get the steps in on an adventure that will enthral the whole family, head over the to south coast and take your walk on Falmouth’s Pendennis Headland. Here adventurers big and small will enjoy taking on a quest around picturesque Pendennis Castle. Hunt for clues, tackle challenges, discover traditional Easter games and be rewarded with chocolate treats.

16. Catch an Easter Show at the Minack Theatre

Wrap up warm and take a seat in a wave’s edge amphitheatre for an alfresco theatre spectacle like no other. This Easter, at the Minack Theatre you can enjoy the family-friendly legend of The Mermaid of Zennor, grip your seats through the gothic horror of Dracula, and tap your toes to the music of 3 Daft Monkeys and folk duo Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman. Wild West Penwith is a must-visit in spring, even if you just come to step foot on Land’s End and visit the incredible cliff-top gardens of this spectacular venue.

17. Cracking Cornish Fun at the National Maritime Museum

Now we do love a day trip to Falmouth at anytime of year. Aside from the castles, beaches and buzzing creative scene, our favourite family attraction for any weather is the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, which always lays on cracking events for the holidays. This Easter catch the hilarious and unmissable spectacle of The Cornish Caretakers and the Treasures of Cornishness, which brings Cornish history to life in thrice daily shows. You can also follow a museum trail, join in make and take workshops, sail miniature boats, play on Skull Island and step into 100 years of surfing in Cornwall at the brand new Surf! exhibition.

18. Listen to Music at the St Endellion Easter Festival

Tune into classical music and talks at the St Endellion Easter Festival in the beautiful setting of the 15th century Collegiate Church of St Endellion. Held between 12-20 April 2025, this year’s performances include a choral evensong on Palm Sunday, late-night organ recitals and a diverse showcase of instrumentals composed all over the globe.

19. Experience Easter at Eden

Celebrate the joys of spring with a giant egg hunt and activities for all ages at the Eden Project this Easter. Collect stamps along the nature trail to claim your sweet treat, count the nestfuls of hidden throughout the gardens, and join in immersive adventures and games designed to help you explore – and learn to care for – the natural environment.

20. Celebrate with Easter Fun at Wheal Martyn

A day trip to St Austell doesn’t have to mean the Eden Project. As well as sublime coves to visit on the south coast, you can step into Cornwall’s china clay mining past at the Wheal Martyn museum, where you can enjoy a range of creative springtime activities and craft events.

21. Have a Thrilling Time at a Theme Park

If you’re a family seeking white-knuckle thrills, head to Camel Creek Adventure Park near Padstow. Here you can enjoy exciting rides, an indoor play area, animal encounters and Easter activities. Meanwhile, Flambards in Helston offers guests some hair-raising rides as well as spectacular family entertainment every day of the Easter holidays. 

Book Your Easter Holiday Accommodation

Whether you’re looking for a large family cottage or a cosy bolthole for two, we offer a huge range of self-catering accommodation for a stylish Easter holiday by the seaside in Cornwall. All of our properties are fully decked out with mod cons for all ages, and well-equipped kitchens ready to roast your spring lamb with all the trimmings. 

Please use the availability search on our main property page to find your perfect holiday home or cottage in or near Padstow.