Whether it’s an Easter Egg Hunt, a trip to the aquarium, live science shows or a scenic river cruise, there is plenty of family fun on offer in the city this Easter.

Here are some of the best family days out around Manchester this Easter.

Legoland Discovery Centre | Open every day | Starting at £17.5 per adult

There are many fantastic attractions inside the Legoland Discovery Centre in Manchester, including a 4D cinema and Lego-themed VR experiences. To recharge between attractions you can visit the coffee shop or browse the Lego store. With fun for children and nostalgia for adults, there is something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

Located at the Trafford Palazzo, the Legoland Discovery Centre is open every day over the Easter half term. Standard tickets booked in advance start at £17.50 per adult, and under 2s go free.

Trafford Palazzo in TraffordCity next to The Trafford Centre, Manchester M17 8AS
Easter Spring Fling | Cockfields Farm | Sat Apr 5 - Mon 21 Apr | Starting at £12.95 per person

Immerse your family in nature this Easter at Cockfield Farm’s Easter Spring Fling. Located in Oldham, Cockfield Farm offers a farm-wide Easter Egg Hunt, scenic tractor rides, reptile handling, animal feeding, and even pig racing this April.

Cockfields Farm, Lees New Rd, Oldham Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester OL6 8AR
Easter Egg Hunt | Heaton Park | Fri 18 April - Mon 21 April | £4 per person

Between Fri 18 Apr – Mon 21 Apr, children are invited to help Detective Duckling find all of the Easter Bunny’s eggs in a search of the picturesque Heaton Park. 

The trail begins at the newly renovated Stables Cafe, where families can eat and drink before and after the hunt.

Tickets need to be booked in advance and cost £4, with each child receiving a chocolate Easter egg. Dairy-free options are also available.

Heaton Park, Middleton Rd, Manchester M25 2SW
Salford Quays Duck Race | Fri 18 Apr | £2.50 to race a duck

The Salford Quays Charity Duck Race promises to be a wholesome, family-friendly day of fun. Raising money for MedEquip4Kids, this annual event is centred around a duck race in the Quays – to race a duck costs only £2.50 and there is a chance to win prizes such as Laser Quest experiences and toy vouchers.

As well as the duck race, there will be food and refreshments, fairground rides, face painting, loads of freebies and appearances from children’s entertainer, Louby Lou. 

Salford Watersports Centre, Salford Quays Salford, Greater Manchester M50 3SQ
Peter Rabbit Meet and Greet | Bury Transport Museum | Fri 18 Apr - Sat 19 Apr | £20 for adults, £17.50 for children, children under two go free

Head to Bury Transport Museum where you’ll have the chance to meet Peter Rabbit. As well as the meet-and-greet, the museum will host toddler-suitable fairground rides, face painting, crafting activities, and a petting farm. Also included in the ticket price is a scenic ride on a heritage steam or diesel train through Irwell Valley.

There will be a food vendor at the museum and there is a cafe at the nearby Bury Bolton Street Station.

Tickets for adults are £20, children aged between two and 17 are £17.50, and children under two go free. General admission tickets must be booked in advance online.

Bolton St Station, Castlecroft Goods Warehouse, Bury BL9 0EY
SEA LIFE Manchester | Open every day | Starting at £15.95 per adult

Take a look at life under the sea this Easter half term at SEA LIFE Manchester through their expansive aquariums with turtles, clownfish, sharks, and cownose rays. Submerge yourself with a tropical walk underneath their Ocean Tunnel, or visit the Shark Shipwreck aquarium, which houses a wide variety of species.

SEA LIFE Manchester is open every day, and standard tickets booked in advance start £15.95 per adult, while under 2s go free. 

Trafford Palazzo in TraffordCity next to The Trafford Centre, Manchester M17 8AS
Jodrell Bank Easter Activities | Sat 5 Apr - Mon 21 Apr | Starting from £14 per adult

Jodrell Bank is offering an action-packed programme of family activities this Easter.

The interactive planetarium show Ted’s Space Adventure, which follows adventurers Ted and Plant on their journey through the universe, is screening on Wed 9 Apr and Wed 6 Apr, and is perfect for young children. Tickets start at £5 and can be booked online.

Also returning to Jodrell this Easter is the Curious Kids Magic vs. Science show, which includes amazing experiments and demonstrations by in-house experts. Entry is included in your admission ticket, on a first-come-first-served basis.

Throughout the holidays, there will also be a series of creative outdoor crafting sessions and interactive exhibitions, as well as an extraterrestrial-themed Easter trail.

Tickets can be booked online or in person, starting at £14 for adults and £10 for children aged 4-18, while under 4s go free.

Jodrell Bank, Bomish Ln, Cheshire, Macclesfield SK11 9DW
Science and Industry Museum's Spring Holiday Programme | Sat 5 Apr - Mon 21 Apr | Free

The Science and Industry Museum’s packed Spring Holiday activity programme includes its brand-new Operation Ouch! Brains, Bogies and You exhibition, live science shows led by experts, and animal agility courses.

Visitors can also dive into the Power Up gaming experience and enjoy five decades of console and computer games, ranging from classics such as Pac-Man and Street Fighter to cutting-edge virtual reality systems. Day passes for Power Up are £8, with annual passes available for £15. 

Science and Industry Museum, Liverpool Rd, Manchester M3 4JP
Public Easter Craft Cruise | Departing from Boothstown Marina | Until Sun 20 Apr | £9.50 for adults, £14.95 for children

Hop on the Francis Egerton passenger boat for an hour-long cruise along the Bridgewater Canal this Easter half term, and enjoy the views of one of England’s oldest man-made canals.

Beginning at Boothstown Marina, there is a selection of Easter-themed craft activities on board. Included in the ticket price, each child gets an easter egg and a juice drink, and adults relax with a cup of tea or coffee as they enjoy the breathtaking views.

Tickets cost £9.50 per adult and £14.95 per child, and can be booked in advance online.

Boothstown Marina, 14 Quayside Close, Boothstown, Worsley, Manchester, M28 1YB
Words:
Ellie McCreedy
Published on:
Mon 31 Mar 2025