Chocs away! Cheshire lays on budget-stretching Easter days out

There’s plenty to do and see in Cheshire this Easter, from meeting newborn lambs to hunting for flamingo eggs and mastering circus skills. Plus many attractions are hosting budget-stretching extras. 

Extraordinary eggs at Chester Zoo

Move over Easter Bunny, there's a different kind of egg hunt being laid on at the zoo by the flamingos, chameleons, seahorses and other creatures. Six giant eggs have been hidden around the grounds for The Really Wild Egg Trail, 1-16 April, with free copies of National Geographic Kids magazine to win.
SAVE! The trail is included with zoo entry.

Lambs and tigers at Tatton Park 

It’s lambing week down on the farm at Tatton Park (top right), near Knutsford, 1-6 April, where the staff will be introducing some of the adorable newborns. And the quest is on to spot the cake and other teatime treats hidden in the garden before the Tiger (Who Came to Tea) eats them all. The new trail marks the 100th anniversary of the birth of the gluttonous wild cat’s creator, the late Judith Kerr, 1 April-31 August.
SAVE! Some entry tickets allow unlimited return visits for 12 months.
 

Boats ahoy at the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port 

On Good Friday, a convoy of historic boats will travel down the Shropshire Union Canal from Chester City Centre to the National Waterways Museum Ellesmere Port, where they’ll be joined by more from across the country for the annual Easter Boat Gathering Festival (top left), 7-10 April. Plus there will be kids’ activities, lock demonstrations, live music and more.
SAVE! Some entry tickets allow unlimited return visits for 12 months.

Circus tricks at Blakemere 
The Blakemere Bunny will be organising circus workshops this Easter, alongside face painting, chick handling, and a seasonal trail, 1-16 April. That’s on top of all the usual activities at the attraction near Northwich, including crazy golf, low ropes, axe throwing, craft sessions, playgrounds, birds of prey displays, and miniature railway.
SAVE! Activities cost £5 or less.

On the hunt at Dunham Massey and Lyme Park 
Cheshire’s National Trust properties at Dunham Massey, near Altrincham, and Lyme Park, near Disley, are celebrating Easter with a trail. Each has been designed differently but both end with an egg-shaped treat. At Dunham Massey, the trail celebrates historical connections with pets and animals, while at Lyme the habitats of creatures living in the magnificent grounds are the focus. There’s more to explore at Little Moreton Hall, near Congleton, Quarry Bank, near Styal, and Hare Hill, near Macclesfield.
SAVE! Some new memberships qualify for unlimited free access to Easter trails.

Furry fun at The Ice Cream Farm 

The Easter Bunny will be welcoming kids to his warren, giving out chocolates and posing for selfies at The Ice Cream Farm, near Tattenhall, selected dates 27 March-9 April. The world's largest ice cream shop has some tasty new Cheshire Farm Ice Cream flavours on the menu too!

SAVE! Access Pass for admission includes entrance to outdoor play area Daisy's Garden.

Word games at Go Ape, Delamere Forest 

There’s fun on the ground as well as in the trees at Go Ape in Delamere Forest. On the new Easter Trail, 1-16 April, youngsters can win a sweet treat by finding and unscrambling the letters on nine posts along the 1km nature trail, which loops around the Treetop Adventure course.
SAVE! Maps are available for a £1 donation for The Prince’s Trust.

Curtain up at Chester and Crewe 
Performances at Storyhouse this Easter, include a magical retelling of a classic story Tin Man (bottom right), 6 April, and Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Tales from Acorn Wood will be brought to life on stage for the first time, 8-9 April. At the Lyceum Theatre Crewe, the Northern Ballet will perform the Ugly Duckling, 1 April, and Fireman Sam will be trying to save the circus in Fireman Sam Live, 14 April.
SAVE! Discounts available for members. Go to www.storyhouse.com and https://crewelyceum.co.uk.

Fairy soap at Port Sunlight

Little Bo Peep will lose her sheep around Port Sunlight on the Wirral at Easter, 7-8 April, and youngsters who find the magic word to call them home will get a chocolate reward. Meanwhile, to mark the opening of Flower Fairies exhibition of the illustrations of Cicely Mary Barker at the Lady Lever Gallery on 15 April, children aged 7+ will get the chance to make flower fairy-inspired botanic soaps on that day.
SAVE! Tickets for the soap-making activity include entry to SoapWorks.

Stellar stories at Jodrell Bank 
Curious earthlings will gather at Jodrell Bank (bottom left), near Macclesfield, this Easter to see incredible photos in the Apollo Remastered exhibition, watch Cap Com Go!, a film about the epic NASA Apollo 11 mission, and hear planetarium astronomy talk Our Night Sky. Until 16 April.
SAVE! Book online to get unlimited return visits for 12 months.
 

Walks and talks in Chester 
Two guided walks in Chester return to the streets from 1 April, led by the Guild of Chester Tour Guides. The Walls Walk follows the two-mile course of these ancient fortifications, taking in the remains of a Roman amphitheatre and Norman castle along the way. Meanwhile, the Chester Tour travels through time from the Roman era to the Civil War and Victorian times.
SAVE! Up to two under-16s go free with a paying adult.

Shop hop at Congleton and Crewe  
Congleton will host an Easter Treats Day, 4 April, with the chance to milk a cow, meet calves, plant seeds, and other crafts. Also, Hop Around The Shops returns, 3-17 April, with golden eggs hidden in shops around town. In Crewe, Operation Easter at the Market Centre, includes a seasonal trail, craft activities, and live music, 5 and 12 April.
SAVE! Most events are free or at a small charge