Need something to do this weekend? Here are five places to participate in some fun Easter entertainment over the long weekend. 

Easter at Lonsdale Quay Market, 123 Carrie Cates Court, North Vancouver

The North Shore will be getting its fair share of Easter holiday fun this weekend—an Easter market and kid-friendly activities will take place at Lonsdale Quay Market.

On Saturday (April 15) from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Lonsdale Artisan Farmers’ Market will be offering goods and treats. An egg-decorating workshop will also take place (for a small fee), so you and the brood can work your creative muscles.

But the real fun (for the little and big kids, anyway) happens on Sunday (April 16) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when the Easter bunny comes and the egg hunt takes place. Participants will be instructed to collect different coloured eggs from various vendors in order to redeem a treat bag (which will likely trigger envy from those who didn’t hunt). Easter crafts, face-painting, and a kid’s egg-decorating workshop will also be on-site.

By the time this event is over, you’ll wish there was an Easter-egg hunt every weekend.  

Easter Egg Hunt + Brunch at Sea to Sky Gondola, 36800 BC-99, Squamish

For those who are looking to celebrate Easter Sunday in an unconventional style, we suggest heading up to the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish.

City-dwellers may find this a little out of their comfort zone, but it’s always refreshing to enjoy our province’s abundance of natural beauty—especially at 885 metres above sea level.

This popular attraction will be hosting some Easter activities and an Easter brunch on Sunday (April 16) from 10 to 2 p.m. Besides an Easter egg hunt (suitable for children and adults), guests will also be able to partake in various arts and crafts inside the Summit Lodge.

Two brunch seatings will be available (10 a.m. and noon), and menu items include everything from freshly baked pastries to smoked-salmon-and-cream-cheese quiche to Easter cookies. Be sure to make a reservation in advance for the brunch, as space is limited. 

VanDusen Botanical Garden Great A-Maze-Ing Egg Hunt, 5251 Oak Street

There may be no better place to hunt for eggs than the elaborate Elizabethan-style hedge maze at VanDusen Botanical Garden, let alone the other "hunt zones" the ninth annual event organizes around that landmark.

Put it this way: Vancouver's lush wonder has thousands of exotic plants where it can hide chocolate goodies. Families who buy tickets get a handy map and you'll do enough walking along its serene trails to earn your rewards. This'll be a hot ticket this weekend, but lucky for us the Easter bunny rotates hunts throughout Saturday and Sunday (April 15 and 16) starting at 10 a.m. and holding them on the hour till 1 p.m.

Best of all, along the way, you and your kids might actually spot a rare rhododendron. And wait till you see the cherry blossoms this time of year.

Easter Scavenger Hunt at Vancouver Aquarium, 845 Avision Way

Easter is a time of mixed metaphors. Rabbits, eggs, and Jesus all jostle for spots on greetings cards, and—we’re not sure about you—but we’re still not entirely clear on how they all connect.

The Vancouver Aquarium, however, has decided to focus its attention on just one. Eggs are the theme of its special long weekend, and, in typical Aquarium style, a trip comes with a bit of education. Exploring the truism that other species are inexplicably weirder than humans, the venue has programmed a number of talks about how its resident aquatic animals give birth to and raise their young—including decorating their dens, holding offspring in their mouths, and sitting on their spawn. We’re hoping for some demonstrations.

Complementing the discussions will be the Aquarium’s first Easter Scavenger Hunt. Assigned a trivia form, attendees must head through the different galleries and tanks, which house over 70,000 aquatic individuals, to find cleverly disguised eggs. After you learn about marine animals’ birthing habits—yes, you do have to listen to those talks—the aim of the game is to decode a secret word, which you can, in true Easter style, trade for a chocolate treat.

Thankfully, that means you can leave that extortionate Lindt bunny on the shelf. 

Easter Train at Stanley Park, West Georgia Street

If you’ve got a kid who is enthusiastic about railway trains and the like, check out the Easter train at Stanley Park, running  through April 17 (10 to 5 p.m.). Guests who ride on the train will hear an Easter-oriented soundtrack while gazing out at themed vignettes.

The bunny will be on-site to greet children and take photos, and several other activities will also be taking place—think egg-hunting, mini golf, face-painting, bouncy castles, and more.

The Bunny Hop Café will be serving up carnival-style snacks and drinks; for those who want different kinds of grub, check out the food trucks at the event. Don’t think for one second that the city’s fluctuating weather will put off attendees—over 25,000 guests rode the Easter train last year.

If you don’t want to miss out on the fun, purchase your tickets online in advance.