We are all feeling the pinch this Easter, with rocketing fuel and food costs, and the price of chocolate eggs reportedly around nine per cent more expensive to buy than last year. Here, at East Devon News, we have put together some ideas for free family activities to keep you entertained over the holiday period without breaking the bank.
Community Easter egg hunt, Axminster
Pictured here are some of the Axminster neighbourhood police team.
Photo: D& C Police
Axminster is hosting a community Easter egg hunt in the town centre on Saturday, April 4.
The town’s neighbourhood police team will be at Minster Church, Trinity Square, in Axminster, from 10am until 2pm, handing out activity sheets needed to find the eggs.
Children will be challenged to count the eggs displayed in the listed locations and return to the church with their completed activity sheet where they will be rewarded with an Easter egg.
Police community support officer Hayley Widger thanked food charity Nourish for donating the chocolate egg prizes.
The Donkey Sanctuary at Sidmouth
Stock image: The Donkey Sanctuary.
The award-winning sanctuary, home to hundreds of donkeys, where entry and parking is free, and dogs on leads are welcome. Fun for all ages and abilities, there are hundreds of cute donkeys to meet across the sanctuary, plus there is also a children’s play area, a maze, tranquil gardens and miles of peaceful walkways.
For a small charge, The Wondrous Wildlife Trail gives visitors the chance to explore the sanctuary and collect six nature rubbings of wildlife that have made their home alongside the donkeys. There is a prize for collecting all six.
Bystock Pools, near Exmouth
Immerse yourself in nature along walking trails, where dogs on leads are welcome and entry is free.
The always-open nature reserve, with a lake, heathland and meadows, has marked out walking routes with clearly-marked paths, where a circular walk can take an hour to complete.
There is also a short access for all path, for all abilities, around the reservoir, which can be used without tackling any of the reserve’s boardwalks and rough paths.
Allhallows Museum of Lace and Local Antiquities, Honiton
The volunteer-run museum, in the centre of the High Street, next to St Paul’s Church, is now open for 2026. Entry is free to visitors.
Inside is a treasure-trove of all-things Honiton, its heritage, artifacts, including the largest collection of Honiton lace, including a scarlet nightdress once owned by Wallis Simpson.
Plus fossils, such as the remains of 17 hippos discovered in Honiton in 1965 during road construction, children’s toys ,historic items found by detectorists in East Devon, plus displays of pottery, coins, war memorabilia and local history.
The Exmouth RNLI Welly Trail
Stock image taken at the launch of the 2025 trail.
Photo: RNLI/Ian Bateman
Described by the charity as a walk for people of all ages, the mostly-level trail takes you along 17 stops from the town centre, to the marina and the seafront.
The trail can be completed in one go, or over a number of visits. And you can set off from wherever you like in Exmouth.
The trail takes in the sights and scenes of Exmouth, while highlighting the history of the town’s lifeboats.
Seaton Wetlands nature reserve
A dog-free nature reserve of wetlands, marshland and reed beds along the River Axe.
The award-winning wetland, with five bird hides, are free to enter and are have 4km of level trails and boardwalks which can be accessed by wheelchair, bikes and pushchairs.
Stock image of Seaton Wetlands.
Photo: EDDC.
Geocaching – East Devon
There are geocaches hidden in Phear Park, Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton, Upottery, Woodbury.
Fun for all ages, hunt for outdoor ‘treasure’ across scores of locations across the UK.
Using a smartphone with GPS, hunt for small hidden geocache containers, often plastic sandwich boxes, where you are invited to sign the logbook inside, and trade trinkets. Tip, take along your old Christmas cracker gifts to swap.
The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum – Exeter
A hidden gem, more than 1,000 artefacts and items are on display in this collection charting the history of cinema and moving image in Britain.
Entry is free to the galleries, which are open to the public daily, including weekends and bank holidays, from 10am until 5pm. It is closed between Christmas and New Year.
Visitors can borrow a guidebook from the entrance.
The museum can be found inside the Old Library building on the University of Exeter’s Streatham Campus.
