Easter weekend freebies and fun 2026: free food, drinks and family days out
If you’re wondering how to make Easter weekend feel exciting without haemorrhaging money, you are not alone. Four days is a long time to keep everyone fed, entertained and in a good mood — especially when every café stop, “little treat” and family outing seems to come with a price tag attached.
That is exactly why we have rounded up the best Easter weekend freebies, food deals and fun low-cost things to do that are actually worth knowing about. At MoneyMagpie, we are always looking for the offers and family savings that make a genuine difference, and Easter is one of those moments where a bit of planning can save far more than you think.
From free drinks and kids eating free to low-cost days out and easy ways to make the bank holiday feel special, these are the offers and ideas that can help you enjoy Easter weekend 2026 for a lot less.
At a glance: Easter weekend 2026
Good Friday falls on 3 April 2026 and Easter Monday falls on 6 April 2026, giving families a full four-day bank holiday weekend to fill.
Real free Easter days out across the UK you can actually go to
If you’re looking for Easter activities you can genuinely turn up to this weekend, these are some of the best free (or mostly free) Easter days out across the UK — with real locations to search and visit.
We’ve focused on events and places that either have free entry or reliably run Easter activities every year, so you’re not chasing something that doesn’t exist.
London and the South East
Hackney Easter Egg Hunt (London Fields / local parks)
Community-led Easter egg hunts regularly pop up across Hackney, especially around London Fields and Victoria Park. These are often free to join and organised via local groups, churches and community pages.
Natural History Museum Easter activities (London)
The Natural History Museum is completely free to enter and typically runs family-friendly trails and seasonal activities during school holidays — making it one of the easiest zero-cost Easter days out.
Battersea Park Children’s Zoo Easter trail (London)
While the zoo itself is ticketed, the surrounding Battersea Park often hosts free Easter-themed trails and activities, and the park itself is completely free for a full day out.
Midlands
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery Easter events
Free entry and regularly hosts holiday crafts, trails and family activities. It’s a go-to for a rainy Easter day that still feels like a proper outing.
Nottingham city Easter trail
Nottingham often runs a free city-wide Easter trail through the shopping district, where children follow clues between locations. These are typically free maps and self-guided.
North of England
Manchester Museum Easter activities
Completely free entry and well known for putting on family-friendly trails and hands-on activities during school holidays.
Sefton Park (Liverpool) Easter community events
Large parks like Sefton Park regularly host free Easter egg hunts and family activities, often organised by local groups and advertised closer to the weekend.
Scotland
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum (Glasgow)
One of the UK’s best completely free museums, with regular family trails and Easter-themed activities during school holidays.
Edinburgh city Easter trails
Edinburgh often hosts free self-guided Easter trails through the city centre, combining sightseeing with family-friendly activities.
Wales
St Fagans National Museum of History (Cardiff)
Free entry and regularly runs seasonal family activities and trails. It’s one of the best-value full-day Easter trips in the UK.
Local Easter events in Swansea parks
Community Easter egg hunts and activities are often held in major parks, especially around Clyne Gardens and Singleton Park, usually free and announced locally.
Top tip: check again just before the weekend
One of the biggest Easter secrets is this: many of the best free events are announced just days before they happen.
Search your area with:
- “free Easter egg hunt near me 2026”
- “Easter events [your town]”
- “family Easter activities this weekend”
Facebook Events and local council pages are especially good for last-minute finds.
The best Easter weekend food and drink freebies
Let’s start with the bit that catches people out most: food and drink spending. You can head out with the best intentions, only to end up spending a small fortune on coffees, snacks, lunches and “just one more thing” from a bakery counter.
The good news is that there are some genuinely useful Easter savings around right now — especially if you are willing to lean on apps, loyalty schemes and family offers.
1. Free tea or coffee at Waitrose
If you are a My Waitrose member and bring along a reusable cup, you can get one free tea or coffee a day in selected stores. That makes it one of the easiest Easter weekend wins if you are heading out for a drive, a spring walk or a supermarket stop anyway.
It is exactly the sort of freebie that feels small until you realise how often you would otherwise have paid £3 or £4 for the same thing over a bank holiday weekend.
MoneyMagpie tip
Keep reusable cups in the car or by the front door over Easter weekend. Free drink offers are far more useful when you are ready for them.
2. Free Greggs drink for new app users
If you have not signed up before, the Greggs app can be a very easy route to a freebie. New users can get a free hot or iced drink, making it a handy one for Easter shopping trips, days out or travel stops.
It is also one of the most realistic bank holiday freebies because Greggs is everywhere — and when you are out with family, easy beats glamorous every time.
3. Frankie & Benny’s Kids Eat Free over Easter
If you want a proper sit-down meal without the full sit-down bill, Frankie & Benny’s is one of the strongest family offers around this Easter. Its current promotion means kids can eat free with a full-paying adult main during the holiday period.
That can take a big chunk out of the cost of a family day out, especially when you reach that point in the afternoon where everyone is tired, hungry and definitely not going home quietly.
Why it’s a standout
Kids eat free deals are one of the best ways to cut the cost of Easter weekend without making it feel like a compromise. You still get the treat factor, but without paying for every plate in full.
4. Morrisons Café free kids’ meal offer
Morrisons Café remains a useful one for families who want lunch without turning it into a whole restaurant event. Children can get a free kids’ meal with a qualifying adult main meal, which can work brilliantly if you are already doing the supermarket shop and want to combine errands with feeding everyone cheaply.
5. Morrisons Café free hot drink refills
This one is easy to overlook, but it is genuinely useful: self-serve hot drinks at Morrisons Café come with free refills. If you are meeting relatives, stopping on a journey or simply trying to avoid buying multiple coffees out, it is a small but solid saver.
6. Morrisons More free hot drink perk
There is also a Morrisons More member perk that can get you a free café hot drink after 2.30pm. It is worth checking the app before you go, but if you already shop there, it is the kind of “why not?” extra that can make the Easter weekend budget stretch further.
Other fun Easter food and drink ideas that keep costs down
Even where there is not a full freebie, there are still lots of smart ways to make Easter weekend feel generous without the expense spiralling.
- Plan one app-based coffee stop rather than buying drinks ad hoc all weekend
- Use a kids eat free deal as the “main outing meal” and keep other meals simple
- Pick up supermarket bakery treats before heading to the park instead of paying attraction prices
- Build a cheap picnic around Easter bits and bobs rather than an expensive lunch out
Honestly, this is where a lot of Easter money disappears: not on one big spend, but on lots of little convenience buys that add up fast.
The best free and cheap Easter fun
The other Easter myth is that you have to buy tickets to make it memorable. You really do not. Some of the nicest family moments over the bank holiday come from things that are either free, low-cost or put together at home.
1. Look for free local Easter trails and egg hunts
Before you pay for a pricey attraction, check what is happening locally. Community centres, parks, churches, libraries, village halls and local venues often run free or very low-cost Easter trails and hunts during the holidays.
These can be especially good for younger children because they are usually more relaxed, less crowded and less overwhelming than the big-ticket alternatives.
2. Make spring itself the activity
Easter lands at exactly the right time of year for a low-cost family day out. Parks feel better. Walks feel easier. A picnic starts to sound like a treat rather than a punishment. And if you have children, half the magic is often in the novelty of just being out for longer.
A spring walk, playground stop, duck feed, beach trip, garden-centre browse or homemade egg hunt can do a lot of heavy lifting without much spend at all.
3. Check your local library, museum or council listings
If the weather is miserable, this is where to look. Lots of local libraries and museums put on Easter craft sessions, activity trails and family events that are free or very inexpensive, and they are often far better value than trying to improvise something expensive at the last minute.
Smart Easter search terms
Try searching your town name with “free Easter events”, “Easter trail”, “kids Easter crafts” or “family Easter activities” to uncover the smaller local events that often offer the best value.
How to have a lovely Easter weekend without overspending
One of the best MoneyMagpie lessons for any bank holiday is this: you do not need to say yes to every spend to still have a brilliant time.
A free drink before a walk. A kids eat free meal rather than a full-price restaurant stop. A homemade Easter trail. A park picnic. A free library craft session. A bakery treat shared on a bench in the sunshine. These are the things that give a weekend shape without leaving you wincing at your bank balance afterwards.
And this year in particular, that feels worth remembering.
Our verdict
The best Easter weekend plans are not necessarily the fanciest ones — they are the smartest ones.
This year’s standout savings include free hot drinks, kids eat free offers and easy family-friendly meal deals that can genuinely make a difference over a four-day break. Add in local Easter trails, park trips, library sessions and homemade fun, and you can absolutely make Easter feel exciting without spending a fortune.
That is the sweet spot, really: keeping the treat factor, cutting the waste, and still making the weekend feel special.
Before you head out
Check branch participation, opening hours and app terms before travelling, especially over the bank holiday weekend. Some offers can vary by location or membership status.
FAQs
When is Easter weekend in 2026?
Good Friday is 3 April 2026 and Easter Monday is 6 April 2026.
Are there any real Easter food and drink freebies this year?
Yes. Some of the most useful examples include free hot drinks through loyalty offers and kids eat free promotions running over the Easter holiday period.
What is the best way to save money over Easter weekend?
The best approach is to combine one or two strong offers, such as a free drink or kids eat free meal, with low-cost activities like local trails, parks, picnics and free family events.
Read this next
Want even more ways to save on family meals this Easter?
