10 cheap and free things to do this Easter
Easter is here, and if you’re wondering how you can keep yourself entertained over the holiday, I’ve come up with some top ideas and deals for Easter – so you can enjoy the break without breaking the bank!
1) Travel for less
If you’re hoping to get out and about over Easter, but you’re concerned about travel costs, make sure you check out these offers:
National Express coaches is offering trips to London and back from as little as £5 each way if you fancy a day out in the capital.
There’s up to 50% off all off-peak day return, off-peak return, advance and advance first tickets at London Midland, while there’s 10% off off-peak and super off-peak tickets with Southern Rail.
If you fancy hopping on the train, don't forget that children under the age of five travel for free. And if you're travelling in and around London, your train ticket can open up a host of two-for-one offers via the Days Out Guide website.
[Related link: Earn cashback on your travel spending with a cashback credit card]
2) Visit museums
A long weekend provides the perfect opportunity to check out the local museums – many of which should be free, so you won’t have to pay a penny!
If you’re based in London, make sure you check out the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum. Or why not pop along to the V&A Museum or Tate Modern?
Alternatively, check out the dofreestuff.com website which allows you to click on your area and find out which museums and attractions are free nearby. For example, if you live in the West Midlands, you can pay a visit to the Coventry Transport Museum or the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Or if you’re in Somerset, you can check out the Frome Museum, or Somerset County Museum in Taunton - all of which are free of charge.
It’s only free if already have tickets for the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (£5 each otherwise) but there’s an exhibition of all the costumes from Les Miserablés on show over Easter at the Dockyard.
3) Visit National Trust properties
A large number of National Trust properties have activities on over Easter, with many holding Easter egg hunts around their grounds. Even if you're not a member, you can still picnic in the grounds of many properties.
4) Go to the theatre
Going to the theatre doesn’t have to be expensive. Lastminute.com has a number of tickets available for top shows like Singin’ In The Rain, Great Expectations and One Man, Two Guvnors available for under £15.
5) Have a night or two away
If you’re planning on getting away for a couple of days over the Easter break, there are quite a few hotel deals on at the moment.
At Premier Inn you can get rooms for just £29 a night, while Travelodge has rooms still available from £25. Or if you fancy heading down to the South West, BlueChipHolidays is offering 15% off if you book before the end of March.
If you fancy something a little more glamorous then Lastminute.com is again worth a look, with 35% off selected hotels across the globe.
[Related link: Earn cashback on your spending with a cashback credit card]
6) Watch a film
Most cinemas have special viewings set up for kids over the Easter holidays. But that doesn’t mean the grown-ups can’t catch a film too!
If you have Sky Movies you can get free tickets to the new Disney film The Odd Life of Timothy Green thanks to Sky Rewards.
Or for an early Easter treat you can get free tickets to see Trance if you’re a Virgin Media customer. Screenings take place on 27th March.
There are plenty of other ways to cut the cost of going to the cinema, from Orange Wednesdays to redeeming Nectar or Clubcard points for cinema tickets.
In fact you don’t even have to leave the house. Why not give one of the many streaming services – such as Lovefilm Instant, Netflix and Now TV – a go? They all offer free trials initially so whether you’re after a recent big budget blockbuster or a classic, you won’t have to pay a penny! You can also earn cashback on free trials by signing up via cashback websites Quidco and Top Cashback.
7) See some comedy
A trip to a comedy club is a cracking night out.
Head over to The Highlight website and enter the code FIVER and you can get two tickets for £5 (plus booking fee) for shows on Friday and Saturday nights.
Alternatively, go to Vouchercloud.com and you can get tickets for Jongelurs comedy shows for just £10.
[Related link: Earn rewards on your spending with a rewards credit card]
8) Watch the Boat Race
The 31st March is not just Easter Sunday, it’s also the day of the Boat Race. It’s broadcast free on the box, but if you’re in London you can pop down to the Thames and watch it for free too. There’s also big screens set up at Bishops Park, Fulham and Furnival Gardens so you can keep track of what’s going on once the crews have gone past.
9) Go walking
For truly cheap activities, why not get out and about in the fresh air and go for a walk! In my opinion, you can’t beat a refreshing walk in the countryside, followed by a fabulous pub lunch to refuel! If you’re not sure where to go, check out websites such as nationaltrail.co.uk and walkingbritain.co.uk which have lots of free trails to try out.
You can also take a look at the Woodland Trust website which has more than 1,000 woodland sites which are free to visit across the country. The website includes a selection of downloadable woodland walks, and if you’re worried about the kids being bored, there are also free activity packs for kids.
10) Eat out
If you fancy treating yourself to a meal out over the Easter break, it doesn’t have to damage your wallet. There are loads of discount vouchers around at the moment, although many are restricted over the long weekend itself. Take a look at the likes of Vouchercodes.co.uk and MyVoucherCodes.co.uk.
