It’s no secret, Easter eggs are big business come springtime. Perhaps not as big as the largest decorated Easter egg ever which was created in Alcochete Portugal in 2008 and measured in at over 27 feet high! But still big enough to invite plenty of Easter egg hunting fun. Especially in Winter Haven Florida, where in 2007 the largest ever Easter egg hunt took place. Held at the Cypress Gardens theme park, 9,700 people took part in the scramble to gather a record-breaking number of 510,000 candy-filled eggs! Of those eggs, over 1,000 contained special prize gifts, which added to the excitement.
While Easter egg hunts of record-breaking scale aren’t a regular occurrence across the country, one thing’s for sure: There are many hunts that are worth taking part in. Just in time for Easter, we count down some of the nation’s most famous and fun egg hunts. Are you ready? Get hunting.
Coming in at number one, nobody can talk about Easter in the US and not mention the famous White House Easter egg hunt and Easter egg roll which has taken place since 1814 when Dolley Madison, wife of the fourth president came up with the idea as a contest for children. First held outside the Capitol in Washington D.C., in 1878, the hunt the egg roll was moved to its current location on the White House lawn, where 30,000 visitors descend upon eggs each Easter Monday.
Next up, the Central Park Easter egg hunt in New York City. Unfortunately no longer held, this long-time tradition meant that kids in the big apple could make the most of the largest park in the city to hunt, play and enjoy the day with family. A great alternative? Watching the famous New York City historic Easter parade in which residents dress in their finest Easter clothes, don Easter bonnets and parade along Fifth Avenue.
Richmond, Virginia is also known for its large Easter parade, attracting many thousands of visitors to watch street performers, jugglers and a host of residents in Easter bonnets who parade through the historic downtown portion of Monument Avenue. And, let’s not forget New Orleans! If the Big Easy is renowned for its grand Mardi gras celebrations, it stands to reason that it also celebrates Easter with flair. Head to the French Quarter on Easter Day and you won’t just see all the historic sights and sounds of the city, but you’ll also enjoy an Easter parade complete with carriages and music.
And the fun doesn’t stop there, because across the country, State after State offers up their very own regional versions of the ever-popular Easter egg hunt. Just take Lake Tahoe, California’s Incline Village underwater Easter egg hunt or Chicago’s annual egg hunt at Soldier Field, the home of the Chicago Bears for example and you’ll have a taster of the great egg hunts that are held all over the nation.
Looking for an egg hunt that offers up a real challenge? Then simply head to Copper Mountain Colorado and one of the nation’s largest egg hunts where over 50,000 eggs are hidden annually across the ski resort! Or, if forests are more your speed, why not try out the Felton egg hunt in California? Here, kids can take a six-mile steam train ride to Bear Mountain and hunt a redwood forest for candy delights.
And finally, if travel isn’t on the cards for you Easter weekend, an old-fashioned egg hunt in your own back yard is always big news for little kids, no matter how many eggs you decide to hide. No need to break any world records here, just be sure to stock up on a few jellybean-filled eggs and a few colorful Easter baskets, and you’re sure to have the recipe for kid fun.