In celebration of Easter, several communities across San Diego County will host free egg hunts. Here's a look at a dozen of those events that you can hop on over to with the family this weekend. Don't forget to bring your own basket.
Saturday, April 15
Poway Easter Egg Hunt
8 a.m. to 1 p.m., Poway Community Park
Living Way Church will host Poway's annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday at Poway Community Park. The half-hour egg hunts, divided by age, will be as follows: 9:30 a.m. for age 3; 10 a.m. for age 4; 10:30 a.m. for age 5; 11 a.m. for age 6; 11:30 a.m. for ages 7-8; 12 p.m. for ages 9-10. Festivities will also include a fun zone, free arts and crafts, and the chance to take a photo with not one but two Easter bunnies: Benny and Bonnie. Parking at Poway Community Park is limited; additional parking can be found at City Hall (13325 Civic Center Drive); the Boys And Girls Club (12988 Bowron Road); and the Tarascan parking lot (across the street from Taco Bell).
Santee Spring Eggstravaganza
9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Santee Lakes
Bring the whole family out to Santee Lakes on Saturday for the community's 14th Annual Eggstravaganza, which runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event, which goes down at Lake 5, features lots of egg hunts for kids ages 8 and younger, plus crafts, carnival and pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting and more. Admission is free but tickets for activities, including the egg hunts, start at $1. Parking is $10; a free shuttle service will drop attendees off right at the festival
Carmel Valley Spring Egg Hunt
9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Carmel Valley Community Park
Carmel Valley Community Park will be filled with colorful eggs for this hunt Saturday, open to children up to age 12. Egg hunts are broken up by age groups and last about a half-hour each throughout the morning. The community event will also include arts and craft, prizes, jumpy houses and photos with the Easter Bunny. The event is free.
Annual Spring Egg Hunt in Encinitas
10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Encinitas Community Park
On Saturday, at Encinitas Community Park, a whopping 20,000 eggs up will be up for grabs during the annual Spring Egg Hunt. Egg hunt times are at 10:15 a.m., 11 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. -- broken up by ages (4 and under and 5 and up). The event will also feature entertainment and free children's activities hosted by the City of Encinitas Parks and Recreation Department. Parking is limited at the park; if you can't find a spot there try parking at the Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas north parking lot off of Devonshire Drive.
Rancho Bernardo Easter Egg Hunt
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Existence Church in Rancho Bernardo
Hop around in bounce houses and strike pose with the Easter Bunny at the Rancho Bernardo Easter Egg Hunt hosted by Existence Church located at 10960 Via Frontera. The event is free; egg hunts divided by age group -- starting with the littlest hunters -- are at 10:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
Local
Oceanside Easter Egg Hunts
10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., Mance Buchanon Park and Balderrama Park
Oceanside will host free Easter Egg Hunts at two locations on Saturday starting at 10 a.m.: Mance Buchanon Park (425 College Blvd.) and Balderrama Park (709 San Diego St.). At Mance Buchanon Park, attendees can make their way through four egg hunt areas and try to win prizes. Food vendors will be on-hand, too, plus a fire engine that the kids can tour. A magic show tops off that free family-friendly event. The Balderrama Park egg hunt includes prizes, too, and a cameo from the Easter Bunny. Egg hunts there are broken up into age groups: ages2 to 4; ages 5 to 6; ages 7 to 8; ages 9 to 11.
Easter in the Courtyard
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., El Cajon
Foothills Christian Church in El Cajon will host its annual Easter in the Courtyard on Saturday which includes an egg hunt boasting 14,000 Easter eggs. Also on the agenda: jumpy houses, carnival games, a shop-and-swap zone and food for sale from Ray's BBQ.
Easter at The Centre
10 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Centre in Escondido
In Escondido, The Centre (1205 Auto Park Way) will host this Easter event on Saturday which includes a 10:30 a.m. egg hunt for kids under 8 in the third level Starlight Terrace and an 11 a.m. egg hunt for kids 8 and older at the first level atrium area. Bonus for adults: “golden eggs” are hidden in The Centre’s 5 Shop Collection locations. The holiday event will also feature photos with the Easter Bunny, free refreshments, live performance painting and cookie decorating. Parking is available on the second and third levels of The Centre’s parking structure.
Spring Egg Hunt in La Jolla
10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., La Jolla Recreation Center
The La Jolla Recreation Center (615 Prospect St.) will host its annual Spring Egg Hunt from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Saturday. For $5, attendees can partake in the egg hunt and other activities like arts and crafts and a meet & greet with Peter Rabbit.
La Mesa Easter Egg Hunt
10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Grossmont Center
Grossmont Center mall in La Mesa will host this two-hour, free Easter eggstravaganza Saturday featuring an egg hunt, crafts, activities, balloon artists, face painters and costumed characters, including photos with the Easter Bunny. The egg hunt starts at 11 a.m. in the mall's courtyard.
Pacific Beach Spring Egg Hunt
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Pacific Beach Recreation Center
The Pacific Beach Rec Center will host its Easter Egg Hunt from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, filled with free activities, arts and crafts and more. Here's the egg hunt times/ages breakdown: 1 p.m. for kids ages 2 and under; 1:15 p.m. for ages 3-4; 1:30 p.m. for ages 5-7; 1:45 p.m. for ages 8-10. 2 p.m. for ages 11-12.
Sunday, April 16
Belmont Park’s Easter Bash
9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Belmont Park
One of San Diego's largest Easter egg hunts returns Sunday to Mission Beach. More than 12,000 eggs will be hidden across the sands in front of Belmont Park. Kids will be let out in waves to hunt for the colorful eggs, filled with candy, vouchers for single rides at Belmont Park and other goodies. The egg hunt starts at 9 a.m. and costs $5 per child; the event typically sells out. If you can't get into the beachfront egg hunt, stick around for the free 1 p.m. Amusement Park Egg Hunt where you can hop around shops at Belmont Park collecting eggs, while supplies last.
