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Brunches, egg hunts, sunrise services, and every family event worth your Easter weekend in 2026.
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The San Diego Easter formula: Saturday morning egg hunt at Belmont Park or Balboa Park (free), Easter Sunday brunch at the Del, Fairmont, or Rancho Bernardo (book 6+ weeks out), and a La Jolla Cove sunrise service at 6:30am if you want the postcard moment. Easter 2026 falls on April 5.
Late March – early April, park hours
SeaWorld San Diego, Mission Bay
Price: Included with park admission (~$85)
Best for: Big family Easter with rides + shows
SeaWorld runs its spring lineup through Easter weekend with the Sesame Street Bay of Play Easter egg hunts, character breakfasts with the Sesame Street crew, and the full ride lineup open. Book the character breakfast at least three weeks out — it's the best value in the park on Easter Sunday.
Saturday before Easter, 10am–noon
Belmont Park, Mission Beach boardwalk
Price: Free egg hunt, rides sold separately
Best for: Beach-day Easter with the boardwalk vibe
Free egg hunt on the sand next to the Giant Dipper, then ride the historic wooden coaster and grab churros. Age-grouped hunts (2–4, 5–7, 8–10) run every 15 minutes. Arrive by 9:30am — the boardwalk fills up fast on a sunny Saturday.
Easter Sunday, seatings 10am–3pm
Crown Room, Hotel del Coronado
Price: $185 adults, $85 kids
Best for: The most iconic Easter brunch in San Diego
The Crown Room's carved-wood ceiling, live harp, and 100+ dish buffet under the Del's chandeliers. Easter egg hunt on the South Lawn at 11am with the Easter Bunny. Books out 6–8 weeks ahead — call the concierge, not the online form.
Easter Sunday, 10am–2pm
Rancho Bernardo Inn resort lawn
Price: $145 adults, $55 kids
Best for: North County family Easter without the tourist crowds
Massive resort egg hunt on the golf-course lawn with 20,000+ eggs, live music, bunny photos, and a champagne buffet in the Veranda. Easier to book than the Del and usually 30–40% cheaper.
Easter Sunday, 10am–3pm
Fairmont Grand Del Mar, Carmel Valley
Price: $195 adults, $75 kids
Best for: The fanciest Easter meal in the county
AAA Five Diamond service in the Grand Ballroom with a live jazz trio, an egg-decorating station for kids, and a resort-wide scavenger hunt. This is the celebrity/photo-op Easter — dress up.
Saturday before Easter, multiple times 9am–2pm
Balboa Park lawns near the Organ Pavilion
Price: Free (parking $10 or free shuttle)
Best for: Free, walkable, no reservations
Multiple free community egg hunts on the park lawns, plus a free Easter organ concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion at 2pm. The Japanese Friendship Garden usually runs a spring cherry blossom weekend the same day — combine them.
Weekends late March – Easter weekend
Legoland California, Carlsbad
Price: Included with park admission (~$110)
Best for: Kids 3–10 who lose their minds for Lego
Lego-brick egg hunts, a giant Lego bunny build, and character meet-and-greets. Included with regular ticket — the Legoland annual pass pays for itself if you're doing Easter + summer.
Easter weekend, park hours
San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park
Price: Regular admission (~$74)
Best for: Cool weather + baby animals
Not an official 'event' but Easter weekend is one of the best zoo weekends of the year — spring babies (giraffes, koalas, pandas) are visible and the weather is 68°F. Get the 9am open — by 11am the parking lot is full and the polar bear exhibit line is 30 minutes.
Easter Sunday, 6:30am
Scripps Park, La Jolla Cove
Price: Free
Best for: A gorgeous non-commercial Easter moment
Ecumenical sunrise service on the cliffs above the Cove — 700+ people, harbor seals barking below, sunrise over the sandstone. Bring a blanket and coffee. Runs 45 minutes; be gone by 8am before the Cove parking fills.
Easter Saturday, 11am–4pm
Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Price: Free entry, activities free
Best for: History + Easter + free tacos-adjacent food samples
Free egg hunt in the historic park, mariachi music, folkloric dancers, and Easter-themed craft demos in the adobe buildings. Family alternative to a brunch if you want a full morning without spending $500.
Easter Sunday, 8am (before tide comes in)
Powerhouse Park, Del Mar
Price: Free
Best for: Locals-only vibe, no reservations
Community-run beach egg hunt on the sand at low tide — 5,000+ plastic eggs, bunny photos, and the Del Mar farmers market right next door. First-come, first-served; bring your own basket.
Two weekends before Easter, 10am–4pm
Bates Nut Farm, Valley Center
Price: $15/child (includes hayride)
Best for: Country Easter with baby goats
The pumpkin patch turns into an Easter petting zoo — baby goats, chicks, and lambs, plus egg hunts every 30 minutes and hayrides through the walnut grove. 45 minutes from downtown; combine with a Julian day trip.
Easter Sunday 2026 falls on April 5. Easter 2027 is March 28. Spring Break for San Diego Unified typically aligns with Easter week — expect heavy crowds at all family attractions the entire week before.
Hotel del Coronado Crown Room is the iconic pick ($185 adults) — historic room, harp, on-property egg hunt. Fairmont Grand Del Mar is the fanciest ($195). For value, Rancho Bernardo Inn ($145) has the biggest egg hunt of the three. All three sell out 6–8 weeks ahead.
Yes — Belmont Park (Mission Beach), Balboa Park lawns, Old Town Easter Fiesta, and Del Mar Powerhouse Park all run free hunts on Easter Saturday morning. Show up 30 minutes early with a basket.
Yes — the Zoo, Safari Park, SeaWorld, and Legoland are all open on Easter Sunday with regular hours. It's one of the busiest days of the spring; arrive at 9am gate open or plan to enter after 3pm.
Average 72°F daytime, 55°F overnight, with a 30% chance of morning marine layer that burns off by 11am. Water temperature is 60°F — cool but swimmable in a wetsuit. Bring a light jacket for morning brunches and sunrise services.
The most iconic is at Scripps Park above La Jolla Cove — ecumenical, 6:30am, free, seals barking below. Mount Soledad also runs a large sunrise service at the cross with panoramic city views. Both fill their parking lots by 5:45am.
Belmont Park (free egg hunt + boardwalk), Legoland Bricktacular, SeaWorld with Sesame Street characters, and Bates Nut Farm (baby goats, hayrides) are the four picks. If you're only doing one, Belmont Park is free and hits all the beach-Easter marks.
Yes — hotel restaurants (all Del outlets, Fairmont, Loews, Manchester Hyatt) open with full brunch menus. Independent restaurants are 50/50 — call ahead. Cafes and coffee shops are largely open normal hours; sit-down dinner spots often close early.
Free morning: Belmont Park egg hunt + boardwalk + sunrise walk at La Jolla Cove. Cheap lunch: Little Italy market or a Barrio Logan taco crawl. Afternoon: the Zoo or a beach day at Coronado. Total spend under $80 for a family of four.
Hotel del Coronado (iconic, on-property brunch + egg hunt), Paradise Point (Mission Bay, family-focused, easy SeaWorld access), or Rancho Bernardo Inn (North County, resort egg hunt, easier parking). Book 3+ months out for ocean views.
Spring break week overlaps Easter — full playbook.
Where to stay for an Easter trip with kids.
The full kid-friendly playbook.
Year-round brunch spots — bookmarks for next Easter too.
Free egg hunts + organ concert on Easter Saturday.
The full San Diego events calendar.
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Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .