By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
This is the big holiday weekend for Spring 2025.Passover concludes on April 19 – sandwiched between Good Friday on April 18 and Easter Sunday on April 20.
The list of holiday events is long and varied – and the Easter Bunny is a very busy little mammal.
Linvilla Orchards (137 West Knowlton Road, Media, 610-876-7116, www.linvilla.com) will be presenting “Hayrides to Bunnyland” on 18 and 19.
There’s no place quite like Bunnyland at Linvilla Orchards.
Visitors can hop aboard a hayride as it carries them through the woods to visit the Easter Bunny’s house where they will have the chance to meet Linvilla’s Easter Bunny.
One of Linvilla’s Bunny friends will tell a magical story, and guests will receive a special treat.
As an added attraction, the Easter Bunny likes to take pictures with all special guests.
This hayride lasts approximately 20-30 minutes.
Tickets are $13 for ages 5 and up and $10 for ages 1-4.
Highland Orchards
Highland Orchards (1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Road, West Chester, www.highlandorchards.net) is presenting “Hayrides to Easter Bunny” now through April 20.
Participants can enjoy a leisurely hayride to visit the Easter Bunny, hear a story about spring and receive an egg with a coupon for a treat to be redeemed back in the Market.
The event takes about 30 minutes with wagons leaving about every half hour. Event hours are from 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. each day.
The bunny doesn’t come out in the rain! Hayrides run weather permitting. No refunds, but you can visit a different day.
Reservations are encouraged but not required.
Tickets can be purchased in the Farm Market on the day or in advance. The cost is $8 per person.
Elmwood Park Zoo (1661 Harding Boulevard, Norristown, www.elmwoodparkzoo.org) will have an “Easter Brunch” on April 19 and 20.Visitors are invited to hop on over to the Zoo’s special Easter brunches with appearances by the Easter Bunny.
They can enjoy a delicious breakfast, participate in our Easter activities, and meet one of our beloved education animals.
They can also grab a photo with the Easter Bunny and then spend more time exploring the Zoo.
There are multiple brunch sessions: 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Tickets are $125 for a table of two.
Sesame Place (100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, www.sesameplace.com) may be closed for park rides and activities but there’s still furry fun to have.
The amusement park in Bucks County will celebrate Elmo’s Eggstravaganza now through April 21.
Guests can visit Sesame Place Philadelphia for a hoppin’ good time with exciting rides, entertaining shows, the Sesame Street Party Parade and special Easter fun with everyone’s favorite furry friends.
Visitors can enjoy soaring, spinning, whirling and twirling on Sesame Street-themed rides, get photos with your favorite friends in their Eggstravaganza attire, meet and take photos with the Easter Bunny, go on a scavenger hunt for Easter Eggs around the park, and so much more.
They also will be able to dance and sing along to the Sesame Street Party Parade, the Furry Friends Bunny Hop Dance Party and The Magic of Art.
Park admission and parking fees are not required for entry.
Peddler’s Village (Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska, 215-794-4000, www.peddlersvillage.com) will present the “Sixth Annual “PEEPS® in the Village” now through April 27 (except on Easter Sunday).
The popular event showcases the creative talents of regional residents–and the longstanding allure of the colorful candies. There will be more than 130 marshmallow masterpieces carefully crafted with bright bunnies and chicks in inspired, inventive settings.
The event will start at 10 a.m. each day except on Sundays when it opens at 11 a.m.
Weekday and weekday evening visits are strongly encouraged. Lines and wait times can be long on weekends.
Harvest Ridge Winery (1140 Newark Road, Toughkenamon, www.harvestridgewinery.com) will present “Live Music with Liz Watkins” on April 18 at 4:30 p.m.
On April 19, the winery will host “Live Music with Jac Conner” on April 19 at 4:30 p.m.
The winery will be closed on Easter Day.
Historic Odessa (Main Street, Odessa, Delaware, 302-378-4119, www.historicodessa.org) is both a scenic and an historic site in Delaware.
This weekend, Historic Odessa will host a “Community Service Event” called “Two Lights For Tomorrow.”
The event will be held on April 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m. each night.
Visitors are invited to join the Historic Odessa Foundation in celebrating a DE250 event commemorating the start of America’s semiquincentennial (1776-2026).
It will commemorate Paul Revere’s midnight ride by placing two lights in the Visitor Center windows on April 18 symbolizing Odessa’s commitment to the community and a brighter future for all.
Odessa will also host an art exhibit by Deborah Johnson – “Becoming One: Spirit, Nature, & Form The Art of Deborah Johnson” – from April 29–June 29.
The exhibit of fine art created by the multi-talented Magnolia, Delaware artist, which will be open from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. each day,
features a selection of her glass works, tapestries, paintings, Shibori dyed silks, and embroideries.
Known in the 18th-century as Cantwell’s Bridge, Odessa played a vital role in commercial life along the Delaware River as a busy grain shipping port.
Today, visitors can stroll along tree-lined streets and admire examples of 18th- and 19th-century architecture in one of the best-preserved towns in Delaware. They can also tour a remarkable collection of antiques and Americana preserved in period room settings and quaint exhibits.
Historic Odessa is open to the public from March through December, Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Sunday from 1-4 p.m. The site is also open on Mondays by reservation.
The Easter Bunny is known for hopping around. He also has a penchant for hopping on trains.
This weekend, the holiday bunny will be riding trains all around the area.
One of the best train rides with the Easter Bunny is the one presented by the West Chester Railroad (Market Street Station, West Chester, www.wcrailroad.com).
The special “Easter Bunny Express” trains will run on April 19 at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. each day.
The 90-minute journey on the trail line’s heated decorated train travels through Chester Creek Valley. The Easter Bunny will be greeting everyone at Market Street Station and then going along for the ride to Glen Mills.
During our brief stop at the historic Glen Mills station there will be plenty of opportunities for you to take a brief photo with the Easter Bunny and explore the historic station. Greg Wright and Friends will be playing live music, singing all of your favorite Easter songs
Adult fare for the West Chester Railroad trips is $30. Tickets for children (ages 2-12) are $25 while toddlers (ages 9-23 months) get to ride for $10.
The New Hope and Ivyland Railroad (32 West Bridge Street, New Hope, 215-862-2332, www.newhoperailroad.com) is running its annual Easter Bunny Express on Saturdays and Sundays through April 20.
The Easter Bunny is going to ride onboard the train where he will visit with each child, hand out special treats and pose for pictures. Coach tickets start at $58 for adults, $56 for children (ages 12-plus) and $11 for toddlers (under 2).
The train ride departs from and returns to the New Hope Train Station. Riders can take in the sights of early spring as the Easter Bunny visits with all of the children handing out special candy treats and posing for photos taken by the railroad staff.
The Strasburg Rail Road (Route 741, Strasburg, 717-687-7522, www.strasburgrailroad.com) is running its “Easter Bunny Train” on April 19 and 20 at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
The Strasburg Rail Road Easter Bunny Train is a memorable way to celebrate the holiday with family and friends. This train is extra special because the conductor is none other than Peter Cottontail.
The Easter Bunny will hop from car to car spreading Easter happiness to the little ones on board.
New for the 2025 Easter event is the “Candy Drops” activity hosted by the Easter Bunny and his friends. It will take place on the hour from noon until 5 p.m. at a designated location along the pedestrian mall area.
Children aboard the train will receive a colored wristband that will grant them access to a specifically timed Candy Drop, which will begin 15 minutes after the train returns to the station.
Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for children.
The Strasburg Rail Road is also running a special train on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in April – the “Wine & Cheese Train.”
Passengers can enjoy the luxurious, climate-controlled first-class accommodations and a tasting of select wine, cheese, and crackers as they travel in style down the tracks from Strasburg to Paradise and back. The train departs at 6 p.m. and the total trip time is 45 minutes.
“Wine & Cheese Train” boarding is 30 minutes before the scheduled departure. Riders must be 21 or older and have their photo ID ready when they board.
Featured wines are carefully selected from Waltz Vineyards, and cheeses are paired accordingly. Beer and select non-alcoholic beverages are also available for purchase upon request. Riders can purchase a souvenir wine glass on board the train if desired. Glasses are $7 each.
In accordance with Pennsylvania law, alcohol is only served during the train ride. We are not permitted to serve alcoholic beverages while the train is berthed in the station.
This popular train is available on select Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the season. Tickets are $79.
The Northern Central Railway (2 West Main Street, New Freedom, www.northerncentralrailway.com) is running its “Eggspecially Fun Bunny Run!” on April 19 and 20.
The special excursion will take passengers to Glen Rock and back – allowing them to take in views of the scenic Heritage Rail Trail County Park. The Easter Bunny’s Helper will be on the train for photo ops.
After returning to New Freedom, children can participate in an egg hunt (weather permitting). Each child will receive a free treat bag, including a bunny pretzel donated by Smittie’s Soft Pretzels.
Departure times are 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
The coaches are pushed and pulled by the rail line’s vintage PRR GP9 Diesel Locomotive, which was built in 1959.
This is a one-hour excursion. Tickets will be printed and available for pick up at the ticket booth on the day of the excursion.
Tickets are $28.99 for adults and $19.99 for children.
The Colebrookdale Railroad (South Washington Street, Boyertown, www.colebrookdalerailroad.com) is running its “Easter Eggs-press” on April 19.
A good way for families to make Easter memories that will last a lifetime is to join Peter Cottontail aboard this special ride on the Colebrookdale Railroad.
Kids can visit with the Easter Bunny outside and join other children as they search for Easter eggs. Children will enjoy a complimentary Easter themed coloring book and 10 prefilled Easter eggs.
Tickets are $35.
The Middletown & Hummelstown Railroad (136 Brown Street, Middletown, 717-944-4435, www.mhrailroad.com) will be running its “Easter Bunny Express” trains on April 18 and 19.
The trains will depart at noon each day.
The Easter Bunny has a special surprise for all kids aged 11 and under – and will also be posing with children for keepsake photos of the event.
The ride is a 1.5-hour round trip.
Ticket prices are Adults (Ages 12+), $23; Children (Ages 2-11), $18; and Infant (Under 2 years, lap-held), $6.
The Allentown and Auburn Railroad (35 Railroad Street, Kutztown, 570-778-7531, https://allentown-and-auburn-railroad.square.site/) is running Easter Bunny Trains on April 18 and 19.
The Easter Bunny will be riding on all the trains which depart Kutztown Station at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
The Easter Bunny will be hopping down the train as it travels through the Berks County countryside – and he will be handing out treats to the kids.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for seniors and $12 for children.
There is also another holiday that is celebrated on April 20 (4.20) each year. There might be baskets with grass – grass of a different kind.
April 20 has become an international counterculture holiday based on the celebration and consumption of cannabis.
Events typically advocate for cannabis liberalization and legalization.
The Chaddsford Winery (632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, 610-388-6221, http://www.chaddsford.com) is presenting
“Reserve Tasting – Spring Sips” on Saturdays and Sundays, now through April 19.
The 2025 Pairing Line Up is: Greeting Wine: Pinkette; The White Standard with Goat Rodeo’s fresh Chèvre and Honey;
Chardonnay with Calkins Creamery Noble Brie and Small Batch Kitchen’s Fig Jam; Harbinger with Doe Run Hickory on the Hill cheese washed with Blueberry Wine Lees; and Sangria with a Lemon Macaron.
Reserve seatings are $35 per person.
On April 19, Rockwood Park & Museum (4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, Delaware, 4671 Washington Street Ext, Wilmington, www.newcastlede.gov/431/Rockwood-Park-Museum) is presenting “Rockwood Paranormal Experience.”
This is Rockwood’s classic Paranormal Program to investigate the mansion from the unfinished attic to the decayed basement through the highly polished living spaces in between.
Guests will be instructed how to use sophisticated paranormal equipment to be central to the investigation. Visiting investigators will learn how instrument results relate to those who may have once lived or worked at Rockwood.
Attendees must be able to traverse many stairs throughout the museum. The event will start at 7 p.m. and is for those ages 14 and older.
Tickets are $40.
The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center (100 Station Avenue, Oaks, 610-232-5718, www.phillyexpocenter.com) is hosting the “Second Annual AAU Rise to the Occasion Invitational Girls Premier Volleyball.”
This premier girls’ volleyball tournament will be held on April 18 and 19 at the Expo Center. Featuring top teams across multiple age divisions, this exciting tournament guarantees five matches per team and provides a competitive atmosphere.
Tickets are $40 for a two-day pass and $20 for a one-day pass.
Longwood Gardens (Route 1, Kennett Square, 610-388-1000, www.longwoodgardens.org) is now featuring one of its popular annual special events – “Spring Blooms.”
Visitors can enjoy free Spotlight Tours explore Longwood’s iconic Flower Garden Walk then be enchanted by Peirce’s Woods, the site’s native woodland garden, during a free 30-minute Spotlight Tours.
Tours will be held now through May 4 daily at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2 p.m.
Visitors can explore the new Bonsai Courtyard, a contemplative space where meticulous artistry and the beauty of nature converge, during the free 30-minute evening Spotlight Tours.
April Tulips are expected to be on display in Mid-April.
Other activities during Spring Blooms include Family Nature Strolls, Open Organ Console Day, Youth Workshop: Jump Start Your Garden and Member Appreciation Day.
As always, admission by “Timed Ticket” — tickets issued for specific dates and times. Timed ticketing limits the number of people in the Gardens at any given time and allows guests to enjoy minimal lines and a better viewing experience.
You may enter the Gardens up to 30 minutes prior and 30 minutes after your designated time. Make every effort to arrive at your designated reservation time. Earlier or later arrivals may not be accommodated.
Admission to Longwood Gardens is $32 for adults, $28 for seniors (ages 62 and older) and college students, $23 for active military and veterans and $17 for youth (ages 5-18).
Enjoying flowers up close is also on the menu at Tyler Arboretum (515 Painter Road, Media, 610-566-9134, www.tylerarboretum.org).
The arboretum’s schedule for this weekend features the “Saturday Wildflower Walk: Early Spring Edition” on April 19 at 1 p.m.
At the “Saturday Wildflower Walk,” wildflower expert Dick Cloud will lead an informative two-hour hike that will take visitors through meadows, woods, and occasionally streamside.
These walks are for those who have a love of plants, their role in ecology, or for those who want to learn more.
Admission to Tyler Arboretum is $18 for adults and $10 for children (ages 3-17) and Military with valid ID.
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library (Route 52, Wilmington, Delaware, 800-448-3883, www.winterthur.org) just opened its 2025 season.
When the Winterthur Garden was first opened to the public, Henry Francis du Pont had white wooden arrows placed in the garden to direct visitors during spring tour to the “must-see” flowers that week.
The self-guided tour starts at the Visitor Center Patio and winds through the garden, highlighting the changing colors of spring and leading guests back to the Visitor Center. The path will change weekly as the color progression dictates.
Admission to Winterthur is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors (age 62 and older) and students, and $8 for children (ages 2-11).
Hagley Museum and Library (Buck Road East entrance via Route 100, Wilmington, Delaware, 302-658-2400, www.hagley.org), a 230-acre historical village on the site of the original du Pont Company gunpowder mills in northern Delaware, has a popular ongoing attraction – “Nation of Inventors.”
“Nation of Inventors” celebrates the American spirit of ingenuity by taking visitors on a journey from the early years of the patent system, in the 1790s, through the “golden age” of American invention, in the late 1800s.
The exhibit features more than 120 patent models from Hagley’s unique collection highlighting the diverse stories of inventors from all walks of life.
The latest edition of “Science Saturday” will be held on April 19 from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
This Saturday’s topic is “Digging Into Compost.”
Participants can discover the wondrous transformation from kitchen scraps to yard waste with Plastic Free Delaware.
Visitors of all ages are invited to discover solutions to science and engineering challenges.
This is a drop-in activity, feel free to join the fun at any time. Activities are included in admission and free for Hagley members.
“Nation of Inventors” is located on the first two floors of Hagley’s Visitor Center. Visitors can plan to spend about 30 minutes on their self-guided tour of the exhibition.
Admission to Hagley is $20 for adults, $16 for students and seniors (62+) and $10 for children (6-14).
The 2025 season has begun at Nemours Estate (1600 Rockland Road, Wilmington, Delaware, nemoursestate.org). The entrance is located on the campus of Nemours Children’s Health — follow signs for Nemours Estate.
Originally constructed in 1910, Nemours Estate is one of Delaware’s grandest buildings and includes the largest formal French garden in North America.
Nemours Estate comprises an exquisite, 77-room mansion, the largest formal French gardens in North America, a Chauffeur’s Garage housing a collection of vintage automobiles, and 200 acres of scenic woodlands, meadows and lawns.
Nemours was the estate of Alfred I. duPont.
Chanticleer (786 Church Street, Wayne, www.chanticleergarden.org) is starting to see many of its floral attractions in bloom.
The Chanticleer estate dates from the early 20th-century, when land along the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Railroad was developed for summer homes to escape the heat of Philadelphia. Adolph Rosengarten, Sr., and his wife Christine chose the Wayne-St. Davids area to build their country retreat. The family’s pharmaceutical firm would become part of Merck & Company in the 1920s.
The Rosengartens hired architect and former classmate Charles L. Borie to design the house, which was completed in 1913. Landscape architect Thomas Sears designed the terraces as extensions of the house. A 1924 addition converted the summer home into a year-round residence and the family moved here permanently.
The Teacup Garden and Chanticleer Terraces feature seasonal plants and bold-textured tropical and subtropical plants. These areas change greatly from year to year. Non-hardy plants overwinter in greenhouses and basements.
The Tennis Court, Ruin, Gravel Garden, and Pond Garden focus on hardy perennials, both woody and herbaceous. The Serpentine celebrates the beauty of agricultural crops.
The Tennis Court, Ruin, Gravel Garden, and Pond Garden focus on hardy perennials, both woody and herbaceous. The Serpentine celebrates the beauty of agricultural crops.
Chanticleer Garden is open Wednesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. now through November 9 with special early access at 8 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month and extended hours until 8 p.m. on Fridays from May 2-August 29.
Admission to Chanticleer is $12 for adults and free for pre-teen children (12 years and under).
The Historic Grange Estate (143 Myrtle Ave., Haverford Township, https://thegrangeestate.org) will celebrate its 50th season with the “Spring Opening of Grange Estate” this month.
Tours of the mansion are 1-4 p.m., most Saturdays and Sundays, through October, with the last tour beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Tours are conducted by volunteers, and admission is $5 for adults, $1 for children 5-10 and free for those under the age of 5.
The Grange Estate’s Gift Shoppe will also be open during tour hours and is brimming with hand-crafted “Made-in-America” gifts.
Hours are 8 a.m.-noon on Saturday and 9 a.m.-noon on Sunday.
Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum (1237 State Road, Andalusia, www.andalusiapa.org) also has been welcoming blooms.
Located on a wooded promontory overlooking the Delaware River, Andalusia has been a stately presence on this stretch of water, just north of Philadelphia, for more than 200 years. The ancestral home of the Biddle family, Andalusia is also a natural paradise of native woodlands and spectacular gardens that have evolved over time.
Placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1966, the Big House — one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States — provides an unparalleled look into our nation’s past, while also offering a glimpse into the life of a family that helped to shape its future.
Self-Guided Garden Tours will be available Mondays through Wednesdays through November 4 (excluding holidays) at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m.
Admission is $15.
Ghost Tour of Philadelphia (215-413-1997, www.ghosttour.com), Ghost Tour of Lancaster (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) and Ghost Tour of Strasburg (717-687-6687, www.ghosttour.com) operate throughout the winter and offer an eerily entertaining evening of true ghost stories and real haunted houses.
The Ghost Tour of Philadelphia, which is based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Philadelphia, PA.,” is a candlelight walking tour along the back streets and secret gardens of Independence Park, Society Hill, and Old City, where ghostly spirits, haunted houses, and eerie graveyards abound.
Participants can discover the ghost lore of America’s most historic and most haunted city with stories from the founding of William Penn’s colony to present-day hauntings.
The activity is open year-round – weekends, December-February; every night, March-November. Tickets are $24.
The Ghost Tour of Lancaster and the Ghost Tour of Strasburg are based on the book, “Ghost Stories of Lancaster, PA.”
Participants in the Ghost Tour of Lancaster explore the long-forgotten mysteries of one of America’s oldest cities, with haunting tales of otherworldly vigils, fatal curses, and star-crossed lovers. The tour provides the opportunity to experience 300 years of haunted history from the Red Rose City’s thorny past. Tickets are $20.
The Ghost Tour of Strasburg is a candlelight walking tour of the quaint and historic town of Strasburg in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Visitors will experience an entertaining evening with a costumed tour guide spinning tales of haunted mansions, eerie graveyards, and spirits that roam the night … in a town lost in time. Tickets are $20.
Grim Philly’s “Dark Philly History Tour” (www.grimphilly.com) will be held every evening throughout the winter.
Participants can walk with tour guides from the grounds of America’s first White House, Congress, and Liberty Bell to homes and sites of Hamilton, Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and more than 10 other Founding-Fathers. The surprising dirt of espionage, murder, sexual license and blackmail highlight the secrets of 1776 with a ghost story or two along the way. This tour is highly researched. And your guide is a historian.
Tickets are $35.
“TreeTrails Adventures Trevose” (301 West Bristol Pike, Trevose, treetrails.com/trevose-pa) is an adventure park full of fun challenges for outdoor adventurers of all ages.
Participants can experience the rush of TreeTrails Adventures as they swing through the trees of the new adventure park. They will be able to discover the excitement of climbing and zip lining above the forest floor with family, friends, co-workers, or teammates.
The park, which is based at Phoenix Sport Club in Bucks County, offers two ways to experience climbing – TreeTrails Adventure Park and KidTrails Park. Young explorers can enjoy miniaturized courses in the adjacent KidTrails Park.
General Park Admission prices are: Main Park Adult Tickets (Ages 12+), $59; Main Park Youth Tickets (Ages 7–11), $51; KidTrails Tickets (Ages 4–7), $12.
