Easter Egg Hunts in LA Parks Worth Waking Up Early For

Easter Morning Has a Lot of Moving Parts

You've got baskets, you've got outfits, and you've got a kid who woke up at 5 a.m. asking if the eggs are ready yet. Spring in LA means there are actual organized egg hunts happening across the city, some free, some ticketed, all worth planning around if your family loves the tradition.

City Park Hunts: Free and Local

Most LA-area city parks run Easter events the Saturday before Easter, sometimes spilling into Easter Sunday. These are often free or low cost, organized by the parks and recreation department, and split into age groups so your toddler isn't elbowing second graders for the same eggs. Start checking your local parks and rec website in February. Events get posted early and fill up.

Griffith Park is big enough that the Los Feliz-adjacent areas sometimes host gatherings, though it's worth calling ahead to confirm whether there's an organized hunt or just a general spring celebration. If nothing formal is scheduled, the park's open meadows are genuinely good for a family-run hunt with a few other families.

In the South Bay, parks in Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach often put on smaller neighborhood Easter events. These tend to be lower-key than the city-center hunts, with fewer crowds, easier parking, and a more relaxed pace.

Garden and Venue Events

Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge is spectacular in April whether or not they're running a formal Easter event. Some years they do themed spring programming, some years they don't. Check their events calendar starting in March. Even without a hunt, the blooms alone make the trip worth it for kids who like room to roam.

Local shopping areas and community centers sometimes add Easter activities to their spring calendars. These vary a lot in size and quality. If you find one that works, write it down. Those smaller events are often the ones that stay consistent year to year.

What to Know Before You Show Up

Bring your own basket or bag. Some events provide them, plenty don't. A stash of plastic eggs that you bring yourself comes in handy for any informal hunt you run later.

The big-park hunts can get overwhelming fast: hundreds of families, a lot of noise, eggs gone in under two minutes. If that sounds like a meltdown waiting to happen, look specifically for age-grouped hunts or smaller neighborhood events. The whole experience is different.

Egg hunts start early. Many open registration at 8 or 9 a.m. to beat the heat. Arriving 30 minutes before start time means a smoother registration line and a better shot at parking.

April in LA is usually lovely, but bring sunscreen, a hat, and a light layer. Park mornings can be cool, and egg hunting is a lot more fun when nobody's squinting into the sun.

If You'd Rather Do It Yourself

A backyard or a neighborhood park with friends and a bag of plastic eggs is sometimes the better call. You control the pace, the age mix, and whether there's a rule about letting the youngest go first. Most neighborhood parks are fine with family gatherings without a permit, but it's worth a quick check with your city parks department if you're bringing a bigger group.

Check the Moms Bee Hive app around March. Community events, including local egg hunts, get posted there by parents in your neighborhood who've already found the good ones.