N.C. Transportation Museum

SPENCER — The Easter Bunny is coming to town next weekend! The Easter Bunny Express will return to the N.C. Transportation Museum for two full weekends, March 24-25, 30-31. All event days feature train rides with the bunny, activities across the museum’s 60 acres and additional options like breakfast, lunch and snacks with the Easter Bunny.

March 30 and 31, the museum will offer its annual Easter egg hunt in addition to other event activities. Children will be divided into age-appropriate groups, with ages 0-2 and 2-4 searching for eggs at 11 a.m. Kids ages 5-7 and 8-10 will enjoy the egg hunt at noon. Everyone should be sure to bring their own basket.

March 31 only, the Jeddo Coal number 85 steam engine will be pulling the museum’s colorful caboose train, for an additional train ride option. The engine will pull seven colorful cabooses around the museum grounds. Visitors can ride both trains for just $4 extra per ticket.

The highlight of the Easter Bunny Express is, of course, a passenger train ride around historic Spencer Shops on the grounds of the N.C. Transportation Museum, with the Easter Bunny riding along. The bunny will move throughout the train, handing out treats, meeting kids and parents and taking photos with families.

Following the train ride, there’s still a lot to do: temporary tattoos, crafts and coloring will be available at the Gift Station. Inflatables will be on the grounds, and face painting, bubbles and sidewalk chalk will be offered throughout the site.

The Easter Bunny will also pose for pictures, in partnership with Carolina Portrait Designs. Visitors will be able to purchase these professionally made photos on the day they attend with packages ranging from $15 to $45.

Upgrade ticket options include a sit down meal or snack with the Easter Bunny. Families can choose between breakfast, lunch or snacks. Breakfast includes bunny-shaped pancakes, sausage and fruit and is $10 per person. Lunch includes bunny shaped turkey sandwiches, carrots with ranch dip and fruit, and is $12 per person. Snacks include Goldfish, bunny-mobiles (a Twinkie with a bunny inside) and a fruit kabob and are just $6 per person. Drinks are included.

Admission and the Easter Bunny Express Train Ride is $13 for adults, $11 for seniors and military, $9 children 3-12 and free for children 2 and under. Ticket options, more information and ticket purchases are available at www.nctrans.org. Advance ticket purchase is recommended. Events are rain or shine. Taxes and fees apply.