The Easter weekend is looming, and along with it smashing egg hunts carried out by manic, sugar-high kids. Besides sticky fingers, you’re also building up early grey hairs, well, at least your Santa outfit will look more authentic come Christmas. This year, make an effort to get yourself (and the kids) out of the house. Why? Is the proverbial "because I said so" good enough?

Well maybe not but we’re barely recovering from our New Year’s hangover and only just getting the kids back to school when besotted cherubs start biting us in the bum. Just a few short weeks after that, we’re inundated with rows and rows of little white eggs that send us crashing off our resolve to eat more healthily. But there are some traditions that are a little more welcoming than others – such as the Vodacom Splash festival – this year being held in Nelson Mandela Bay’s PE harbour for the first time in its 18-year history.

You’re in the friendly city from 21 to 24 March, with a plethora of events to keep yourself, but more importantly your little ones, entertained – and they will be the envy of their classmates when they return to school. Right, let’s get you on that road to parental cool!

Beach festival life saver
The Kids Adventure zone will entertain them with daily concerts and Easter egg hunts, it’s fine -they’re on the beach – so let the little blighters get as messy as they like! Every conceivable beach and water sport, including a giant slide and sandcastle building, will have them nodding off before you can even give them a good night kiss. You on the other hand can look forward to live entertainment from both local and international artists, a key event of the festival is Jazz on the Square. There will also be a shuttle service to and from the harbour.

There won’t be any family hassles about who prefers what for dinner, as each can pick from at least 200 Community Chest food and craft stalls. Word on the street is that there will be a massive fireworks display. Let’s hope it lives up to expectations, so few of them do.

Fairy fun with chess on the side
Besides the festival, PE is literally a haven for your family’s adults-in-training. The Sea Breeze Express, a miniature train, can be found along the Kings Beach Promenade, while The Port Elizabeth Model Locomotive Society in Sunridge Park has miniature train excursions on the first Sunday of each month.
Happy Valley has become one of the must-see places for families.  It brings to life children’s fairytales and nursery rhymes through colourful lighting. Your kids will have a ball on the giant chess board and thankfully it comes with matching pieces, so there is no need to round up willing participants.

Bombs away!
If your kids are more inclined to water parks try out McArthur's Baths Swimming Pool along Kings Beach Promenade – they’ll love the waterchute. St George's Park Swimming Baths are located in PE’s oldest park and have an Olympic sized swimming pool with a diving area. The children's pool and snack-bar will keep them well satisfied.

Depending on where you live you may want to stop in at one of the neighbouring towns on your way there or back, namely Grahamstown, Jeffrey’s Bay, Port Alfred or perhaps peek in at the Easter Affair Festival in Cape St Francis Bay.

Folks these are the stuff memories are made of so snap away, before you know it they’ll be out of the house and finding their way in the concrete jungle.

If this sounds like your type of holiday getaway, then click here to check out all our package deals in and around Port Elizabeth. Or, click here to browse all of our family deals.