Where Does The Easter Bunny Live? What To Say When Your Kid (Inevitably) Asks

For every egg you dye in preparation for Easter, you’ll probably answer just as many questions about the Easter Bunny. It’s practically part of the Easter tradition by now. Some questions make this whole parenting thing look easy. What kind of music does the Easter Bunny like? Hip hop; next, please. What’s the Easter Bunny’s favorite sport? Basket-ball — is that all you’ve got, kid? But there’s one question nearly guaranteed to trip you up: Where does the Easter Bunny live? And nope, it’s not whatever fictional town with Bunny in the name you’re about to blurt out.

Truth be told, there’s quite a bit of mystery surrounding where this egg-bearing holiday rabbit takes up residence. Everyone knows Santa Claus lives at the North Pole, so why don’t we have the Easter Bunny’s address on lock, too? We know how to call the legendary hare, how to send him an email, and even how to keep tabs on the Easter Bunny’s whereabouts. Yet, no one seems to know eggs-actly (heh) where he hangs his hat.

Fortunately, there are a few fun theories — from the plausible to the downright silly — that you can share with your kids when they inevitably ask.

So, where does the Easter Bunny live?

Since the Easter Bunny’s location is so shrouded in secrecy, he can live pretty much anywhere you say he lives. But you’re nothing if not committed to keeping the magic alive, right? That means you likely want to give a somewhat accurate answer. Well, you’ve got a few options.

1. Easter Island

Most tracking apps (and the internet at large) suggest the Easter Bunny lives on Easter Island, a remote outpost in the southeastern Pacific Ocean that belongs to Chile. A designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, the extremely isolated island sits at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian Triangle in Oceania. And it’s famous for its nearly 1,000 giant stone monuments called moai. In other words, it’s full of mystery... and, thus, potentially an ideal place for a mythical chocolate-egg-laying-messenger-bunny to live. It isn’t called Easter Island for that reason, though. Dutch Explorer Jacob Roggeveen gave the territory its name when he encountered it on Easter Sunday in 1722.

Even so, Easter Island makes a logical spot for the Easter Bunny to reside for a few reasons. For starters, it’s some 1,200 miles away from its closest neighbors. Additionally, Rapa Nui National Park covers 40 percent of the island. This protected wildlife area includes rolling grasslands and pink sand beaches (yes, pink, aka of course the Easter Bunny lives here). And, finally, some people believe the monolithic moai could come to life and help the Easter Bunny — much like Santa’s elves, only in a very Night at the Museum kind of way.

2. Egg Harbor, Wisconsin

OK, sure, this may not sound quite as intriguing as Easter Island. Give it a chance, though. Named one of the coolest small towns in America, Egg Harbor sits along the Niagara Escarpment on the waters of Green Bay. At only 6.62 square miles, it’s tiny. But wouldn’t that make it a clever choice for the Easter Bunny? Who would expect him to hunker down there? Plus, what the town lacks in size, it makes up for in charm, much like the holiday hare himself.

3. The Earth’s Core

The internet’s a wild place, y’all. Follow along for the logic! So, Santa Claus lives in the coldest place on the planet and bypasses detection by flying above the ground. Might that mean the Easter Bunny resides in the hottest part of the globe and avoids prying eyes by navigating an elaborate network of secret tunnels deep underground? Sure. We’ll play along.

Where did the Easter Bunny come from?

Although theories about where the Easter Bunny currently lives abound, one prevalent theory explains where he originated. According to History.com, he first arrived in North America when Germans immigrated to Pennsylvania in the 1700s. They brought their tradition of “Osterhase” or “Oschter Haws” — a hare which children built nests for so it could lay its colorful eggs.

Does the Easter Bunny have a house?

No mystery here, it would seem! Bunnies make their homes in underground burrows. So, while the location of that burrow may be up for debate, the consensus is that the Easter Bunny lives in the traditional “house” of a hare.

Extra Credit: How to Build a Bunny Home

While you’ve agreed that the Easter Bunny lives in a burrow like all the other bunnies in the world, it’s also safe to assume that the Easter Bunny’s digs are more colorful and decorated. Why not take that notion and turn it into an artistic moment? Give your kids some craft supplies and a shoe box or cardstock, and let them create and decorate what they think the Easter Bunny’s burrow looks like inside. (Think: a Hobbit Hole with more candy and more pastels!)

Not only will it help you get rid of all that excess pastel Easter candy and basket grass, but it’ll also keep the kiddos busy enough for you to squeeze in a little quiet time.