It’s no surprise that Holland is the world’s largest exporter of tulips. From March to May, the country becomes home to felids of vibrant, colorful tulips that sprawl as far as the eye can see. Here are our tips on how to see these iconic blooms.

For more travel tips for the Netherlands, be sure to check out our guide to the Best Places to Visit in the Netherlands!

When is tulip season?

Tulip season is the most picturesque time to visit Holland. Season typically lasts from late March to early May, but can vary each year. We recommend visiting in April for the best chance of seeing the tulips in full bloom.

We visited at the end of season during the first week in May. At that time, most of the fields had already been plowed to make room for new crops. We were lucky to find a few remaining fields that were still intact.

Where to go to see the tulips

Keukenhof Gardens

Any tulip tourist should be sure to visit Keukenhoff Gardens. Keukenhof is not a traditional tulip field – it’s a seasonal park open during tulip season where over 7 million blooms are planted and arranged for public viewing.

Keukenhof is only about 30 minutes outside of Amsterdam and is an easy day trip. Tickets for the 2022 season are €18.50 for adults and €9 for children.

Flower Fields

After a visit to Keukenhof, you may want to explore tulips in their natural habitat. There are many fields in Lisse, the town where Keukenhof is located, that are easily accessibly by car or bike.

Unlike Keukenhof, flower fields are private property. Given the beauty of these fields, many tourists want to walk in them and snap photos. This damages the flowers so please always ask permission before entering a tulip field. The pictures of me in the red field were taken with permission from the owner. They were actually getting ready to plow that field the next day and were kind enough to let me frolic and play without concern for the bulbs.

If your heart is set on a photo in a field, check out this farm near Keukenhof that allows you to “pay to play” in their tulip field.

How to get there

Car

When we visited the Netherlands, we were staying in the Hague and had rented a car. We drove from the Hague to Lisse and started our day in Keukenhof Garden. Once you’re in Lisse, you’ll be surrounded by fields so you won’t need a map or specific address to find what you’re looking for.

Public Transportation

Keukenhof is easily accessible by train or bus. Visit their website for details on public transportation options. They even offer combined tickets that get you bus transportation and entrance to the gardens.

Bike

If you’ve traveled to Keukenhof by bus, renting a bike is a great way to get out and explore the tulip feilds. Visit this site for a great bike trail to follow and this one for information on renting a bike in Lisse or Keukenhof.