Minds are like flowers; they open only when the time is right.
-Stephen Richards
Just outside of Amsterdam in the Netherlands is a small town by the name of Lisse. Here, almost 7 million bulb heads are planted each year. They are arranged in such artistic ways that change every year, keeping visitors coming back for more. Although you will see a variety of tulips, there are many other flowers in these gorgeous fields.
The History
In the 15th century, the land the park is on was a hunting ground & garden for the Countess of Hainaut. The estate would grow to over 200 hectares and a castle would be built in 1641. In 1949, 20 bulb growers & exporters would come together and plan to use the property as a spring garden. The park was open the following year and had 236,000 visitors.
This year while we were there, the theme was Flower Power. Of course I absolutely loved this and seeing all the food stands that were situated in VW vans. It has grown considerably over the past 70 years!
Tips For Your Visit
Plan for the right time
Not only does the time of day matter for your trip, but also the time of year. The park is filled with spring flowers so March to May are the months they’re open. With that in mind, you have to consider how the weather has been in the area. If it’s been a cold spring, you won’t want to go as soon as the park opens as there may not be flowers blooming yet. We were lucky because it was warm the week before we went, so the flowers were in the perfect stage in my opinion. They were just buds but also weren’t fully open.
Also keep in mind that this is a popular attraction. If you go later in the day, it’s going to be packed and you’ll have a hard time enjoying yourself (or at least I would). We arrived just as they opened and left around 10:30am. The gates had huge lines and the entrance was packed as we walked out.
Go in the Pavilions!
It was a chilly day so I couldn’t really get good photos in the pavilions, but they were also beautiful. Since it’s warmer inside there are different flowers and plants to change up the scenery. They also tend to be in bloom sooner so even if you miss all the tulips outside, you’ll have things to see inside.
Search for the artwork
You’ll see a windmill, boats lined with flowers, sculptures, a playground with a small petting area, even a path through a lake you can walk! I enjoyed all the beauty and my four year old enjoyed all the little activities and hot chocolate.
Rent a bike
You can ride a bike and get away from the crowds and see parts of the park that are harder to reach by foot. If my husband had been with me we would have done this. This is how you can get to the commercial tulip fields and take amazing photos in them. I’m learning that biking, especially in Europe, is a great and relaxing way to get around and see more with your time. I’m actually really bummed we weren’t able to rent bikes because Amsterdam is said to have more bikes than people! What an experience that would have been.
Utilize public transport
You can drive your own car there. But I’d recommend public transport as you’ll get dropped off closer, you won’t lose your parking spot in Amsterdam, & you’ll have your ticket ready. You can buy tickets there, but they do sell out. At the tourist info center next to Central Station in Amsterdam you can buy tickets for your trip.
If we ever go back to Amsterdam during the spring, I will most definitely be going back to Keukenhof. The beautiful colors displayed by the flowers and smells were so peaceful and relaxing. We will also be renting bikes so we can explore more of this gorgeous garden!
I hope you enjoyed reading about our quick day trip to the tulip fields. If you’re in this area I would highly recommend it as it hold some unique sites to see!
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