Last Updated on 27th December 2019 by Sarah and Justin
Are you a lover of tulips, flowers, bright colors, beautifully manicured gardens, and/or Instagrammable locations? If yes, you should really be visiting Keukenhof! Sarah’s taken a trip to see tulips at Keukenhof gardens three times, and she’d be happy to go back again. It’s truly stunning and quite an easy day trip in the Netherlands. This post has everything you need to visit Keukenhof in 2020, plus beautiful pictures of tulips to inspire you to go!
About Keukenhof gardens
Keukenhof is one of the largest outdoor gardens in the world – it’s almost 80 acres – and is certainly one of the most beautiful. Keukenhof draws about 800,000 visitors during the eight weeks it’s open every year. It is located in Lisse, which is a small town between Amsterdam and Den Haag. Lisse is pretty much known for tulips as it’s also home to many tulip fields.
During our month-long stay in Rotterdam in May 2017, Sarah made a solo trip to see the tulips at the Keukenhof gardens. While Justin is always very accommodating when she stops to take (a lot of) pictures, this trip would have likely tested his patience. She took hundreds of pictures and fully enjoyed getting up close and personal with the tulips to do so. It was truly one of the most beautiful places she’d ever been. So, she went back in 2018 and again in 2019 – these times as an official Dutch resident!
When is Keukenhof open?
In 2020, Keukenhof is open from March 21-May 10.
Tips for visiting Keukenhof
Buy your Keukenhof tickets online to avoid lines
You can buy your Keukenhof tickets online and if you want to spend less time waiting on line and more time looking at the beautiful flowers, we recommend you do so!
Read the flower reports
Keukenhof is open for eight weeks. But every year the tulips bloom at slightly different times. That’s why we keep track of what’s going on in the fields by subscribing to a weekly flower update from Tulips in Holland. If you have flexibility in when you can visit the gardens, this will be a great help. Of course your trip dates may already be set, but it’s still nice to read what you can expect.
Sarah has visited Keukenhof at different times during the season. Her favorite time to visit was this past year, when she went in late April.The fields were bursting with color and everything looked healthy. In 2017 and 2018, she visited in May, just a week before closing. Everything was still stunning, but many blooms were past their peak.
It should be noted that the tulips are typically “headed” in mid- to late-April, so if you want to see the flower fields around the park, you should plan your visit earlier.
Visit Keukenhof mid-week
We strongly recommend visiting Keukenhof on a weekday to avoid massive, soul-crushing crowds. We’ve read about going on a weekend and it sounds like a nightmare. There will always be a lot of people there since the gardens are only open for eight weeks. But if you go mid-week, you’ll definitely be able to enjoy some peaceful moments where it’s just you and the flowers, as well as better photo opportunities.
Take public transportation
You can drive to Keukenhof, but taking public transportation is quite easy. To get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam, take a train to Schiphol Airport and then hop on a bus. If you’re coming from Rotterdam, take the train to Leiden and then a bus. You can check train and bus schedules online.
The Keukenhof website offers combination tickets which include transportation and your Keukenhof ticket – it’s cheaper than what you’d pay buying them separately. Note, you can buy your combination tickets on the Keukenhof website once the gardens are open.
Accessibility at Keukenhof
Keukenhof is a very accessible attraction. Much of it is flat (like most of the Netherlands!) and most of the paths are wheelchair accessible. You can even borrow or rent a wheelchair from the park. The best thing to do in the park is stroll leisurely looking at flowers, so you can definitely go at your own pace.
Bring your own food
There are a whole bunch of food options throughout the park, but for a more economical choice, you can also bring your own food. There are plenty of benches where you can sit and enjoy your meal surrounded by flowers. Keukenhof really is the perfect place for a picnic!
Bring your camera!
Because, duh! Did you know tulips came in so many different colors and shapes?!
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I had heard about Keukenhof but my word your pictures are amazing! I need to go, so I’m adding to my “life list”
This is in my home country and I haven’t even visited yet! I would love to visit Keukenhof. Great post and amazing photos
Incredible! There’s currently a major tulip festival in my city, but from the way you’ve described it, I’d much rather be at Keukenhof
Wow! I didn’t even know this place existed. And your photos are stunning – adding to my list for my next visit to the Netherlands.
Whoa 800k visitors in 8 weeks! So impressive. Definitely will have to visit this place next. Great tips on when/how to visit.
The one thing that I regret the most about my trip to Netherlands was not reaching there in time to seen the tulips in Keukenhof. We were one week too late and I so want to head back every year. Hopefully the opportunity will present itself sometime.
Omg these colorssssss! Are any of them in like a specific design according to color? Awesome tips by the way!
Wow! The garden really is amazing. Even though I am not a big flower enthusiast, I would consider visiting Keukenhof. Wonderful photos!
Gorgeous pictures 😍I’ll go for sure! Just moved to the Tulip Country 🤘🏻
Man, now I wish it was spring! Tulips are my favorite flower. I love how much variation they have and Keukenhof sure seems to have every size, shape, color there is. Simply beautiful!
Your photos!! 😍 We have Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, but this looks waaaaaay prettier! Wanted to visit but they weren’t in bloom. Definitely adding this to my list! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Can’t think of much more beautiful!! Tulips are my absolute favorite flower
I like your blog a lot… clicking around 🙂
Tulips are one of my favorite flowers. I love photos in flower fields and this one would be a drea! So many colors, how awesome it must have been to see it in person. I bet it smelled amazing!
I’ve never really done anything like this on my travels but your pics make me want to!
I went to Keukenhof this past May, your photos definitely do it justice! It’s gorgeous!
I would LOVE to go here!! I wish I had gone when I lived in Den Haag, but I was only there for three months and it wasn’t really tulip season then. Tulips are my favorite flower though so it would have been heaven for me! These tips were great and one of these days I’m definitely going to go!
I have heard about these gardens and have always wanted to visit. I had no idea it was 80 acres though! Your pictures turned out incredible.
Wow! These are super beautiful tulips! I love flowers of all kinds, so a side trip here would be right up my alley!
I lived in Holland for a season, and the tulips were my favorite. Keukenhof is a must-visit for anyone who loves flowers!
AMAZING photos! I’m so sad my trip to the Netherlands was not during the tulip season. I MUST return to see this!
Amazing pics! I live in The Netherlands but i’ve never visited the Keukenhof. But after seeing your post I think I will definitely go there soon!
have always wanted to see tulips in the Netherlands. Beyond gorgeous!!!
Wow, this truly looks spectacular & definitely Instagram paradise!
I’m going to The Netherlands in winter, so unfortunately I’m not going to be able to see them! But it’ must be truly spectacular!!!
Oh my god. All these photos are INCREDIBLE. You captured Keukenhof so beautifully. Definitely saving for the next time I go to the Netherlands!
Went to the Keukenhof too this year, also around a week before closing and I agree that one could go a week or two earlier. Nevertheless, it was stunningly beautiful! Love your pictures!
Ahha!! Loved my time in Kuekenhof… what a magnificient garden. You have taken some amazing pics 🙂
Wow looks beautiful
I’m so excited, I’m going for my birthday this year with my Mum who is visiting from New Zealand. I feel so lucky and I am going to take a million photos!!!
Amazing! Definitely take ALL the photos!
Stunning !! Cannot wait for our visit.