-Europe.Netherlands.Lisse.Keukenhof-
One would think that visiting the Keukenhof Gardens is a simple thing, but it turned out to be not quite so. I had one mission and that was to go at a time when the tulips were blooming but not yet headed. Couple that with the tremendous amount of visitors from all over the world having the same idea…, well like I said not easy to plan the perfect time but I made it! We went on Easter Monday April 22nd and were rewarded with blue skies and fabulous temperatures.
This time we chose to stay at an airport hotel , the prices were too ridiculously high for Hotels in Amsterdam City at the time. It turned out really great as there is a direct bus “Keukenhof Express” from the airport to the flower gardens.
A good helper link to answer a lot of the Frequently Asked Questions is here.
I tracked the progress of the tulips via this link (to subscribe to a weekly update progress of the blooms) – unpredictable as the weather has been the last few years.
Flying overhead we managed to catch glimpses of some colourful fields albeit it being a cloudy day.
Getting to Keukenhof
Buses to Keukenhof leave from the Amsterdam Schipol airport to Lisse from 08:00am. and takes around a half an hour. Here is the link for the bus timetable. I was surprised that the bus was not on time, both when going there and when returning.
The general advice is to get there as early as possible since the gardens are already open at 08:00am. We bought the Amsterdam Regional Travel Ticket when we first landed at the airport which includes the Arriva Bus 858 to Lisse as well as enabled us to travel to the outskirts of Amsterdam. Here is a link for finding the bus station.
Upon arrival to the main entrance, we were happy that we already have tickets and could enter without any further ado. There was already a line at the ticket counter and we were happy not to queue for that
*I highly recommend getting advanced tickets. You can buy it from this Link
Inside the Keukenhof Gardens
After getting inside – there are maps available to take , I didn’t use it much as I was already immersed in taking photos of the nicely landscaped flower gardens. Directions weren’t so important as everywhere you look, there are splashes of colours! I let my photos do the talking.
When we got to the windmill , there was a very long queue to get up to the observation deck – to see the views of the tulip fields beyond. We were not in the mood for queues (Like.. ever!) so we skipped it, and took the view from eye level instead.
What I would do again if I re-visited Keukenhof..
The Keukenhof gardens open from mid-March till mid-May, if you plan to visit the gardens and also the tulip fields around, aim to go on the last 2 weeks of April.
Buy the bus tickets in advance online , it will save the hassle of looking for the ticket booths while the queue is growing (Ugh! I hate that!!!) *Tip: if you plan to do more travels to the outskirts of Amsterdam consider getting the Amsterdam Regional Travel Ticket which includes the Arriva Bus to Keukenhof.
Buy the Tickets to Keukenhof in advance online too. I bought my ticket for general admission here. When you arrive at the gates, you can waltz straight in, while envious people on the ticket booth give you dirty looks for being so smart…
Bring your own water and snacks – refreshments are expensive inside as you would expect it to be.
Get there as early as possible – I was expecting to be squeezed amongst crowds of people since we visited on Easter Monday but as my pictures show, it was comfortably peaceful until about 10am , then it got crazy , so I was happy to be out from there soon after.
Combine your visit with a bike tour around Lisse. We booked a bike ahead of time and took a leisurely bike ride around which was a great experience. We were really lucky with the weather! My post on the bike tour to be up next, stay tuned..
The DONT’s..
People make their way from all over the world to visit this World-Famous Gardens, therefore please don’t step and trample on the flowers or the lawns.
If not necessary, you should not buy the tulip bulbs at this time of the year. It is better to buy them during the autumn months for fresh bulbs harvested after the flowering season. The bulbs can be ordered from reputable farmers in the Netherlands.
Go Ahead, Pin this !
Don't forget to combine it with seeing the tulip fields!
Thank you for stopping by. I wish you a flowery day!
-The End-
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So nice, the pictures!
Beautiful photos! I actually visited the Keukenhof Gardens as a child, but I don’t remember it – ‘Ive only seen it in photos. Your post is tempting me to return. Thanks for all the great tips!
Im glad you would plan to return!
Keukenhof Gardens have been on my list for such a long time! Unfortunately, I haven’t made it to the Netherlands in the spring yet, but that just means it has to stay on my bucket list for just a little bit longer.
It was also on mine for the longest time but the wait was worth it.
I have never visited the Netherlands, but these gardens look truly beautiful.
It is even better live!
Great visitor’s tips! I’ve heard reports of people tramping on flower gardens lately – such a shame. Thanks for the reminder that we should all be respectful when visiting such a beautiful place.
Keukenhof Gardens have been on my list for a while and I thought I would be able to experience them this year. Sadly, poor planning meant that I was in Amsterdam a week before the official opening of the garden! Of well, there is always next time and I will have these handy tips with me!
Yes, its harder than expected to get to Keukenhof because of timing. I know this… well hope you get there next year!
The tulips are so gorgeous! I’m dying to see it! And what a great tips you have for visiting Keukenhof! Do you think if you arrived at the time they open and went straight to the Windmill you could see the view of the field from the observation deck?
I think so! It seems that 10am is the magic time when droves of tour buses arrive but the earlier the better.
The place looks so beautiful! I believe it would make a great backdrop for pictures!
Your post greeted me with a dash of red and yellow and pink and….! This reminds me of my visit to Keukenhof a couple of years back. Your tips are indeed useful. Thanks for sharing.
Tulips are my favourites and it’s been my dream to visit and explore NL during the time they bloom. Thanks for all the info and suggestions, especially on buying the bulbs during the autumn!
Wow, the Keukenhof Garden looks so pretty. I would love to visit there. When last time I was in Netherlands, it was winter, so that wasn’t a great time to visit the Garden. Hence, next time when I am visiting Netherlands, I am surely going during April.
Such a great idea to track the progress of the tulips online before you visited the Keukenhof Flower Gardens. Interesting to know that you can get there on a bus from the airport. Your photos certainly did the talking. So many beautiful flowers. And such variety in colours. Definitely a spot to visit when the tulips are in bloom. Especially if you arrive early to avoid the crowds.
I love that you included the tulip tracker! I didn’t know that there was such a thing. That is also the bad thing about going in peak – everyone else wants to also. I’m surprised about the prices of accommodations in Amsterdam – did you try Airbnb? I’ve been to Amsterdam twice, but it was always in winter – I need to get there with the tulips (crowds or not, ha!).
Wow! I’ve been to Amsterdam maybe 8 times already but I had no idea such a place exists! It’s so beautiful there! I definitely have to go back and check it out! Thank you for those amazing tips!
I remember visiting here a few years ago and I loved my sunday morning outing here in the Spring sunshine. The fields were so colourful and I spent hours here taking beautiful photos (and also ‘insta photos). A great day out from Amsterdam as well, would also totally recommend this place. Can still smell those tulips until this very day.
I can’t believe I never visited Keukenhof when I was in the Netherlands! I’ve heard so much about it and it really seems just as beautiful as they say 🙂 How many hours do you think is needed there?
It is beautiful – to be honest , it depends how crazy a flower-fan a person is. we went early at opening and left about 3 hours later to get our bicycles to explore the area around which i highly recommend everyone to do. That part i liked more than the gardens!
This is heavenly! I wouldn’t bother to be guided by a map among those flower beds! Mine was a very non-seasonal visit, if there is a word like that! The white cherry blossoms are a pleasant surprise. How I am yearning to get there now.
Keukenhof gardens is something I missed badly when I was in Amsterdam as it wasn’t the season then. I loved the pictures that you have put and now I am really making sure that next time I head to AMS, it got to be during April season so I can see them blooming.
I have seen so many stunning pictures and videos of Keukenhof Gardens which is always on my wish and I would love to see so many tulips blooming as they are very famous. It is great that you had experienced blue skies and lovely temperature. Good to know that there is direct bus “Keukenhof Express” from the airport to the flower gardens. Thanks for sharing all tips.