The Netherlands in Tulip Season
The Netherlands is stunning any time of year, but the entire country comes to life during tulip season. These flowers have become an iconic symbol of Dutch culture, and when you see them in person, it’s no wonder; the experience is nothing short of magical. I recommend adding a tulip field frolicking trip to your bucket list. Laten we gaan!
Getting There
From the east coast of the U.S., Amsterdam is a quick, direct flight away. Delta frequently has affordable flights to and from the Dutch capital. I was already in Germany, so it was an easy train ride and an hour-long EasyJet flight away. The Netherlands has a well-connected train system, so you’ll find it simple to get to your accommodation via Amsterdam Centraal.
Where to Stay
I was lucky to be traveling with a friend who has traveled the Netherlands extensively, and she recommended staying outside of Amsterdam. We rented an Airbnb in Leiden, and it was the right choice. Kind of like a quieter mini-Amsterdam, Leiden is a charming college town located conveniently near many of the famous tulip viewing spots we visited throughout the week. There’s plenty of great shopping, beautiful architecture, and delicious restaurants.
What to Do
Day 1: Explore Amsterdam
While Amsterdam is a fantastic city with tons to do, I’d recommend that most of your trip focuses on the areas outside the capital. That being said, you should still enjoy a full day exploring the city, known for its liberal attitude and stunning canals. On our first morning, we took an LGBT Tour with our wonderful guide Sanne, learning about the Netherlands’ queer history, sex worker’s rights, feminism, and more. It was an enlightening and unique view of the city and focused mainly on the famous red-light district. Enjoy the markets that pop up throughout the city in the afternoon and take in the iconic canals. If you want to visit the Anne Frank House, make sure you book a time slot a few weeks out, they sell out quickly. Once the sun sets, the red light district livens up, and you can take advantage of Amsterdam’s incredible nightlife, or if it’s up your alley, the iconic Coffeeshops. Finally, end the night with an evening canal cruise, complete with drinks and Dutch cheese, as you learn more about the architecture and origins of Amsterdam.
Day 2: Leiden & Zaanse Schans
Spend your morning enjoying brunch in Leiden, and take a stroll around; climbing up the steps of the Burcht van Leiden offers amazing views of the city. If you’re in the mood for gardens, the Hortus Botanicus will surely do the trick, or check out one of Leiden’s dozens of museums. For your fill of Dutch windmills and culture, you can’t miss the beautiful Zaanse Schans. We were able to travel easily by bus from Leiden Centraal. The Zaans Museum consists of preserved 18th-century windmills and different exhibitions about traditional Dutch village life and artisan crafts, like cheese-making, wooden clogs, and farming! No matter where you go, the views are unreal, and there are baby goats, guys. Baby goats.
Day 3: Visit Floriade
Floriade is a horticultural exhibition put on every ten years in the city of Almere. The main focus of the show is finding solutions for eco-friendly urban planning and innovating ways in which we can live more in line with nature. You could easily spend 2 or 3 days here exploring both sides of this massive event, but we enjoyed ourselves in one day and didn’t feel we needed to return for the rest. It’s kind of like Epcot for horticultural enthusiasts, with installations from countries around the world. It’s worth noting that there wasn’t a ton of shade, so bring a hat and some sunscreen if you’re planning on spending the day. If you’re visiting the Netherlands after the exhibition is over, I’d recommend a day exploring The Hague or Rotterdam!
Day 4: Lisse & Keukenhof
Finally, your tulip-frolicking day has arrived. Just a 30-40 minute bus ride from Leiden is the beautiful town of Lisse, famous for its tulip fields and iconic botanical gardens, Keukenhof. I recommend that you start your morning by renting a Renzy, a small electric car with a built-in GPS that takes you to all the best tulip viewing spots. This was such a fun and unique way to explore the fields, we had such a blast breezing around, making photo stops, and running through the fields. Once you finish, head over to Keukenhof, and you’ll really be in tulip heaven. I had no idea how many colors and varieties of tulips there were, you can spend hours here and still not see them all! There is also plenty of food options and gift shopping to bring a bit of the Netherlands back home with you.
Tips for Visiting the Netherlands in Tulip Season
Book popular activities like Keukenhof and the Anne Frank House well in advance, as they will most likely be sold out if you try to enter the day of.
When arriving in the Netherlands, buy a transit card and load it up; the trains and buses are a bit pricey, but still significantly cheaper than Uber and so convenient.
This is peak tourist season for the Netherlands, so be prepared for some places to be quite busy! We didn’t find that anywhere was absurdly packed, but Amsterdam’s city center and Zaanse Schans were definitely bustling.
