It’s the time of year when the landscape of the Netherlands comes alive, with every colour of the rainbow…. as it’s tulip season!!

It’s my favourite time of the year, and I always make sure I spend a lot of time in the bulb region, Bollenstreek, which is generally south of Amsterdam-ish. But, there’s also another bulb region, in the north, about an hour and a bit above Amsterdam.

In this guide, I’m gonna share a few of my tips for visiting the most popular (and some not so popular, but just as visually stunning!) bulb fields in the Netherlands during the bulb season. I hope you enjoy it.

First of all, you can start seeing various spring bulbs if you visit during March, as the crocus, hyacinth, and early daffodils come through. However, it’s not usually until the last week of March that the gardens of the Keukenhof open up, and start to get busy with visitors.

As each week passes, more and more spring bulbs join the procession, and there’s always something to see whenever you go between March and late May, when Keukenhof closes its gates for another year.

Where are the bulb fields in the Netherlands?

There are a number of different venues where you can see spring bulbs in the Netherlands – it’s not just Keukenhof, although it’s the biggest and most well known.

I recommend hiring a car and driving around to see some different fields to get the full experience! Here are the details of some of my favourite bulb fields in the Netherlands:

Keukenhof
Stationsweg 166A
2161 AM Lisse
Website: keukenhof.nl

De Tulperij
Oude Herenweg 16 B
2215 RZ Voorhout
Website: detulperij.nl

Poldertuin
Molenvaart 2
1761 AJ Anna Paulowna
Website: poldertuin.mystrikingly.com

Floratuin Julianadorp
Rijksweg 85
1787 PK Julianadorp
Website: floratuin.com

1. Sit by the window of the plane

If you’re someone who likes to be on the aisle, as you need to run to the toilet a lot, you need to forget about that on the (really quite short) flight from London to Amsterdam.

If you sit by the window, you will get a drone-like view of the bulb fields which will make you ooh and aah. As long as the sky is clear, you’ll enjoy a patchwork of rainbow colour, and it’s sooo worth it!!

Inside the Keukenhof gardens

2. Willem-Alexander Pavilion

Now, as a bit of a plantsman, my first stop is always this particular pavilion, where they tend to showcase brand-new tulips. Everything is laid out in rows, which makes it easy to navigate, and pick out your favourites.

The beds are constantly refreshed, so there is always something new to see. You may even see some new ones, which only have numbers, not even a name yet! You will also see a lot of unique displays that feature some favourites such as Hosta, Astilbe and Amaryllis, depending on the season.

3. My absolute favourite spot

Within 32 hectares, I imagine it’s hard to find a favourite spot in the gardens, as there is SO MUCH TO SEE… but this little corner always has my heart. I will attempt to show you on the map exactly where it is:

I just love the winding pathway, the imposing trees, and the patchwork of spring flowering bulbs. It looks very fairytale, I could get lost in that space for hours.

4. The “bulbmania” garden

You might be mistaken for thinking that the Keukenhof is all about bright colours, but rest assured there are plenty of wild, botanical looking areas too!

A recently developed area by JUB Holland bulb supplier and Rijnbeek the perennial supplier is quite near the entrance. It’s a harmonious blend of herbaceous perennials, mixed with some real connoisseur choices of spring bulbs, all curated by designer Carien van Boxtel.

5. The orchid show in the Beatrix Pavillion

With so much innovation in orchids, you can really indulge in the Beatrix Pavilion, which is usually pairing up these beauties with a range of known houseplants. Expect to see a lot of world class floristry and creative, and maybe a few dyed orchids, too – purists, look away now!

6. The most chilled coffee spot

One of my favourite spots for a cup of (strong) Dutch coffee is right over by the edge of the park, where you get an awesome view of some of the outer bulbfields, plus the windmill. And the best bit? The coffee shop is inside a greenhouse!!

7. The boat trip

I think it’s always quite magical to see the spring bulbs at eye-level, and that’s what you get to do if you join the boat trip at the Keukenhof! It’s a completely different perspective, don’t miss this out.

8. The Muscari River

This little spot is the perfect place for a selfie. The glorious blue grape hyacinths, also known as Muscari, have been planted as a giant river, winding through the trees. This is one to see if you’re a relatively early visitor as, by late April, the colours will be fading, so be quick if you want to get that shot!

9. Visit after 6pm if you want a quiet stroll

A little insider tip, most of the coaches leave by late afternoon, so if you want to have the park all to yourself, why not walk at about 6 pm, you’ll still have one hour of opening time to enjoy the grounds.

When you’re there at this time, everything is a little quieter, which means you’ll be able to hear the birds that love to tweet in the trees. In fact, make sure you spend a lot of time looking at the trees, as they are one of the most magnificent parts of Keukenhof – not everything exciting is at ground level…

10. Get a kroket for lunch!!

Now here is a food that is one of my favourite things in Dutch cuisine, but it’s very hard to describe to an outsider. It’s basically like a big blob of meat, which is deep-fried, and then put into a bread roll, with lashings of mustard. It sounds awful on paper, but trust me, you will want to have a second one…

Outside the Keukenhof Gardens

If you’re visiting the bulb region, I would always recommend that you get a car. This way, you can drive around the beautiful bulb fields, and really soak up the atmosphere.

Remember, try not to step in the fields though, because that can spread disease, and you’re basically trampling on a farmers crop. So, always be respectful, and take photos from a distance. And, don’t brake suddenly, either – traffic can build up during bulb season, so be courteous to others!

11. See the bulb fields by car

Here, let me show you the route to take by car, or bicycle, if you want to see the fields of bulbs. Don’t panic if you see farmers deadheading them by machine though, they need to do this to preserve the energy within the bulb, as ultimately it will be sold!

And the route finishes at….

12. Visit de Tulperij cafe

Of my favourite spots, and I can’t wait to go there each spring. They serve great coffee, and a really nice Dutch style cake, called a Mon Chou- basically a cherry cheesecake.

It’s a working bulb farm, where they plant out tulip trials and have a pick your own garden too. During the height of the season, they also do tours of their premises.

(They also do a great display of Dahlias in midsummer too!)

13. Visit Lisse Intratuin

While you’re in the vicinity, why not pop into a Dutch Garden centre for a real experience? They are laid out so professionally, and you walk around it like an IKEA. The plant stock is always looking shiny and interesting, and I always get a lot of ideas by having a little stroll.

14. Drive a microcar through the bulb region!

Over recent years, tourism has boomed in the bulb region, and there are now many ways to tour. Here’s one I’d love to try – driving your own Renault Twizy microcar around the area. It includes GPS and audio commentary too!

See the tour on Tripadvisor here.

Further afield for more tulip fields in the Netherlands

With car rental, you can go even further, and maybe visit the North Holland bulb region, where you’ll find fewer tourists.

15. Visit the super quiet Poldertuin

It’s like a miniature Keukenhof, and hardly anyone knows about it.. Shh!! Completely free to visit, and full to the brim with existing and new varieties of all types of bulb. It’s simply a huge garden, with a grand home in the centre, no frills and you certainly can’t get a coffee, but who cares – we are here for the flowers, right?!

16. The Floratuin in Julianadorp

Another hidden gem in the North Holland region, Floratuin Julianadorp is an outdoor showroom of spring bulb varieties, with a shop where you can buy too. You can also pick your own bunch of flowers (treat the person who makes up your hotel room each day, perhaps!)

There’s also a bit of breeding being done here, so make sure you wander all the rows and have a peek! As it’s an exposed site, you can often feel a bit windswept here on a rough day, so be warned 🙂

17. Check out the beach!

The best kept secret of the Netherlands (yes, another one) is the beaches. Wow. They are wide, sandy and have tonnes of space! A nice beach walk on any day can really clear the mind… and when it’s sunny, you might want to stay for a picnic. Here’s one you might like.

Oh, and there’s a few nude beaches around too!

18. Go watch planes

I am such a travel geek – I love to go watch planes when I can, and right by Schiphol airport there is the perfect spot. It’s such a professional setup, you can even grab some Dutch fast food while you’re there!! If I ever have time spare between meetings, I’ll always head to the Spottersplaats Polderbaan.

19. The fine city of Haarlem

In terms of cities, you’ve probably heard of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, etc – but do you know Haarlem? It’s probably the classiest city of all, and has a nice botanical slant, with some gorgeous flower shops. It’s also where I discovered the first ‘houseplant cafe’, about eight years ago now. A really nice vibe, and ofc, oodles of history too!

Thanks for joining me for a whistlestop tour of tips for The Netherlands in the spring, during the big beautiful bulb season! If you’re still curious about the Keukenhof and how it’s planned and planted, click HERE… they even let me plant a few bulbs once, oo-er… I am never sure if they did come up or not!!?