What’s on your bucket list? If you love color and flowers, add Keukenhof to it. Yes, the Netherlands needs to be on your spring excursion list.
From March 20 to May 11, 2025, Keukenhof explodes with breathtaking color. The quiet town of Lisse in South Holland comes to life with more than a million visitors, all hankering for a glimpse of the glorious floral displays. A visit will give you a never-to-forget experience that you’ll be talking about for years. Make sure your camera batteries are charged up!
Keukenhof has been called the world’s most beautiful spring garden, and it’s not an exaggeration. Seven million spring-flowering bulbs bloom on 79 acres of Dutch parkland. The star of the show is the tulip, but you’ll also see hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, anthurium, and orchids.
The Big Idea
The idea for a floral exhibition was spawned by a group of bulb growers and exporters in 1949. They wanted to organize an exhibition to showcase the flower bulb trade. They succeeded, in a big way!
More than 500 growers bring their “best and brightest” to the park for a mind-boggling display of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, anthurium, and orchids. In addition to the 9.3 miles of paths that meander through the park, three indoor pavilions will feature colorful and whimsical displays.
In addition to the never-ending paths and floral displays, there are pavilions to explore where you’ll discover flowers that you’ve never seen let alone imagined! The sights and smells can be overwhelming. It’s a sensory bonanza.
Helpful Information
You’ll also find lots of food and beverage outlets. You can bring your own food, but it may only be eaten in marked picnic areas.
The park is open daily from March 20 to May 11, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Just a little sidebar, if you are coming from Schipol airport or have lots to carry, it’s nice to know there are storage lockers available.
Best Time to Visit
My favorite time to visit is in April when tulips seem to be at their best. It’s hard to predict what week is optimal as blooming times depend on weather conditions. This year, things seem to be blooming a bit later than usual.
In March, you’ll see more crocuses, daffodils, hyacinths and early-blooming tulips. Later in the season, you’ll see a bigger variety of tulips. If you are curious about what is on display, check out the schedule.
Book a Tour
Discover the highlights of Keukenhof in 60 minutes with a professional guide. Learn about the history of Keukenhof, the theme of this year’s show, the different planting techniques, the inspiration gardens, the windmill and the different flower shows. This gives you a good basis for the rest of your visit. Tours are available in Dutch, English, German, and French with a maximum 25 persons per guide.
Ride a Whisperboat
A 45-minute whisperboat tour is also available for those visiting Keukenhof. The price is €10,00 for adults, €5,00 for children from 4-11, and free for children 3 and younger.
Rent a Bicycle
You can ride near the tulip fields of Lisse and get a closer look at all the flowers. The cost is €11 for three hours.
Tickets
Tickets are sold for pre-determined time slots in half-hour arrival increments. Watch out! You need to be on time to guarantee entrance. Tickets are €20 for adults and € 9,00 for children 4-17. Children younger than 4 are admitted for free. You can buy your tickets online via www.keukenhof.nl.
How to Get There
By Car:
Set your GPS to Stationsweg 166A, 2161 AM Lisse. Parking is €9 per car or motorcycle. Traffic is heavy, so be sure to give yourself LOTS of time to get there and park so you don’t lose your entrance time slot.
By Public Transportation:
Travel by bus from Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam RAI, Leiden Central Station and Haarlem Station
Special Event
If you are up for a special day with lots of flowers and even more people, don’t miss the Bollenstreek Flower Parade on Saturday, April 12, 2025. You’ll need to arrive well before noon when the roads close for the Flower Parade, making it impossible to reach Keukenhof. Roads reopen at 5 p.m. The park recommends that you choose another day if you are only interested in seeing Keukenhof.
Helpful Tips
- The best time of day to visit is in the early morning or late in the day. Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays are less crowded. Try to avoid weekends, if you can. It’s just too busy!
- Buy a combination ticket that combines transport and your park entrance fee. It’s the best value. This day ticket is both your entrance ticket for Keukenhof and the ticket for your journey by public transport on that day. For example, a round trip bus ticket and park admission from Schipol Airport in Amsterdam is €32 for adults and €15 for children. Click here for more information.
- Preview the garden at www.keukenhof.nl to get an idea of what you are most interested in seeing.
- Say those good weather prayers. I’ve been to Keukenhof on sunny and rainy days. Trust me, the sunny days are better, but with a good raincoat and an umbrella, you’ll be fine even on rainy days.
