Where to see tulip fields near Amsterdam

What is the best time to see tulips in Amsterdam? Tulip season officially runs from late March to early May, but the bulb fields are usually at their best around mid-April. This is when the many thousands of acres of spring flowers are in full bloom and the bud is actually open. In the first week of May, the flower is then cut off so that the bulb can put all its energy into growing. The bigger the bulb, the better, because it will eventually be sold.

The blooming of the flowers depends heavily on the weather conditions in the first months of the year. So it is not easy to predict the bloom of the flower fields.

The blooming of the flowers depends heavily on the weather conditions in the first months of the year. So it is not easy to predict the bloom of the flower fields. The most important question is  where to see tulip fields near Amsterdam? 

Visiting flower fields

The Keukenhof is world famous, but I personally like to bike or walk along the colorful fields. It is more spacious, more chaotic and often in the middle of nature. So I can enjoy it intensely. As a result, each time, It is wonderful to explore by yourself, whether on foot or by bike. Where you can experience the sunrise, or the sunset. That’s how beautiful the Netherlands can be.

Tulip fields visit: etiquette

First things first: please be careful with the flowers. I regularly see pictures of people standing between the flowers and damaging the tulips. That is not the intention.

The tulip fields are an important source of income, and many farmers therefore do not approve of you just entering their fields. Always ask permission in advance, and never pick your own flowers directly from the fields. Often you will come across small flower stalls along the way where you can buy a nice bunch of Dutch tulips, and otherwise you can always stop by the florist.

Viewing bulb fields in North and South Holland

The largest continuous bulb-growing area in the Netherlands is found in the northern part of North Holland, roughly between Den Oever, Den Helder, Schagen, and Medemblik. The dune area in the north of the country offers the perfect soil type for flower bulbs, so you’ll find bulb fields in many more places in North Holland.

You can normally view bulbs starting in late March, but it depends on the weather what the optimal time is. If it is a warm year or suddenly warms up quickly, the bulb fields can bloom quickly. To avoid disappointment, it’s best to make regular inquiries. I kept a finger on the pulse at Castricum’s tourist office.

Personally, I found late April to be the best time; the tulip fields were in full bloom, and we also saw plenty of hyacinths and some blue grapes. the best of both worlds!

The area around Lisse, Hillegom, and Noordwijkerhout is a haven for lovers of bulb fields. This so-called Bulb Region lies just behind the dunes, and it is a wonderful place to be.

Another area in the region where you will find many bulb fields is the region of West Friesland. The area lies between Hoorn, Enkhuizen, and Medemblik.

Tip: Cycle this beautiful tulip route on Goeree Overflakkee (42 km). This is the southernmost island of South Holland.

Tulip fields in the bulb region

Let me start with the most obvious place to visit the tulip fields: the Bulb Region. Especially in the stretch between Lisse, Noordwijkerhout and Hillegom you can admire an awful lot of beautiful tulip fields. Because this is a relatively small area, the Bulb Region is perfect for exploring by bicycle. You can rent a bike at Keukenhof, but you can also borrow a public transport bike at the train station in Hillegom.

Tips for touring the tulip fields in the Bulb Region:

Bloemenradar – on the Bloemenradar website you will find an up-to-date map with the most beautiful locations of the flower fields.

The Tulpery – At the Tulpery in Voorhout, tulip and daffodil bulbs are grown and you can take a tour of the fields.

Annemieke picking garden – Want to take home a bunch of real Dutch tulips as a souvenir? At Annemieke’s pluktuin in Hillegom, you can pick the tulips yourself.

Bicycle route Bollenstreek – There are several beautiful bicycle routes in the Bollenstreek. The tourist office in Lisse recommends taking this route (37 km) along the following junctions: 91 – 29 – 49 – 40 – 28 – 13 – 12 – 17 – 16 – 15 – 44 – 11 – 48 – 47 – 86 – 43 – 42 – 69 – 75 – 74 – 59 – 58 – 55 – 57 – 38 – 30 – 91.

A major event in the Bulb Region is the Flower Parade. The Bloemencorso 2023 will take place on Saturday, April 22. Then a beautiful parade of flower floats will drive the entire 42-kilometer route from Noordwijk to Haarlem. This year is especially special because it is the 75th edition!

Flower bulbs at Keukenhof

Keukenhof is a large 32-hectare park northwest of Lisse (South Holland) and attracts over a million visitors each year who come to marvel at the 7 million colorful tulips, crocuses,daffodils, lilies, hyacinths and other bulbous plants. There are several beautifully landscaped gardens, flower shows, works of art and children’s activities.

Each year the park has a different theme. The Keukenhof tulip gardens will be open in 2023 from March 24 to May 15 and is easily accessible by public transportation and car. Find out more about the park on the dedicated page. All the necessary information about the Keukenhof tulip gardens you can find here. The flower park will be open from 23 March till 14 May 2023.

You can purchase Keukenhof Gardens 2023 tickets online. Tickets will also be sold at the main entrance’s box office as long as they are still available. Tickets at the box office cost € 21.50. Please be aware that Keukenhof frequently sells out on peak days. Additionally, there are no tickets on sale at the box office.

Bulb fields in the northeast polder

In the Northeast Polder (the area around Emmeloord, in northern Flevoland) you will find several large bulb fields. Tulips are mainly grown in this area. The best way to explore the area is by bicycle.

Bulb fields in Drenthe

In recent years, you can also admire more and more bulb fields in Drenthe. In the province of Drenthe, you will find mainly tulip bulbs, supplemented by gladioli and lilies. But where exactly are the bulb fields in Drenthe?

The largest concentration of tulip fields can be found in the vicinity of Dwingeloo and Diever, where there are several flower bulb growers. Together, they have plotted several bicycle routes along the most beautiful tulip fields, and for those who want, there is also a car route. On all routes, you pass the tulip picking garden in Drenthe, where you can put together your own beautiful bunch of tulips!

The flower bulb growers of Drenthe invite you! 

Bulb fields in Brabant and Gelderland

You can also find bulb fields in the province of North Brabant, although fewer than in North and South Holland. They are also more scattered, so you have to be a little more intentional about looking for them. So where do you find these bulb fields? In the west of the province, almost up against the Biesbosch, the municipality of Hank has a small amount of colorful bulb fields. A little further towards Zeeland, bulb fields can also be found in Heijningen (the municipality of Moerdijk).

Along the A58 between Roosendaal and Bergen op Zoom, you will come across a very large field of red tulips near the town of Wouw. They are not accessible, so you can only see them from the highway.

In Gelderland, I discovered this beautiful field along the main road (N 813) between Didam and Zevenaar. One very large field full of colorful red and yellow tulips If you are in the area, you should definitely drive by. One field also makes you very happy.

Bulb fields in Groningen, Friesland, and Zeeland

Although the North and South Holland coasts have the reputation of being the bulb areas of the Netherlands, you can also find bulb fields and bulb producing companies in Zeeland, Groningen, and Friesland. For example, several fields you can see in the area around the Groningen town of Spijk in the extreme northern tip of Groningen.  However, the offer is much smaller in scale, but if you are from the region itself, I would definitely inquire with local entrepreneurs or the tourist office, for example.

Zeeuws-Vlaanderen

Beautiful tulip fields can also be seen in Zeeland. These can be found mainly in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, around the municipalities of Terneuzen and Hulst. The flower fields are mostly near each other, especially around the towns of Graauw, Lamswaarde, and Absdale, making it easy to take a walk or bike ride to see the tulips.

• For example, start your hike in Lamswaarde and then head to Graauw. Walk along the Liniedijk here, where you can find lots of tulip fields.
• Drive or walk on to Nieuw-Namen and then to Clinge.
• In this triangle, you will also encounter many beautiful tulip fields.
• Also make a round trip between Hulst, Koewacht and Absdale for even more tulip fields.
• You can also find tulip fields in other parts of Zeeland. For example, in the west of Zeeuws-Vlaanderen you will find beautiful tulip fields around Aardenburg, and in Zuid-Beveland there are also many tulip fields near Heinkenszand.
• Walk along the Oudelandseweg here, for example, where you’ll walk among the tulip fields on both sides of the road.
• During the flowering season, you can find different routes and more information about the tulip fields in Zeeland at VVV Zeeland tourist information office.

How to reach Zeeuws-Vlaanderen?

Count on a 30-minute travel time from Ghent. From Antwerp, the drive takes about 40 minutes. From Amsterdam, a car ride to Terneuzen takes about two and a half hours, and from Utrecht and The Hague, it is also easily a two-hour drive.

Tulip Route

Every year from mid-April to early May, a signposted route runs along some 1,000 acres of tulip fields. You can travel this Tulip Route either by car or bicycle, and according to National Geographic, it is one of the most beautiful car routes in the world.

• With some 100 kilometers of marked roads, it is therefore the longest route in the Netherlands between the tulip fields. It is therefore recommended to do this route by car.
• Begin this route at the Tulip Information Center, located at Wrakken Pad 2 in Creil
• Then stop by the Tulip Experience Field on Creilerpad 12 in Creil, where you’ll find a public show garden with some 300 different varieties of tulips.
• Each year, there are special photo fields (selfie fields) on the Creiler Trail.
• More information about the Tulip Route can be found at the local tourist office, where you can get detailed directions.
• You can also find more information about the Tulip Route on the website. At the beginning of the year, new walking, cycling and driving routes are posted here among the tulips in the Northeast Polder.
• Every year, you can experience the Profit Dsd Tulip Festival in the Nooroosterpolder. Check out all the activities organized during the flowering period.

National Tulip Day: tulips from Amsterdam

Every year on the third Saturday in January, National Tulip Day is celebrated. It is the kickoff of the (cut) tulip season. You will probably think, “huh?” January already?

Cut tulips, that is, a bunch of tulips, are usually grown in greenhouses or hatcheries. and not in a bulb field. Picking gardens is an exception, of course. So that’s why we have tulips so early in the year!

In 2023, National Tulip Day will be celebrated on Saturday, January 21. On that day, the entire dam is filled with a specially constructed picking garden! Here, you can pick a bunch of tulips completely free of charge. 

Tulip Festival Amsterdam

Throughout the month of April, Amsterdam is dedicated to the Tulip Festival. Every year, tulips are erected throughout the capital, adding color to the city!

Other cities are also decorated with beautiful tulips. For example, Dokkum Tulip City is in bloom for 100 days from February to June!

Hotels near Keukenhof gardens 

Spending the night near the tulip fields is the ideal scenario. Even in the middle of the tulip fields are some hotels and B&B establishments. Enjoy the tulips in the background as the sun rises or sets.

Bollenstreek, the area that includes the tulip fields and Keukenhof Gardens, makes a great starting point for exploring Holland. In addition to the flower meadows, you should also explore the expansive sandy beach. The distance to historic cities like Amsterdam, Leiden, and Haarlem is roughly 30 minutes by car.

Cycling trails go along the tulip fields and are available at all hotels.

Noordwijk hotels

Noordwijk Boulevard is the starting point of the Dutch Flower Parade. Make sure to reserve your hotel early if you plan to stay the night in Noordwijk when the Flower Parade is taking place.

Conclusion

If you’re in the Netherlands during tulip season, you must visit the famed tulip fields near Amsterdam. You feel truly in the springtime thanks to the lovely hues and aromas. You may see the tulips and flower meadows at their most beautiful with the help of these sightseeing tours. In the Bollenstreek, all tourist trips begin close to Keukenhof Gardens (flower region). 

Did you know….
When you buy something after clicking on one of my links, I get a small commission. However, you continue to pay the same amount!