How To See More Tulips In Lisse When You Visit Keukenhof
The most famous pictures of the Netherlands are absolutely of the tulip fields in the spring. The dazzling and somehow perfect rows of the pastel hues of the tulips are iconic and with fields just 30 minutes from Amsterdam, they’re surprisingly accessible. This year we’ve been residing in Haarlem, which is just north of Lisse so there was no doubt I had to check out those iconic tulip fields.
The picturesque town of Lisse and the celebrated Keukenhof Gardens are the epicenters of the tulip extravaganza in the Netherlands. But, if you’re planning a trip there, make sure to really maximize the experience and see more than just the Keukenhof gardens. My favorite tulip field views were actually outside of the garden… so let me tell you how to see the tulip fields in Lisse and get your own photos in the fields (without angering any local tulip farmers).
How to see the Dutch tulips:
- What to know about Lisse
- When to witness the tulip bloom
- The beauty of Keukenhof Gardens
- Explore the tulip fields in Lisse
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What to know about Lisse
Lisse, a quaint town southwest of Amsterdam and near Amsterdam Schipol Airport, is synonymous with tulips. The Keukenhof Gardens here are a tulip haven, where millions of flowers bloom annually. Lisse’s proximity to the sea and its sandy soil make it an ideal environment for cultivating tulips so even a drive around the area in the spring will provide gorgeous views.
The local farmers are the unsung heroes behind these enchanting fields, focusing on tulip bulb production for both domestic and international markets. This area is one of the most popular areas for international tourists to visit in the spring in the Netherlands due to the ease of access.
When to witness the tulip bloom
The tulip season in Lisse generally lasts from March to May. However, to truly capture the fields at their peak, my photographer neighbor recommended going on the later end. You can also stay updated with the flower forecasts with tools like Flower Radar which provides daily updates by locals, offering invaluable insights into the status of the blooms. Something to know is that the tulips are planted and bloom at different times so you may see a number of rows all blooming and then rows not blooming at all.
The beauty of Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof, known as the ‘Garden of Europe’, is more than just a garden; it’s a celebration of colors and gorgeous flowers everywhere that you look. Covering 32 hectares and attracting about 1.5 million visitors annually, Keukenhof is a testament to floral artistry. The garden is a meticulously designed tapestry of tulips, showcasing over 7 million bulbs. What’s important to know about Keukenhof though, is it’s a garden, a well-cultivated and curated garden, but it’s not the tulip fields that you might be picturing in your head.
When you’re not enjoying the tulip views, you’ll find pavilions in various areas that feature diverse flower species on display, changing throughout the season.
Did you know: Keukenhof is only open for 8 weeks a year?
Whisper Boat Experience: If you visit Keukenhof, there are a variety of things to do inside and one of them is a boat ride through the waterways with tulip fields. I go back and forth about recommending this experience though because when you’re on the boat, you’re actually sitting below the flowers. The boat leaders are friendly and will let you stand for a photo, but will tell you not to stand the entire time. They are quite interesting in that they provide an audio guide that has some really interesting information about the flowers and gardens though.
How to get to Keukenhof Gardens
- Hours: March – May: Every day: 8:00am ~ 7:30pm
- Address: Stationsweg 166A, 2161 AM Lisse, Netherlands
- By Bus: From Haarlem Station, Amsterdam Station, and Schipol Ariport, you can find public buses that will take you directly to bus stops nearest the gardens. During the peak blooming season, there are also numerous private buses that will take you there as well.
- Join a tour:
- Keukenhof Ticket + tulip farm, cruise, etc.: There are a variety of great Keukenhof tour options on Klook. If you don’t want to worry about the transportation and see a variety of things, this is your best best.
Tips for a fulfilling Keukenhof experience
Manage your expectations: While Keukenhof is a gorgeous flower garden, it’s not where you’ll find the vast tulip fields of the Netherlands. There are some fields nearby and you can see them as you walk from the bus stop to the gardens, but I think there’s quite a bit of confusion about where to find the fields and what Keukenhof is.
There are fields of tulips in the surrounding countryside so you should definitely rent bikes to see them after you visit the Keukenhof gardens.
Plan ahead: Advance online ticket purchases are recommended so you can get in faster and easier. On top of that, you can also book transportation along with your ticket directly on the Keukenhof website.
Go early: We arrived at the gardens about a half hour after the opening time and there was already quite a crowd meandering around. But, as we were on our way out around lunch time, there was an even larger crowd so go early if you can.
Take food and water: There is a cafe there to get lunch if you want, but it’s busy. If you can, take something with you to tide you over.
Navigating the gardens: Keukenhof’s expanse can be overwhelming, make sure you grab a map at the entrance. A map is essential to navigate the floral labyrinth of the gardens.
Explore the tulip fields in Lisse
To immerse yourself in the iconic Dutch tulip fields, a bike ride into Lisse is a must. If you visit Keukenhof, then out near the carpark is a bike rental stand. Not only an authentically Dutch way to explore, it also means you can pull off easily and take pictures.
Biking in the area was by far my favorite part of visiting the Keukenhof garden. The rental stand provides a map with recommended routes which is ideal if you don’t know your way around the area. They’ve even put up arrows on the routes so you don’t have to dangerously stare at your map while you’re on the bike paths.
Rent-a-Bike van Dam-Keukenhof
- Address: Stationsweg 166A, 2161 AM Lisse, Netherlands (Keukenhof parking lot entrance)
- Hours: Every day: 9:00am until 7:00pm
- Pre-book online: https://rentabikevandam-keukenhof.com
- You don’t have to pre-book bikes. We walked up and got them on the day without any issue, but you can if you like the planning ahead thing.
Uitkijkpunt Tespelduyn
Once on your bike, you’ll set out with your nifty map and one of the first fields you’ll come to is near the Uitkijkpunt Tespelduyn scenic view stop. Park your bike and walk along the fields and then climb the steps up to get a view out over the fields from above. You can either just pull over in the dirt, but there are also actual places to lock up your bike near the steps that go up to the viewpoint.
- Address: Tespellaan, 2211 VT Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands
- Hours: Every day: 7:30am ~ 5:30pm
Tulip Experience Amsterdam
If you’re looking for a place to take that quintessential picture of you traipsing in tulip fields without traipsing into farmers fields, this is the place you want to visit in Lisse. Most of the tulip fields in the region are privately owned and the farmers make their living by farming the tulips so you don’t want to go walking in and out of the fields ruining the flowers. To meet the interest though, you can visit Tulip Experience Amsterdam (which isn’t in Amsterdam at all mind you), and enjoy the flowers to your delight.
There’s a little exhibition space inside and a cafe for a snack which is great for a break from the bike riding and then beautiful flowers you can really get up close and personal with. You can even take a tulip home with you for free.
- Address: Delfweg 37, 2211 VK Noordwijkerhout, Netherlands
- Website: https://tulipexperienceamsterdam.nl
The Tulip Barn
Another open farm in the area that you can can visit that is similar to the above Tulip Experience Amsterdam and is ready for visitors that want to take flower-photos. These farms come with an entrance fee, but they’re totally worth it.
The Tulip Barn has food and bathrooms on-site and beautiful tulip fields as well as a number of Instagrammable photo-ops set up. We went here this year and loved the trips. The walk from the train station wasn’t bad at all and also takes you by other tulip fields.
- Address: 3e Loosterweg 130, 2182 CX Hillegom, Netherlands
- Admission: €8.50
- Website: https://thetulipbarn.com
Visiting the tulips in Lisse and Keukenhof is more than a trip; it’s an encounter with the heart of Dutch culture and nature’s beauty. Plan a trip to one of the most beautiful tulip areas in the Netherlands and plan to spend the entire day there seeing all that you can see!
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