How to Visit the Amsterdam Tulip Fields: Best Spots & Tips
I recently fulfilled the dream of visiting the Amsterdam Tulip Fields. This quick guide will break down our day, all the locations where you can see the beautiful blooms and tips for visiting. Though most marketing says Amsterdam Tulip Experience, the fields are located in Lisse, about forty minutes outside of Amsterdam.
Tulip fields in Lisse
When to Go
Peak bloom each year will depend on the weather during the winter, but typically, you can expect to start seeing blooms in late March until early May. You can keep an eye on the expected bloom forecast here; each year, they will add a new page with the updates for that season. During my recent trip, I went the week of April 8, 2025, and most the fields were about 60% bloomed, with the expected peak being around April 18.
Where to Go
Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens
Keukenhof Gardens is the primary location where you can see all varieties of tulips, set in a stunning botanical garden backdrop. In addition to the tulips planted all over the gardens, they also have a covered indoor area with unique and rare varieties to enjoy. Plan to spend several hours here; the earlier you arrive, the better. By 10:00 on a Tuesday, the crowds were coming in droves, and it was packed. If you want a photo of their windmill on the property, plan to arrive with the 8:00 entry and go straight there for a photo without the crowds. We arrived at 8:45 and would come right at 8:00 the next time. You can select your date and time slot online, though you can come and go anytime after your time slot.
After Keukenhof, a bike is the best way to explore nearby tulip fields. You can rent a bike on-site at Keukenhof for three hours or the entire day. We opted for the entire-day rental (38 euros for two bikes with baskets). If there are no reservations available online, they save bikes for same-day rental. You should be able to secure one if you arrive before 10:30. Since there were none available online a week before our trip, we walked outside the gardens (get your hand stamped for easy return), picked up our bikes and parked them in the bike parking area for later and returned to the gardens. When you pick up your bike, they provide you with a map of the routes outlined, and there are three different routes and fields from which you can choose.
Our second stop of the day was De Tulperji at 15:00. At this time, they only had daffodils in bloom that you would walk among, and to be honest, if I had to do it again, I would probably skip this spot or grab a later time slot (when we booked 15:00 was the only option). Maybe in another few weeks, it would be better when the tulips bloomed, but it didn’t seem like there would be that many tulips from the rows we saw. Perhaps it varies each year, but that was my experience. However, the bike ride along the purple route to this location was beautiful. The hyacinth was in full bloom, and the smell as you pedaled around the fields was sweet, flowery, and fresh.
Daffodils at De Tulperji
We spent the next few hours pedaling around the fields, stopping whenever we saw a photo opp. One thing to note: The fields are strictly off-limits to walk into unless you have booked a ticket to do so through one of the farms on this list. We saw several tourists not adhering to this, and seeing this behavior always upsets me. Just because the field is open doesn’t mean you can just walk into it and take photos. Please be respectful. Okay, back to the itinerary.
Tulip fields you can see while biking around Lisse
The Tulip Barn
Our last stop of the day was at the Tulip Barn. We purchased a ticket for the 18:00 time slot, and the light was perfect. The property itself has a café and food truck on site, plenty of picnic tables outdoors to sit and enjoy, and tables inside by the café. There is also a cute shop where you can pick up gifts and souvenirs. During the week, they close at 19:00, but on Friday, they stay open later so you can enjoy the sunset. If your visit aligns with this, I highly recommend snagging one of those tickets! This stop was my favorite of the day. By the time we arrived, it wasn’t that crowded, so we were able to enjoy the fields as the light softened. Their fields were 65% bloomed but still had many colors and flowers to enjoy. We stayed here as late as we could before we had to quickly pedal back to Keukenhof to return our bikes by the 19:00 cut-off.
The Tulip Barn
Other ways you can see tulips:
Fam Flower Farm (only open two days a year for tulip visits; follow their socials for updates)
Guided Bike Tours
Getting There
If you do not have a car, the most economical way to get to Keukenhof is to book a bus ticket in conjunction with your entry ticket to the gardens. Buses run nonstop all day from Amsterdam, but the line can get quite long to get on and return. We opted to split an Uber (use Uber instead of standard taxis during your time in Amsterdam; it’s much cheaper to get around) and scheduled our drop-off and pick-up times within the app.
Hyacinth fields around Amsterdam
Weather & Packing
Though I checked the weather nonstop before my trip, it was still cooler with the wind than I had anticipated. We didn’t get any rain, but I had to buy a hat at one point because I had just not packed warm enough. Even if the weather shows 11-13 C/50-52 F, bring at least one warm jacket and plenty of layers; you will not regret it. Along with your warm layers, bring sunscreen (riding on the bikes all day, we got a little windburnt), and plenty of water. There are places to eat around Lisse, and we even pedaled to the Shell for drinks and snacks.
View of the windmill at Keukenhof Gardens while biking around Lisse
Where To Stay
We stayed at the best B&B in Amsterdam, but if I return next year, I would probably spend one night in Lisse among the tulip fields, just so I could enjoy the softer evening/morning light and not have to worry about returning a rental bike or getting back into Amsterdam.
Visiting the tulip fields in Amsterdam was an incredible experience, and I hope to return again during peak bloom in the future. There is so much to do and enjoy, and I would love to visit the other areas in the Netherlands that have tulips. Stay tuned!
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