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Tulip Farm vs. Show Garden: What’s the Difference?
Keukenhof is a perfect example of a “show garden.” Flowers are placed in stunning and artistic displays within a park setting. Due to a few clever planting techniques, flowers are in bloom for the entire time the garden is open, so you never have to worry about timing.
But behind every show garden is a tulip farm, whose staff members handle the hard work of planting, raising, and harvesting these beauties. There’s a whole industry behind tulip production, and I visited several so that I could tell you about some of the best tulip farms in the Netherlands.
🌷 Important: The Golden Rule of Tulip Season
The Golden Rule of Tulip Farms: Do not walk into the flower rows of a farm without explicit permission from a farmer or unless visiting a field specific for visitors. Respect the flowers and the farm.
It might look tempting for a photo (and I was soooo tempted), but fields are private production crops, not public parks. Stepping on the soil can spread disease between bulbs, and crushing the green leaves stops the bulb from growing, effectively destroying the farmer’s harvest for next year.
You might be saying to yourself, “Well, one visitor won’t hurt anything,” but all those “just one” visitors add up.
The Good News About Visiting Tulip Farms in The Netherlands
The farms listed in this post are specifically available to visitors. The owners want you to walk in the rows, take Instagram-worthy photos of the tulips, and visit the cafes’ and shops often found on the property. In the list below are several family-owned and run tulip farms, so visiting them is a win-win-win.
To help you plan your day, I’ve pinned all these farms on the map below. The purple pin is Keukenhof, and the red pins are the farms so you can see how close they really are.
Where is Holland’s Tulip Region?
Most of the tulip farms are concentrated in a small region just west of Amsterdam. I found it easier to stay in the city of Haarlem (about 20 minutes from Amsterdam by train), but Lisse and Noordwijk are also possible home bases. To learn more about why I chose Haarlem as my home base, see my itinerary post (coming soon).
First time visitors (or repeat visitors) can also read my post: Essential Amsterdam Travel Tips.
The Best Tulip Farms to Visit in The Netherlands: Thinking Beyond Keukenhof
1. The Tulip Experience
I started my tulip farm visits at Tulip Experience Amsterdam. It has a first-class explanation of the history of tulip cultivation and I promise you will leave with a much greater understanding of the origins of “tulip mania” and the sheer amount of work it takes to grow these beauties. The Tulip Experience Amsterdam is a great “first visit” for everyone. In addition to the educational aspect of the visit, there is a cafe, outdoor fields for viewing and photos, and an indoor picking experience.
tulip inspired pastries.
- Location: Delfweg 37, 2211 VK, Noordwijkerhout
- Perfect For: Tulip Experience goes into the finer details of tulip production, but in a way that’s entertaining and educational. You will leave knowing way more than you came in and I found everyone on staff super helpful and friendly.
- Getting to The Tulip Experience Amsterdam: Travel to Hillegom train station from Haarlem or Amsterdam. From there, take Bus 22 to Leiden and get off at the Ruigenhoek stop. It’s only a 10-minute walk to Tulip Experience Amsterdam from the bus stop.
- Don’t Miss: Be sure to try the tulip lemonade and tulip pastry found at the onsite Cafe. It was heavenly!
As of this writing, The Tulip Experience Amsterdam handles all ticket sales, tours etc. directly on their website.
2. The Tulip Barn
What feels like just around the corner from The Tulip Experience is the Tulip Barn. It’s very family-friendly and whimsical atmosphere, and along with the number of props available for your Instagram photos, it is also one of the best tulip farms in the Netherlands.
- Location: The Tulip Barn, 3e Loosterweg, Hillegom, The Netherlands
- Perfect For: The Tulip Barn is very family-friendly. It has several whimsical props for your Instagram photos. There’s also a cafe, small shop selling ice cream, and some farm animals for the kids (and animal lovers like me).
- Getting to the Tulip Barn DIY: It’s easy to get to the Tulip Barn from the Haarlem or Amsterdam train stations (detrain at Hillegom), but note that the Tulip Barn is a 20 minute walk after arriving at the train station.
Can Someone Handle the Details for Me?
Absolutely! Use this option if you don’t feel like navigating public transportation (this will save about 30-40 minutes each way in traveling time), and/or if you’re using Amsterdam as a home base. The below tour includes transportation and admission to the Tulip Barn and leaves from central Amsterdam.
3. De Tulperij
De Tulperij is set back off a country road; it’s free to enter the store to shop for bulbs, gifts, and order something in their lovely cafe. But if you want a more personal experience, consider purchasing their 45 minute guided tour that takes you into the flower fields for a photo session. You can enter the flower fields as part of a small guided group to take as many photos as you would like. A helpful staff member gives some photo tips and suggestions, and offers to take a few photos if you are alone or need someone extra to hold the camera. De Tulperij is a great spot for Instagram-worthy photos of the flowers.
- Location: Oude Herenweg 16B, 2215 RZ Voorhout
- Perfect For: A guided photo session into the flower fields. The host is full of knowledge about how to take the best photos, helping take group shots, etc.
- Getting to De Tulperij: Plan for a 30 minute drive from Amsterdam/Haarlem if traveling by car. By bus, plan for a longer commute. Hop on bus 50 to Lisse, Engelenbuurt and walk 15 minutes to the farm.
- Don’t Miss: The cafe and gift shop which sells tulip vodka, and the bulb for purchase.
Can Someone Handle the Details for Me?
You can buy your ticket to De Tulperij online through this Viator link, OR consider booking this Twizy tour! I booked one and it was so much fun; I’ll be writing about it soon.
4. Annemieke’s Pluktuin (Flower Picking Garden)
This is a family owned tulip farm I was not able to visit personally, though I really wanted to! I just ran out of time. Annemieke’s Pluktuin is THE PLACE for visitors to cut and create their own tulip bouquet.
- Location: Haarlemmerstraat 15a, 2182 HA Hillegom
- Perfect For: THE place for picking and creating your own tulip bouquet!
- Getting to Annemieke’s Pluktuin: From Haarlem and Amsterdam, it’s an easy bus ride. Take 250 towards Leiden CS and alight at Hillegom, Bethlehemlaan. It’s a nine minute walk from the bus stop, which is directly across the street from Annemieke’s Pluktuin. Plan on a 30 minute bus ride from Haarlem, and about an hour from Amsterdam.
5. Fam Flower Farm
This family-run farm is owned by two friends, Marlies and Linda, they offer an more intimate experience, compared to the other farms mentioned above. Most importantly, Fam Flower Farm is not open to the public, but only to small groups of 20 people (or less) that book their tours in avance. This small group approach ensures you get photos without anyone else in the background! They also provide props like baskets, watering cans, etc. to help make your photos Instagram worthy!
Although I ran out of time to personally visit Fam Flower Farm, this is a superior destination for serious photographers and influencers and those who want a more private, exclusive experience.
- Location/Getting There: They are located in Lisse, very close to Keukenhof, but they will email you the exact field location a few days before your visit (they rotate fields to ensure the best blooms).
- Perfect For: The “VIP” Experience & Instagram Perfect Photos, and a feeling of exclusivity. If you want a very small and personalized experience, this is it.
- Getting There: Fam Flower Farm books their visits exclusively through their website, and dates available are not made public until closer to the peak blooming season. At this farm, Mother Nature takes precedence over the date on the calendar.
- Don’t Miss: I encourage you to sign up for their newsletter so you can be notified when bookings open for the season.
⚠️ Important: You cannot just show up to Fam Flower Farm . You must book a specific time slot and they sell out quickly.
💎 Bonus Sites: 2 “Hidden Gems” Worth Traveling a Bit Farther
Off the beaten path of The Netherlands’ primary tulip growing region and the more well-known tulip farms, are two hidden and overlooked experiences for tulip lovers. I included them as part of the “Best Tulip Farms in The Netherlands” post because locals know about them, but not many visitors do!
You have the inside scoop on these two hidden gems for tulip lovers visiting The Netherlands.
1. Hortus Bulborum (The Tulip “Museum”)
This place is not just a show garden; it’s a living time capsule. Hortus Bulborum preserves over 4,000 historical varieties of bulbs. You can see what tulips actually looked like in the 1600s during the “Tulip Mania” rage (hint: they were smaller and pointier!). Also on display are many varieties of hyacinth and narcissi, AND fritillaria, a flower which I had never seen before and I’ve read is no longer grown commercially.
On a visit to Hortus Bulborum you can view the varieties of tulips that led to the “Tulipmania” of the late sixteenth century. “Duc van Tol Red and Yellow ” from 1595, and “Zomerschoon” from 1620, are just two of the many historical bulbs on display. Best part? Admission to this treasure for just €5.50– a true travel bargain to this under-the-radar tulip attraction.
Location: Absalon 22, 1906 JB Castricum, Limmen
Perfect For: History buffs, botanists, and serious gardeners. Hortus Bulborum is for die-hard, “can’t see enough flowers” fans. I loved it!
Getting There: The garden is located in Limmen, just south of Alkmaar. Plan about an hour to get to there. From Haarlem, take train towards Hoorn, detrain at Castricum. Hop on bus 167 towards Alkmaar and alight at Limmen, Limmerbuurt. It’s a 6 minute walk down a pretty lane to Hortus Bulborum.
Important: Don’t confuse Hortus Bulborum with Hortus Botanicus. Both are in The Netherlands, but the latter is a larger and more diverse botanical garden with many different species of plants. Hortus Bulborum focuses on spring flowers with deep historical roots.
2. Poldertuin or “Little Keukenhof”
Is this garden a bit “out of the way”? Yes.
Is it worth it? YES!
There’s a reason that Poldertuin in the town of Anna Paulowna is called Little Keukenhof. Though not on the scale of the world famous garden, it is every bit as lovely. Using techniques similar to Keukenhof, blooms are very likely to be on full display anytime during the late March-May time period. Here you can walk peacefully through stunning display beds of tulips, fritillaria, narcissi, and other spring flowers.
Best of all– the garden is FREE to visit!
- Location:
- Perfect For: It looks like Keukenhof (manicured paths, ponds, bridges) but on a smaller scale. It is quiet and peaceful where Keukenhof can be frenetic at times.
- Getting There: I’m going to be straight with you: it takes about 60- 90 minutes by train to reach Anna Paulowna from Haarlem or Amsterdam. It’s a direct train, so there are no changes. From the Anna Paulowna train station, it’s a 29-minute walk, but you can often grab a taxi at the station or bring a rental bike on the train to zip over there in 10 minutes.
- My Experience: On a weekday, I had the place practically to myself and had front row and unlimited time to see all the displays.
- The Best Part: It is completely free to enter.
Fun fact: Anna Paulowna is named for the former Queen of the Netherlands, Anna Pavlovna of Russia. The name Poldertuin is loosely translated as “garden on reclaimed land.”
While Keukenhof will always be the “crown jewel” of the region that everybody seems to know about, I truly believe you haven’t fully experienced tulip season in Holland until you’ve stood in the quiet rows of a working farm. Combine a morning visit to Keukenhof with an afternoon at one of these best tulip farms in the Netherlands, and you will get the perfect mix of grandeur and authentic local experience. Stop and smell the flowers, respect the bulbs, and have a wonderful trip!
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