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If the world of tulips were a church, then Keukenhof is like going to visit the Vatican. Tulip fields, on the other hand, are like the individual churches. They come in all different sizes and shapes, are smaller and less opulent, but offer a certain level of intimacy.
So if you had to decide for whatever reason: time, costs, interest level etc. , what’s the answer? Should you visit Keukenhof or the tulip fields of the Bollenstreek Region?
In my post about the 5 best tulip farms to visit in The Netherlands, I explain the difference between show garden vs commercial tulip fields. In a show garden, the bulbs are forced and placed in stunning and artistic displays within a park setting. They are in bloom for the entire time the garden is open. Tulip farms, many of which are family-owned, handle the hard work of planting, raising, and harvesting these beauties. Rather than artistic displays, think rows and rows of flower crops.
My intent in this post is to succinctly explain the pros and cons of garden v. farm and then give you some of the best options for visiting either.
Having spent nearly ten days visiting both show gardens and tulip farms (yes, I really do love flowers), I can confidently lay out the pros and cons of each type of destination, so you can make a sound decision. So what’s it to be?
Keukenhof (The Vatican)
How Much Time Should I Allow for Keukenhof Visit?
Pro Tip: I think it’s important to stress Keukenhof’s size and the amount of time you could spend there. Remember, there’s a lot to do at Keukenhof, and a lot to see. If you truly enjoy gardening and flowers, Keukenhof is NOT a quick visit. I spent roughly three-four hours walking around and was still not ready to leave! You will need to factor your level of interest when planning your visit.
Pros:
- Incredible artistic displays,
- Food & Comfort options:
- plenty of food option and benches scattered throughout the park,
- Wheelchair accessible,
- Wider variety of flowers such roses and orchids
- Served by tours for easy trip planning.
- Can be very crowded
- Lots of walking
- Tickets cost more than farms (about €20+)
- Cannot walk within the displays and must stick to the paths.
Tulip Farms (The Bollenstreek Fields)
- Usually peaceful and quiet
- Fewer crowds and more room to roam
- Flower rows that seem to go on forever– this is the place for those Instagram worthy shots featuring rows and rows of flowers.
- Farms are smaller in scale, so you can easily visit multiple destinations in a day.
The Cons:
- Farms will have unpaved and uneven paths among the fields
- Can be difficult for people with mobility issues
- Fewer conveniences such as restrooms and food options
This wil give you information to help you plan your visit: costs, location, etc., and it will also explain the differences among each of the farms.
A Quick Side-by-Side Comparison
🌷 So Which Ticket Should I Buy?
If you are overwhelmed by the options, don’t worry. I have broken this down into two simple categories based on how much time you have.
Option 1: For Those With Just One Day to View Tulips
The Strategy: If you are staying in Amsterdam, Haarlem, or Lisse and only have a single day to dedicate to flowers, it’s probably not a good use of your time to handle all the logistics yourself. You will spend an inordinate amount of time in transit (unless you have rented a car).
Instead, book a combination tour. I recommend the tour below that departs from Amsterdam. This is a “Greatest Hits” package that get you into the Keukenhof and out to the tulip fields without the stress.
This is really a “Do It All” pick, that wins for all the right reasons:
- Excellent good price point for the amount of time and activities included. Good value for the money.
- DeTulperij has a guide that will take you into the fields and give you pointers about how to get the best photos. Very good for Instagram lovers.
- This tour also allows you to spend as much time as you like at Keukenhof– you can take any bus back to Amsterdam.
For the DIY Traveler:
Pro Tip: Organized tours not your thing? It’s very easy to get to Keukenhof on your own from
Amsterdam or Haarlem using the public bus system. In fact, when I visited there was a free bus located just outside the Haarlem train station. All you had to do was show your ticket to Keukenhof!
Always purchase your ticket online in advance to Keukenhof! Not only is it a few Euro less than purchasing in person, but it saves you from standing in a very long line!
Option 2: If you have two (or more) days
The Strategy: This is the “Second Act Travels” way to do it. Split your experience for maximum immersion and slow travel. Dedicate Day 1 entirely to Keukenhof (walking) and Day 2 entirely to the fields (exploring).
Day 1: Keukenhof Gardens
It’s easiest to book a tour that includes admission and a shuttlebus with flexible return, which is why I like the tour below.
- A booked tour gives you uncomplicated and preplanned shuttle directly to Keukenhof.
- A tour is great for those who don’t like dealing with logistics and want someone else to handle the details.
- If your schedule allows, visit at Keukenhof before 10:00 AM and after 4:00 PM to avoid crowds.
Day 2: The Fields (Choose Your Own Adventure)
Now that you’ve seen the “show,” spend your second day seeing behind the scenes. There are so many ways of seeing the fields, bike, hike, Twizy, etc., and I’ll explain the options you have.
- If you haven’t already, read my post about the five best tulip farms in The Netherlands so you can decide which farms you’d like to visit (or maybe all of them look great!).
- Pro tip: If you can, schedule a visit to one of the farms during the “Golden Hour” of sunset for the best light and fewest crowds!
Getting Around the Bollenstreek Tulip Region
You have quite a few options for navigating through the tulip bulb growing region. Take a look at these options and see which appeals to you:
For Convenience: Rent a Car
It goes without saying that renting a car gives you maximum freedom to visit the tulip farms in this area. Reserve your car at Getrentacar.com for a rental.
For the “Fun” Seeker: [Renault Twizy GPS Tour]
- What it is: You rent a tiny, 2-seater electric car that comes with a pre-programmed GPS route that guides you through the backroads of the flower fields.
- Why I love it: You can stop whenever you want for photos, it’s hilariously fun to drive, and you don’t have to pedal against the wind! I booked the Twizy and had a blast!
For the Classic Explorer: [Bike Tour of the Flower Fields]
- What it is: A guided bike tour starting near Lisse.
- Why I love it: This is the most Dutch experience you can have. You cover more ground than walking, but you’re slow enough to smell the hyacinths (and they smell amazing)!
- Note: This tour starts right by Keukenhof, but it’s a tour of the fields surrounding the park. Since it’s just a three hour tour (like Gilligan’s Island), you can do this tour and then hit Keukenhof afterwards with plenty of time to walk around. The tour includes access to The Tulip Experience so you can enter that farm, and view many others from the bike paths.
🥾 For the Hardcore Hiker: Tiptoe Through the Tulips
Distance: Approx. 16 km (10 miles) Time: ~4 hours Vibe: peaceful, flat, working farm roads, and maximum immersion.
If you want to escape the crowds completely and aren’t afraid of a step count, this is the best way to see the region. You will be walking on the official Wandelnetwerk Bollenstreek (Bulb Region Hiking Network). These are paved or semi-paved paths that run directly alongside the canals and working tulip fields.
I used the Komoot app for its section on tulip hiking. It gives you five hiking trails in The Netherlands that go through tulip growing regions all over the country. I comp
leted the first and second hikes as I was in Bollenstreek, and of t
he two, I recommend the first one.
And great news: The bulb growing regions are nice and flat!
⚠️ Don’t Forget Your Hiker’s Etiquette (Very Important):
Stay on the pavement: Even if the perfect photo is just three steps into the dirt, don’t do it. At worst, the soil can carry diseases that kill the bulbs, and a farmer’s crop can be destroyed. And you could trample the fields that farmers rely on for income. So respect the bulbs!
Watch for Tractors: These are working roads. Farmers in massive tractors have the right of way—always step onto the grass verge to let them pass.
And, Of Course, Public Transportation
The Netherlands has an outstanding public transportation system, and lthough I took the bus to practically every tulip farm I visited, I can understand that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea.
But if you do want to use the system, I left specific directions to each of the tulip farms in my 5 Best Tulip Farms post. Read this for specific directions to each farm.
Bottom Line
Travel shouldn’t be about frantic box-checking or doing what everyone else says you “must” do. It should be about finding the experiences that will be the most meaningful to you.
If the idea of fighting a crowd at 11:00 AM makes you want to retreat to your hotel room, skip Keukenhof without an ounce of guilt. Rent that bike, find a quiet farm, and enjoy the wide open spaces.
But if you want to see the “Vatican of Flowers”— then by all means, plan your visit and don’t be rushed. Take your time and soak it all in.
There is no wrong way to see the tulips, as long as you stop long enough to actually look at them.
Have you visited the Dutch bulb region? Did you prefer the manicured gardens or the wilder fields? Let me know in the comments below!
