With spring right around the corner, the new tulip season awaits with Keukenhof 2026 as its main attraction! Keukenhof is one of the world’s most famous gardens, open only during spring when the flowers are in bloom. In 2026, visitors are welcome from Thursday, March 19, 2026, to Sunday, May 10, 2026. With spring right around the corner, the new tulip season awaits with Keukenhof 2026 as its main attraction! Keukenhof is one of the world’s most famous gardens, open only during spring when the flowers are in bloom. In 2026, visitors are welcome from Thursday, March 19, 2026, to Sunday, May 10, 2026. This allows you a total of 53 days to experience this marvellous spectacle! Given the 1,4 million visitors last year, a visit does require a bit of planning. Therefore, we’ll give you all the important information to make the most of your visit in this article!
The Keukenhof Tulip Festival will take place from Thursday, March 19, 2026, to Sunday, May 10, 2026. It is strongly recommended that you book your tickets promptly. Timeslots must be chosen to spread visitors during the day. We strongly recommend booking a tour including transfer from Amsterdam through our partners, Tours-tickets.com or Tiqets.com, as traffic around the park tends to get congested.
National Holidays
Keukenhof is also open during the following national holidays;
Easter – April 5 & 6; expect Keukenhof to be extra crowded, as many locals visit during Easter.
King’s Day – April 26; Keukenhof will be less crowded as many locals and tourists prefer to celebrate King’s Day.
Liberation Day – May 5; not an official holiday, no influence on traffic to Keukenhof expected.
Meivakantie – April 25 through May 3; national school holiday; extra domestic traffic to Keukenhof.
Keukenhof Gardens can be visited from 8:00 in the morning till 19:00 in the evening. The latest admittance to the tulip gardens is at 18:15, 45 minutes before closing. On average, people spend 2-4 hours in order to see all of the tulips, hyacinths, and narcissus. So, if you have the last timeslot, you will have to rush a bit, or you will not get to explore the entire park.
The “Bloemencorso” in Dutch, or flower parade, is an independent event that is not organised by Keukenhof. It’s an annual event in collaboration with local flower farms and around 1500 volunteers. It features amazingly pretty floats, fully decorated with spring flowers from the region. The parade is held on Saturday, the 18th of April 2026, and a limited number of tickets are available. If you’re not able to get tickets for the event itself, curious visitors can instead visit the hall where volunteers are building the floats at a very accessible price of under €10! The halls can be visited in the days leading up to the event from Wednesday, April 15, to Friday, April 17 12:00. For more information on taking a look behind the scenes, make sure to visit: https://bloemencorso-bollenstreek.nl/.
Is Keukenhof worth it?
Yes, if you love flowers & don’t mind crowds. No, if you want a quiet experience.
Can I see tulip fields without visiting Keukenhof?
Yes! Bike around Lisse or visit Noordoostpolder.
What happens if I visit too early/late?
Check bloom updates before going.
Based on Reddit’s reactions, we conclude that some people love it, while others find it touristy. Many travellers on Reddit compare Keukenhof with Noordoostpolder, Lisse, and other tulip fields. We made the comparison below to help you decide:
The largest tulip fields in the Netherlands, less crowded
Further away (1.5-hour drive)
Keukenhof park map
If you’re going to Keukenhof, bringing a map of the park might be handy, so you don’t miss anything. The park is quite big, and you don’t want to get lost or miss your favourite spot. Click on the image below to enlarge it, or download a PDF version of the map here.
Keukenhof area map with flower fields
It’s good to know that the Keukenhof gardens are the go-to attraction for seeing tulips bloom, thanks to their size, accessibility, and worldwide fame. However, the area itself is just as interesting to visit if you like to see flowers. You can explore the area by bike, for instance, and witness miles of flower fields at flower farms that supply the world with some of the prettiest spring flowers! Below, you’ll find a map of interesting places around the Keukenhof gardens.
A miniature Dutch windmill in the middle of a pond in the colourful Keukenhof
Best time to visit Keukenhof gardens
The best time to visit Keukenhof Gardens is mid-April to early May. At this time of the year, the flowers are blooming and have the brightest colours. With a little bit of luck, you might also catch a little bit of sunshine, which ensures the best pictures. It’s the peak of the spring season, and it shows. On another note, everyone knows it’s the best time to visit Keukenhof Gardens, and it can be crowded. Luckily, the park is big enough for everyone to enjoy the tulips.
The best time of day to visit Keukenhof, if you want to avoid the crowds, is either early morning, 8:00 a.m., right after opening, or alternatively after 14:00. The busiest moment in the park is between 10 a.m. and 13:00. Especially weekends and during holidays, these are the peak hours.
Public transport bus to Keukenhof
Also in 2025, a direct public transport connection to Keukenhof will be available, operated by the bus company Arriva. It’s advisable to purchase the tickets for the bus and entrance to Keukenhof online in advance, especially on the weekends and holidays. It’s also an excellent way to get there if you’ve bought entrance tickets without transport upfront. The public bus service departs from Amsterdam RAI (Europaplein) and directly from Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Europaplein or Amsterdam RAI can best be reached by subway (line 52), but also by several other tram, subway, and bus lines. A separate return ticket for the Keukenhof Express bus costs €17,- per person last year.
The so-called Keukenhof Express buses will depart from the following bus stops directly to Keukenhof:
RAI Amsterdam (terminal: Europaplein, bus number 852)
Schiphol (terminal: Schiphol Airport, bus number 858)
Leiden Central Station (terminal: Leiden Centraal, bus number 854)
Haarlem Central Station (terminal: Haarlem Centraal, bus number 50 & 850)
Discounted Keukenhof skip-the-line tickets
Need your Keukenhof Tickets for 2024? Use one of the blue buttons below to purchase your skip-the-line tickets through one of our trusted ticket partners. Tours & Tickets is also offering a discounted combination ticket with Keukenhof admission and a canal cruise in Amsterdam. For this product you won’t need a discount code, there’s already a 15% discount included in the price of both products.
As one of the most popular and famous flower gardens in the world, the Keukenhof parks are highly appreciated. However, the region where it’s situated, “De Bollenstreek,” or flower bulb area, also seems to appeal to many visitors. In the region, you’ll find around 600 different flower farms that produce flowers that are exported worldwide. Therefore, it can be a thrillingly colourful experience to explore this area by bike, for instance. Below, we’ve listed some tours that visit Keukenhof and some surrounding areas.
Keukenhof Bollenstreek area bike tours
Visit the beautiful surrounding area of Keukenhof by bike. These tours will take you away from the somewhat crowded Keukenhof Park and take you into the rural surrounding areas, where you can shoot some of the most magnificent photos. A live tour guide will take you by the hand and show you some of the prettiest flower fields. You can use the formerly mentioned buses to get to Keukenhof and make your way to the meeting point, where you will be equipped with a comfortable bicycle.
If you’d like to explore the bulb area but you’re not really into cycling, don’t worry! There are car tours available. This way, you’ll still get to see and experience the pretty flower fields, but instead of cycling, you’ll enjoy it comfortably from your car.
Would you like to explore the “Bollenstreek” (Bulb area) for a bit longer? Consider booking a hotel in the area. Apart from the park Keukenhof, the area is scattered with flower farms and tulip fields! Rent a bike to explore the area and enjoy the flowers to the fullest.
The pictures below are taken just after the opening of the Keukenhof 2018. In the greenhouses, all flowers were in full bloom. However, because of the cold winter, most tulips outside are still waiting to bloom. Depending on the early warm weather, the best time to visit the Keukenhof in 2025 will be probably 2 or 3 weeks after the opening. The rising temperatures will be rising will definitely influence the flowers to bloom. Our expectations are that the Keukenhof is going to be its prettiest from the 11th of April till the first week of May, close to the end of the season. However, also after the first week of May till the end of the season, you’ll have more than enough flowers to see!
Red tulips really fit into last years 2018 theme “Romance in flowers” Perfectly aligned red and yellow tulips in bloom One of the inhabitants of the gardens The photo was taken 24th March 2018 – the tulips were almost about to start blooming and Keukenhof will be at it’s prettiest
These photos were taken Saturday the 13th of April 2019. Most of the flowers are already in full bloom and will get even better coming weeks.
White, blue and yellow flowers in full bloom near a pond This picture is taken in one of the Keukenhof greenhouses. As you can tell the theme was peace and love.
Photography Tips for Keukenhof
Arrive early (right at opening) for the best shots.
Use a zoom lens to isolate flowers without including crowds.
Look for quiet corners (avoid the main entrance areas).
Visit on a cloudy day, because colours pop more, and fewer people!
Hi, many thanks for providing this space to ask questions. My friend and I are planning to visit the Keukenhof garden around the last weekend of April from Ireland. I was wondering,
1.) if that time is too late for seeing the full bloom, as the flowers might have spent blooming? Or is it ok?
2.) Which is the best place to stay? We will be flying from Dublin to Schifol.
Is there any good two day itinerary to make the most of our trip?
Many thanks in advance.
Hi Sonali,
1.) That's difficult to say at the moment. The exact moment most flowers are in bloom depends on the development of temperatures the coming months. The earlier temperatures go up, the earlier flowers will bloom. However, Keukenhof plants the flower bulbs in such a way that during the entire duration of their opening, there will be more than enough flowers in bloom.
2.) That depends on your personal preferences. You can stay in the "flower bulb region" if you like a more laid-back rural stay, but you can also stay in Amsterdam or The Hague for instance. There will be more livelihood there and you can plan some nice activities besides Keukenhof. As the Netherlands is fairly compact, the distance won't be an issue.
I hope this helps, enjoy your stay!
Do I need to reserve / buy in advance bus ticket from Haarlem central station to Keukenhof?
I don't believe it's strictly necessary, but it might be good for your peace of mind, especially if it's a busy time slot.
We just visited the beautiful gardens and did not get to purchase all the gifts and souvenirs that we wanted. We live the USA in Texas. Is there a a place we can order gifts from?
Thank you
Elgene Henry
There are some shops that sell similar products at the airport. Depending on what you're exactly looking for, you can probably also find some sellers online.
I'm coming in April to experience this amazing park
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Hi, many thanks for providing this space to ask questions. My friend and I are planning to visit the Keukenhof garden around the last weekend of April from Ireland. I was wondering,
1.) if that time is too late for seeing the full bloom, as the flowers might have spent blooming? Or is it ok?
2.) Which is the best place to stay? We will be flying from Dublin to Schifol.
Is there any good two day itinerary to make the most of our trip?
Many thanks in advance.
Hi Sonali,
1.) That's difficult to say at the moment. The exact moment most flowers are in bloom depends on the development of temperatures the coming months. The earlier temperatures go up, the earlier flowers will bloom. However, Keukenhof plants the flower bulbs in such a way that during the entire duration of their opening, there will be more than enough flowers in bloom.
2.) That depends on your personal preferences. You can stay in the "flower bulb region" if you like a more laid-back rural stay, but you can also stay in Amsterdam or The Hague for instance. There will be more livelihood there and you can plan some nice activities besides Keukenhof. As the Netherlands is fairly compact, the distance won't be an issue.
I hope this helps, enjoy your stay!
Do I need to reserve / buy in advance bus ticket from Haarlem central station to Keukenhof?
I don't believe it's strictly necessary, but it might be good for your peace of mind, especially if it's a busy time slot.
Are there wheelchairs for rent in the park?
Yes there are, you can make a reservation here https://tickets.keukenhof.nl/en-US/tickets?journey=wheelchairs
We just visited the beautiful gardens and did not get to purchase all the gifts and souvenirs that we wanted. We live the USA in Texas. Is there a a place we can order gifts from?
Thank you
Elgene Henry
There are some shops that sell similar products at the airport. Depending on what you're exactly looking for, you can probably also find some sellers online.
I'm coming in April to experience this amazing park