Everything will depend on how much you like flowers and the time available in your itinerary. In general, I think it’s possible to spend the whole day in the park, after all, there are so many attractions and flowers that time flies.
I spent 3 hours in the park and the only reason I didn’t stay longer than that was because on the same day, at the end of the afternoon I went cycling to see the flower fields that are in the surroundings.
When to visit the Keukenhof?
The park is designed to have flowers all season , however that doesn’t mean it will be in full bloom all the time. As it is not possible to predict what mother nature reserves each year, what happens is that the flowers bloom according to the climate, that is, if the winter in Holland is very rigorous or if there is no sun, are examples of factors that contribute to the delay of flowering.
I was lucky enough to go in the penultimate week of the season (beginning of May) and the gardens in the park were wonderful, all in bloom. However, I couldn’t see all the flower fields in their prime, many farmers were already harvesting the flowers and some of them had already died. Thinking about this issue, it is good to have an idea of what to find on the date you intend to go so as not to be disappointed later.
Check out how the park is on the following dates :
- First weeks of the season (end of March and beginning of April): You can see flowers, lots of them, but it’s not the best time to see the tulip fields as these flowers take the longest to bloom. Many flowers in the garden will still be in bloom, that is, the park will not be in full bloom as we see in the photos. And if the winter has been very rigorous, the first weeks are the ones that suffer the most from the delay in flowering.
- Second half of April : this is the best time to see the tulip fields and the park in full bloom . It is from mid-April that most tulips bloom. As it is the most colorful season, on the other hand, it is the season when the park will be most crowded.
- First half of May : as the weather is already warmer and summer is approaching, the park is even more flowery as there are still tulips in bloom. However, other species of flowers, those that were already in bloom since the beginning of the opening, are already starting to die. It was during this season that I went, towards the end, and I can say that the park was wonderful. It is only worth noting that from May onwards, farmers begin to harvest tulips in the fields, that is, I ended up getting the wonderful park, but the fields were partially in bloom.
Useful tips to avoid crowded days at the park:
- If you can, avoid going on weekends and holidays like Good Friday, Easter, Flower Parade and King’s Day . These are the park’s busiest days.
- To avoid crowds, the best time is towards the end of the afternoon, after 3 am, or arrive very early, as soon as the park opens.
How to get to Keukenhof?
The Keukenhof park is located in the small town of Lisse , around 40 kilometers from Amsterdam.
As it’s not very close, if you don’t have a car, you’ll need to take more than 1 means of transport to get to the park, such as:
Keukenhof Express:
- The Conexxion bus line (number 858, also known as the Keukenhof Express) from Amsterdam Airport (Schiphol) is the most practical and easy way to get to the Keukenhof. The bus goes straight to the park without stopping.
- To catch the Keukenhof Express, boarding is just outside Schiphol arrivals gate 4 (Arrivals 4). As a reference, look for Starbucks, it is on the side of the entrance. And there are also signs indicating the way to get your bearings.
- If you are in Amsterdam, to get to the airport the best option is to take a train from Central Station ( Centraal Station ) to Schiphol. And don’t worry, there are trains at different times of the day. To plan your trip, you can check the timetables and prices for trains and buses using the 9292 application on your cell phone, or go to the NS website.
- Another option is to take bus 197 (from the Connexion company) that depart from the Rijksmuseum, Leidseplein or Museumplein (they are the most famous squares in Amsterdam) to the airport and from there take the Keukenhof Express to the park.
- To buy bus tickets, go to the Keukenhof Express kiosk located inside the airport (near the boarding point).
- From Schiphol Airport, the journey takes around 30 minutes and buses leave every 15 minutes. If leaving Amsterdam, the total journey will take about 45 minutes (train + bus).
- Arriving at Keukenhof, the bus leaves you right at the park’s door.
- In addition to Amsterdam, the Keukenhof Express also departs from Haarlem Central Station and Leiden.
Public transportation
Depending on where you are in the Netherlands, it is also possible to arrive using public transport buses departing from Leiden or Lisse for example, as well as other destinations. However, the downside is that the buses do not go directly to the park, therefore, as they are on lines, there are stops along the way. Another negative point is that they don’t stop at the entrance to the park, so you have to walk around 15 minutes.
By car:
- Going by car is the fastest and most comfortable way.
- For those who want to see the tulip/flower fields after visiting Keukenhof, a good option is to rent a car and then follow the route using GPS or Waze.
- Arriving at the park, there is a huge parking lot. The value to leave the car parked is 6 euros. It is worth noting that as it is large, depending on the time of arrival, it is possible to find it crowded.
By excursion:
For those who are not willing to worry about planning to get to and from the park by public transport, there are tours offered by several companies that include visiting the park with other tours like this one , offered by the company Get Your Guide, blog partner.