Amsterdam to Keukenhof Gardens: Complete Guide 2025

Keukenhof Gardens is an incredible bucket-list destination near Amsterdam. The amount of tulip varieties they showcase — and the way they display them — is mind-blowing. While you might think it's simply a garden to walk around for an hour, there's enough to experience there for an entire day and then some, from restaurants to canal boats to museum exhibits.

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

How can you take a Keukenhof day trip from Amsterdam? Or how can you extend the flower fun and festivities and stay for multiple days nearby where Keukenhof is located? What is the cost of a ticket to Keukenhof, how do you get there, and what souvenirs are available?

Read on for invaluable information to make the most of your visit to this splendid attraction, which offers much more than just tulips.

Disclosure: There are affiliate links in this post, which means we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase, at no cost to you. We truly only recommend hotels, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

🕐 Short on time? No Problem!
  • Book a tour that includes admission to Keukenhof.
  • Find out the best time to visit (hint: it's only open for a few weeks each year and we know the best time to go from firsthand trips there.)
  • Read up on practical info at Keukenhof, including Wi-Fi info, if there are storage lockers, restrooms, and if you can bring a dog to the gardens.
  • Make a weekend of it and book nearby hotels.
  • Secure travel insurance (we don't travel without it).
  • Pin the image in this box or flip this post to Flipboard to save it for later.
Everything you Need to Know about Keukenhof Gardens - Tulip Heaven in The Netherlands near Amsterdam.

🌷 Book Keukenhof tickets and tours here 🌷

Where is Keukenhof Gardens? What country and city?

Keukenhof is southwest of Central Amsterdam in The Netherlands, in a city in Holland called Lisse. The region where Lisse is is called ‘Bollenstreek‘ in Dutch.

It takes 45 minutes to an hour and a half to get to Keukenhof Gardens from Amsterdam by private car or bus.

🌷Getting to Keukenhof from Amsterdam (including public buses)

There are many options to get to Keukenhof from Amsterdam. Our advice is to take advantage of the convenience of Keukenhof buses around The Netherlands during tulip season, provided that they go nearly directly to Keukenhof's entrance.

A combination ticket costs €35 for roundtrip transportation and admission to Keukenhof. We recommend buying your combo ticket ahead of time.

From Amsterdam's City Center

  • Private bus or car is about a 45-minute drive from central Amsterdam. That's how we got there because we were sailing with Emerald Cruises on a limited-run Amsterdam itinerary cruise. It ended with a day at Keukenhof Gardens to see the tulips.
  • Bus/train from Amsterdam will take between an hour, and hour and a half, depending on traffic and transfer times. There are two start location options from Amsterdam:
    1. Amsterdam Central: you take the Metro M 52 train for this option and transfer to Bus 852 at RAI Station Amsterdam. The bus takes you to the entrance to Keukenhof. The cost is €30, excluding the metro portion of the journey, which costs extra.
    2. Oud-Zuid and Oud-West neighborhoods of Amsterdam, near the Rijksmuseum: pick up Bus 397 from one of these three stops:
      1. Amsterdam Museumplein
      2. Amsterdam Rijksmuseum
      3. Amsterdam Leidseplein
        • All three above options in Oud-Zuid/West neighborhoods are within a 10-minute walk from each other. Bus 397 should be included in a €30 combination ticket, including a transfer to Bus 859 at Hoofddorp station. Bus 859 will drop you off at the entrance to Keukenhof.

Don't let transfers discourage you! Nearly everyone in The Netherlands speaks English and can answer questions along the way if needed. Public transportation is simple to navigate.

For more info on the above buses and train routes, click here.

Amsterdam to Keukenhof From Amsterdam Schiphol Airport 

  • By bus from Schiphol Airport: A combo ticket is $45.94 and change and takes about 45 minutes to an hour on Bus 858.
  • By private car or bus: Depending on traffic, it's about 20 to 30 minutes. Parking at Keukenhof is €8 for a car per day.

You can take a taxi from Amsterdam to Keukenhof. It is the most expensive option and will cost over €100.

It's also possible to buy a combo ticket and take the bus form:

When we pulled into the parking lot we saw spaces for cars, tour company coach buses, and also where the city buses drop visitors off.

**As mentioned above, there is a small €8 fee to park your personal car (or rental car) in the Keukenhof lot during your visit.**

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Third-Party Tours from Central Amsterdam to Keukenhof Gardens

If you want to kill a few birds with one stone, there are great tour options that leave from Amsterdam and get you to Keukenhof. Some even have the perk of an additional destination.

You do not have to book a separate bus with the options below, as transportation is included with the following tours:

Private Day Tour to Explore the Countryside and Pickup in Various Locations in The Netherlands

This is the perfect tour if you want to customize your stops, including Keukenhof. The tour bus can pick you up where you arrange, the options being Schipol Airport, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, or Utrecht, including the cruise ports in Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

We LOVE that you can customize this tour and that the group will be small (it will be comprised of whoever you bring plus the driver). You can stop at Zaanse Schaans to see the windmills, Keukenhof to see the tulips, and even Volendam Haven to see a historic fishing village. You have a lot more options and control with a private tour.

➜ Availability sells out FAST: Book your tour now

Guided Full Day Tour of the Dutch Countryside, including Keukenhof

This tour leaves from Central Station‘s IJ Hall in Amsterdam at 8:45am.

This full-day tour is ten hours, and the price includes transportation on an air-conditioned bus, a stop at Zaans Schans to see the famous windmills, some traditional Dutch food to taste, a 30-minute boat tour between Volendam and Marken, and some other wonderful things.

The highlight is a one-hour guided tour at Keukenhof (in English and Spanish) after you're fast-tracked for admission, which is included in the full-day tour price.

This tour also includes a 30-minute boat tour between Volendam and Marken. (If you're staying in Amsterdam for a longer time, we recommend getting an I Amsterdam card too, which includes a canal ride through the Amsterdam canals.)

This tour has a maximum of 80 guests and is perfect if you're pressed for time in the Amsterdam area.

Claim your seat on this popular group tour, including the best of Amsterdam and the surrounding area, and a guided one-hour Keukenhof Gardens tour

Half-Day Tour of Keukenhof Gardens from Amsterdam

If a full-day tour is too much time, then consider this half-day group tour.

Pick up is from central Amsterdam at 8:30 am, across the water from Central Station at “Grand Cafe 1884.” (Detailed instructions are on the tour page.) From there, a coach bus will drive you to Keukenhof. You'll be back in central Amsterdam in time for lunch.

A guided tour inside Keukenhof gardens is included then you'll have free time to explore. After, you'll stop at Tulip Experience Amsterdam. The total time in the gardens during this tour is 3.5 hours.

Reserve your half-day tulip experience tour

Amsterdam Combo: Keukenhof and Zaanse Schaans Windmill Village

If you want a tour that provides transportation from point A to B in Amsterdam, book this private transportation “tour” that shuttles you between Keukenhof Tulips and Zaanse Schans Windmills throughout the day. The tour also includes a Dutch pancake lunch.

Beware that you may need to change vehicles throughout the day (so don't bring a lot of stuff with you).

Pros and Cons of a Third-Party Tour to Experience Keukenhof Gardens

Pros: 

  • Depending on the third-party tour, you may see more than just Keukenhof and Lisse.
  • A private tour will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel, or a cruise port, or the airport.
  • You'll have guided commentary on the drive there.

Cons:

  • It costs a bit more.
  • If you want to stay at Keukenhof for more hours, you may not be able to if it's a group tour.
  • You most likely won't be able to see anything else in Lisse, like nearby Keukenhof castle, unless you book a private tour that you can customize a bit more.

We had just under three hours in the garden. The option was available to stay for another two hours with our river cruise bus or leave when we did on an earlier one.

Though we could have used another thirty minutes, we opted to leave because we didn't want two more hours there. (At the time, we wanted to enjoy the last day on our river cruise ship!)

📷 Take lots of pictures and make a high-quality photo book when you get home! It's the perfect gift for yourself or a loved one. 📗

Easily Accessible Bus and Train Trips from Amsterdam in The Netherlands, with things to do in each town you travel to in this European country. #Holland #Amsterdam #DayTrips #AmsterdamArea #AmsterdamDayTrips #SometimesHome #Rotterdam #Almere #Edam #Zaandam #ZaansSchans #Haarlem #Hoorn #Beemster #OudZaandijk #Leylstad

🌷Keukenhof Gardens Ticket Cost 2025

The cost for Keukenhof admission for 2025 will be €19.50 for one adult if purchased online and €23.00 at the ticket office. It costs €9.00 per child ages 4 to 17. Admission is complimentary for children up to three years old. Group tickets for more than 20 tickets can be purchased for €19.00 each.

Tickets can be purchased online. When you purchase a ticket to Keukenhof, you must select the specific day and entry time you want to visit. This is to regulate the number of visitors at any given time. Also, if they sell out of tickets in advance online, you cannot buy one in person at the ticket office. This is why they advise buying tickets online in advance.

You can use a digital ticket (such as on your phone) to enter the park instead of printing it out.

We recommend purchasing a combo ticket with a bus ride + Keukenhof admission if you're doing a day trip. See more about this in our “Getting There” section, below.

Note that Keukenhof Gardens is completely cashless.

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Weeks and Hours of Operation at Keukenhof

Keukenhof is only open for two and a half to three months every year. The staff works for much more time before and after, planting the bulbs and tending to the flowers, but it's open to guests only from March to May.

(Usually, the end of March to mid-May with mid-April usually being the ideal time to visit, mother nature dependent.) This is because of the short season of tulips.

They will be open to the public in 2025, beginning on March 20, and will close on May 11.

Flower Parade in Lisse in 2025

The annual Flower Parade in Lisse (the city where Keukenhof gardens is located) will be on Saturday, April 12, 2025. That day, the parade travels from Noordwijk to Haarlem. (Envision incredible parade floats made from flowers, like the Rose Bowl parade in the United States on January 1st each year.)

The entire festival of flowers, however, runs from Wednesday, April 9th, 2025, to Sunday, April 13th.

You can go behind the scenes and see hundreds of volunteers crafting the tulip-covered floats, see the beautiful creations on display, and even see the floats illuminated one night. We absolutely loved our Flower Festival weekend visit and it was special to be there amongst the locals and feel the excitement and energy they exuded around us!

Future Flower Parade Dates

Want to plan ahead for a future trip? Lisse makes it easy with their published and public future flower parade dates:

  • 2025: Wednesday 9th April to Sunday 13th April
  • 2026: Wednesday 15th April to Sunday 19th April
  • 2027: Wednesday 14th April to Sunday 18th April

Blooming Schedule at Keukenhof Gardens

Different types of flowering bulbs have different blooming schedules. Note the exact blossoming time of flowers – just like Cherry Blossoms – varies with the weather every year.

  • March (opening) to early April: Tulips are displayed indoors during this time, and daffodils and crocuses are the main event outside. (Crocuses bloom fairly early in the spring.)
  • First half of April: Hyacinths bloom early to mid-spring, and early tulips bloom in Keukenhof Gardens at this time. Leaves start to blossom on the trees. (There are many evergreen trees in the garden, which always have their green pine needles on them.)
  • Second half of April to early May (closing): We felt this was the peak time to be there. All the photos in this post are from the third week of April. Tulips abound, there were many daffodils still in bloom, and many more flowers to see inside the pavilions, including tropical orchids and Birds of Paradise. This is also when the shrubs and trees are in full bloom, with all their leaves.

We learned that flower bulbs in many areas of Keukenhof are planted in vertical layers. This is so when one dies (like an early-blooming crocus flower), another fills in the space right after (like a tulip that blooms later). This means there are constantly flowers to see, from the time the garden opens to the time it closes.

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Best Time of Day (and Best Day of the Week) to Visit Keukenhof

The best time to visit is first thing in the morning on a weekday, as soon as they open at 8:00am.

It simply gets more crowded as the day goes on. There is no wrong time to be at the gardens, but if you arrive shortly after it opens for the day, fewer people are there; we noticed it got more populated with each passing hour.

We also hear it's less crowded after 4:00 pm most days (probably because most of the tour busses and huge crowds have left by then) and Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. The gardens close at 7:30 pm every day.

We heard Keukenhof had about 1.2 million visitors in the year before we were there, within less than ten weeks! 

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Why are Tulips so Popular in The Netherlands and at Keukenhof? 

You can't deny the beauty of tulips! But they also have a long history in the Netherlands. We learned that for all the fame Holland has for being the go-to destination for tulips, they're surprisingly native to Turkey, not The Netherlands.

The first tulips in Holland came from Tibet, Turkey, and Kazakhstan centuries ago. At one point in the history of The Netherlands, tulips were more precious and valued than land or property, like homes.

People traded single tulip bulbs for unimaginable amounts of money. (Can you imagine if you bought one bulb hundreds of years ago for a high price, then it died? Eeek!)

Over seven million bulbs (yes, SEVEN MILLION) in over 800 varieties are typically planted. Wow. The gardeners plant them as early as October and wait until spring to see the fruits of their labor. (The bulbs need the cold of winter to stimulate growth.)

And, of course, from Amsterdam to Keukenhof, you'll witness their beauty if you visit The Netherlands during spring.

🌷Distinct Areas of Keukenhof Flower Gardens, including Pavilions

We were pleasantly surprised to learn there are multiple pavilions throughout Keukenhof, not just fields of tulips.

The pavilions are covered and/or enclosed. They are a great place to cool off if it's hot outside, find shade from the sun, see more varieties of plants, tulips, and other assorted flowers, visit a gift shop in some cases or use the restrooms in others.

The pavilions include:

  • Wilhelmina
  • Beatrix
  • Willem-Alexander
  • Mill (Windmill)
  • Juliana Tulpomania
  • Oranje Nassau
  • Irene

We're pretty sure all the pavilions are named after Dutch royalty! There's also a front “Main Entrance” and “Extra Entrance” at the opposite end or back of the garden.

There are also other surprising, welcome elements around Keukenhof, including:

  • Various water features and fountains
  • Many sculptures
  • Manicured shrubs and plants

🌷Hundreds of Varieties of Tulips at Keukenhof Gardens

We had no idea there are thousands of tulip varieties. Over 3,000 varieties of tulips are currently registered in the world – we saw about 800 of them at Keukenhof.

We were fascinated by the size of some of their petals, which were nearly as big as our heads. And tulips that hung from the tops of stems like bells ringing toward the ground. Or the ruffly, frilly edges on others. It was awe-inspiring.

Do not walk through the flowers

It's imperative you stay out of the flower fields and don't trample the flowers. Not only does it ruin the experience for others, it's harmful to the plants and can spread disease to them.

Here is an important message from a DutchNews.nl article, regarding tulip flower fields:

Tulip and hyacinth growers are once again warning tourists to keep out of the fields of flowers so that the bulbs don’t get damaged and viruses are not spread.

With the Keukenhof bulb gardens now open after two years of coronavirus-related closure, the tulip season is about to start in earnest – and that means thousands of people flocking to the main growing areas to photograph the multi-coloured fields.

“If you walk through a field and damage a plant which has a virus, you can spread it to others,” Annika Versloot, of the Dutch bulb growers association KAVB told television news programme EditieNL. “We really have to prevent this from happening.”

The organisation has now placed banners at popular places urging people to keep out. “Fences are not an option,” Versloot said. “We have to make sure people stick to the paths in a friendly way.”

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome
Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷What Flowers are at Keukenhof, Besides Tulips?

We figured, “It's a tulip garden so why would there be other flowers there?” We were surprised to learn, though, there are other kinds of flowers there! There were many varieties, shapes, and sizes of daffodils we had never seen before. (We especially loved the apricot-colored ones.)

We also saw a lot of tropical flowers in the Willem-Alexander pavilion, including Birds of Paradise and orchids. There were lots of gorgeous Amaryllis flowers too. (Photo below, on the left.)

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷The Dutch Windmill at Keukenhof

One of the most fun things about The Netherlands is the iconic windmills there. There aren't many left, however, so if you are traveling from Amsterdam to Keukenhof be sure to visit the windmill on their property.

You're able to walk up the stairs of the windmill to the top level (it's just about a flight of steps, so not a long or strenuous climb). It's not a working windmill other than the fact the blades still turn. It's pretty much just an icon for classic Holland photography within Keukenhof.

You can also buy tickets to “Whisper Boats” here for below €10 apiece. They're called such because they're very quiet, electric boats that take you on a relaxing journey past the flower fields. It lasts about 45 minutes.

There will most likely be a line for the boat rides so if you think you want to do this (and have the time during your visit to Keukenhof for it) we recommend getting to the boats first before you even walk around to see everything. (You'll pass a lot of flowers on the walk to the windmill from inside Keukenhof, regardless!)

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Flower Fields surrounding Keukenhof

There aren't flower fields everywhere in The Netherlands during tulip season, yet we did pass quite a few during the land/bus portions of our Emerald Waterways river cruise journey to Keukenhof. And there happen to be fabulous ones at Keukenhof right near their windmill.

We loved the view from the top of the windmill, looking down at flower fields.

🌷Food and Drinks at Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof Food and Drinks

Flower mosaics are always created in certain areas regardless, including planting designs and incorporation into food stations. For example, one area of the gardens had an old Volkswagen Van that was repurposed as a burger station when we visited.

There are plenty of food options at several spots around the gardens. There was also plenty of places around the property to purchase coffee, hot chocolate, poffertjes, ice cream, and more.

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Souvenirs at Keukenhof

You're probably wondering if you can purchase tulip bulbs at Keukenhof Gardens: of course, you can! They'll even ship them back home if you like. (Don't forget you cannot bring plants from abroad back into the United States through the airport!)

If you're taking the trip from Amsterdam to Keukenhof, one of the best souvenirs from the ultimate tulip garden is…tulips!

The bulbs are not inexpensive – they are still priced accordingly – but it is one of the cooler things to bring home if the climate where you live supports bulb growth. (New York's climate does. But Florida's, for instance, does not. It's too warm! Don't forget bulbs need winter cold to stimulate growth.)

They also have wooden tulips, postcards, and other gifts for sale that you'd expect to see at any gift shop of its kind.

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Keukenhof Practical Information

  • WiFi: There's free WiFi around Keukenhof. The signal didn't seem very strong when we were there; we had difficulty getting onto the network. So, while they have it, we would caution you not to rely on it. (We always travel with our WiFi hotspots, regardless, because we want WiFi on the ride there and back, too, not just in the garden.)
  • Dogs: leashed dogs are allowed in Keukenhof but are not permitted in restaurants unless they are guide or support dogs.
  • Storing luggage and lockers: There are free lockers at the front of the park to store small luggage. The lockers measure 25 x 55 x 45 centimeters, which is equal to approximately 9.8 x 21.7 x 17.7 inches.
  • Toilets: There are plenty of restrooms around the park!
  • Drones: They are not permitted at Keukenhof.
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🌷Hotels Near Keukenhof Gardens

Here are some hotels recommendations in Lisse, the city where Keukenhof is located:

  • Hotel de Duif Lisse: A hotel within walking distance of the gardens, which are only 10 minutes away on foot. Bike rentals are available as well.
  • Vakantiewoning Loft: An incredible home reminiscent of a greenhouse, with a sauna. It is a 20-minute walk away from Keukenhof.
  • Fleurdelis Apartment: This small apartment is cozy accommodation with tulip fields just outside your door. It's a little too far from Keukenhof to walk (the walk is 50 minutes) it's perfect if you have a car or wish to bike there.
  • Bed & Breakfast De Vier Seizoenen: This charming bed and breakfast is right in town and a 10-minute walk from Keukenhof.

🌷 What Else Is There to Do from Amsterdam to Keukenhof in Lisse?

We discuss the “things to do” below in-depth in our One or Two Day Itineraries that follow:

Rent a Bike

During tulip season, the Rent-a-Bike van Dam office is open daily from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm and is located next to the Keukenhof parking lot, at the main entrance. 

They also have an office in the center of Noordwijkerhout next to the white church, which is just 4 km from Keukenhof.

There are several mapped routes around Lisse where you can ride past the Flower Fields at your own pace. (Visitors are not permitted to walk through the flower fields – please respect the flowers and field owners.)

We hear the lines for rental bikes can get long, and you may have to wait for a bike to become available sometimes. To avoid this, be sure to reserve online ahead of time if you know you definitely want to do this.

They have a variety of bikes to choose from, from traditional single-rider with pedals to tandem bicycles and mountain bicycles, electric bikes with a cargo basket in front (typical in The Netherlands), and electric bikes.

Prices are €7,50 to €30 per day, depending on the bike you want to rent. (Most rentals are €20.) If you're on vacation in Lisse, they will deliver the bicycle to your hotel/accommodations upon request.

Visit Keukenhof Castle

The castle is a short walk from Keukenhof (0.3 miles). This castle is the one we referenced in the history section of this post; centuries ago, the kitchen garden supplied this castle.

The castle park is open every day from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Entrance to the park/gardens at the castle is free. There is a fairy-tale-like restaurant at the castle, called Restaurant de Hofboerderij, which is open Wednesday to Sunday from 10:00am to 5:00pm.

Learn about Tulips at the Black Tulip Museum

Visit the small, two-level Black Tulip Museum (Museum de Zwarte Tulp), where you can learn about the history of tulips, including the tulip trade and how the Dutch worked with the flowers and their land. There is free wifi throughout the museum and the museum cafe, which is very cute and charming.

It is open Tuesday through Sunday, and the cost for the museum is €8, which includes a free audio guide.

Reserve an Electric Twizy for a Fun GPS Guided Audio Tour

 **Usually available from the end of March through the second week of May.** 

Riding in a Twizy is one of the most fun things we've ever done! We did a different tour through Beemster, which is another region of Holland. Driving a Twizy is a blast!

You must have a valid driver's license to drive one. A person without a license can be a passenger in the vehicle. (There are two people per vehicle, max.) The pre-programmed tour takes you through Lisse, past many flower fields, past Keukenhof (not inside), and past Keukenhof Castle.

We highly recommend this experience, which 1-2 people can do per Twizy. The experience takes approximately 2 hours, including check-in, a quick Twizy lesson, and the 20 km fixed GPS route. The audio guide is available in English, German, or Dutch.

The driver controls when the vehicle starts and stops, so you're welcome to stop for photos along the way!

During the season, from April to the first week of May, they're open seven days a week and have four departure times a day. (Availability per day varies, but usual times offered are some of the following: 7:00 am, 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, 4:00 pm, 7:00 pm.)

We recommend reserving this now if you know you want to do it because timeslots sell out fast.

💐 🏁 Don't let it sell out! Reserve your Twizy to tour Lisse and see the tulips

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷One and Two Day Itineraries in Lisse

One Day in Lisse, including Keukenhof

  • 8:00-9:00am: Arrive at Keukenhof, when they open.
  • 9:05am: Immediately head to the Whisper Boats kiosk near the windmill, to beat the lines. (Get your ticket at the kiosk inside Keukenhof, next to the windmill.)
  • 10:30am: walk around the garden until lunch.
  • 12:30pm: Enjoy lunch in the garden.
  • 1:45pm: Visit Keukenhof castle, across the road.
  • 3:00pm: Head back to Keukenhof. Be sure to return at least two hours before they close to enjoy it for a final time before heading back to Amsterdam! It should be a bit calmer at this point too, with most tour buses leaving earlier in the day.

Two Days in Lisse, including Keukenhof, and Stay Overnight

Next time we visit, we will stay overnight in Lisse and do the following (there's just so much to do there):

DAY 1

  • 8:00-9:00am: Arrive at Keukenhof, when they open.
  • 9:05am: Immediately head to the Whisper Boats kiosk near the windmill, to beat the lines. (Get your ticket at the kiosk inside Keukenhof, next to the windmill.)
  • 10:30am: walk around the gardens for a few hours.
  • 12:30pm: Enjoy lunch at Keukenhof.
  • 1:30pm: Spend more time at the gardens, ensuring you see all the pavilions, the various gardens and sculptures, bodies of water and fountains, and the viewing platform on the windmill.
  • 4:00/4:30pm: Walk across the road to visit Keukenhof Castle.
  • 6:30pm: Head to your hotel in Lisse for your overnight stay. Explore the town.

DAY 2

  • 10:00am: Rent a bike at Keukenhof, next to the parking lot. Take the two-hour route. (Make a reservation ahead of time.)
  • 12:00pm: Visit the Black Tulip Museum (Museum de Zwarte Tulp).
  • 1:00pm: Have lunch in town, in Lisse.
  • 3:15/3:30pm: Make a reservation in advance for the 4:00pm-6:00pm Electric Twizy GPS tour. Head there between 3:15-3:30pm to ensure you have ample time to travel from where you are, and to arrive at your reservation a little early.
  • 4:00-6:00pm: Electric Twizy Tour time!
  • 6:00pm: Head to your next destination in The Netherlands, whether back to Amsterdam or another day trip.

If you'll be in Lisse for two days, one of them being a weekday, be sure to go to Keukenhof on a weekday as the weekends are a bit busier there. See “Best Time of the Day and Week to Enter,” earlier in this post.

🌷 About Keukenhof Gardens

History of Keukenhof

Herbs were initially planted on 15th-century hunting grounds in Lisse to provide ingredients for the nearby castle kitchen. Keukenhof means “kitchen garden.” The Countess of Hainaut, named Jacqueline, was a castle resident at the time. When she passed away, merchants took over the grounds.

Fast forward hundreds of years: In 1949, a group decided to rent space at Keukenhof to plant bulbs. They hoped people would visit the garden. It was successful! The city mayor helped establish Keukenhof as a place where hybrid flowers from the Netherlands and Europe could be displayed, and it also boosted the city's floral export industry.

Keukenhof Gardens Present Day

The garden's size grew from the mid-20th century to the vast space it is today. Each year, garden architects plant bulbs in different patterns with vibrant colors and varieties to impress any visitor.

Travel from Amsterdam to Keukenhof to see flower gardens, tulip fields of your dreams and enjoy nature. Holland is home to Lisse, the festival city and bucket list event at one of the most beautiful European cities in the world during spring season in The Netherlands. The colors and beauty of the bulbs in bloom in our photography and tips in our articles will inspire you to vacation to this destination no matter where you live in the world. #Keukenhof #TulipFields #TulipGarden #SometimesHome

🌷Conclusion for Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof is truly one of the most spectacular places we've ever been. It's completely unique and uplifting, and utterly beautiful.

We were in awe of what nature and humans created together and were surprised by how much there is to do there and how long you can spend there exploring and discovering so much you never knew was possible with flowers.

You'll learn a ton about different varieties of flowers, have fun taking photos and seeing cool art there, and enjoy the food and drinks offered there too.

Plan your trip by bookmarking this helpful post, and enjoy your visit to Keukenhof Gardens!

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