All Your Keukenhof Questions Answered by a Frequent Visitor

In this complete guide you will find all the information you need about visiting the most beautiful flower gardens in the world – the Keukenhof tulip gardens in the Netherlands. It is also packed with practical advice and I’ll be sharing with you some insider tips, as I have been visiting Keukenhof park each year for the last 15 years.

Keukenhof is closed now. It will be open from 21 March till 12 May 2024.

The idea of this post came from you, my dear  readers, as you keep asking me questions about Keukenhof in my other popular post about the park. So, I have decided to combine the answers of all these great questions in this handy guide.

DISCLOSURE: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of those links, I will earn a commission at no extra cost for you.

Where is Keukenhof located?

I have to disappoint you, but Keukenhof is not located in Amsterdam. It’s not that far from the Dutch capital, but the tulip gardens are NOT in Amsterdam. Keukenhof is located in the so-called Bulb Region (Bollenstreek in Dutch), near the small town of Lisse. Keukenhof is at about 45 km from the center of Amsterdam.

When is Keukenhof open?

That’s another heart-breaker. Keukenhof is NOT open all year round. Keukenhof is a spring garden as tulips bloom only in the months March-May in the Northern hemisphere. So, if you are visiting the Netherlands between half May and half March Keukenhof will be closed.

When is Keukenhof open in 2024?

The tulip gardens are open from 21 March till 12 May. You can buy now your online tickets.

How can I buy tickets for Keukenhof?

Since 2023 Keukenhof have changed their ticket policy and now you can buy tickets only online. So, you can’t just pop up at Keukenhof as it used to be before. Tickets need to be booked in advance for a certain date and with a reserved time slot. You can’t show earlier than your time slot either, but you can stay till the closing time.

The new online tickets aren’t personalized, so someone can go instead of you, if you cannot make it. However, if you want to change the date of your ticket or the the time slot you can do so no later than 4 days prior to your visit.

Tickets for the whisper-boat you can buy at place, in Keukenhof.

Are there alternatives to Keukenhof?

If you are visiting the Netherlands outside of the tulips season and you are a flower fan, there are many other gardens that are open in the summer or all year round. Some of my favorite Keukenhof alternatives include the Appeltern Gardens, the Castle Gardens of Arcen, the Gardens of Het Loo Palace. One of the most amazing flower experience in the Netherlands for me remains the Flower Parade (Bloemenkorso) in Zundert in September.

How to get to Keukenhof?

Keukenhof is easily accessible by both car and public transportation. If you are going by car, you should consider that traffic can get pretty busy on a warm-ish weekend day, as locals love visiting the park. Quite often there are traffic jams on the way to and from Keukenhof. Still, this remains a comfortable way to visit the tulip gardens.

If you are using public transportation and you are not staying in one of the places near Lisse, the best way is to get first to Schiphol Airport. Check further below how to do that. There is a very handy website/app where you can check whether there is direct connection between the place where you are staying and Keukenhof.

Click on the button below to check how to get to Keukenhof.

How to get from Amsterdam to Keukenhof?

That’s pretty easy, although you should be considering the transit time and that you will need to change buses most likely. Don’t expect to be in half an hour in Keukenhof. Depending on where you are in Amsterdam, you’ll need to get either to RAI metro station and then take bus line 852 to Keukenhof, or to Hoofddorp Station and then take bus line 859. There’s no direct connection from Amsterdam to Keukenhof and you will always need to change at least once or even twice. For more info you can consult the official website of Keukenhof.

• Buy here an entry ticket to Keukenhof + transport from RAI

How to get from Schiphol to Keukenhof?

Going first to Schiphol Airport and then to Keukenhof, I still find it the best and the easiest way to get to Keukenhof. No matter where you are in the Netherlands, there are pretty good connections to Schiphol Airport. From Schiphol there is a direct bus to Keukenhof – line 858. There are 8 buses per hour and the trip takes about 30 minutes. When I decide to use public transit, this my preferred way to go to Keukenhof.

• Buy here an entry ticket to Keukenhof with a transfer from Schiphol.

Are there tours to Keukenhof?

There are quite a lot of tours to Keukenhof offered from Amsterdam. Most of the tours are combining a visit to Keukenhof with a visit to the tulip fields. There are also tours that include other attractions like Zaanse Schans, Kinderdijk or Madurodam, but I do not recommend them. You won’t have enough time at both places and you will be only rushing around.

Here is a selection of tours that depart from Amsterdam, the most convenient being the first tour. All tours offer transportation plus entry ticket to the park.

When is the best time to visit Keukenhof?

This is the most difficult of all questions, but I get it asked each year again and again. In general at the end of March only the early tulips and bulb flowers will be in bloom, but if it’s been a very cold winter, the early tulips won’t be open in full. On the other hand, if the spring has been extremely warm, there’s a big chance that most of the tulips will be already gone by the beginning of May. So it really depends on the weather. For example, in mid April all trees will have their blossoms but at the beginning of May the trees will be green and the rhododendrons and other bushes will be in bloom. So you see, it’s hard to say when the best time is to visit Keukenhof. The park just goes through all stages of spring and they are all beautiful in their own way. If I still need to give an answer to this question, then towards the end of April will be the best time to visit Keukenhof.

When do tulips bloom in Holland?

Each year they are planting more than 7 million bulbs in Keukehof and 800 sorts of tulips. There are early bloomers and late bloomers, so different tulips will be blooming in different times. Also they don’t plant all the tulips at the same time, so that there are always tulips in bloom in Keukehof. However, in one of the pavilions you can admire all the tulip sorts. The tulips will be in bloom from mid March to mid May, when the park will be actually open.

How much time to spend in Keukenhof?

Another difficult question. The park spans on 32 ha, so you can’t visit it in an hour. You will need anywhere between 4 to 8 hours to see the whole park, to visit all the pavilions and to make millions of photos. My advice will be to spend a whole day at Keukenhof, if you have the time. Spending less time in Keukenhof park will mean that you won’t be able to see the whole park, or will be running around without enjoying at all what you are seeing.

Do I need a Keukenhof map?

I highly recommend that you get one. You can get one at the entrance when you buy your tickets, or you can download one from the official site of the park here. Keukenhof has been recently renovated, so there are minor changes if you’ve been visiting like five years ago.

How to skip the crowds in Keukenhof?

Let’s be honest, the tulip gardens can be very crowded. My advice will be to avoid visiting the park on weekends, bank holidays, and during the spring break (end of April – beginning of May), especially when there’s a bit of a sunshine as all the Dutch will flock to Keukenhof, as it is a favorite day trip for the locals. Early in the morning before 11:00 am and in late afternoon after 16:00 pm the park is almost empty. This the time before the mass tours arrive and depart from the park.

Are dogs allowed in Keukenhof

Yep, dogs are allowed but only if they are on a leash. Although you can walk with your pet around, make sure it will not enter the flower beds, as it will be then bye-bye tulips.

Can I leave my luggage at Keukenhof?

There are lockers at Keukenhof, so you can leave your luggage there. If you are visiting the park during a lay-over on Schiphol or if you are travelling from Schiphol, I will advise you to leave your luggage at the airport. Thus, you won’t need to carry it around with you, when you are getting on/off the bus. However, you can’t store large pieces of luggage at Keukenhof.

Are the tulip fields the same as Keukenhof

Nope. They aren’t the same. The tulip fields are private property of the farmers who grow tulips for flowers and for bulbs and Keukenhof is a park. You can visit the fields by renting a bike from Keukenhof, where you’ll get a map and instructions. Remember one thing – do not enter the tulip fields! They are private property and you’ll be trespassing! Last years the tulips became really popular which led to people flocking to the fields en masse for the most amazing Instagram photo, ruining the tulips and the tulip beds, thus destroying the crop of the farmers. Don’t be like that! Visit the fields with utmost respect and do not trespass!

Can I visit the tulip fields from Keukenhof

Yes, you can visit them. Just outside the park, there is rent-a-bike company, from where you can rent a bike a visit the fields in the neighbourhood. You should know however, that your Keukenhof ticket is not multi-entry ticket and once you leave the park, you can’t come back with the same ticket. If you take the whisper-boat tour that departs from the windmill in Keukenhof, you’ll visit the surrounding tulip fields. Also from the dunes there is a great view to the fields. The dunes are at the border of the park, to the right from the main entrance. The view point are indicated on the map and are easy to find.

Where can I park my car when visiting Keukenhof

Keukenhof has its own parking terrain. A few years ago, it was all renovated, so now there is enough parking opportunity. You should know that the parking is not free of charge and it costs 6 EUR per car. However this is not a good reason to park alongside the road. Just don’t do it, as you’ll be hindering the traffic and will get a fine for sure.

What else can I do in Keukenhof

Besides walking around and taking millions of pictures? Well, you can do whisper-boat tour. You’ll need to buy tickets separately at the kiosk near the windmill. There’s a lovely maze, which you can solve. You can rent a bike and bike along the tulip fields. There are also lots of activities organized in the park. Check out my other post about what to do in Keukenhof.

Can I buy food and drinks in Keukenhof?

When visiting Keukenhof park, you don’t need to bring snacks with you. There are a few cafes in Keukenhof located at the pavilions, where you can grab some food and refreshments. There are also stands throughout the park where they sell Dutch stroopwafels, Belgian waffles, Dutch hot-dogs (broodje Junox), or other snacks. You can buy there drinks, as well.

Can I bring my own picnic to Keukenhof?

Yes, you can bring your own picnic to the park. There are comfortable benches everywhere where you can sit and enjoy your sandwich amidst the tulips. There is also a lovely grass field near the windmill where you can make a real picnic out of it.

Can I buy souvenirs at Keukenhof?

Yep. There are a few souvenir shops where you can buy anything tulips. It is as if you enter tuliplandia: pens with tulips, magnets with tulips, aprons with tulips, shawls with tulips, t-shirts with tulips, uhm… virtually anything you can think of with tulips. This is also the perfect place to buy presents from your trip to the Netherlands. My favorite souvenirs are the coasters with tulips and the magnets with tulips. Be prepared, it’s difficult to resist to the tulip mania…

Can I skip the lines in Keukenhof?

Yep. You can buy your tickets online in order to skip the lines. Actually, there aren’t huge lines in front of the ticket kiosks, so it doesn’t really matter whether you’ll buy your ticket online or not. I prefer to buy them at place as they also make lovely souvenirs. On the other hand the online tickets are cheaper, but it’s up to you.

How much does an entry ticket to Keukenhof cost?

The prices for visiting Keukenhof in 2024 are:

• adults – 19,50 EUR
• kids aged 0-3 years – free of charge
• kids aged 4-17 years – 9,00 EUR
• whisper-boat adults – 10 EUR
• whisper-boat kids aged 4-17 years – 5 EUR

Don’t forget that you will also need to pay 8 EUR for the parking if you are getting there by car.

Can I fly my drone over Keukenhof?

Nope, not possible… Unfortunately. I would love to fly my drone over Keukenhof, but it is not aloud to do so above crowds and near airports in the Netherlands. So, no, it’s not possible to film with your drone above the Keukenhof gardens.

Is it worth visiting Keukenhof in the rain?

Since the ticket-selling policy of Keukenhof changed in 2023, it’s not possible just to pop-up in Keukenhof on a sunny day. You need to buy your tickets in advance and as the Dutch weather is quite unpredictable and the chances it would rain in spring are 100%, it would be much likely that it could rain on the day you will be visiting the tulip gardens.

Bringing an umbrella to Keukenhof is not a very good idea, as it wouldn’t help a lot and besides walking on the lanes with other people carrying umbrellas, not really a nice experience, as it still can be crowded in Keukenhof even if it rains.

So the best option is to have a rain poncho. It will keep not only you dry but also any bags you might carry. If you don’t bring your own poncho, don’t worry, there will be plenty on sale at Keukenhof, so you can stay dry even if it’s pouring with rain. And yes, it’s still worth visiting Keukenhof in the rain!

Do you have more questions about Keukenhof?

If you have more questions about Keukenhof, ask me in the comments below. Do not forget to check my other post about Keukenhof, where you will learn why Keukenhof is so special, what is there to do, what’s the fuss about the tulips and lots of other insider information and fun historical facts.

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