frequently asked questions about keukenhof

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FAQ Tulips and Keukenhof

The frequently asked questions answered:

How much time should I schedule to visit the Keukenhof?
Weather prediction
Should I book a guided tour or can I visit on my own.
Entrance to the Keukenhof
What to do with luggage?
Why are the tulips headed?
Is the Keukenhof wheelchair accessible?
Visiting the Keukenhof with children
Staying overnight in the Keukenhof area
Where to buy Tulips and Bulbs

How much time should I schedule to visit the Keukenhof?

When people travel to the Keukenhof they want to know how long does it takes to see the Keukenhof. It depends on a few things:

Do you like flowers and parks?
What is the weather like?

People who like flowers tend to visit longer than the people who are absolutely bored to see another tulip. And walking around in the sunshine, soaking up the sun, have a drink on the terrace takes more time to walk around in the rain under an umbrella.

To get a good impression schedule at least 4 hours. This way you can walk around, visit the indoor exhibitions, kids can visit the petting zoo and you can have a drink in one of the restaurants. Schedule some extra time if you want to visit the flower fields next to the Keukenhof as well. (Rent a bike if you want to see more)

In 4 hours you can’t see everything but you will have a good impression. See for a map of the Keukenhof.

Weather prediction

When visiting a outdoor park it is nice to have good weather predictions. Should I take an umbrella, do I need a coat? This website gives good information about the weather and rain prediction: http://www.meteovista.co.uk/ use the town of “Lisse” to get more accurate information.

Should I book a guided tour or can I visit on my own.

The Keukenhof is very easy to reach by public transport from all the major towns. Most of the Dutch people can speak English.

The big tour companies will drop you off at the same main entrance as the public transport busses. And walking around the Keukenhof with a map and booklet is easy to do.

Visiting on your own will give you the freedom to choose when to leave. Every 15 min. there is a bus back to Schiphol Airport.

The plus of a tour company is that they pick you up and drop you off at a point in Amsterdam and that you don’t have to change busses. Unfortunately due to traffic this won’t give you a big time difference compared to traveling with public transport.

Entrance to the Keukenhof

There are several ways for buying an entrance ticket:

At the gate of Keukenhof
Online (same price and no standing in line for your ticket)
Combination ticket (bus and entrance)
Holland Pass

What to do with luggage?

If you are traveling directly from the airport to the Keukenhof it is best to leave your luggage at the airport. The luggage facilities are much better and more equipped to large suitcases, backpacks, etc. And you won’t have to take them along in a bus full with people traveling to the Keukenhof. In the Keukenhof you will find some small (!) lockers near the main entrance next to the bus stop.

Why are the tulips headed?

Every year, around the 30^th of April, the tulip farmers are taking the flower off the tulips. In the area around Keukenhof the tulips are grown for their bulbs not for the flowers. Taking the head of the flower increases the strength of the bulb. The bulb is taken out of the ground just before summer arrives and travels all over the world as a famous export product. During autumn a lot of bulbs are put in the ground again so we can enjoy the colorful flower fields in the following spring. If you want to see the large flower fields make sure you visit the last two weeks of April. Than is the best time to see them.

Is the Keukenhof wheelchair accessible?

Yes the Keukenhof is easy accessible by wheelchair. At the car parking lot there is a special area for disabled people to park their car. Furthermore you can rent a wheelchair at the reception of the Keukenhof. Just call the front desk prior to your visit on +31 252-465564 to make a reservation for a wheelchair. You will pay € 20,- which is returned to you when you hand back the wheelchair.

Visiting the Keukenhof with children

The Keukenhof is fun to visit with small children. They can pet some farm animals at the small petting zoo, play around in the Miffy playground, enjoy the climbing on the windmill, riding the boat around the flower fields, enjoy eating poffertjes (little pancakes) find their way in the maze and enjoy the activities during the weekends (like a bird of prey demo – see schedule on the website of Keukenhof)

Staying overnight in the Keukenhof area

Because it is so easy to travel to Lisse many people prefer to stay in a hotel in the cities Amsterdam, Haarlem, Leiden or The Hague. Here you can find much more restaurants and other activities.

If you are only interested in the flower fields, it is possible to stay a little bit closer to the flower fields.

In Lisse there are several hotels – see which one are still available.

Towns and villages close to Lisse are: Hillegom, Sassenheim, Nieuw Vennep, Hoofddorp, Noordwijkerhout, Voorhout en Noordwijk.

Or look at our hotels near Keukenhof page for hotels and B&B’s in the area.

For the people with a motorhome or campervan it is not possible to park overnight at the parking of the Keukenhof. Look for camp sides in the area of Noordwijkerhout and Voorhout.

Where to buy Tulips and Bulbs

Tulips and bulbs make a perfect souvenir for the people back home. Where to buy these products?

From the end of January until the end of April, tulips can be bought on markets and flower stalls. You can buy them at the flower market in Amsterdam if you are prepared to pay the high tourist price. Otherwise just buy them at a regular market or a flower stall next to the tulip fields. You can buy them as well at the airport, but these prices are extremely high. Outside this timeframe there are no tulips! It is a spring product!

Before traveling make sure you are allowed to bring fresh flowers into the country, and pack the tulips well. It is a life product; they won’t survive more than 2 hours without water.

Bulbs are sold in the Keukenhof , the flower stall outside Keukenhof and the whole year at the flower market in Amsterdam.

The bulbs at the Keukenhof are directly sold from the farmers. They have a higher prices, they send the fresh bulbs to you in September / October, just in time to plant them into the ground. They have a certificate that they are disease free (quarantine certificate) a big plus when they arrive at customs.

Before traveling make sure you are allowed to bring bulbs into the country. And make sure they have a quarantine certificate. Otherwise you will find them thrown away at customs.

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