Keukenhof Gardens Day Trip Travel Guide (From Haarlem)

keukenhof gardens

The Most Beautiful Spring Garden in the World

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is keukenhof gardens worth visiting?

Whether or Not Keukenhof Gardens is Worth Visiting

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how to get from haarlem to keukenhof

Taking the Bus or Biking from Haarlem to Keukenhof

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how much time to see keukenhof gardens

A Half Day or Full Day Exploring Keukenhof Gardens

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TIps and things to keep in mind for visiting KEukenhof

What to Expect from Keukenhof Gardens

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keukenhof gardens

The Netherlands is known for its tulip fields, showing the landscape in bright colors during Spring, and in addition to these colorful jewels dotting the Dutch countryside, the Netherlands is also home to the world famous Keukenhof Gardens.

Keukenhof Gardens is a curated gardens in the Bollenstreek (flower bulb region) of the Netherlands, in the town of Lisse. Keukenhof Gardens is home to 7 million flowering bulbs in the short season between March-May.

The creation of Keukenhof and its main purpose still today is a flower bulb showcase garden, allowing 100 companies within the Dutch floracultural sector to show off their flower bulbs during the season.

However, despite this purpose, you do not have to be in the flower growing industry to visit or enjoy Keukenhof Gardens. Keukenhof Gardens is open to the public (with ticketed entry) and everyone who loves flowers young and old can enjoy a day at Keukenhof.

is keukenhof gardens worth visiting?

If you’re traveling to the Netherlands and wondering if Keukenhof Gardens is worth visiting, the short answer is yes! If you’re lucky enough to be visiting the Netherlands during the months of March, April or May, you won’t want to miss the time sensitive opportunity to enjoy Keukenhof Gardens during its short opening season.

A visit to Keukenhof Gardens will also give you an entirely different experience than explorations in Amsterdam or other Dutch cities.

The 2026 season for Keukenhof Gardens is March 19th through May 10th, every day.

how to get from haarlem to keukenhof Gardens

If you’re visiting the Netherlands during spring time and plan to make a trip to Keukenhof Gardens during that time, I highly recommend considering staying in Haarlem.

Although you can access Keukenhof Gardens from Amsterdam (by the Keukenhof Bus transfer or Keukenhof Guided tours), Haarlem is a much smaller, more direct access point to the gardens.

How To Take The Bus from Haarlem to Keukenhof Gardens

The simpliest and most direct way to access Keukenhof Gardens from Haarlem is by bus. During Keukenhof Garden’s opening season, there is a dedicated bus from Haarlem, the Keukenhof Express bus 850.

The Keukenhof Express bus 850 is a direct bus leaving from Haarlem train station and dropping off directly in front of Keukenhof Gardens.

Purchase your round trip Keukenhof Express Bus and Keukenhof Entry tickets from Haarlem with Tiqets.

The combo ticket above gives you round trip bus tickets to and from Keukenhof Gardens, and in order to get back to Haarlem from Keukenhof Gardens, you simple board the Keukenhof Express bus 850 in the parking lot in front of the gardens entrace.

Biking from Haarlem to Keukenhof Gardens

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can also bike from Haarlem to Keukenhof Gardens. The route from the Haarlem Train Station to Keukenhof Gardens via bike takes a little under an hour and is around 16km.

Riding your bike from Haarlem to Keukenhof Gardens also allows you to explore the surrounding tulip fields, making it a full day outing of explorations.

You can rent bikes in Haarlem next to the train station from Rent a Bike Haarlem.

how much time to see keukenhof gardens

Once you’ve made the journey to Keukenhof Gardens, take your time enjoying all that the gardens have to offer. You could spend a full morning, afternoon or even most of a day wandering through Keukenhof Gardens.

There are plenty of restaurants and food options onsite at Keukenhof Gardens, whether you need a coffee, lunch or just a break.

tips and things to keep in mind before visiting keukenhof gardens

If you’re planning a trip to Keukenhof Gardens, there are a few tips and things to keep in mind.

Crowds at Keukenhof Gardens: With such a short opening season, Keukenhof Gardens can feel crowded any day you visit. To get the least amount of crowds, buy the earliest ticket or visit later in the evening.

Don’t expect to be wandering around the gardens without thousands of other people. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays will be the most crowded days at Keukenhof Gardens.

Book Your Keukenhof Tickets in Advance: If you’re planning a visit to Keukenhof Gardens, it’s best to purchase your tickets in advance, as its a popular destination with a limited number of tickets available every day.

Kid-Friendly: As are most things in the Netherlands, Keukenhof is kid-friendly, with various open green spaces, high chairs, changing tables and more for the babies or children visiting Keukenhof Gardens with you. Entrance for children under four to Keukenhof Gardens is free.

STICK AROUND FOR A WHILE

Planning a trip to the Netherlands?

You can discover our Amsterdam travel guide, our day trip guide to Utrecht, and our favorite Airbnbs to book in Amsterdam for your accommodation needs.

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