Known famously as the most beautiful flower garden on the planet, Keukenhof is also the world’s largest flower gardens! Located in Lisse, South Holland, it is here that Keukenhof gorgeously displays more than 7 million (!!!) spring tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths over 32 hectares annually, welcoming over 1 million visitors from across the globe. A staggering number when one realizes that the famous garden is only open 8 weeks a year.
Walking through this pristine garden is an out-of-body experience. The entire park is absolutely bursting with scent-sational fragrance and vibrant color. Seeing the endless, flowing seas of flowers is surreal. The perfect petal displays, flowering fields, and rolling green landscape of pristine flower scenes are unworldly and like a fairytale.
Not just hectares of flowers – Keukenhof offers gorgeous themed pavilions, an on-site windmill, a canal boat tour of the fields, a large children’s play area, a petting zoo, shops, and restaurants, and above all, one of the most stunning experiences you’ll ever witness. The best part? This bucket-list experience is amazing for kids!
Read on as we peel back the petals and discover this gorgeous Dutch wonder.
A Blooming History – Keukenhof
The history of Keukenhof, which means Kitchen Garden, goes back to a flower exhibition that was developed during the 15th century on the Landgoed Keukenhof Estate grounds. The first part of the estate was built in 1641 but since has passed through the hands of several wealthy merchant families, including Baron and Baroness Van Pallandt. They asked the landscape architect Zocher, responsible for the Vondelpark in Amsterdam, to design a garden around their castle. This English landscape they created in 1857 still forms the basis of the park as seen today.
In 1949, a group of flower bulb exporters came up with the idea of using the estate to showcase an exhibition of spring flowering bulbs. This was the birth of Keukenhof as we know it today! The park officially opened its doors to the public in 1950. The estate is now owned by a foundation charged with preserving the park, which now measures over 240 hectares and includes 15 buildings.The Keukenhof garden uses 50 of these hectares for the annual flower exhibition.
Behind the Petals – Keukenhof
Where do all the gorgeous blooms come from? One hundred bulb growers supply the bulbs to the park, completely free of charge, so the park may showcase their products. The park also works with over 500 cultivators and traders that collaborate on the annual flower shows that are found in the pavilions and grounds.
The planting of the gardens is handled by 40 expert gardeners, who plant the 7 million (!!) bulbs one by one, all by hand, at reserved locations throughout the park. A big job that takes over 3 months! At the end of each season, these bulbs are harvested and a new cycle of planting and harvesting begins again in the autumn.
In order to ensure that Keukenhof always has a new look, the planting is redesigned every year. You will never see the same design twice at this gorgeous garden oasis.
75 Years of Flowers – Keukenhof
In 2024, flower exhibition Keukenhof is celebrating its 75th anniversary. For the occasion, the garden is holding a special anniversary exhibition to celebrate this famous flower park’s founding. The exhibition Keukenhof Turns 75 brings stories from the past to life with memorabilia, nostalgic items and video fragments. Visitors can learn what goes on behind the scenes at Keukenhof, from 1949 to the present day, and see what’s in store for the future.
Petal Perfect Pavillions – Keukenhof
Keukenhof displays flowers and blooming plants not only outdoors, but also indoors. All pavilions have the names of members of the royal family in the Netherlands. The largest pavilion bears the name of the royal family ‘Oranje-Nassau’. There are a total of 4 pavilions. For 2024, flower shows can be found in the Beatrix Pavilion, Willem Alexander Pavilion, and Oranje-Nassau Pavilion. In the Juliana pavilion you will find the Keukenhof 75 exhibition for the anniversary.
Flowering Fields Forever – Keukenhof with Kids
Not just immaculate gardens, Keukenhof also has fields of flowers right on the property to explore. The (gorgeous!!) fields are accessible only by boat tours that last 45 minutes through water-filled canals. The “Whisper Boat” tours are digitally narrated through headsets, which offer narration through several different languages. The canal boat tours are the only experience at Keukenhof that is not included in the admission. Tours are €10,00 for adults, €5,00 for children aged 4-11. Children age 3 and younger are free. Boat tours can be booked in advance online. Note: They are called Whisper Boats as you are asked to speak only at a whisper volume on the tour.
Not a boat fan? You may also discover the gorgeous blooming fields and colorful countryside by bike! Keukenhof rents bikes for men, women, and children as well as tandems from the car park adjacent to the main entrance. These cost €11 for 3 hours and €16 per day. More info on the bike tours HERE.
Don’t miss the chance to view these fields from the park! You can also have a great view from the top of the windmill terrace and on top of the viewing platform at the end of the garden maze. We found these views spectacular, and are a must during your visit.
The Iconic Windmill
The famous windmill at Keukenhof is more than a century old. It was built in Groningen in 1892 and was used to pump water out of a polder. In 1957, the Holland-America Line bought the mill and donated it to Keukenhof. Visitors of all ages are invited to tour the windmill today (and take in the absolutely stunning view of the fields!).
A Paradise for Children – Keukenhof with Kids
Keukenhof is an absolute paradise for children. They are welcomed with open arms, and throughout all exhibitions. There is a large playground on site with separate areas that would appeal to children of all ages – from small slides for toddlers and the littlest flower fan, to playground climbing contraptions for older children (and those who would enjoy a thrill of a zip line!). There is even a separate snack house catering to children directly next to the playground that features children’s meals with mini Dutch pancakes (happy meal style – with a drink and a toy) as well as neighboring food carts with popcorn and cotton candy.
Aside from the playground (which we could have spent all day in), there is also a fun garden maze. The small yet fun garden maze was created from tall bushes. Those who make it to the end are rewarded with a look from the pavilion, which offers fantastic views of the park and the flower fields.
Keukenhof also offers guests a chance to interact with animal friends. A large petting zoo is adjacent to the playground area with numerous animals, including sheep, goats, ducks, and bunnies. Guests can enter the zoo area through a fence for an up-close experience with the animals. The experience is completely free and included with admission.
We loved how there were so many child-friendly experiences on-site, all geared towards memorable family experiences that will last a lifetime. Read more about the children’s experiences here.
Crowd Control – Keukenhof
When the most gorgeous garden in the world Is only open for eight weeks a year, the crowds are fierce!
Want to enjoy the peace and quiet of Keukenhof? It is less busy before 10:30 and after 16:00. The light of the morning and evening sun allows you to take wonderful photographs. It is also less busy on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday than on the other days of the week. Early bird gets the worm. I can’t stress this enough: Get there as early as possible. Often, especially during weekends, Keukenhof closes its doors early due to the fact that the park has reached capacity.
How to get there – Keukenhof
Given the garden’s close city location, it’s easy to discover this park as a day trip from Amsterdam, and there are many ways to access this flowering oasis! Public transport is the fast, comfortable way of getting to Keukenhof, with many departure locations and options. The bus service picks up from multiple locations – including the Schiphol Airport and Amsterdam Central Station. There is also a train service that runs from Amsterdam and other cities, where you can then connect to a Keukenhof Express bus.
Have a car? Keukenhof has a large parking lot for those who drive in. It holds 4,500 cars and over 1,000 coaches. Car parking is 8 euros. We opted for an Uber from our hotel in Amsterdam. A pricier option – but we sprung for this convenience as we wanted to be first to the park and have a leisurely, direct-to-door experience getting there. Our Uber was about 50 euro and took 35 minutes.
Leaving the park: The bus and train service has multiple departures a day. Uber also works great in the area, which is what we used to return to our destination as well (we only had to wait about 5 minutes for a driver).
Tips for visiting Keukenhof:
- We are often asked how long to gauge for a visit. We spent 4 1/2 hours in the gardens, and while we didn’t get to see all the pavilions, we thought that this time was adequate (which included a leisurely lunch). However, our little guy could have spent all day at the playgrounds and maze. The timing at the gardens really depends on each family!
- On your way into the park be sure to grab a free Keukenhof Scavenger Hunt booklet from the information desk. The booklet includes facts, teasers, activities, and challenges for kids. Finish the booklet and pick up your free gift from the information desk as you exit.
- As mentioned previously, Keukenhof is very family-friendly! Strollers are allowed. As one would expect- strollers are not allowed on boat tours or in the narrow passageway stairs of the windmill.
- Fido like flowers? Not just kids – Keukenhof is also a friend to the four-legged family members too! Fido is allowed to tour the grounds on a leash, however, dogs are not allowed in the pavilions or restaurants (with exception of guide dogs).
- There are multiple restaurants, kiosks, and food stand options directly in the gardens offering everything from burgers, sandwiches, snacks, ice creams, and adult beverages – there’s something for all palettes!
- There are many tables but with the crowds, they are often taken. Our tip: Bring a blanket and have a picnic! Grab some yummy food from one of the truck vendors and set up a to-go picnic lunch right in this garden oasis – there couldn’t be a more picturesque location! Bonus: outside food and drink are allowed.
- The famous stepping stones in the pond make for a gorgeous photo backdrop! Just be sure to practice caution with small children. The stones are wet and a bit slippery, and a slip into the water could make for quite a wet afternoon adventure.
- Free Wi-Fi is available around the pavilions at the park.
Keukenhof
LOCATION: Keukenhof. Stationsweg 166A, 2161 AM Lisse
TICKETS: Adults: €19,50, Children age 4-17 €9,00, Children age 0-3 years are Free.
OPENING TIMES: Keukenhof is open from March 21 through May 12, 2024. Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. daily (including Sundays and holidays).
WEBSITE: HERE
Looking for New York City blooms with kids? Read our full article HERE.
Thank you to Keukenhof for sponsoring our experience. As always, all opinions and reviews are our own.
