shorthauldad

We're thinking of spending a weekend in Amsterdam and my wife would like to do the tulip thing and visit Keukenhof. We're pretty flexible on dates, any time in April would work.

My wife muttered something about going "over the Easter weekend" but I have a feeling that a) it might be heaving with tourists then, b) hotel prices will be even higher than normal, c) flights will be expensive, and d) hotel and flight redemption availability will be long gone... She's not an FTer

I see it's open from late March until mid May, but are the displays particularly good at any particular point in the season? Any suggestions on when to go to avoid the (worst of) the crowds?

We'd have our 4 year-old and 9 month-old with us. Is it (fairly) family-friendly?

Sjoerd

Normally late April is best for the flowers. However, we had an extremely mild winter so my guess is that mid April will be better this year.

Sjoerd

Keukenhof is family-friendly and is "always" busy, but, in my experience, seldom too busy. Weekdays slightly better than weekends.

Analise

I'm planning on going to Keukenhof on a weekday in the middle of April. I have a few questions:

1. Can I buy a combination ticket that includes park admission fee AND the 24 hour OV-chipcard? If yes, where do I buy it as I will be arriving the afternoon before in Amsterdam by train and staying at a hotel near AMS.

2. Does the 24 hour OV-chipcard also include bus transportation (bus 858 to Keukenof, Connexxion bus 197 from Keukenhof to Amsterdam)?

3. Tangential question -- does the 24 hour OV-chipcard include the train from Hoofddorp to Amsterdam Centraal as well as the train between AMS and Amsterdam Centraal?

Thank you.

mfkne

The 24-hour chipcard is bound to GVB operated buses, trams and metros in Amsterdam, so it neither includes the train nor any non-GVB-operated buses.

Analise

Thanks for responding. I know the Connexxion buses aren't GVB. Is Bus 858 a GVB bus?

mfkne

GVB only operates buses in the Amsterdam area, therefore it is not a GVB bus.

Analise

Got it. Thanks. Now I've got to decide if I want to go to Keukenhof on my one full day in the Netherlands (based in Amsterdam). I thought I would definitely go but now I'm wondering if I might enjoy seeing Delft other towns outside of Amsterdam. The more I'm reading about Keukenhof, the more I realize I'll be with hundreds or thousands of tourists. I do want to go on a Wednesday so maybe there won't be as many tourists?

KBX

Rent a car and drive in the morning to the area North of Alkmaar (places like Callantsoog/Julianadorp), one hour max from Amsterdam. Free tulipfields as far as you can see. One the way back stop in Alkmaar for lunch or a drink to see the canals there. Garanteed fun and way less tourists compared to Amsterdam/Keukenhof!

Analise

It sounds like a great idea but I don't want to rent a car. I think I might be leaning toward Delft even though I adore tulips!

KBX

Or take a train to Haarlem or Alkmaar, and wander around. These are good alternatives for Delft (not sure what is so special about Delft)?

Analise

Various guides have said that Delft is the prettiest town/city in the Netherlands. If that's Tourism BS, I want to know.

The more I look into Keukenhof, the more I see the vast crowds as if I were at a Disney amusement park. No matter how gorgeous the tulips are, I don't want to deal with that. Having just one day for sightseeing on a day trip from Amsterdam is proving to be a challenge to decide what to do. It's a good challenge obviously.

annieway

We went to Keukenhof last year on a weekend day during the peak of the tulip flowers. If you do decide to go, go in the early morning. We got a bus from the Amsterdam airport - I think we bought a package ticket for the bus and admission from the Keukenhof website. We arrived very early - just about the time the buses start running. We had no wait and got right on the first bus that showed up.

When we returned to the airport from the gardens in the late morning after our visit to the gardens there was an absolutely enormous line snaking around the building waiting for the bus to go to the gardens. People must have waited for hours and hours to get on the bus. Also the traffic going in the opposite direction (toward the gardens) on our return trip was horrible - backed up for miles - so taking a car isn't a good option either unless you go early.

The gardens were gorgeous and I am glad we went.

Analise

I know that bus 858 goes between AMS and Keukenhof. Do you have a link for their bus schedule? If not, how did you know when the early bus was? I've been looking.

It is these mass crowds I want to avoid. If you're saying that arriving early makes for a quiet park, that is something to consider. Plus I would be going in the beginning of the week not a weekend. I honestly can't decide but it would be easier if I had access to bus schedules between AMS and Keukenhof and maybe between Keukenhof and Haarlem.

t0t1t2

http://www.lovers.nl/pdf/keukenhof%2...0timetable.pdf

I don't know if this is the schedule of this year or last year but it will probably be similar anyways.

Once the date is closer you can look up the exact time at the widget on the bottom of the page here as this info is not available yet.