Unlike other parks, Keukenhof is mainly a flower garden. In fact, it is the largest flower garden in the world, encompassing 32 hectares of land area. The park boasts over 7 million planted flower bulbs, and at least 30 gardeners are needed to maintain it.
Gorgeous flowers bursting with various colors are all over the park, but the one type that is considered the reigning queen is the tulip. All over the country, tulips give life and beauty during April and May. This is also when the public can gain access to Keukenhof. Other kinds of flowers that will surely captivate your senses include daffodils, roses, carnations, hyacinths and lilies.
Keukenhof Park covers four grand pavilions and several gardens. Every year, the park officials choose a central theme, and then create an overlook for the park based on such theme. The park is officially open only 8 weeks in a year, but it never fails to attract a large number of visitors, which can reach to more than 800,000.
If you are a fan of parades and festivals and you don't mind the crowd, then consider visiting during the Flower Parade held in May. This vibrant parade is starred by magnificent decorated floats showing off their beauty and grace accompanied by wonderful background music. Other events usually held in the park include the Tulip Show and the Easter Bunny at Keukenhof.
Strolling among the fields of flowers is not the only thing you can do while in Keukenhof. The park is also host to a number of activities and is equipped with some attractions. Visiting families with kids can participate in treasure hunts, or hang out at the playground. You can also go for a free guided tour or get lost around a hedge maze. To fully admire the marvelous fields of flowers, ride a bike and explore the park's 15- kilometer paths. Electrically-propelled boat trips are also available if you want to keep it more relaxing.
You can reach Keukenhof Park from the capital Amsterdam and other neighboring cities like The Hague, Haarlem and Delft. Because the park is only open for a short period of time, getting there can present a bit of a problem because of the heavy traffic. A viable solution would be to leave early in the morning. You can also choose to stay at the nearby towns like Leiden, Zandvoort or Noordwijk. These places are just a bike ride away from Keukenhof. A bike ride to the park proves to be very scenic as you will peddle your way along gorgeous tulip fields and become immersed in the stunning countryside.
If you are coming from Amsterdam, consider purchasing a Combi-Ticket, which is available at the Information Center located at Schiphol airport and Stationsplein. The ticket includes the bus transport from the city center of the airport as well as the entrance fee to the park. Securing the Combi-Ticket saves the headache of being stuck in a long queue at the park's entrance. Booking entrance tickets and accommodation way ahead and online is highly recommended.
