APRIL 2021, UPDATED APRIL 2025

At the end of march I revisited the Keukenhof with kids. I originally wrote this blogpost in 2021 about my visit to the Keukenhof as part of a COVID test reopening event. In 2021 I experienced the tulip gardens of the Keukenhof with limited visitors, which was a true delight as a flower lover. In this blogpost I will write about my experience visiting a very crowded Keukenhof with two enthusiastic toddlers. I think you will quickly see which pictures were taken during COVID, due to the lack of crowds, but I found that it made sense to include some aesthetic pics as well.

Practical information on the Keukenhof

The Keukenhof is usually open from the end of March until half May, as this is the time that the daffodils and tulips are in bloom. You can book tickets online or buy them at the box office. Especially when visiting on the weekend I would advise to book your tickets online, because they can sell out. You can buy a package with public transport or buy a parking ticket for your car. Tickets for adults cost € 20 and tickets for children cost € 9. I was able to find a discount by booking via ANWB. The Keukenhof website has a very good indication on which flowers you can find in bloom. Usually the hyacinths and daffodils are the early bloomers as well as the small tulips. As the season progresses the larger tulips and alliums will come out to play.

Keukenhof with kids

What to expect when visiting a formal tulip garden with kids? It was surprisingly kid friendly! In the middle of the park there is a giant playground where the kids can let off some steam. The Keukenhof also has some fun photo opportunities, which really spoke to Hugo, such as a giant clog in front of a windmill. Of course the kids are not allowed to touch or run through the flowers and this provided a bit of a challenge. The garden is so beautiful and colorful that they wanted to play everywhere, so it was hard to stop it sometimes. I was happy I was not the only adult and that my friend was also watching our kids. The garden is huge, so definitely bring a stroller if you are visiting with younger kids. The Keukenhof is very commercial so they even had a “Nijntje” section. Most of the food that is sold in the Keukenhof is informal and kid friendly. You will find several food trucks and restaurants in the park, you can even have “poffertjes” for the ultimate Dutch experience. There are plenty of changing rooms for kids as well, so no need to worry about this. Hugo loved the flowers and loved playing in the gardens even more.

Best time to visit

I had a window of opportunity to visit the Keukenhof at the end of March and I must say that I found it too early. The flower displays were just starting to bloom and I would have preferred to visit at a later time. March is the quietest time to visit, it gets busier as the season progresses. We visited on a weekend and it was insanely busy on a sunny day. Definitely try to visit on a weekday if you have the opportunity. The crowds didn’t take away of the prettiness of the park, but it was impossible to take aesthetic pictures. By visiting earlier in the season you can get lucky and find the cherry blossoms in bloom!

You should not skip the indoor pavilions; there is a large tulip show garden as well as an impressive collection of other flowers. Doesn’t matter when you visit, this display is always colorful!

News item

On our 2021 visit Hugo and I made the national news with our Keukenhof visit. A photographer spotted his cute smile and asked if he was allowed to take a picture. This picture ended up being used for several COVID related news items, even for the news item on the reopening of the Netherlands!

How can you resist this little smile?

Other recommendations

The Keukenhof is located in the bulb region, which is an absolute must visit in tulip season. You can rent a bike at the Keukenhof to explore the tulip fields by bike. The Keukenhof is also located closely to the dunes and beach of Noordwijk and the historic city of Leiden, so you can easily combine a visit. I would recommend visiting the Keukenhof for about 3 hours, so you can factor that in. While you are in the region you should bring home some tulips. I always buy tulips at Jan van der Slot, he has the most special varieties and the quality is always great!

In 2025 we brought a quick visit to the hyacinths fields! Of course we did not pick or ruin any flowers.

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