The Flower Route: a Road Trip with Tulip fields.
Last Updated: 24 February 2024.
The Netherlands is known around the world for its beautiful tulips. In Spring, fields of flowers align the fields in the west of the Netherlands. There are several tulip routes throughout the country. We have driven the flower route by car, now 3 years in a row, in the province of Zuid-Holland. A beautiful route with daffodils, tulips and hyacinths. However, the route offers more than just flower fields. There are museums and beach towns along the route.
The Flower Route
We followed the route set out by the ANWB, which you can find here in Dutch. There’s a map provided on the site. The following towns are included:
- Oegstgeest
- Rijnsburg
- Katwijk aan Zee
- Noordwijk
- Noordwijkerhout
- Hillegom
- Lisse
- Sassenheim
- Voorhout
- Oegstgeest
Itinerary town by town
Flower fields are along the route, however less in the beginning of the trip. This itinerary won’t mention where exactly you can see the tulips, only the other attractions along the route. Don’t worry you won’t miss the flower fields, they’re easy to spot. However the flower fields are on different places every couple of years.
Rijnsburg
The first town you come across on this flower field road trip is Rijnsburg. It’s the second flower center of the Netherlands, the first being Aalsmeer. The auction is already in use since 1917. There’s the Museum Spinoza-huis and Museum Oud Rijnsburg. For some history on the town and on Spinoza. In August Rijnsburg hosts the Flower Parade. On the second Saturday floats pull through Rijnsburg, Katwijk and Noordwijk.
Katwijk aan Zee
The first beach town on the flower route Netherlands that we come across. Katwijk aan Zee has a beautiful beach with boulevard. Stroll over the boulevard and play on the beach. Enough for hours of fun. Katwijk has a Sufi-temple situated in the dunes, with a golden colored dome.
Noordwijk
Another beach town on the bulb field road trip. The beautiful dune area with long beaches stretches from Katwijk to here and on. Noordwijk has its own boulevard which is perfect for strolling on or sitting on a bench and watching the sea.
But that’s not all Noordwijk has to offer. There’s the Space Expo, the first large continuous space exposition in Europe. Noordwijk-Binnen has a protected village view with buildings dating from the Middle Ages. Museum Noordwijk is a regional museum. The Museum of Comic Art is between the shops and has exhibits on comics.
After Noordwijk the tulip fields start in abundance. The fields are low lying compared to the rest of the country side. The dry sandy soil was removed between the dunes and the polder in the Middle Ages. This made for perfect soil for the flowers later on in the 19th Century.
Noordwijkerhout
The last of the beach towns on the road trip. There’s the forestry Hollands Duin which covers 650 hectares (1606 acres) of dune area.
Hillegom
Hillegom is a town that still has some buildings left from the Middle Ages.
Lisse
Lisse has the world famous Keukenhof, that welcomes a million visitors each Spring. It’s a flower display which shines each year in April and May. Visitors from all over the world come to admire all the flowers, among them tulips.
In February the Lenteflora is being hosted in Lisse, the opening of the flower season. It’s a free flower show already being organized since 1933.
Lisse has Museum The Black Tulip on the history and development of the bulbs and the area.
Voorhout
Voorhout has the Teylingen ruin, a castle dating from the 13th Century. There’s not much left of the castle.
Sassenheim
The highlight for many during the flower season is the ‘Bloemencorso van de Bollenstreek’. It’s on the last or second last Saturday in April. The float goes through Noordwijk, Voorhout, Sassenheim, Lisse, Hillegom, Bennebroek, Heemstede and Haarlem. Which is really wanderful to see.
Oegstgeest
The town where a famous Dutch writer, Jan Wolkers, grew up.
Hiring a car
We drove the road trip all 3 times with our own car. But when doing the trip after arriving on Schiphol Airport, you can easily hire a car for the day on the airport. It’s about €110,- a day. We have excellent experiences with Alamo and Hertz.
Where to eat
Along the route are plenty of options for a bite to eat or to sit down for a refreshment, whether it be a restaurant or beach club. When looking for some place to have lunch or dinner, before or after driving the flower route, The Hague is perfect. Check out where to eat in The Hague.
Where to stay
From the many hotels, bed and breakfast’s and campgrounds along the road trip, we have good experiences with Hotel Noordzee at Katwijk aan Zee and Vakantiepark Koningshof at Rijnsburg. A little further from the route but still ideal is NH Hotel Schiphol Airport, Corendon Village Hotel Amsterdam, Fletcher Hotel-Restaurant Carlton or camping Polderflora, a fun campsite in the Netherlands with kids.
When to visit
The tulip fields bloom around the end of March until the half of May.
The weather can be perfect with 16 to 20 degrees Celsius (60 to 68 Fahrenheit), or can be cold below 10 degrees Celsius (below 50 Fahrenheit). Its Spring time, the sun can shine, but don’t be surprised when you have an overcast sky, rain or even some snow.
The flower route is beautiful
And deserves to be one of 50 Drives of a Lifetime by National Geographic.
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37 Comments
Janice
Such beauty. As a gardener I would love to follow your itinerary.
Kelly
I would love to see this!
Cosette
Hope you can follow this itinerary next season!
Krista
I love that this road trip is spring centred around the tulip fields! I’m also loving all of the different colours you can get in each field – so cool to see!
Cosette
Yes, those colors are so beautiful and mesmerizing.
CHELSEA MESSINA
oh. my. beautifulness. My obsession with plants and flowers just went crazy. We have wanted to visit the Netherlands/Amsterdam for quite some time now and this flower road trip just made me want to more!
Cassandra
Such a beautiful road trip. The colours are beautiful.
Cosette
Hope you can drive this route next season. If your obsessed with plants and flowers, this is a must.
Neha
Wow! This is so beautiful and colorful. Visiting tulip fields is on my bucket list. Wish I can visit them someday.
Cosette
Hope you get to visit the tulip fields next season!
Sumeeta Kumar
Wow, I had no idea this route existed. I will definitely be adding this to my dream list!
Cosette
Hope you can drive the flower route next season.
Taylor
Wow! I would love to be in the Netherlands right now. It looks so heavenly. I was actually in Holland two years ago. I did a trip to Amsterdam and visited the tulips in Lisse. I got to also see Keukenhof, which was lovely! Great guide! 🙂
Cosette
Keukenhof is indeed beautiful. Hopefully you get to drive the flower route next season.
Jeff Albom
This looks like a great route to travel. A definite must-do in the Netherlands in spring. No wonder it made the National Geographic list.
Cosette
Yes, it’s really a beautiful route!
Rob + Ann @TravelLatte
Wow! We knew the Netherlands is famous for tulips, but had no idea there was an entire Flower Route! Holding onto this post for later. Thanks for the details!
Kelly Kristensen
Wow! I had no idea there were so many different places for flowers like this in the Netherlands. We wanted to come out there last Easter to see them, but corona stopped those plans. It would be nice to make it out there next year instead. Thanks for the bucket list suggestions! 🙂
Kristina
This looks so incredible. I have been seeking out flower gardens in the past year and I love visiting and seeing the colors. Netherlands would be such an epic trip to see all the flowers!
Kristy
What a beautiful road trip and amazing experience! I hope to be able to go someday.
Adriane
What amazing photos! I haven’t been able to go to Europe in so long. I can’t wait to check this out with my kids!
Lori
Such a beautiful trip! I get so excited when any of my bulbs bloom at home. To see so many flowers in one place would really be a treat.
GloriaLi
These are gorgeous! Have never been to a tulip field this makes me want to visit
Cosette
Hope you get to experience a tulip field, they’re awesome.
Tjasa
Oh wow, I had no idea this route existed. I wanted to visit Netherlands and see the tulips in person already this year, however withouth success. Hopefully I can do this route next year 🙂
Cosette
Hope you get to visit the Netherlands in 2022 and drive this flower route.
Sonia
These gardens look beautiful. I missed visiting Keukenhof on a brief stopover in Amsterdam last year due to weather. I would love to go back and visit.
Zara
It was great to see Noordwijk in this list. I went there when I was 10 years old. My first time out of the UK!
Sharyn
I’d love to go on this drive through all the flowers – so beautiful. And throw in a few beaches and great places to eat and the drive becomes even more special.
Josy A
Beeeeautiful! What an amazing drive! I have seen plenty of photos of the tulips, but I am totally in love with the Hyacinth fields – I have never seen anything quite so gorgeous. I love the blues and purples.
Laureen Lund
I love this. We have talked about doing this but have never pulled the trigger. This information is so helpful and I definitely think we should make this happen in 2025. Thanks for the tips. I’m holding on to this for planning!
Jennifer Record
Whoa! beaches in the Netherlands! I neve rowuld have guessed.. love all the tulips, but would head to the beach first!
Kirsten
Oooh tulip season is my favorite! I live on Goeree-Overflakkee, also a really great location to go to for tulips haha. 😉
Cosette
Haha, yes, I know, I also have a road trip on the blog to see the tulips on Goeree-Overflakkee.
Anna
I really liked your idea of Road Trip with Tulip fields, it goes beyond a simple visit to Keukenhof. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Ipsita
Wow! Stunning pictures! Beautiful, beautiful flower beds!
Trisha Velarmino
Thanks for this guide! Were you able to find out how many tulip varieties are currently recognized in the Netherlands, and which are considered the most rare or unique?