Is there a way to get into Keukenhof beyond scheduled open hours?
Dec 17th, 2006, 09:10 AM
#1
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Is there a way to get into Keukenhof beyond scheduled open hours?
I'm heading to Amsterdam April 27-May 11. Hopefully I'm hitting peak time for the tulips -- but I realize much is dependent on the weather. Does anyone know of a day tour or some-such that would get me into Keukenhof early or allow people to enter/stay beyond open hours. I've searched the internet with no luck.
I'm staying five nights at the Pulitzer on points in Amsterdam and am thinking of staying a night or two farther south closer to Keukenhof before heading to Belgium. Can anyone recommend a nice but inexpensive place to stay where I can still rely on public transportation? By inexpensive I mean around $100 U.S. a night. I will be traveling solo. My main agenda focuses on photography, so being near flowers and windmills is my goal.
I'm staying five nights at the Pulitzer on points in Amsterdam and am thinking of staying a night or two farther south closer to Keukenhof before heading to Belgium. Can anyone recommend a nice but inexpensive place to stay where I can still rely on public transportation? By inexpensive I mean around $100 U.S. a night. I will be traveling solo. My main agenda focuses on photography, so being near flowers and windmills is my goal.
Dec 18th, 2006, 12:23 PM
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www.keukenhof.nl maybe has an e-mail address for questions.
Leiden is very close to Keukenhof and the best way to the flower show is to take a train to Leiden and then hop buses from the station to Keukenhof, about 10 miles away, near village of Lisse.
Why do you wish to visit during off hours - for photography reasons - if so i'd suggest you be in line when the place opens as crowds don't swell until later in the day - and avoid weekends at all costs.
A short walk north of the Keukenhof takes you in a half mile or so into the heart of the flower fields, where different but still compelling photo ops await.
Leiden is very close to Keukenhof and the best way to the flower show is to take a train to Leiden and then hop buses from the station to Keukenhof, about 10 miles away, near village of Lisse.
Why do you wish to visit during off hours - for photography reasons - if so i'd suggest you be in line when the place opens as crowds don't swell until later in the day - and avoid weekends at all costs.
A short walk north of the Keukenhof takes you in a half mile or so into the heart of the flower fields, where different but still compelling photo ops await.
Dec 18th, 2006, 03:30 PM
#4
I believe there are day tours from Amsterdam; the Pulitzer could arrange one for you. We had a driver take us out of Amsterdam to Keukenhof on a Sunday morning in late April. I think we arrived around 11am and it was not crowded. We had no trouble taking photographs. The gardens are beautiful. When we left several hours later the tour buses had arrived and crowds were in line to enter. You could also include it with a visit to Leiden,a lovely historic city, where the Pilgrims lived for the ten years.
Dec 18th, 2006, 04:21 PM
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A hearty second to PalenqueBob's comments.
I lived in Haarlem and rode my bike to Keukenhof. You pass by the bulb fields before getting to the garden. In your two weeks you will probably have 3 to 7 days of no rain. Seeing as how you are into photography I would recommend early or late in the day for optimum light conditions.
Why don't you stay at the Pulitzer for your Keukenhof expedition. The garden is only about 20 miles from Amsterdam. Take advantage of your first dry day because you might not see another.
Your stay covers Queen's Day, April 30. This is an incredible all day city wide party. The citizens of Amsterdam and half of Holland get out in the streets and try to drain the breweries. Bring your camera!
There is a flower parade, Bloemencurso or something like that, which ends in Haarlem on the last Saturday of April IIRC. The floats are on display on the street Gedempte Oudegracht in Haarlem on the following Sunday. Good photo op. Fantastic mimes. Friendly cops. Pray for sunshine.
Before I forget, get your room reservations early. Holland is already filling up for your time frame. Hotel Lion d'Or is good and is across the street from the train station. Carlton Square is on the south side of the old town and is also good. I read that a new Best Western has opened near the center of the city. You might get a good deal there.
Dec 20th, 2006, 07:33 AM
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A neat way to go to the Keukenhof is to take a train via Haarlem to Hillegom, a small station on a raised platform that overlooks miles of undulating flower fields - benches on this raised station make great picnic spots.
But the station is only about 2-3 miles from Keukenhof by foot and you walk all the way on small roads right thru the heart of the flower belts, which at this time of year are a kaleidiscopic sea of colors and flowers waving in the wind. A great lead up to the formal flower show at the Keukenhof.
(From the Hillegom station go out the east side and then just follow roads to the right, never passing back under the rail line. Rent a bike at Haarlem station and then you can also ride about 12 miles thru the flower fields to the Keukenhof and onto Leiden another five miles or so and then hop the train with your bike back to Haarlem.
But the station is only about 2-3 miles from Keukenhof by foot and you walk all the way on small roads right thru the heart of the flower belts, which at this time of year are a kaleidiscopic sea of colors and flowers waving in the wind. A great lead up to the formal flower show at the Keukenhof.
(From the Hillegom station go out the east side and then just follow roads to the right, never passing back under the rail line. Rent a bike at Haarlem station and then you can also ride about 12 miles thru the flower fields to the Keukenhof and onto Leiden another five miles or so and then hop the train with your bike back to Haarlem.
Dec 20th, 2006, 01:16 PM
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PalenqueBob,
Your suggestion of the Hillegom "station" is exquisite.
But the traveler should make sure that the train stops at that platform. Many do not. And don't confuse Hillegom with Heemstede which would be the first stop south of Haarlem for any train stopping at Hillegom.
You can rent a bike in Haarlem, Heemstede, or Amsterdam stations. The fee for taking a bike, <i>fiets</i>, on the train is 6 euros, midnight to midnight throughout the country. I suggest Bike City in Amsterdam. They have some really good bikes for rent. Handling of Dutch bikes is a bit unusual and takes a while to get accustomed to.
Dec 20th, 2006, 08:02 PM
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The way they plant in Keukenhof is to make sure there are always flowers blooming, just different kinds. Depends on the weather, in early April, mostly likely will be crocus, iris, daffodil, hyacinthus and early tulips.
Dec 21st, 2006, 06:08 AM
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This past spring everything was VERY late. I was at Keukenhof the last part of April and there were no tulips at all. The nice thing though is the park is still beautiful to walk around in and they have lovely flowers and arrangements in glassed in sections of the park.Be sure to bring your rain gear though as the weather can change quickly!
Dec 21st, 2006, 06:15 AM
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hopscotch - excellent comments re Hillegom and bikes. Ah to bike thru the flower fields at their peak not only gives one the unique experience of pedaling thru miles of undulating blooms but the experience of cycling Holland - using all the excellent bike infrastructure of bikes only rights of way paths, etc.
didn't know you could rent at Heemsteede - this would get one out of Haarlem and biking in large cities is not always easy for novices. Especially those coping for the first time with what i call those Dutch Tanks - the heavy duty bikes they use.
I ran bike tours thru Holland for 10 years and can say that the experience of biking Holland is one that every fit individual should consider and this trek thru the flower fields is an easy and wondrous putz - and there are flowers of different types blooming for several months so it's not just the supreme tulip and hyacinth show of the spring.
Tot Ziens!
didn't know you could rent at Heemsteede - this would get one out of Haarlem and biking in large cities is not always easy for novices. Especially those coping for the first time with what i call those Dutch Tanks - the heavy duty bikes they use.
I ran bike tours thru Holland for 10 years and can say that the experience of biking Holland is one that every fit individual should consider and this trek thru the flower fields is an easy and wondrous putz - and there are flowers of different types blooming for several months so it's not just the supreme tulip and hyacinth show of the spring.
Tot Ziens!
