Ascension Day falls early in 2024, making it a perfect time to enjoy Tulip Festival activities. All tulip activities will be open on May 9 (Ascension Day). Sunday, May 12, is the last day of the Tulip Festival. Read our tips below if you want to travel to the tulips in Holland during Ascension Day and weekend.

Blooming of the tulips during Ascension weekend

Since Ascension Day falls in the last week of the Tulip Festival, it is wise to prepare in advance. The production flower fields meant primarily for growing bulbs are usually already largely cut. This is a standard agricultural practice to ensure the best quality bulbs for the following season. While these fields may not offer the expanse of color you might expect, it is a testament to the cycle of growth and renewal and there is a unique beauty to witnessing this phase.

On the other hand, designed gardens like Keukenhof Gardens are curated for visitor experience. These gardens are planted in stages and with various tulip varieties to ensure a longer blooming window. By Ascension Day, Keukenhof and similar gardens remain a riot of colors, with tulips and other flowers in full bloom. The meticulously designed landscapes, combined with water features, sculptures, green trees and themed gardens, ensure a rich and immersive floral experience.

So, while the vast fields might be transitioning, the gardens are in their prime. It’s a wonderful reminder of the diversity of the tulip season and the different ways to appreciate this iconic flower.

Visit Keukenhof Gardens during the Ascension weekend

Want to enjoy as many flowering tulips as possible during the last week of the Tulip Festival? Then visit Keukenhof Gardens. This flower park is one of the largest flower parks in the world and focuses solely on spring blooms such as the world-famous tulip.

Because the flowers at Keukenhof Gardens are planted in several layers, the flower park, from March 21 to May 12 2024, is the place to admire the most blooming flowers. The 75 years of experience also help to anticipate current weather conditions, making the likelihood of blooming flowers in Keukenhof Gardens the highest.

Sunday, May 12, is also Mother’s Day in Holland. This weekend is often celebrated extra festively at Keukenhof with the Romantic Weekend with extra music and performances among the flowers.

Keukenhof is also very easily accessible from Amsterdam and other Dutch cities. So you can combine a visit well with a weekend trip to the Canals of Amsterdam.

Book your hotel on time during the Ascension weekend

For this weekend, we recommend taking a hotel in Amsterdam. Due to the lack of most flowering tulip fields, we would limit a visit to the tulips to 1 day. This will give you enough time to explore the Canals of Amsterdam. You can also, for example, visit windmill village the Zaanse Schans.

The Ascension weekend is always already a busy weekend in and around Amsterdam. Because this weekend falls in the last week of Tulip Festival, it is expected to be extra busy in and around Amsterdam. So book your hotel and tickets to avoid disappointment. Check current availability and prices for hotels in and around Amsterdam on the map below (in cooperation with booking.com)

Respect the flowers

While it is tempting to walk among the tulips for that perfect photo, remember that the flower fields are the livelihood of farmers. Always stay on the paths and avoid trampling the flowers. Take the best tulip photos at the special tulip photo gardens.