Tulips! a visit to Keukenhof Gardens

I woke up early on a Saturday morning to visit the world's largest flower garden. And it was worth it! You should definitely consider making a trip to Keukenhof Gardens soon. The tulips are blooming, and they are beautiful.

Getting there: the gardens are in a small town called Lisse. You can take a long bike ride to the gardens, drive, or take the bus. A bus runs from Den Haag Central Station during the week, but on the weekend you can take the train to Leiden and from there buy your bus ticket to reach Keukenhof. The bus ticket is 20 euro and includes the return bus trip and entrance to the gardens. It's not a long bus ride, and you pass some of the tulip fields when you are close to the gardens. (When you arrive at the Leiden train station, get your tickets at the Connexxion booth.)

Timing: GO EARLY. Or go during the week if you can. The crowds really get in the way of strolling at a leisurely pace and enjoying the flowers. The garden is huge, and you will want to see as much as you can before you get tired. Plus the views are much prettier with fewer people around. I went on a Saturday, got to Leiden around 9:45, only had to wait about 20 minutes for a bus, and had a few peaceful hours in the gardens before it became packed. By 2:00 when I left, there were large crowds to enter the park and to get on the bus in Leiden.

Food: There are a lot of cafes and food stands in the garden, so you could eat breakfast there if you want. And if you're there for a long time, you can keep your energy up with food breaks.