Amsterdam May 16-20 variety of questions. And one advice re bikes.

“ 1. I understand we will be arriving right after the tulip festival- are tulips immediately cut down after the end date or is still nice to see?”

The term Tulip Festival is really confusing. I know some websites aimed at tourists use it, but there actually is no such thing. There is the Keukenhof, which is a huge garden to showcase spring flowers such as tulips. The Keukenhof doesn’t cut the tulips, but it does close for the season on May 14. And then there are the tulips in the fields surrounding the Keukenhof. These tulip fields are for the production of tulip bulbs. After a couple weeks of blooming, the farmers cut off the flowers so that the plant can use all of its energy to produce bulbs. We had an early spring, so the farmers started cutting the flowers 2 weeks ago already. By the time you’re here, all the flowers will be long gone.

“ 2. We would like to also go to get beyond the City- either by bike or local train? I wouldn't want a bike trip that is more than 1 hour. Suggestions?”

What do you mean by local trains? Do you mean public transport within Amsterdam? What’s your idea of beyond the city?
And only a 1-hour bike trip? Are you sure? That doesn’t get you anywhere really.

“ 3. Reading about the various Amsterdam passes- we will not see more than one or two museums, but like to see different neighborhoods, and possibly take local trains. Any recommendations?”

I’m not sure what you’re asking here. There are no local trains within Amsterdam. The city center of Amsterdam is very compact and walkable. Depending on where you stay, you can easily get around on foot. Perhaps with the occasional tram or bus. You can easily pay for trams and busses and all other public transport by tapping your credit card.

I wouldn't want a bike trip that is more than 1 hour. Suggestions?

One hour TOTAL? One hour "out", spend time, and an hour "back"?

In an hour of slow riding, you can get relatively far from the core of Amsterdam (if that's where you are staying), but in a ride of one hour in total, it's going to be more of a ramble through the closer in area to your hotel.

A couple easy rides we did from Amsterdam's core were under an hour one way. One was a trip south out to Ouderkerk aan de Amstel where we relaxed and had a coffee and tasty baked goods at Bakker Out. Another was headed west out of town on a loop that took in the Westpark and then around and down to the Sloterplas and back through Rembrandtpark and Vondelpark. Neither was one hour in TOTAL, but broken into stops, easily doe as a "ride under one hour - stop for a break - ride under one hour" thing.

To me because of the density and short distances in the Netherlands, the "ride - break - ride - break - ride - break ..." process means a lot of ground can be covered and a lot of nice points along those routes can be explored. Amsterdam has a LOT of good stuff in the city limits and is easily navigated by foot (or bike for experienced folks), but with the network of bike paths, if you're museumed-out, then heading in almost any direction on a bike is a worthy adventure. But not really a "one hour" sort of thing - more like a morning or an afternoon (or a whole day) sort of thing.

Thank you Tom R. Sorry to be confusing, yes, not more than an hour or so away, ie each way.