I will be in the Netherlands in May, arriving and staying in Haarlem starting on May 15th. So if I want to go to Keukenhof, the only available date would be May 16, which is their closing day.
Obviously closing day won't be peak season, but can I be confident that it will still be worth visiting? And if the weather is rainy that day, I won't have any alternative. How long should I wait to purchase a ticket? Can I buy a ticket the same day? Wake up that morning and decide to go last minute?
It was rainy the day we went and it was still wonderful! In fact it was not crowded at all that day. A site not to be missed!
I went to Keukenhof last year towards the end of April and it was wonderful! I bought my ticket ahead of time online, but I was in Amsterdam for a week, so I had more flexibility than you. There is a ticket booth there, so you could wait and buy it on the 16th. You can also rent a bike for about 10 euro and check out the surrounding tulip fields, but my guess is that by the 16th, the fields will already have been harvested, but you never know.
The pavilions within the park are also stunning, so even if it was a rainy day, you could dip into them to dry off a bit.
One website/newsletter I found invaluable last year in helping me plan my Keukenhof trip was tulipsinholland.com. Nienke lives near Keukenhof and gives weekly updates of the state of the garden. Not only is it very informative, but it really gets you pysched for your visit!
As mentioned before : You can buy your ticket that day .
Keukenhof is very good at making sure there is always something blooming. Different bulbs have different blooming times. There are early and late tulips and the same for some daffodils. Grape hyacinths bloom later than most bulbs anyway . ( Look for the " river " made of blue grape hyacinths .) So yes , it will still be worth your time . As for rain : do not take a coffee or lunch break while it is dry ; IF it rains you take a break then , in one of the nice restaurants/cafeterias or go to one of the hot houses with beautiful displays that include blooming shrubs . And a poncho will cover you and your purse/backpack better than an umbrella . Have a great time !
Thanks for your replies. I guess I will definitely plan on it!
The keukenhof will make sure to have flowers even if they are not in their prime. However the fields will all be headed (flowers without their flowers) by then. So you will not see the huge fields of colour.
