We will be in the Amsterdam area June 1st to the 7th. I was planning on taking the Flower Route from Haarlem to Leiden, stopping at Keukenhof Gardens, but I just learned the Gardens close on May 13th, so that’s a no-go. Does that mean that we should skip the Flower Route as well, and fit in other places in the Netherlands? (We are spending a few days on Zaandam, and are planning to go to Haarlem and Volendam.)
Thank you for helping me with this.
Joanna
Yes, it's been very cold here until this week, but June is too late for the tulips. Once the flowers are gone and the Keukenhof gardens close, the landscape around Lisse isn't particularly beautiful.
However, in early June nature in Holland is at its most beautiful. It will be very lush and green around Haarlem and in the polders you'll see between Zaandam and Volendam.
If you want to enjoy the landscape with forests, dunes and beautiful sandy beaches, you could go walking or cycling in the coastal area west of Haarlem or the coastal area between Castricum and Schoorl. If you're more into visiting towns, a daytrip to Alkmaar or Leiden would be good options.
Most of the flowers will indeed be gone in June, I am afraid.
A much nicer outing than possibly very, very crowded Volendam is to go to Enkhuizen. A gem of a small former port town, and with a wonderful open-air museum. It is only 1hr15 from Zaandam by half-hourly train. You find the schedule on this train planner.
