What is the best way to get to Keukenhof on public transit from Amsterdam? Is one of the combination entry/bus packages a good idea? Thanks.
From Centraal Station take the train to the airport. At the airport there are special direct buses to the gardens. It's smart to go to the Keukenhof site and purchase/print combo tickets which cover admission and the bus fare:
New for this year you can also purchase a combo train/bus/admission ticket. They can only be purchased once in city at these locations:
http://tinyurl.com/zju9ol4
After Keukenhof you can use that ticket to take the bus to Haarlem, the smaller almost-neighbour of Amsterdam. As an agreeable historical city it's worth a visit for its own sake. Don't forget the Frans Hals Museum, if you're interested in the arts of the Dutch Golden Age. Trains back to Amsterdam take 20 mins or less, and leave every few minutes.