THE TULIPS ARE COMING!
Can we for a moment imagine Chicken Little as he hollers, "The sky is falling!"
This is exactly how I want to convey the impending full bloom of the Skagit Valley's tulip fields.
And boy are they a sight to behold.
When is the best time to visit?
Photo by Jennifer Hubbert | Courtesy of Washington Bulb Co.
This year's Skagit Valley Tulip Festival marks the 34th annual celebration of the Valley's blooms.
The festival officially runs April 1-30, which means the fields are now open for admission. The tulip gardens have been described as 'still very green', though if you visit now you'll be treated to fields bursting with sunny daffodils.
If you're after row-on-row of colourful purple, red, pink and even black tulip blooms, you might want to wait just a little longer.
The good news? You can track the status of the tulip fields on this interactive map.
Plan your visit
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Photo by Jennifer Hubbert | Courtesy of Washington Bulb Co.
Festival dates: April 1-30
Official website: Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
The festival has been designed as a driving tour. There are multiple sites, but most visitors will be interested in setting their GPS to these two places:
RoozenGaarde
Location: 15867 Beaver Marsh Rd. Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Parking: Same-day paring is free with your admission ticket
Hours: Open daily from 9 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Website: tulips.com/bloommap
Tulip Town
Location: 15002 Bradshaw Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273
Parking: Same-day paring is free with your admission ticket
Hours: Opening 3/31, daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Website: tuliptown.com
5 Things to do at the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Photo by Jennifer Hubbert | Courtesy of Washington Bulb Co.
- Take loads of pictures (duh!)
- Shop for tulip bulbs
- Take a helicopter tour over the fields. 2-3 persons per trip, $55USD per seat.
- Pedal for petals - take a tulip tour by bicycle.
- Drive back to Vancouver via the very scenic Chuckanut Drive
Tips for visiting the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Jennifer Hubbert
- It almost goes without saying that weekends at midday will be the busiest. If you want that coveted frolicking-in-an-empty-tulip-field Instagram post, consider going mid-week or at the beginning of the day.
- Don't worry about parking - there's plenty of it
- Reschedule if the weather isn't forecast to be favourable
- Be respectful, don't walk between the rows of flowers
- Leave your dog at home
- Dine off-site - sit down dining options are better in the surrounding area
- Washroom facilities will be portable toilet rentals
- Don't feel guilty about going to just one field
Will you be heading down to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival?
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