Keukenhof Gardens with Windmill Cruise sounds like the perfect Amsterdam day trip on paper. The Netherlands churns out more tulips than anywhere else on earth, so visiting this spring park feels almost mandatory when you’re in town. But here’s the thing – after spending a full day on this tour, I’ve got some thoughts you’ll want to hear before booking.
The Logistics: Getting There
We booked our Keukenhof Gardens with Windmill Cruise through Klook. The meeting point sits at This is Holland in Amsterdam North – that distinctive cylindrical building next to A’DAM Lookout.
Getting there involves a quick mission from Amsterdam Centraal Station. Exit on the IJ river side. Hunt down the free F3 ferry terminal. Three minutes later, you’re across the water. Turn left, walk three minutes, done.
They scan your QR code and hand over tickets for Keukenhof, the cruise, and bus transfers. Simple enough.
When the Schedule Goes Sideways
Our bus ran 30 minutes late. Departure shifted from 10:30am to 11:00am. The 45-minute journey to Keukenhof felt longer when you’re already behind schedule.
If you’ve added the windmill cruise to your Keukenhof Gardens package, you’ll wait for a smaller bus at Keukenhof. Another 10-minute drive follows.
The Windmill Cruise: Honest Take
The 1.5-hour cruise floats you past houses, scattered windmills, and Dutch countryside. Relaxing? Sure. Thrilling? Not exactly.
The scenery stays pretty constant throughout. A few windmills pop up here and there. Countryside stretches on. Houses line the water. That’s mostly it.
Here’s what bugged me about the Keukenhof Gardens with Windmill Cruise combo: the timing felt backwards. We cruised first, then walked Keukenhof. Flip that around and the cruise becomes a proper foot rest after hours of garden roaming.
Keukenhof Gardens: The Main Event
Keukenhof opens for roughly eight weeks between mid-March and mid-May. We rolled up on opening day in March. Big mistake.
Tulips hadn’t properly bloomed yet. Late April hits the sweet spot – that’s when the Keukenhof Gardens experience actually delivers those Instagram-worthy flower carpets everyone raves about.
How Much Time You Actually Need
We spent two hours wandering the gardens. Skipped a few sections too. Budget three hours if you want to see everything properly.
At the Willem-Alexander Pavilion, you can see a stunning variety of tulips and other flowers—so colourful and vibrant!
Miffy heaven! Can’t get enough of all the cute merchandise 😍
At the Oranje Nassau Pavilion, flower shows showcase stunning arrangements and vibrant blooms.
Couldn’t resist a pic with these tulips 🌷
The park works like a massive botanical garden. Paths wind through flower beds. Pavilions showcase themed displays. Photo ops everywhere if you’re into that.
Food Situation
We grabbed lunch at one of the food outlets. Tomato soup, gouda cheese sandwich, smoked salmon sandwich. Prices weren’t outrageous, but the taste was pretty mediocre.
We needed fuel since breakfast got skipped that morning. But seriously, eat before you arrive or pack snacks.
What I’d Change About This Tour
Book the earliest time slot possible for your Keukenhof Gardens adventure. We rushed back because Amsterdam shops close at 6pm, and since it was our last day in the city, we wanted to squeeze in some last-minute shopping before everything shut.
Better yet? Skip the windmill cruise entirely. Save money. Spend those extra hours actually exploring the gardens when flowers are in full bloom.
Final Verdict
This Keukenhof Gardens with Windmill Cruise package costs more than the Volendam, Edam, and Zaanse Schans day tour we did earlier. Yet it delivered less.
The cruise disappointed. Keukenhof itself? Beautiful if you’re obsessed with flowers and photography. My husband summed it up perfectly: “Just flowers.”
I appreciate tulips more than he does, but even I felt restless after a while. Been there, photographed that, tick the box, move on.
Come here if flower photography makes your heart sing. If you need killer selfies surrounded by tulips. Otherwise? There are better ways to spend your Amsterdam days and euros.