Londoners shan’t be needing an Amsterdam-bound Eurostar to transport them to a tulip-packed paradise this spring. A trusty Thameslink will suffice, because the UK’s number one tulip festival will be swinging open its picture-perfect gates soon. And it’s going to be blooming brilliant.
Tulleys Tulip Fest
Tulleys Tulip Fest is pretty much a one-stop shop for all of your springtime shenanigans. Home to rows upon rows of gasp-inducingly gorgeous flowers, Tulleys is home to around 1.5 million tulips of over 100 different varieties. Visitors can frolic amongst the flowers and take advantage of the plethora of photo opportunities that are scattered throughout the farm (including the rather iconic Whispering Windmill).
The opening dates of the tulip festival vary each year, depending on when Tulleys is expecting the blooms to – well… bloom. But this year’s dates have just been announced and Tulleys Tulip Fest will be setting up shop from April 3 until April 26. These dates are subject to change, and the festival could well be extended as sometimes extra dates are added as more flowers bloom.
Whilst, of course, the tulip are the main event; there’s plenty of other things to see, do, eat and drink within the flower-filled fields. There’s an observation wheel that visitors can hop on to admire the sweeping landscape from 33 metres in the air. There’s the Tulipa Lake; a serene spot where visitors can enjoy some peaceful waterside views and see the tulip beds drifting dreamily across the lake. There’s the enchanting tulip light trail, plenty of live performers that’ll be roaming the fields, and the Tulip Village where visitors can relax and refuel with the delicious array of food and drink offerings.
Getting to Tulleys from London
Tulleys Farm is approximately a one hour drive from London (depending on where in the city you’re coming from, of course). There’s plenty of free on-site parking for ticket holders, too. The closest train station to Tulleys Farm is Three Bridges. Londoners can hop on a speedy service from London Bridge that’ll take them directly to Three Bridges in just over half an hour. The farm is then a short bus or taxi ride from the station.
Find out more, snap up a ticket, and plan your visit to Tulleys Tulip Fest here.