Skagit Valley is a popular destination in Washington State during early spring and Skagit Valley Tulip festival is one of the top destination events. All the barren land in winter bursts into colorful fields of Tulips and Daffodils (yes, them too!).Â
People flock from all parts of the world to watch these blooming beauties, photograph them and be photographed with them!
Where and What is the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival?
It’s April in Washington and that means the fields filled with vibrant colors await us! Nestled in the town of Mount Vernon, WA, Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (tulipfestival) is an annual celebration of the beautiful Tulip fields grown by local farmers.
The Tulip Festival runs from April 1st- 30th. There are two popular gardens that you can visit
There is also a display of bright Daffodils during the same time, offered by various farms/fields.Â
You can check out the various gardens, fields for both Tulips and Daffodils on this map.
The tulip fields are the crops of RoozenGaarde/Washington Bulb Co., Inc. and Tulip Town.
When is the Best Time to Visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival?
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival (tulipfestival) officially runs from April 1st – 30th. As they mention on their website, with all things governed by Mother Nature, the tulips bloom according to their own schedule sometime during the festival.Â
That being said, we have visited the festival in the 2nd week of April and the last week of April.Â
At the beginning, in the 2nd week of April, the tulips have just started to bloom, some of them still buds. It might not be a full bloom but nevertheless beautiful for photos!
Mid of April might be your best bet in catching the peak of the bloom.
The Last week of April comes with fully bloomed tulips, almost at the end of their cycle. It might not be the best time if you want to catch that perfect tulip photo. However, the colors and the fields will still make your day great!
The Best time for Photography
Early morning/opening time when there is no crowd and you are the first to get there!
Or
During sunset/closing time when the crowd thins with the golden light of sunset.
During midday, it’s going to be lots of bright, vibrant colors with people in it, unless you know how to maneuver 🙂
Things to know before you visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
Book tickets online
Due to the ongoing Covid Restrictions, you can book tickets online for both Tulip town and Roozengaarde. We did not know about this. They let us buy the tickets at Roozengaarde ($15 per person). However, if you book in advance you might be able to skip the line!
Parking
Parking at Roozengaarde and Tulip town is designated and free. It is easy to find a spot even if it is crowded.
Use a Map
Roozengaarde provides a bloom map to help you walk amidst the picture perfect tulips. This map can help you navigate the garden efficiently 🙂
Get Cash
Cash lines are usually faster, having some cash on you can help you move faster in the ticket or merchandise lines.
Weekdays or Weekends?
Pre-Covid, weekends would be crowded. Currently, the crowd is picking up during weekends, even though not as many people as before. Weekdays is definitely a better time to visit if you want some good photos without running into people.
Skagit Valley is about an hour drive from Seattle. It is an easy day trip if you are staying anywhere near Seattle.
Thanks for reading! Hope you get to visit and enjoy these colorful blooms!
