There are two things I wanted to accomplish while living in Amsterdam. The first was skating on the frozen canals, which happened earlier this year for the first time in something like ten years. The second was to visit the famed tulip fields of the Netherlands. I was a bit nervous with how cold and long the winter was that we would never see spring, but the blooming rows upon rows of tulip fields here in April proved that spring is alive and well. In fact, it’s been so warm that it seems tulip season has been short this year. But no matter, I made the trek out to the countryside twice to catch these gorgeous flowers before they were harvested.
The first time I visited the tulip fields in the Netherlands was with my parents, and we couldn’t have done a better job. My good friend is dating a Dutch tulip farmer, so we were able to go out and visit his farm in Hillegom to get a first-hand look at the flowers. It was so interesting to not only see the rows of colorful blooms, but to learn a bit more about what goes into tulip farming. For example, when the tulips are harvested, all their flowers are chopped right off! This is the ensure that the bulbs continue to grow for next year, but it seems like a waste of pretty flowers to me!
The second time I went to see the tulips was this past week, and the season is already almost over. My friend Jackie, and I headed down to Keukenhof to see the tulips there (a neat experience, but very touristy and not nearly as cool as the actual fields). After the craziness of the gardens, we wandered along the streets of Lisse until we were good and lost AND found some of the last remaining tulips.
The hardest thing about shooting here in the Netherlands this time of year is that the sun doesn’t start to set until 8pm, so we spent quite some time wandering through the fields and drinking mini wine bottles that we bought at Keukenhof. To be honest, it was so much fun! It’s rather liberating to just wander the countryside with no real direction.
We were able to shoot so many gorgeous pictures as the sun was going down (which is why there are practically 100 of them below). Waiting for the golden hour light was definitely worth it. I wore this floral maxi dress that I got from my first Shein haul, and it created just the right contrast with the tulips. Of course we had to go barefoot, and there’s nothing cooler than dancing through fields of tulips, feeling the cool, sandy ground beneath your feet.
If you’re ever in the Netherlands in April, do everything you can to get out to Lisse and wander around in search of tulips. It is 110% worth it – even if you do get lost after the sun goes down and have to wander the tiny country streets to find the train and get home at 11pm. TOTALLY WORTH IT.
Would you like to visit the tulip fields in the Netherlands?
Xx, Kelsey
OUTFIT DETAILS:
Shein floral maxi dress ( $26! Order larger than your normal size. I’m a size 6 and ordered a L for reference) | Henri Bendel Miss Bendel bangle | Cinco Ginger necklace | Catwalk Junkie heart eye sunglasses (similar pairs linked here and here too)
