The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a perfect destination for either a day trip or a longer stay.
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a perfect destination for either a day trip or a longer stay.
It is easy to reach the Skagit Valley -- we are located 60 miles north of Seattle along I-5 and 70 miles south of Vancouver, BC, Canada. The tulips are generally grown in a 15-mile triangle bordered by Highway 20, the Skagit River, and the Swinomish River Channel. The festival is designed as a driving tour as many events and attractions are miles apart, scattered throughout the lower Skagit Valley. Come and see the flowers any time you would like -- as long as it is daylight! Weekdays are the least crowded times; weekends can be very busy, so we suggest coming early, use State Route 20 to enter the tulip area, and carpool if possible.
Parking Information
Parking is available at designated lots in the Tulip Field area. There is plenty of parking at Tulip Town and RoozenGaarde and it is FREE. Look for the RoozenGaarde logo for other Official Parking areas. These lots are operated by Washington Bulb Company/RoozenGaarde. Parking in official lots is $7 per car; the ticket you receive from the parking attendant will also admit one person to RoozenGaarde on the same day. Private individuals sometimes operate their own lots -- fees paid to private parties will not work for admission to RoozenGaarde.
The two display gardens, RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town, both have free parking adjacent to their facilities.
Roadside parking is limited due to shoulder conditions and traffic safety regulations. Law enforcement officers will issue tickets, so please avoid parking in no parking zones. Our parking plans can sometimes be impacted because of the spring rains when we have to close lots to keep you, our guests, from getting vehicles stuck in the mud.
Amtrak service runs to Mount Vernon and this can be a very enjoyable way to journey to the festival. Be prepared on arrival to rent a car, engage a taxi or work with one of our tour providers listed below to get to the tulip fields as there are no shuttles or tours from the train station. Monday through Saturday Skagit Transit Route 615 operates along Mc Lean Rd. If you take this bus, make sure to get on and off at Beaver Marsh Rd. as this is the closest stop to the tulip fields and gardens. You will still be walking a distance to reach your destination.
Visitors coming to the festival by plane generally arrive at Seatac, Vancouver, BC or Bellingham airports. Once you arrive, we suggest you either take a shuttle or rent a car to get here.
Many cyclists enjoy traveling the tulip route. Most tulip fields, events, attractions and display gardens can be accessed easily by cycle. If you decide to tour the tulips by bike, be prepared for rainy, windy weather -- we suggest you dress in layers. Many of the roads in the valley floor are flat and easy to navigate. Bike defensively as motorists get very excited about the tulips! Watch for changing road conditions -- shoulders and speed in the tulip area vary widely.
Tulip Country Bike Tours (www.countrycycling.com) offers bike rentals on a limited basis. Their rentals come complete with a map, self guided tour route and staff recommendations for lunch and other stops. In addition visitors with their own cycles can join the guided tours at a discounted rate.