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. We are adjacent to I-5, 60 miles north of Seattle and 70 miles south of Vancouver, BC, Canada. You will need a map of the tulip field area to help you navigate, as the fields don’t have addresses and their location changes every year due to crop rotation. In addition, the festival map on our website shows locations of all our events and attractions. All official information stations in the valley are also stocked with the festival brochures. Check back here as April approaches and we will have information on ticketing and admissions to the tulip gardens and fields.
We are a rural area — we suggest you stop in town and take advantage of the public facilities available BEFORE you journey out to the tulip area. On busy days it can take a fair amount of time to journey from the I-5 exits to the tulip area. There are public restrooms at all the visitor information centers in the county AND at the transit station in downtown Mount Vernon. In addition, Burlington Plaza is an easy stop with a chance to use the restrooms, stretch your legs (perhaps shop a bit) and then journey on to the tulip area.
You can pick up a complete Tulip Festival official brochure during April at the Shops at Burlington and at these Information Stations:
Tulip Festival Office
311 W Kincaid St., Mount Vernon, WA 98273
All Official County information stations
Conway: Conway Foods (I-5 Exit 221)
18707 Main St., Conway, WA 98273 / 19193 SR 534, Mount Vernon, WA 98274.
Fir-Conway Lutheran Church (I-5 Exit 221)
18101 Fir Island Rd., Mount Vernon, WA
I-5 Exit 230 (Highway 20): Skagit’s Own Fish Market
18042 SR 20, Burlington, WA 98233
By Guided Tour from Seattle and areas south of Skagit Valley
Shutter Tours
(425) 516-8838
www.shuttertours.com
Relax in our comfortable tour bus with a top rated tour company. See tulips and receive tips to improve your photography. Photo stops include tulip fields and lunch in La Conner. Seattle hotel pickups available.
Are you a tour operator? Your link and listing could be right HERE!! Contact us at gale@tulipfestival.org for information. Tour operators arriving in Skagit Valley interested in hiring a step-on guide from the WSU Skagit County Master Gardeners can email tuliptours@skagitmg.org. The Master Gardeners can let you know availability and give you up-to-date information on the program.
By Train
Amtrak Cascades service runs to Mount Vernon and this can be a very enjoyable way to journey to the festival. There are no set shuttles or tours from the station, however the local tour option listed below is by reservation only – they are small and book up fast, so make reservations right away. You can also arrange to rent a car or engage a taxi to get to the tulip fields. 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.
We also have a local tour option you can take:
Skagit Guided Adventures
(360) 474-7479
www.skagitguidedadventures.com
Experience the colorful tulip fields and exquisitely arranged gardens. Learn about the tulip history, industry & festival from our friendly local guide Stephanie, with over 30 years experience. Tours daily 9:30 am & 2:30 pm. Satisfaction Guaranteed!
By Car
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 Garden Rosalyn, Tulip Town, RoozenGaarde and Tulip Valley Farms and it is FREE. Look for the RoozenGaarde logo for other Official Parking areas. These lots are operated by Washington Bulb Company/RoozenGaarde. Fees are charged to park in official lots — that information will be posted at the fields; 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 any of the four gardens.
The four display gardens, RoozenGaarde, Tulip Town, Tulip Valley Farms and Garden Rosalyn all 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.
By Bicycle
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.
PNW Exploration –A family run, e-bike rental company offering locally curated, self-guided tours of Skagit Valley. New tulip tours available for 2023! Not the biking type? See our other charter tours & excursions online at www.pnwexploration.com. Located inside La Conner Inn, 107 S Second St., La Conner, WA 98257 (360) 399-8964.
Tulip Country Bike Tours (www.countrycycling.com) — Experience the festival on our self-guided tours. Bike rental equipment, maps and festival tips/information. $40/adults, $10 per child or tag-a-long bike per day. Group and guided tours available.offers bike rentals on a limited basis. Their rentals come complete with a map, self guided tour route and staff tips. Group and guided tours available.