Tempted to jump in a giant field of tulips as spring arrives? Yeah, us too.
Luckily, someone understands those impulses and we have the Skagit County Tulip Festival. It started Saturday, March 30 and will run through the end of April — so here’s a quick guide to enjoying those giant ground rainbows.
Where to go
While the name “festival” implies a centralized event area, the activities are actually scattered among four different flower growers in Skagit County — each with their own experiences and admission price.
- Roozengaarde | 15867 Beaver Marsh Road, Mount Vernon | $15-$50 | Photo ops include a whimsical, full-sized windmill, and 30 acres of tulip fields.
- Tulip Town | 15002 Bradshaw Road, Mount Vernon | Hours vary | $7-$20 | Wander the rows of tulips or partake in the marketplace, wine + beer garden, and trolley tours — and bring the pup.
- Garden Rosalyn | 16648 Jungquist Road, Mount Vernon | 7 a.m.-8 p.m. | $15-$40 | Six acres of tulip fields have been shaped into designs like stars and animals
- Tulip Valley Farms | 15245 Bradshaw Road, Mount Vernon or 12637 Pulver Road, Burlington | 9 a.m.-10 p.m. | $8.50-$16.50 | Make a cute day of the festival by packing a picnic and building your own bouquet from the 13-acre U-pick farm. Or enjoy the blooms under a starry sky during the farms Night Bloom events.
When to go
It’s hard to time Mother Nature, but with the first blooms just beginning to poke their heads out of the ground, it’ll be a couple of more weeks before the farms are at their peaks. Generally the second week of April proves to be a solid bet. But even if the tulips need a little more time, the daffodils are still out and shining bright.
Roozengaarde has an interactive map that shows you exactly what’s in bloom and where, while the Tulip Festival website also gives frequent updates.
