Skagit Valley Tulip Festival 2025: A Visitor's Guide
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is easily Washington state's most colorful event. Every April, this cozy corner of northwest Washington comes alive with millions of tulips. The fields turn into a sea of color, and it’s honestly a must-see for anyone with a camera (or just a love for flowers).
Where in the World is Skagit Valley?
Nestled between Seattle (60 miles south) and Vancouver, BC (70 miles north), Skagit Valley is known for its remarkably fertile soil. This agricultural sweet spot is where tulip growers have been cultivating these iconic spring flowers for decades, setting the stage for what has become North America's largest tulip festival since its inception in 1984.
The Festival Basics
Here's what makes this festival unique: it's not in one location. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival spans numerous gardens and fields across the valley. Think of it as a driving tour where you'll visit different sites, each with their own ticket prices and operating hours.
The festival runs April 1-30, 2025. Before making travel plans, it's worth checking the festival's bloom status updates on their website or social media channels to ensure you're seeing the fields at their most vibrant.
The Gardens: Five Unique Experiences
Each garden offers its own special experience, with varying sizes, tulip varieties, and extra activities. Here's what you can expect from each:
RoozenGaarde: The Grand Display
RoozenGaarde stands as the largest of the gardens with an impressive 50 acres showcasing over 200 different tulip and daffodil varieties. Unlike the other gardens, RoozenGaarde operates year-round, though April brings extended hours to accommodate festival visitors.
Hours: Monday-Friday (9AM-7PM) and Saturday-Sunday (8AM-7PM) during April Tickets: $16 weekdays, $20 weekends Highlights: The most extensive variety collection, year-round access, and meticulously designed display gardens
Tulip Town: Colorful Traditions
Covering 5 acres with more than 50 tulip varieties, Tulip Town offers a more compact but no less beautiful experience. This garden operates exclusively during the festival period.
Hours: Monday-Thursday (10AM-6PM) and Friday-Sunday (9AM-7PM) in April Tickets: $18 online, $20 at the gate (ages 12+) Highlights: Indoor flower exhibits, tulip field trolley rides, and flower picking opportunities
Garden Rosalyn: All-Day Access
Garden Rosalyn spreads across 7 acres with several tulip varieties and maintains the longest daily hours among all gardens.
Hours: Open 8AM-7PM daily throughout April Tickets: $17 (online and in-person) Highlights: Extended hours perfect for early morning or late evening photography
Tulip Valley Farms: Day and Night Blooms
With 20 acres featuring 140 tulip varieties, Tulip Valley Farms offers not just daytime viewing but also special evening events for a different perspective on the tulip fields.
Hours: 9AM-5PM daily in April, plus "Night Bloom" events on Fridays and Saturdays from 8PM-10PM Tickets:
Adults (16+): $16 Monday-Thursday, $18 Friday-Sunday
Children (ages 3-15): $10
Seniors/Military (with ID): $15 Monday-Thursday, $17 Friday-Sunday Highlights: Night viewing opportunities with special lighting, u-pick tulip bouquets
Skagit Acres: The Newcomer
The newest addition to the festival garden lineup, Skagit Acres offers 3 acres with 18 carefully selected tulip varieties.
Hours: Open during April (specific hours not listed) Tickets: $18 adults, $10 children (6-11), $15 seniors (65+) and military Highlights: Year-round garden center, less crowded experience
Getting Around the Valley
By Car
The festival is designed primarily as a driving tour. The gardens and fields are spread across the valley, often miles apart, making a vehicle the most practical option for most visitors. Weekdays generally see lighter traffic, while weekends can become quite congested. Using State Route 20 to enter the tulip area is recommended, and carpooling is encouraged whenever possible.
By Bicycle
For the more active visitor, cycling offers a unique way to experience the festival. Many of the valley roads are flat and relatively easy to navigate. Tulip Country Bike Tours provides self-guided tours complete with bike rental equipment, maps, and festival information for $40 per adult and $10 per child bike daily.
By Public Transit
Skagit Transit Route 615 operates Monday through Saturday, departing from Skagit Station in Mount Vernon. This route travels along McLean Road, providing access to key festival locations. For RoozenGaarde, exit at Beaver Marsh and McLean Road (about one-quarter mile south on Beaver Marsh Road). For Tulip Town, it's approximately a one-mile walk from the same stop.
By Guided Tour
Several companies offer guided tours from Seattle and surrounding areas:
Show Me Seattle provides tours featuring the Discovery Garden, RoozenGaarde, and Tulip Valley Farms
Shutter Tours combines tulip viewing with photography tips
Skagit Guided Adventures offers tours led by local guides with extensive knowledge of the area
Weather and What to Wear
Washington springtime weather can be unpredictable during the festival. Checking the forecast before your visit is essential, but preparing for changing conditions is always wise. Dress in layers that can be added or removed as temperatures shift throughout the day.
Perhaps most importantly, bring appropriate footwear. Even after several days without rain, the fields can remain muddy. Waterproof boots or shoes with good traction are strongly recommended to keep your visit comfortable.
Beyond the Gardens
While the tulip gardens are the main attraction, the festival encompasses much more. Throughout April, various events and activities take place across Skagit Valley:
The Annual Tulip Parade brings community floats and performers to the streets
Tulip Tunes Music Festival offers live performances during the Street Fair
The rotating Tulip Festival Original Art Exhibit showcases local artists' work
Additionally, the surrounding communities offer excellent dining, shopping, and lodging options. With nearly 70% of visitors returning year after year and staying an average of 2.3 days, there's clearly more to experience than can be seen in a single day trip.
Warren Jewelers: Take Home a Permanent Tulip
Among the many shopping opportunities during the festival, Warren Jewelers stands out as the official jeweler of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. They've created a special collection of tulip-inspired jewelry pieces that make perfect souvenirs or gifts.
Warren Jewelers’ award-winning tulip collection is available online in your choice of gold or sterling silver. These pieces offer an affordable way to capture the festival's beauty in a form that lasts far longer than a bouquet or photograph.
Planning Your Visit: Quick Tips
Purchase tickets in advance through the festival website to save time and occasionally money
Arrive early, especially on weekends when fields become crowded by mid-morning
Check bloom status before finalizing plans through the festival's website or social media
Bring cash for roadside stands selling fresh-cut tulip bouquets
Visit multiple gardens to experience the different presentations and varieties
Stop by Warren Jewelers for a lasting memento of your tulip adventure
Consider weekday visits for a more relaxed experience with fewer crowds
Festival Impact
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is more than just a beautiful display of flowers. It contributes significantly to the local economy, with over 450,000 attendees annually spending an average of $186 each. The 2024 festival generated an estimated $83 million in revenue for the region.
Beyond economic impact, the festival highlights Skagit Valley's rich agricultural heritage and supports educational initiatives like the Ambassador Program, which encourages community engagement, public speaking, leadership skills, and environmental awareness among local youth. For more information about the festival and all it has to offer, visit tulipfestival.org.
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival represents the perfect blend of natural beauty, agricultural celebration, and community spirit. Whether you're a photographer seeking the perfect shot, a family looking for a memorable outing, or simply someone who appreciates the splendor of millions of tulips in bloom, this festival offers an experience that captures the essence of spring in the Pacific Northwest.
Don't forget to round out your tulip adventure with a visit to Warren Jewelers for a keepsake that will remind you of this spectacular floral display long after the last petal has fallen.
Warren Jewelers
1126 S. Burlington Blvd, Burlington, WA
Open Monday–Saturday | 11 AM–5 PM
Call or Text: 360-707-5444
Follow us on Instagram: @warrenjewelers
