Skagit Valley Tulip Festival

Tulip field with Mt. Baker in background

Location Coordinates
48°25′12″N
122°19′34″W
Mt. Vernon, Washington
 
On a recent Saturday I found myself motoring north up the I-5 in Washington state between Seattle and the Canadian border. It was a gloriously sunny and warm day in the Puget Sound region, ideal conditions to take in a highly anticipated annual event in the Skagit Valley - the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. Locals and tourists flock to this region each year to view the amazing sight of millions of tulip blooms spread out like scenes reminiscent of Holland.
 

After enduring a traffic jam of epic proportions we eventually arrived at Roozengaarde's, one of two primary growing fields of the festival. Not being familiar with the event, I was somewhat in the dark about what to expect. But what I couldn't have even imagined was the sheer number of people funneling into the fields. The festival web site mentions that hundreds of thousands of visitors attend the annual event, and it is quite possible that nearly all of that number chose the same day we did to take in the tulips. I must commend the staff at Roozengaarde's, however, as the enormous crowd was handled quite efficiently.

Once inside the gates colors seem to explode and almost overload the senses. It was, quite literally, an amazing sight. Adding to the splendor of the tulips themselves was the magnificent backdrop of the Cascade mountain range and beautiful Mt. Baker.

Tulip field at Roozengaarde's

Roozengaarde's was divided into two primary viewing areas: the manicured gardens, and the open fields. Visitors were free to wander through both areas as long as they remained only on designated pathways (a rule unfortunately ignored by a few rude guests who obviously, but erroneously, felt they were somehow exempt). We strolled the fields first, marveling at the orderly rows of color stretching all the way to outlying verdant green countryside. I enjoyed this setting the most because it was possible to find your way away from the masses if only for a minute or two.

 

When we had made our way around the open fields we forged on into the manicured gardens. Bulbs had been planted here in display style, complimented by a windmill or fencing or other plants and trees. Within this smaller area the crowds became too intense for my liking, so I escaped back out into the open to do a little people watching before heading back toward Seattle.

 

I can recommend the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival highly. But, two suggestions might diminish the crowd issue and make a visit most enjoyable. First, go early in the day. Second, as the festival runs a full month, avoid weekend days if at all possible. Even if you can't avoid the crowds the festival is a great way to spend a spring day.