Every April 1-30th, near Seattle, in the Skagit Valley, there is a bloom of tulips. The fields and fields of blooming tulips is a once a year phenomenon so you have to come at the right time. There are tons of tulip farms to visit, many of them in the town of Mt. Vernon, WA. The farms are about 1 hour away from Seattle.
The tulip blooming season attracts tons of people and there is an official Skagit Valley Tulip Festival that tells you what farms to visit. Here’s the link to the festival: https://tulipfestival.org/
I try to go some years but once you’ve seen it, there isn’t much else to see again. Definitely worth a trip at least once.
IMPORTANT TIPS
- The fields will be very very crowded if you go on a weekend during peak hours. Try to get there early to avoid crowds or late to avoid crowds or visit a smaller farm.
- Parking does cost money. Bring cash $10-$20. Admission may be included in the parking cost, depends on the farm. It was $7 per person for Tulip Town in 2018. Don’t be afraid to park at the homey, impromptu parking lots set up by the local community/neighbors (it may be cheaper or more expensive). The parking line can get really absurdly long.
- Wear waterproof, mud-proof shoes! The ground is totally soaked and absolutely muddy.
- The biggest, most popular farms are Roozengaarden and Tulip Town. They are right next to each other.
Where to Eat
C-Square & Third Street Cafe
Located in historic downtown Mount Vernon, the Third Street Cafe is a delicious dining option close to the farms. It offers amazing breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We went for brunch and ordered 3 entrees: a fried chicken sandwich, french toast, and beef hash. All three were amazing and perfection. There is a cool small co-op called C-Square next to the cafe (they share the same space) where they sell pastries, coffee, dessert, and some groceries.
