Spring heralds our annual visit to the Tesselaar Tulip Festival and each year the event just gets better and better, providing more entertainment and value for money than ever!
This year, the colourful flower festival is set to take place from Saturday 16 September to Sunday 15 October 2023.
Like previous years the tulips have been roped off for their protection. This means that you can no longer ‘tiptoe through the tulips’ so to speak but you can still appreciate the beautiful blooms. This year, there are added crossings and photo spots where the ropes are kept low to capture the perfect pic!
Amongst a jam-packed calendar of events, Children’s Week (Monday 18 September to Thursday 21 September and Monday 25 September to Thursday 28 September 2023) has special activities running for the school holidays.
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During the first Children’s Week you can catch the Bluey & Bingo Live Interactive Experience hourly between 11am and 2pm, Tulip Fairy Storytelling, the Becky Bubble Show and Black Snake Productions Animal Show. There are scheduled activities, as well as all-day events running.
The second Children’s Week sees the Peppa & George Pig Live Stage Show, so the little ones will be well catered for in either week.
Most of the performances are FREE or there is a small cost (between $5-$15) for activities such as face-painting, craft workshops and the Tulip Tractor Ride.
In previous years, we have particularly enjoyed Black Snake Productions’ Animal Show, which provides lots of opportunities to get up close to reptiles and native animals while passing on environmental and conservation knowledge to kids and adults.
Also on every day is a fairy garden, treasure hunt, giant garden games, and more (some fees apply).
A must-do for our family is the Ride on the Tulip Train. At a cost of $5 per person or $15 for a family of 4, you can hop on and hop off as many times as you wish.
At the bottom of the hill stop, you’ll find food stalls, twice daily drumming workshops and scenic swings for that perfect Instagram shot!
You’re welcome to BYO picnic but I recommend sampling at some least of the Dutch food on offer. The kids love sharing a plate of hot Dutch mini pancakes ‘poffertjes’….
….and of course the Double Dutch ice cream special!
We also try some other Dutch dishes – kibbeling (Dutch fish bites) with chips and oliebollen Dutch doughnuts.
To make your trip more enjoyable come prepared. Make sure you wear your gumboots to protect your precious footwear and take warm clothes for the strong breeze that can roll into the valley.
If it’s raining or super-sunny, or if you just want some great photos, head to the Fresh Flower Market at the entrance and hire some large rainbow umbrellas for free. And then on your way out when you return the umbrellas, buy some tulip blooms to brighten up your home!
Tesselaar Tulip Festival is a great day out for the whole family where you can enjoy the sight of a million tulip bulbs, lots of fun entertainment and Dutch food. It’s worthwhile going even if the weather’s not perfect as there are fewer people and you can hire an umbrella for beautiful photos.
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HOT Tips:
- arrive at 10am so that you can snap pictures without crowds of people in the way. Also available parking is much closer;
- buy your tickets online in advance to avoid ticket counter queues;
- midday is peak hour;
- wear gumboots and easily-washed clothes. The red clay gets muddy very quickly with the number of people walking around and the dirt marks everything;
- if you can try to avoid taking a pram. Given the crowds and soggy ground conditions it’s really best enjoyed by children who are able to walk steadily;
- if your kids are old enough, give them a phone camera to experiment with. It’s hard to take a bad shot;
- during school holidays there are Children’s Weeks with kids activities, animal shows and music at no additional cost; and
- you can hire large rainbow umbrellas for free from the Fresh Flower Market at the entrance.
I hope this post has helped or inspired you! Subscribe to my weekly newsletter to find out more ways for your family to have fun together!
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