Tulip Fields at Burnside Farms
Burnside Farms is the perfect place to visit in the spring to see tulips. Over a million tulips and daffodils bloom at the same time and it is only about 1 hour away from the Washington D.C. area. Once cherry blossom season is over, you can continue enjoying spring flowers here! Burnside farms is a tulip farm in the spring but it is also a sunflower farm in the summer. If you’re looking to feel like you’re in the Netherlands for tulip season, this is the closest thing to it in the area!
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WHERE IS BURNSIDE FARMS?
The farm is located in Nokesville, Virginia a little over an hour away from Washington D.C. Be careful when putting the farm into Google Maps, there is also a farm in Haymarket, Virginia but that is only used in the fall and winter. The flower fields are at the Nokesville location.
WHEN DO THE TULIPS BLOOM?
The tulips bloom in April, but the exact timing is a little different every year. The best way to keep updated on the status of the flowers is via the farm’s Facebook page.
TICKETS TO THE TULIP FIELDS
Buying your ticket online in advance will save you $2 per ticket. Online tickets are $8 each on the weekdays and the price is $10 per person on the weekends. At the gate, the prices are $10 and $12 respectively. Under 2 years old are free.
They also sell a season passport for $15 that will let you visit the farms as many times as you want for the season. So if you plan to come back more than once, this is your best bet.
PICK YOUR OWN FLOWERS
At the Burnside Farms tulip fields, they provide baskets for you to carry to the fields if you would like to pick your own flowers. The price for picking your own flowers is $1 per tulip stem, $1 per 2 daffodil stems, and an additional $1 per bulb if you want to take those home for planting.
They also have supplies like vases on hand for purchase if you want to make an arrangement there at the farm. You can decide at the checkout area if you would like to keep the bulb or not. They also have signs instructing you on the proper way to pick the flowers.
ACTIVITIES AT THE FARM
TULIP FIELDS
Of course, the main attraction here is the flower fields! You can go to look, take pictures, or pick a bouquet. There are plenty or rows to wander. Some of the fields were multicolored and there were some sections of just red tulips. It really is a beautiful sight looking at rows and rows of colorful tulips. You won’t regret making the trip to see them!
CLOGS
At the entrance, you will find a platform with a haphazard assortment of clogs, the famous Dutch wooden shoes. They are there for kids to try on and get a feel for walking in wooden shoes.
You’ll also find a couple of pairs of large wooden clogs for photos scattered through the farm. They are large enough to fit a whole person inside. There is also a wooden windmill for photos to really give you a taste of Holland in Virginia.
PLAY AREA
When you’re done admiring the flowers, you can take the kids over to the play area. There’s a huge bouncy trampoline, an inflatable slide, and a bouncy house. There are also a few playsets (one has the cutest tractor swings) and some boards and beanbags to play “bags/corn hole”. It’s a great place for kids to burn off energy after they’ve kindly obliged all your picture taking in the flowers.
COW TRAIN/WAGON RIDE
On the weekends, for an additional $2 per person, you can go for a ride on the cow train or the wagon.
WHAT TO WEAR TO THE TULIP FIELDS
While the tulip fields are a pretty place for pictures, it’s still a farm with dirt paths. The ground was dry when we went but if there’s any recent rain, I’m sure it will be muddy. Choose your shoes wisely!
Keep an eye on the weather because spring can still be a bit unpredictable. It was quite windy on the day we went. Luckily the sun was out but it could be very chilly. Dressing in layers is always a good idea. That way you can feel comfortable no matter what the weather turns out to be.
Since you’ll be taking photos with a lot of brightly colored flowers, I recommend choosing clothing that is more subtle. Try neutral colors like gray, white, navy, or olive green. Soft pastels and spring colors could also work nicely. Avoid heavily patterned clothing or clothes with large characters/logos to keep from competing with the flowers.
More tips on photographing your family here!
WHAT TO BRING TO THE TULIP FIELDS
STROLLERS
Strollers are doable at the farm, the bigger the tires the better. There were some tractor tracks that had hardened that made a very bumpy ride for our baby. Be careful if it’s muddy out there, in that instance you might want to baby-wear instead.
FOOD AND DRINKS
Bring snacks and water. I did see a few drinks for sale and the checkout area but the selection was small and drinks were not chilled at all. Warm Gatorade is a firm no for me. There are some picnic tables. You could pack a picnic lunch to enjoy at the farm to really make the most out of your visit.
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CAMERA
Bring your camera! You don’t want to miss out on getting colorful spring photos of your family/friends with the tulips! There are some guidelines for professional photography there. You can find them on the website. This only applies if you want to hire a photographer to come out there to take your picture. If you’re taking your own pictures, don’t worry about it.
We recently bought this camera for our daughter and it’s been a lot of fun for her to bring it around and take her own pictures. Shop the rest of my Amazon Store here!
We very much enjoyed our afternoon at Burnside Farms! It is one of our favorite farms in Virginia. It’s the closest thing to visiting the tulips in the Netherlands that you will find close to D.C. The addition of the bouncy activities makes it worthwhile of the ticket price. Our kids would’ve happily stayed longer but we had to leave to make it back for another commitment. If you’re looking for a beautiful display of flowers, don’t miss this farm!