Where To Go Tulip Picking In New England + NY
Spring is upon us, and soon it will be time for one of my favorite activities, flower picking! Generally, I just love going to the farm and picking anything in season, flowers, fruit, veggies, all of it. It's a random past time I have passed on to children, and they absolutely love it too. So much so that Tulip Picking is what we did for my daughter’s 5th birthday last year. We visited Wicked Tulips in Rhode Island, and it was really fun for the kids. At the end of the trip, you create a beautiful bouquet to display in your home for days to come. We definitely plan to go again this year (hopefully next year in Amsterdam!), and I compiled a list of Tulip farms in the New England and NY area that allow picking. Many of these farms offer food trucks or food and drinks on site, so you really can make a day of it.
When is Tulip Season?
Tulip Season is usually mid-April to May, so most of these farms do not open until then. The tulips also have a short season, sometimes only lasting two weeks in full bloom, so you have to time your trip accordingly. Many of the farms allow ticket sales as early as February, so if you already have a time frame in mind, I would book in advance.
Tips:
SIGN UP FOR NEWSLETTERS.
Whatever farm you decide to visit, most of them have newsletters announcing when the tulips are in bloom. Wicked Tulips is especially efficient, often sharing photos of the farm daily during the season and sending newsletters on the farm's status. I would recommend signing up for the newsletter of the farm of your choice so you can know the best time to book your tickets.
BYOB? (BRING YOUR OWN BASKET)
Check whether the farm allows you to bring your own basket while picking. We visited Wicked Tulips, and they offer cute little baskets while picking, which made for a great photo opp, but this may not be the case for all the farms, so check ahead.
WEAR LAYERS
The weather in April and sometimes May can be temperamental around these parts, so definitely bring layers. I brought a light sweater for each of us, and I’m so glad we did. When the sun was out, it was nice enough to take them off, but when it disappeared behind a cloud, it got chilly instantly. I felt like we were taking our sweaters on and off the whole time, but I was grateful we had the option.
WEAR BOOTS
I highly recommend wearing rain boots, as the floor can get muddy (April showers, after all). I had the girls wear their Hunter boots, and it was perfect because I didn’t have to worry about them getting dirty if they stepped in mud or puddles.
PACE YOURSELF
Many of these farms have an entry fee and then charge per tulip or by weight, and this can add up quickly, so make sure you're picking Tulips you like and not letting the kids go wild and pick everything, because you will have to pay for even the duds you pick.
BRING A VASE or BUCKET + WATER
The Tulips literally start dying the moment you pick them from their bulbs. By the time we got home, some of them looked a bit sad. With that, I recommend bringing a vase or a bucket with water so you can keep them fresh on your drive home.
Tulip Farms in MA
20 Lowes Lane Ipswich, MA 01938
4 Jacobs Lane Norwell, MA 02061
128 Jerome St. Berkley, MA 02779
614 South Main Street Sharon, MA 02067
Tulip Farms in Rhode Island + CT
Wicked Tulips (2 locations)
140 Exeter Rd, North Kingstown RI 02852
382 Route 164, Preston CT 06365
Tulip Farms in New York
Water Drinker Farm (2 locations)
663 Wading River Road,
Manorville, NY 119494560 Sound Avenue,
Riverhead, NY 11901108 Rues Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514
Washington Park, Albany, NY
I hope you have the best time tulip picking with your family and making memories together. It’s a great weekend activity for the kids (anything to keep them busy!). And if you’re not based in these areas, you can find tulip farms in many places. I urge you to do a quick Google search to see if there is one near you. Happy Picking!
