4 tulip festivals for a colorful day trip

Nothing captures the essence of spring quite like tulips in bloom. Tulip festivals in the tristate area are scheduled to open this month, though the exact timing depends on the weather. Below are three festivals to check out. (Also see Newsday’s April 22 story about the Waterdrinker Tulip Festival for complete coverage.)

Mohonk Tulip Festival

Mohonk Mountain House,1000 Mountain Rest Rd., New Paltz

The festival at Mohonk Mountain House is set on the grounds of a historic Hudson Valley resort and pairs floral displays with sweeping mountain scenery. More than 30,000 tulips bloom in the Victorian Show Garden, planted in the same bed established in the late 1800s.

Beyond the blooms, visitors can join guided tours and hands-on workshops like flower crown making and hand-painted botanical bookmark crafting. With 85 miles of hiking trails, lakeview and seasonal activities, the experience leans more toward a full-day or overnight escape.

Day passes cost $35 per adult/$30 per child ages 4-12, free for 3 and under, mohonk.com/signature-events /mohonk-tulip-festival 855-883-3798

Holland Ridge Farms Tulip Festival

108 Rues Rd., Cream Ridge, New Jersey

Holland Ridge Farm delivers one of the largest tulip displays in the country, with about 8 million flowers spread across its 300-acre farm.

“We’ve welcomed guests from as far as Puerto Rico,” said marketing director Patrick Marini. “It’s a bucket-list experience for many.”

Visitors can wander the 60-acre tulip field on foot or in a rental golf cart, pick their own blooms and take in the panoramic view echoing the famous Dutch flower farms.

New this season are themed picnic areas for small groups fitted with flower arrangements, photo props and cookies and lemonade. The “Fill a Bucket” promotion allows visitors to purchase a bucket and pack it with more than 50 stems for a price of $20 on weekdays and $50 on weekends.

Various family-friendly events include food trucks, a beer garden, pony rides and a petting zoo.

Tickets range from $17 to $25 per person; picnic pads, which accommodate up to 10 people, cost $150 on weekdays and $200 on weekends,
hollandridgefarms.com

Albany Tulip Festival

Washington Park,1 New Scotland Ave., Albany

The annual tulip festival, set in Albany’s 81-acre Washington Park, brings more than 140,000 tulips into bloom each spring, creating a vibrant focus for one of the city’s signature seasonal events.

The festival is rooted in Albany’s Dutch heritage and dates to 1949. It continues to celebrate that history through long-standing traditions like the Tulip Queen coronation and the ceremonial street scrubbing on State Street.

Beyond the blooms, the weekend festival features nearly 100 artisans selling handmade crafts, a fine-arts show, live music across two stages and family-friendly activities. Food vendors and cultural programming round out the experience, making it an easy day trip, especially over Mother’s Day weekend.

Admission is free; May 9-10, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.; albanyevents.org/events/albany-tulip-festival; 518-434-2032

Waterdrinker Tulip Festival (Manorville & North Fork)

663 Wading River Rd., Manorville; 4560 Sound Ave., Riverhead

Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden tulip festival, the closest of the bunch, spans two locations in Manorville and Riverhead — 20 minutes apart and managed under the same brand. “This year we’re leaning into that cabin fever feeling,” said farm manager Britney Weiss. “When the tulips bloom, the view is breathtaking, especially when you see the fields on a grand scale.” Together, they offer millions of tulips and slightly different experiences, depending on what kind of visit you are after. The Manorville farm is the larger, busier hub, with more than 2 million tulips, a brewery, food trucks, live music and barnyard animals. It’s best for families or groups. Riverhead is quieter and more laid back, with fewer animals — often a better choice on crowded weekends. Both locations offer educational programs such as “The Tulip Tunnel Museum” and “Tulips Arrival in the Netherlands”.

Tickets range $20-$25, with higher weekend price; Manorville limits online weekend sales due to parking limitations, water-drinker.com; 631-878-8653