Visiting Holland Ridge Farms with Kids: A Guide to New Jersey's Stunning Tulip Farm
The 153-acre Holland Ridge Farms in Cream Ridge, New Jersey, is a seasonal delight, providing a picture-perfect backdrop, colorful, freshly bloomed tulips to pick, and plenty of extra family-friendly farm fun.
Read on for the details on the farm's annual u-pick tulip event, which kicks off on Friday, April 5, 2024, and lasts just 2-3 magical weeks and depends on Mother Nature's cooperation. Find more all-season farm fun in our Pick Your Own Guide to NJ Farms.
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When is Holland Ridge's tulip season?
Holland Ridge's pick-your-own tulip season is opening on Friday, April 5, 2024, and runs for about 2-3 weeks. During this magical, limited window, guests purchase tickets to stroll through acres of tulips that color the farm like an endless rainbow.
How much does it cost to visit Holland Ridge Tulip Farms?
Tickets are required to visit the farm; don't show up without one because you'll be turned away. Tickets are start at $5 per person for visitors ages 3 and up for weekday visits. Expect to pay more for weekend visits or special anytime passes. Those ages 2 and younger enter for FREE. Tickets can be booked for a timed-entry window on the Holland Ridge website beginning on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Timed-entry tickets are required and they sell fast, so set an alarm to nab yours!
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The stunning blooms spread out row-by-row in every direction.
Once you're on the farm, though, we bet you're going to have a hard time walking away without a bouquet of these beauties. Guests can pick their own bouquet of tulips for $1/stem. If you visit on weekday, you'll get half off that price. Select as many stems as you want to build your beautiful bouquet, then bring it to the bouquet wrapping station, where the friendly, knowledgeable staff packages up your tulips and cashes you out.
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The family-run farm has plenty of amenities to make you feel at home when you visit.
What else can you do at Holland Ridge Farms?
Enjoy the Wide-Open Spaces
While the tulips are the main attraction, there's plenty of extra agritainment for families. Find plenty of room to explore. Wide paths accommodate strollers, and young families abound, though my 13-year-old son enjoyed himself as well.
Strike a Pose
Photo-ops with rows and rows of tulips are plenty eye-catching, but the farm has placed other props throughout its acres to add to the fun. Use giant Dutch clogs, bicycles, and more when you're ready to say cheese.
Have a Picnic
On weekends, there are food trucks and a bakery barn, plus plenty of tables to sit down and enjoy your treats. There's a lovely gift shop on-site, which sells Dutch clogs, tulips, and apparel with the farm's logos. Visit on a weekday and bring your own picnic to enjoy among the blooms.
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Feed the animals in the petting zoo, learn from their caretaker, or hop astride a pony for a ride.
See the Animals
Visit the friendly farm animals from the Little Sprouts Feeding Zoo. Pack your quarters to grab a handful of food to share with these cuddly creatures. There are larger animals to view in the barn, and pony rides are also available on weekends for an extra fee.
Gain Some Tulip Knowledge
All visitors to the farm can take a tractor-pulled hayride of its perimeter, which comes with narration about the farm's history and how the tulips are cultivated. A small on-site museum showcases tulip artifacts and offers a chance to learn more.
Plan Your Return Trip
Did you miss the window for Holland Ridge's tulip-picking season? Circle September and October on the calendar. That's when sunflowers set the fields ablaze in a bright sea of golden yellows, and Holland Ridge hosts a sunflower fest.
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Purchase your own bouquet of fresh-from-the-farm tulips for $1 per stem.
Know Before You Go to Holland Ridge Farms
- The day we visited, it was overcast and rainy, and the wind made it chilly, so come dressed for the weather.
- The paths can get a touch muddy, so keep that in mind when you're planning footwear. Rain or hiking boots might be necessary.
- When it comes to bathrooms, port-a-potties are the only option.
Originally published in 2021.