Our social feeds have been absolutely bursting with colour lately, and honestly? We’re not complaining one bit! There is nothing quite like a sea of tulips to make spring feel properly, brilliantly real. Whether you’re after a full-day festival with food and live music, a photogenic backdrop for the family album, or a quieter garden moment surrounded by 100,000 blooms, the UK delivers in spectacular style every April and May.
We’ve rounded up the best tulip gardens and festivals in the UK for spring 2026, with confirmed dates where we have them and honest “check back soon” flags where official info is still on its way. Because nobody wants to drive two hours only to find the tulips aren’t quite out yet!
Quick tip: UK tulip season runs roughly from late March through to mid-May, with peak bloom typically falling in April. Timing varies year on year depending on the weather, so always check the venue’s website or social media before you travel.
Before You Go: Planning Tips for Families
- Book early. Tulleys Tulip Fest Phase 1 tickets sold out within hours of release in 2026. Don’t leave it to the week before!
- Go midweek if you can. Weekends at the most popular festivals get very busy. A Tuesday or Wednesday visit means shorter queues and better photos.
- Check bloom updates. Most venues post regular updates on Instagram and their websites as the flowers come into peak colour. Mother Nature doesn’t follow a fixed schedule!
- Dress for the weather. Tulip fields are outdoors and often exposed. Layers, wellies, and a waterproof are your best friends.
- Many sites offer under-2s or under-5s free entry so families with little ones can keep costs down.
Tulleys Tulip Fest, West Sussex
If scale is what you’re after, Tulleys is the one. The UK’s self-proclaimed number one tulip festival plants a staggering 1.5 million tulips across more than 100 varieties at its West Sussex home every spring, and it genuinely earns the hype. Early bloomers, mid-season varieties, and late-season flowers create a rolling kaleidoscope of colour that evolves throughout the season, so no two visits look quite the same.
Beyond the flowers, there’s Dutch street food, a tulip bar, live roaming musicians, a glowing woodland trail at dusk, and the iconic Whispering Windmill for that perfect photo. If you fancy an evening experience, Tulip Nights adds festival sparkle and illuminated fields after dark. It’s a full day out, not just a stroll through a field!
2026 dates: Opening Saturday 28 March 2026, running through to late April
Tickets: From £16.95 per person (under 2s free) | tulipfarm.co.uk
Location: Turners Hill Rd, Crawley, RH10 4PD
Heads up: Phase 1 tickets sold out within hours. Book as soon as tickets go on sale to avoid disappointment!
Hampton Court Palace Tulip Festival, Surrey
For sheer drama and history combined, nothing quite matches Hampton Court Palace’s annual Tulip Festival. Over 100,000 tulips fill the palace’s formal gardens, cobbled courtyards, and historic borders every spring, making it one of the largest planted tulip displays in the UK. The connection between Hampton Court and tulips runs deep: Queen Mary II, who once called the palace home, was a passionate horticulturist who collected exotic plants from around the world.
This year, tulips spill from the Tudor wine fountain, cascade over vintage horse carts, and bloom across twelve distinct garden areas from the Knot Garden to the Great Vine Border. It’s spectacular, and it’s included in your palace admission, which makes it brilliant value for a family day out.
2026 dates: From 3 April 2026, with peak bloom predicted until 26 April (subject to weather)
Opening times: 10:00 to 17:30 daily
Tickets: Included in palace admission. Members go free, no pre-booking required.
Location: Hampton Ct Way, East Molesey, KT8 9AU
Planning note: The palace is also running its Easter Lindt GOLD BUNNY Hunt from 21 March to 12 April, so a visit in early April gives you tulips AND an Easter trail in one go!
Tulleys Tulip Garden at Hatton Country World, Warwickshire
The team behind the UK’s number one tulip festival brought their magic to the Midlands in 2025, and it’s back for 2026! Tulleys Tulip Garden at Hatton Country World features over 500,000 tulips across more than 100 varieties, making it a brilliant option for families who don’t want to travel all the way to West Sussex.
Expect the same Tulleys signature experience: vivid colour fields, Dutch street food, live music, and plenty of photo opportunities, including the now-iconic windmill. The Tulip Coffee House serves hot and cold drinks throughout the day, so you can soak in the floral displays at a leisurely pace.
2026 dates: 28 March to 26 April 2026
Tickets: From £13.95 per person (under 2s free) | tulipgarden.co.uk
Location: Dark Ln, Hatton, Warwick, CV35 8XA
Arundel Castle Tulip Festival, West Sussex
Regarded as one of the best tulip displays in Europe, Arundel Castle’s annual Tulip Festival is in a league of its own for sheer visual drama. Picture 110,000 tulips across more than 100 named varieties blooming against the backdrop of a medieval castle, from tropical borders bursting with bold colour to soft English herbaceous beds. It won the Historic Houses Garden of the Year Award, and one look at the photos makes it easy to see why.
The castle and gardens are open from 1 April through to 1 November 2026, with the tulip festival taking place throughout April. Because tulip flowering is entirely in Mother Nature’s hands, exact peak dates are announced via Arundel Castle’s social media channels as the blooms develop. It’s worth following them before you travel!
The on-site cafe and Garden Tea Terrace serve light lunches and refreshments, so factor in a leisurely lunch as part of your visit.
2026 dates: April 2026 (exact dates announced as blooms develop)
Tickets: Garden only from £17 adult / £8 child. Under 5s free. Castle & Gardens from £27 adult / £12 child. | arundelcastle.org
Location: Arundel, West Sussex, BN18 9AB
Morton Hall Gardens Tulip Festival, Worcestershire
This is the hidden gem of the UK tulip calendar, and it keeps getting more famous! Morton Hall Gardens’ annual Tulip Festival has been featured on BBC Gardeners’ World and graced the cover of Gardens Illustrated magazine. For 2026, it’s in its seventh year and tickets are already on sale.
The gardens are simply stunning: over 100 varieties of tulips fill formal borders and a unique meadow, alongside majestic woodland and an elegant Japanese Stroll Garden. What makes this festival especially special is that proceeds go towards supporting costume-making at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Bloms Bulbs, winners of 70 Chelsea Gold Medals, will also be on site with expert advice and bulbs to take home.
Important: All tickets are booked in advance in time slots, with limited capacity per slot. This one sells out quickly!
2026 dates: Saturday 2 to Monday 4 May 2026, 10:00 to 17:00 (last entry slot 15:00 to 15:30)
Tickets: £15 per person. Under 12s free. | rsc.org.uk/morton-hall
Location: Morton Hall Lane, Redditch, B96 6SJ
Burnby Hall Gardens Tulip Festival, Yorkshire
If you’re looking for a tulip festival in the north of England, Burnby Hall Gardens in Pocklington is your answer. This beautiful walled garden fills its formal beds and tubs with 18,000 tulips across 130 varieties each spring, creating a gorgeous and surprisingly intimate display against the backdrop of the historic hall.
It’s a more relaxed atmosphere than the big commercial festivals, which makes it brilliant for families with younger children or anyone who prefers a quieter, slower-paced day out. The gardens are genuinely lovely at this time of year, and the tulips against the historic architecture are absolutely worth the trip north.
2026 dates: Details to be confirmed. In 2025 the festival ran from 26 April to 10 May. Check burnbyhallgardens.com for 2026 updates.
Tickets (2025 prices for reference):
| Ticket | Gift Aid | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Adult | £9.35 | £8.50 |
| Child (5-15) | £6.60 | £6.00 |
| Family | £28.00 | £25.50 |
Members and under 5s go free.
Location: 33 The Balk, Pocklington, York, YO42 2QF
Norfolk Tulip Garden, King’s Lynn
Norfolk Tulips is one of those places that’s genuinely special beyond the blooms themselves. Located near King’s Lynn, this popular tulip garden grows a stunning sea of multi-coloured tulips every spring, with stalls selling drinks, cakes, ice cream, and merchandise. What makes it extra meaningful is that money raised from the garden goes towards The Norfolk Hospice Tapping House, a brilliant cause that makes your visit feel even more worthwhile.
You can’t pick the tulips, but you can buy your own tulip bulb box to take a little slice of Norfolk home with you. It’s a lovely touch!
2026 dates: To be confirmed. Details are typically announced in April. Check norfolktulips.co.uk for updates.
Pricing: To be confirmed for 2026.
Location: Norfolk Tulip Garden, King’s Lynn, PE31 6BJ
Hobbledown Heath Tulip Patch, Hounslow
Hobbledown Heath launched London’s first-ever tulip patch in 2025 to enormous excitement, with over 400,000 tulips across 100 varieties creating a kaleidoscope of colour just outside the capital. Giant love hearts, oversized clogs, and “I Love Tulips” letters scattered throughout the patch made it an absolute dream for family photos.
The 2026 dates haven’t been announced yet (the 2025 season ran from 4 to 27 April), but the team have confirmed it will return. Sign up to their newsletter at hobbledown.com/tulips to be first to know when tickets go on sale. Given how popular it was in its debut year, we’d expect these to sell fast!
2026 dates: To be confirmed. Check hobbledown.com/tulips for updates.
Pricing: To be confirmed for 2026. In 2025, early bird prices started from £4.50 for children and £7.50 for adults.
Location: Staines Rd, Hounslow, TW14 0HH
Which Tulip Garden Should Your Family Visit?
Not sure which one to pick? Here’s a quick cheat sheet to help you decide!
| Garden | Best For | 2026 Status |
|---|---|---|
| Tulleys Farm, Sussex | Scale, atmosphere, evening events | Confirmed: from 28 March |
| Hampton Court Palace | History, value, London day trip | Confirmed: from 3 April |
| Tulleys at Hatton, Warwickshire | Midlands families, Tulleys experience | Confirmed: 3-26 April |
| Arundel Castle | Photography, heritage, Europe-class display | Confirmed: April (dates TBC) |
| Morton Hall, Worcestershire | Intimate, unique, RSC connection | Confirmed: 2-4 May |
| Burnby Hall, Yorkshire | Quieter north of England option | 2026 dates TBC |
| Norfolk Tulip Garden | Charity visit, bulbs to take home | 2026 dates TBC |
| Hobbledown Heath | Near London, family-friendly photos | 2026 dates TBC |
Whichever you choose, you’re in for a beautiful spring day out! If you’re planning around the school holidays, check out our complete guide to UK school holiday dates 2026 to find the best windows for your visit. And for more seasonal inspiration, browse all our spring days out ideas on Day Out With The Kids!