Tips for Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Visitors

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is something you’ve been looking forward to for months. Spring has arrived, the fields are alive with color, and the sun is (hopefully) shining. This trip could be one of the highlights of your spring, or even your year. What can you do to make the most of your Skagit Valley Tulip Festival experience? Here are some tips:

Be Prepared for Mud and Dirt
You’re going to be tromping in and around farm fields and dirt roads that get a lot of traffic. You’re probably going to want to get down on your knees, or even your rear end, to get that special tulip photograph. If it’s raining, or has rained recently, chances are that there’s going to be mud or standing water. If it hasn’t rained for a while, those same dirt roads and trails are going to be dry and dusty. Be prepared by wearing boots or waterproof shoes and clothing that you don’t mind getting a bit dirty.

Don’t Forget the Camera… Fully Charged and with Extra Memory Cards
The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is a photographers dream. Even if you only touch a camera once in a blue moon, you’re definitely going to want one to capture the color and beauty that you experience.

Be Flexible
A trip to the flower fields of Skagit Valley includes a certain amount of uncertainty. The weather, the traffic, and the crowds are all variables that will be out of your control. Leave early and be prepared to stay the whole day so that you can flex your itinerary. The sun might wait until later in the afternoon to come out. A slow-moving tractor might create a traffic backup. Have patience and be flexible; relax and take in the beauty of the farms and mountains and water all around you.

Include Other Attractions in Your Trip
The Tulip Festival might be what brings you to the Skagit Valley, but while you’re there, take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy the region’s many attractions.

Photograph by me.