Walking through the rows of blooming tulips on this 300-acre farm is like being enveloped in a kaleidoscope of spring colors. As far as the eye can see in every direction are sheets of pink, orange, yellows, reds, and violet, totaling a whopping 8 million tulips of about 100 varieties—and the most amazing part is, they’re all for the taking.
Though the flowers may be most associated with the Netherlands, this scene is actually in the unexpected location of Cream Ridge, New Jersey, at Holland Ridge Farm.
Since 2018, the farm has been hosting its annual U-Pick Tulips Spring Spectacular, drawing visitors from as far as Puerto Rico to curate their own tulip bouquets for just $1 per stem on weekends, or 50 cents each on weekdays.
“Be ready to be amazed—and also be ready to pick,” spokesperson Patrick Marini told Travel + Leisure. “We provide the buckets, and you don’t need anything to cut them. To pick, all you do is twist and pull.”
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The Monmouth County location—located about 90 minutes south of New York City or an hour northeast of Philadelphia—may seem like a surprising spot for such massive tulip fields. But they’re actually an ode to the home country of a family of Dutch immigrants, led by Casey Jansen Sr., dubbed the Dutch Walt Disney for turning his dream of sharing the Netherlands with the U.S.
“When you visit the farm, it truly feels like you’re in the Netherlands,” Marini said. “From wooden shoes to stroopwafels and actual Dutch employees wandering around … not only do we plant the most tulips, but we also plant the most varieties.”
This year, they’re adding even more of a touch of Holland’s culture with the debut of a traditional windmill, called Dutch Dream, rising nearly 100 feet high. Visitors will be able to climb inside and better understand how a windmill works. “We think this will be one of New Jersey’s newest icons,” he said, adding that it will be “one of the most breathtaking view in the whole state” seeing the spring colors from above. As for the name, Marini said “it was chosen because it signifies our owner’s journey from Holland to the U.S. and what he’s been able to accomplish.”
The new windmill will be introduced to the public on April 16. The following Thursday through Sunday, the farm will host Dutch Fest with traditional food, games, and culture.
While the tulips draw the crowds, the farm also has a bakery, Little Sprouts Feeding Zoo, and free hayride shuttle. Gator Utility Vehicle rides are available for those with a valid handicap placard, while others can reserve rides for a fee. Horse and carriage and pony rides are also offered on weekends.
There’s also a farmers and makers market hosted by Central Jersey community pop-up shopping experiences initiative Asbury Fresh on weekends from April 17 to April 25, featuring artisans, food purveyors, and farmers from the region, as well as food trucks and spring themed photo opps. Dog & Ram Spirits from Mannington, New Jersey, will serve flower-themed cocktails, alongside mocktails and gourmet sodas.
While the spring festival is its trademark event, Holland Ridge Farms also hosts U-Pick Sunflowers: Fall Festival in September and October and a holiday light-up event with 30,000 illuminated tulips called U-Pick Tulips: Winter Wonderland from November through January.
But for now, the effort is on its tulips, which have turned the farm into a must-experience in the Garden State. “To plan a festival and maintain a farm as big as ours is a true labor of love that starts in early November,” Marini said. “Seeing everyone take photos, pick flowers, and enjoy our happy place is what keeps us going … it brings us so much joy and we truly look forward to it year after year.”
Above all, this is the type of experience that can’t be completely understood until a visit. “Pictures capture the beauty and color, but they still do not do justice to the scale of the farm and all it has to offer,” he said. “You really need to see it to believe it.”
