The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival has become an annual trip for our family. The fact that my wife loves tulips has something to do with that, but it is also a wonderful way to get out and celebrate the arrival of spring after the gray months. A number of events coincide with the festival, but we have been content to just be out and enjoy the tulips. After all, they are the featured guests.

For those content to have a nice drive, a route map provides an easy way to drive through and enjoy the color of the fields. Several growers also allow free parking near their fields and allow you to walk along the edges and enjoy the colors up close. This year, we also took advantage of the paid gardens at RoozenGaarde. Only $2 buys you the opportunity to see the full variety of tulips. If you want to plant tulips of your own, the varieties are labeled so you can visually choose exactly what you want.

Typically the best time to go is in mid-April, although the blooming of the tulips can vary every year based on the weather. Depending on traffic, the tulips are 60-90 minutes from downtown Seattle, and the perfect way to celebrate the arrival of the sun.