Tulips Turn Twenty-five

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is celebrating its 25th year, and runs April 1 – April 30. Tulips come in many colors

So, why go? I mean, we’re talking about tulips. The thing is, I always have a good time. After a long, dreary Northwest winter, there is something about rows and rows of tulips tinted pink, yellow, red, white and orange that just makes me giddy for spring.

The fun goes beyond tulips. There are numerous events all day long, every day. There’s lots of art and pottery, good food, alpacas to pet, casinos to visit, parachutes to charter, wine tasting, and salmon BBQs. A whole lot of Northwest fun.

Or, you can skip all of the organized stuff, save yourself the temptation of buying yet another jar of marionberry jam or pickled asparagus, and hit the road – on your bike. The tulips are in fields and are highly visible and enjoyable from the slower pace of a bicycle puttering along Skagit Valley’s country roads. Wear some highly visible colors (you’ll be sharing the road with cars) get yourself a good map, pack a lunch, and make a day of it. Or, you can fork over $75 and join an organized bike tour around the tulip festival.

 

Making it a tulip-filled weekend? A simple room with a queen bed at the Tulip Inn in Mount Vernon or the Anoco Inn in Anacortes can be had for about $70. Happy spring!

Lauren Braden’s new book, 52 Ways to Nature, Washington: Your Seasonal Guide to a Wilder Year, is now available

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