There's nowhere like Keukenhof Gardens in springtime to introduce the beauty, color, scent and creative potential of flowers to children.

Travel in the Netherlands is not easy... by car. I have never seen such traffic in and around an entire country; New York and D.C. are nothing compared to what we saw this spring in Holland. Yes, there were places where the traffic flowed but, for the most part, wherever we went we were in a slow jam for long stretches of time. What a way to begin our weekend at tulip time.

I had been to Amsterdam -- in winter -- 30 years ago as a college student and it seemed dingy. In 2007 during April, the peak of spring, it was still dingy. The canals are very interesting and worth a visit if just to see the architecture of the buildings and marvel at the water that is everywhere. But the water is filthy and the "houseboats" that line the canals are anything but beautiful.

We "enjoyed" the visit to the Anne Frank House, (+31 (0) 20 5567 100) at Prinsengracht 267, if it is appropriate to use that term. The museum that is attached to the house is wonderful and a stark reminder of a past that should never happen again. We also couldn't wait to see the Rijksmuseum (+31 (0) 20 6747 000) at Jan Luijkenstraat 1. We saw one wing with many Rembrandts in it, but the rest of the museum was under construction.

Larger Than Life Gardens at Keukenhof

The most impressive thing to see in the Netherlands in spring is the flowers, so we went to Keukenhof Gardens (+31 (0) 25 2465 555) (keuken means kitchen in Dutch),  located between Amsterdam and The Hague in the "Bulb Region."  These gardens, originally the herb garden of Jacoba van Beyeren, the Countess of Holland (1401-1436), were designed in 1840 by the horticultural architect Zocher. "Germany: Land of Poets and Philosophers" is this year's theme for the gardens, and it will run from March 24 through May 20, 2011.  Featuring the Netherlands-Germany experience and a flowering bulb mosaic of Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, the exhibition will include more than 100,000 bulbs as well as a themed route visitors can follow through the garden. 

There are 15 kms of walking trails and 7,000,000 flowers -- as far as the eye can see. I hope the photos speak for themselves: the colors are breathtaking. The fragrance of hyacinths and lilacs was everywhere. And tulips... all colors, shapes and sizes.

These gardens are very child-friendly, too. When you enter Keukenhof, ask the cashier for a Bollebozen Route Book for each child. In it are 10 assignments for the children to accomplish while in the gardens. The restaurants have children's menus and provide a shaded place for a break. Within the gardens there is also a large, modern playground and a maze that we found the most fun for all ages.

Keukenhof Gardens is located in the town of Lisse on Route N208 at Stationsweg 166a. It remains open every year, typcially from about mid-March to Mid-May -- tulip time! The gardens are open from 8am-7:30pm and the daily entry cost is €14.50 per adult and €7.00 for children ages 4-11; tickets may be bought online. If you drive, there is also a €6 parking fee but the more eco-friendly choice is the bus that runs to the gardens from Amsterdam.

Madurodam, A Mini Village

One more Dutch place that children and adults will enjoy is Madurodam (+31 (0) 70 4162 400) at George Maduroplein 1, in The Hague. I had my doubts about visiting this miniature village, but we really had a great time here. Madurodam was opened in 1952 as a monument to George Maduro by his parents. Its other purpose is to raise funds for youth-oriented charities through the Madurodam Charity Fund.

Holland's "smallest city" covers 18,000 square-meters and the objects are made on a scale of 1:25. The route through Madurodam is numbered to make it easy for visitors to follow along with the booklet that explains each area and building.

The minature city is even interactive. I put a euro in one of the slots mentioned in the booklet and a truck drives around to the "receiving" door of a warehouse where a pair of mini-ceramic shoes drops into the truck. The truck then continues its journey to the box where you inserted the Euro and you bend over to pick up your mini-shoes! I will be putting those little shoes on my Christmas tree this year.

Also, kids aged 3-11 receive a free passport upon entry into Madurodam. Containing questions and interesting facts about the Netherlands, the passport tells of various famous spots in the country, most of which are recreated in the tiny city. The passport also includes discount vouchers that the whole family can use.

The entrance fee to the Madurodam miniature village is €14.50 for adults,  €13.50 for Seniors 65+ and €10.50 for children ages 3-11. Opening daily at 9am, it operates year round.

Visiting Holland During Tulip Season - Trip Planning Details

It's easy and affordable to find a place for the family to stay because there are many national hotel chains in Holland. We stayed in the NL Hotel at Jaarbeursplein 24 in Utrecht where we met a lot of the American players on the Netherlands's football team. Utrecht is a pleasant Dutch city with many historic buildings along its canals. The NL Hotel was not a place that I would say had any special features but it was clean, reasonably priced, and the rate included breakfast.

Getting around this small country is easy by public transportation, and you won't have to fight the traffic as we did. There are public buses and trains from the Amsterdam Schipol Airport into the city center. From here, there is the 54 Zandvoort aan zee express bus to the Keukenhof Gardens that costs about €20 per adult and half that per child; kids under 4 ride free.

For older children and fit adults, bicycles are the way to travel in the Netherlands. There are bike trails through the fields of flowers that surround the Keukenhof. From Orange Bike to MacBike, there are many bicycle and scooter rental companies all over Holland, with several located near Amsterdam's Central train station. The Amsterdam Tourism & Convention Board (+31 (0) 20 5512 525) notes some reliable companies.

Looking back, I realize that the flowers are so magnificent that we will want to go back next year. When we do, though, we will take the train with our own bicycles from our home in Germany to the Keukenhof -- and avoid the traffic.