Everything’s coming up tulips in Pella. Our writer snapped this shot on April 18, 2026.
By Jessica O’Riley
Apparently Mother Nature just couldn’t wait for spring. She’s busting out the tulips a little earlier than usual this year, so now is the time to get out and see them — and some charming cities and small towns across the state.
Ames: At Reiman Gardens, see more than 45,000 tulips, 25,000 daffodils and a wide selection of other spring flowers and flowering trees in bloom. Be sure to tour the butterfly greenhouse and say hello to Elwood, the world’s largest concrete garden gnome.
Atkins: The Iowa Tulip Festival at Bloomsbury Farm boasts 500,000 tulips in 30 varieties. It’s open weekends, when you’ll find photo opportunities in the field, a flower bar and adorable baby farm animals.
Cambridge: It’s peak bloom at Center Grove Orchard. You’ll find more than 400,000 tulip bulbs planted across 4 acres, carefully designed in the shape of a hummingbird in flight. Stroll through the fields for photo and you-pick opportunities.
Cumming: Wilson’s Ciderhouse and Farm offers you-pick tulips Wednesdays through Sundays. For a laid-back experience, visit during the week. On the weekends, sample food and drinks from area vendors, make candles, take part in kids’ activities and more.
Orange City: The 85th annual Orange City Tulip Festival is set for May 14-16. In addition to the beloved traditional festivities of street sweeping, parades and Dutch foods, this year’s event includes the Queen and Court in traditional Scheveningen costumes (which have never been featured before), an 85th commemorative art piece and a local production of “Anastasia” in its local premiere.
Pella: If you want to see the tulips in Pella, you’d better hustle. I popped over this past weekend and lots of tulips were blooming. For an up-to-date bloom status report, call the tulip hotline (641-620-9463 and press “0”) or check out this map from the City of Pella. This year, Pella Tulip Time, lands on May 7-9, when you can enjoy parades, pageantry and plenty of Dutch letters — even if the famous flowers past their prime.
Contributing writer and avid reader Jessica O’Riley of Pleasant Hill worked for nearly 20 years with Travel Iowa, the state tourism office, after a previous stint with the Iowa State Fair.
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