No need to book tickets to Holland to see Dutch Windmills surrounded by hundreds of colorful tulips. They’re right here in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park!
The first time I stumbled upon the Dutch Windmills must have been in the fall or wintertime because I remember getting giddy about the historical windmills, but I don’t remember swooning over flowers. This was on the cusp of Instagram’s golden years, so I hadn’t yet seen photos of the tulip garden in full bloom yet.
Coming across the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden during April a year later was totally by accident. I think I had planned to go to Ocean Beach and was looking for street parking, which always is plentiful in the park. I turned the corner and BOOM – shocked to see a rainbow of flowers.
This garden is now one of my favorite places in the city and really makes San Francisco feel extra special to me. San Francisco has such skill at looking like other cities around the world, and this corner of the park is no different.
When Are The Tulips In Bloom At The Windmills In Golden Gate Park?
This is California – flowers always seem to be in bloom year-round, but the massive tulip bloom season is around April each year. You can still see flowers in bloom around the base of both the windmills even in December, but the colorful show is best during the Springtime.
If you’re coming for photos, I recommend arriving at sunrise or sunset golden hour for soft diffused light. Sunrise will mean no crowds to compete with, but the evening is kinda magical because after you view the tulips, you can walk across the street to the ocean to catch the sunset. I like to just sit on the sand, but you can grab beers or dinner at the Beach Chalet, too.
Which Windmills Has Tulip Gardens?
There are two Golden Gate Park Windmills — The Murphy Windmill and the Dutch Windmill. They’re at the west end of the park and straddle the North and Southside. They sort of anchor the entrance to the park and are tall enough that you can spot the sails peaking out from the trees from afar.
The Dutch Windmill is the North Windmill and this is where the Queen Wilhelmina Tulip Garden is planted!! This is the best windmill, in my opinion, strictly because of the flowers. (I’m a flower addict!!)
Murphy is the South Windmill and while it has some flower beds below it, it doesn’t have a massive tulip garden. It’s still awesome to see, though, since the historical Millwright Cottage is there. This cottage was built so someone could live onsight the windmills to care for them, as well as any park animals.
Why Are There Windmills In Golden Gate Park?
Pretty random, huh? There’s a lot of random things in Golden Gate Park (like the bison – yes there are bison here!) but the Golden Gate Park Dutch Windmill history is actually not random at all.
See, Golden Gate Park is built on sand dunes. That’s right — pretty much everything past Dividero Street used to be dunes. Around the 1880’s when the city decided to expand West and build a park, there was the massive problem of bringing in enough water to even start construction.
So, the windmills were made and finished around 1902. These babies pumped water 1.5 million gallons of water in to Golden Gate Park daily for years. Eventually, the task of building the park was finished and the windmills sort of fell into disarray. Apparently for a good chunk of time around the 1960’s they were completely abandoned and it wasn’t uncommon for local children to run around the inside of the windmills playing hide and seek.
Eventually, they were given a bit of modern love and had gardens planted around them, but they both still need major restoration and aren’t currently safe for the public to climb. But that’s ok. I’m happy to soak in all the magic of the tulip garden each spring from the gardens and street.
Got questions about the Dutch Windmills tulip gardens? Drop a comment below or DM me on Instagram @thewhimsysoul and I’ll be happy to help!
56 comments
This post is very helpful to me because it has a lot of information. I always like to read posts with good content, and I found that in your post.
Hi everyone, it’s my first pay a quick visit at this website, and paragraph is really fruitful
designed for me, keep up posting these types of content.
Greetings! Very useful advice within this article! It is the little changes which will make the greatest changes.
Thanks a lot for sharing!
It’s not my first time to go to see this web page, i am browsing
this web site dailly and obtain good data from here all the time.
Pretty! This was a really wonderful article. Many thanks
for providing these details.
Remarkable! Its in fact remarkable paragraph, I have got much clear
idea regarding from this piece of writing.
Simply wish to say your article is as amazing. The clearness in your post is simply nice and i can assume you’re an expert on this subject.
Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep up to
date with forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please keep up the
enjoyable work.
I like what you guys tend to be up too.
This type of clever work and exposure! Keep up the awesome
works guys I’ve added you guys to our blogroll.
I’d like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this blog.
I really hope to view the same high-grade blog posts by you later on as well.
In fact, your creative writing abilities has inspired me
to get my own, personal site now 😉
What i do not understood is in fact how you’re now not actually a lot more well-favored than you may be right
now. You’re very intelligent. You recognize thus significantly when it comes
to this topic, produced me individually imagine it from
numerous various angles. Its like women and men aren’t
fascinated until it’s something to accomplish with Woman gaga!
Your own stuffs great. Always maintain it up!
Thanks , I’ve just been looking for information approximately
this topic for a long time and yours is the best I have discovered so far.
But, what about the bottom line? Are you sure in regards to the source?
Hi, i feel that i noticed you visited my web site so i came to return the choose?.I’m attempting to to find issues to enhance my web site!I assume its ok to use
a few of your ideas!!
Have you ever considered writing an ebook or guest
authoring on other websites? I have a blog centered on the same subjects
you discuss and would really like to have
you share some stories/information. I know my readers would appreciate your work.
If you are even remotely interested, feel free to
send me an email.
Greetings! This is my first visit to your blog! We
are a team of volunteers and starting a new initiative in a community
in the same niche. Your blog provided us valuable information to work on. You
have done a wonderful job!
great points altogether, you simply won a logo new reader.
What could you suggest about your post that you made a few days
ago? Any sure?
Link exchange is nothing else however it is just placing the other person’s website link on your page at suitable place and other
person will also do similar for you.
Today, I went to the beachfront with my kids. I found a sea shell and gave it
to my 4 year old daughter and said “You can hear the ocean if you put this to your ear.” She put the shell to her ear and screamed.
There was a hermit crab inside and it pinched her ear. She never wants to go back!
LoL I know this is completely off topic but I had to tell someone!
This design is incredible! You most certainly know how to keep a reader amused.
Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Excellent job.
I really enjoyed what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it.
Too cool!
Very nice article, totally what I was looking for.
Have you ever thought about writing an ebook or guest authoring on other websites?
I have a blog centered on the same ideas you discuss
and would love to have you share some stories/information. I know my visitors would
appreciate your work. If you are even remotely interested, feel free to
send me an email.
WOW just what I was looking for. Came here by searching for video sex người lớn nổi tiếng
Thanks in support of sharing such a pleasant opinion, paragraph is fastidious, thats why i have read it entirely
This paragraph will assist the internet viewers for building up new
web site or even a weblog from start to end.
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something that I think I would never understand.
It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
Hey there! I’ve been reading your website for a while now and finally got the courage
to go ahead and give you a shout out from Houston Texas!
Just wanted to say keep up the great work!
I am actually thankful to the holder of this web page who has shared this great piece of writing at here.
Everyone loves what you guys tend to be up too. Such clever work and
reporting! Keep up the very good works guys
I’ve added you guys to our blogroll.
Hello to every single one, it’s really a fastidious for
me to pay a quick visit this site, it includes important Information.
What’s Happening i am new to this, I stumbled upon this
I have discovered It positively useful and it has aided me out
loads. I am hoping to give a contribution & help different customers like its helped me.
Good job.
I was able to find good advice from your articles.
I’m impressed, I have to admit. Seldom do I come across a blog that’s both educative and interesting, and let me tell you, you have hit the nail on the
head. The issue is something that not enough people are speaking intelligently
about. I am very happy that I stumbled across this during my hunt for something
regarding this.
I like what you guys are usually up too. Such clever work and exposure!
Keep up the wonderful works guys I’ve included you guys to my blogroll.
Just wish to say your article is as surprising.
The clearness in your post is just great and i could assume you are an expert on this subject.
Well with your permission allow me to grab your feed to keep updated with
forthcoming post. Thanks a million and please carry on the rewarding work.
I’m very happy to find this web site. I wanted to
thank you for your time for this particularly wonderful read!!
I definitely appreciated every little bit of it and i also have you bookmarked to see new
information on your web site.
Magnificent beat ! I would like to apprentice whilst you amend your website, how can i subscribe
for a weblog web site? The account helped me a
appropriate deal. I were tiny bit acquainted of this your broadcast offered brilliant clear concept
I am in fact thankful to the holder of this website who has shared this
wonderful paragraph at at this place.
I’m gone to inform my little brother, that he should also pay
a visit this website on regular basis to get updated from newest news.
Just want to say your article is as astonishing.
The clarity for your put up is just great and that i can think you’re a professional in this
subject. Fine along with your permission let me to snatch your RSS feed to keep updated with coming near near post.
Thank you 1,000,000 and please continue the enjoyable
work.
Its like you read my mind! You appear to know so much
about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message home a
little bit, but other than that, this is excellent blog.
A great read. I will definitely be back.
Undeniably believe that which you said. Your favorite reason seemed to be on the web
the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you,
I certainly get annoyed while people think about worries that they plainly do not know about.
You managed to hit the nail upon the top and also defined out the whole
thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal.
Will probably be back to get more. Thanks
Asking questions are genuinely pleasant thing if you are
not understanding something completely, however this paragraph
gives good understanding even.
Heya i am for the primary time here. I came across this board and I to find It
really useful & it helped me out a lot. I am hoping to offer something again and aid
others like you aided me.
Thank you for another magnificent article. Where else could anyone get that type of info in such
an ideal means of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I’m on the
search for such info.
I am really delighted to glance at this website posts which includes tons of valuable facts, thanks
for providing these kinds of information.
I visit every day a few web sites and websites to read articles, however this website
presents quality based posts.
I pay a visit daily a few blogs and information sites to read content, however this webpage offers
quality based posts.
I like the helpful information you provide in your articles.
I will bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently.
I am quite certain I will learn many new stuff right here!
Best of luck for the next!
Very rapidly this site will be famous among all blog people,
due to it’s good content
Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group?
There’s a lot of people that I think would really appreciate your content.
Please let me know. Thank you
Hola! I’ve been following your site for a long time
now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Austin Tx!
Just wanted to say keep up the great job!
Your site is very nice, the articles are great, I wish you continued success, I love your site very much, I will visit it constantly
Your site is very nice, the articles are great, I wish you continued success, I love your site very much, I will visit it constantly
Remarkable issues here. I’m very satisfied to peer your article.
Thank you a lot and I am looking forward to touch you.
Will you please drop me a mail?
You really make it seem so easy together with your presentation but I in finding this topic
to be actually something that I believe I might by no means understand.
It sort of feels too complicated and extremely large for me.
I’m looking ahead on your next put up, I will attempt to
get the cling of it!
This is very interesting, You are a very skilled blogger. I’ve
joined your rss feed and look forward to seeking more of your
excellent post. Also, I’ve shared your site in my social
networks!
great publish, very informative. I ponder why
the other specialists of this sector don’t realize this.
You must proceed your writing. I am sure, you have a great readers’ base already!