I’ve booked vacations around available time off from my job, around seasonal weather in my destinations, around fluctuating airfares and hotel rates. But only once did I plan a vacation around a flower.

Spring in the Netherlands is all about the tulip. Given the fairly short lifespan of this iconic flower in the country that sparked the “Tulipomania” in the 1630s that nearly ruined it, I had little leeway in the weeks I wanted to spend here. So, with some careful planning, I arrived at the best time of year, when tulips of all varieties and colors greeted me wherever I went — in parks, markets, planters, and shop windows. But it wasn’t until I visited Europe’s largest garden, Keukenhof, and its seven million flowers that I truly appreciated my good timing. Read more >