The Unknown Ahead

Fjord. What a fun word to say. Let me tell you, they’re even more fun to visit! For this blog post, we explore several of the limitless options available to you in Norway. There are over 1,700 named Fjords in Norway, so we can’t get to them all in one vacation, but we’ll hit the most popular ones for your consideration.

A few notes about Norway

1. It’s expensive. As a Chicago girl, I’m used to paying a small fortune for parking and a night out on the town. But Norway is a whole new level of pricey. Like $9 USD PER OYSTER at a restaurant pricey. An Airbnb and a local grocery store are your friends during this trip, especially when traveling with kids.
2. They have a weird alcohol policy. In order to purchase a bottle of wine (or any alcohol content above 4.7%), you need to visit a special “Vinmonopolet” that is run by the government. These are located in various cities, but they all have their own days/hours of operation and often close early. If you’re staying in an Airbnb and want a bottle of wine for the evening, definitely plan ahead and look up the local Vinmonopolet, because you cannot buy wine/spirits at the local grocery stores.
3. Speaking of alcohol, be prepared to take random breathalyzer tests when driving around in your rental car. We rented a car for a week to visit various Fjord towns, and my husband was stopped twice at check points to take a breathalyzer test. Note that the legal limit there is 0.02%, which is really strict. Weirdly, both times we were stopped by police it was earlier than 10AM! I’m not sure who’s trashed before 10AM on a Tuesday, but very odd. The police were really nice though.
4. It’s really quiet. Norwegians are known for being reserved, but even the cities are quiet. Since there are a lot of pedestrian roads, electric vehicles, and early closing times, it’s pretty quiet out on the streets even on weekends in Oslo. Go ahead and open the windows in your hotel room, because only the early morning birds will bother your sleep.

OK, let’s get to the good stuff! Here are some fun things to do in Norway broken down by area. We started our trip in Bergen and flew Icelandair. After a few days in Bergen, we rented a car and drove north to various Fjord towns before flying to Oslo. You can see my interactive Google Map of everything mentioned in this blog at the end of the post. Be ready to drain your savings account, because you’re headed to Norway!

Bergen

I really enjoyed Bergen’s vibe and the access to fresh fish on all the menus. It’s a bit sprawling, very walkable, family-friendly, and super cute. Bergen is a big destination for cruise ships, so be prepared for some crowds in the main tourist areas. It’s also known for raining 240 days per year! We visited in June/July and did experience a little rain every day, but it didn’t ruin any of our plans – just be prepared! A good rain shell, quick-dry travel pants, and waterproof hiking shoes (I love the Columbia brand) will help you stay comfortable when walking about town.

Bryggen

The Bryggen Hansa Quarter is the most iconic location in Bergen. It’s a little row of old buildings housing restaurants and shops on the wharf. Some of these buildings have been standing since the 14th century. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site and very popular with cruise ship patrons. I would advise wandering the area, getting some souvenirs, and having a pastry or a beer while enjoying the views of the wharf. You could probably spend a few hours here if you pop into all the shops and really look around.

If you want a good dinner spot, I suggest Bryggeloftet Restaurant. It’s an elegant, old building and the restaurant offers multiple floors and good views. The food was really good and offered a lot of Nordic cuisine options like herring, reindeer, lamb, and fish soup. There’s also a kids menu available in English.

Fishmarket

I love markets. The fish market is right on the wharf near Bryggen and is really fun to wander. There are plenty of fish on display, caviar, lots of restaurants, and food trucks. If you enjoy seafood, look no further! Even though it’s a market, make sure to get reservations if you want to have a sit-down dinner here. Our favorite restaurant was in the food hall and called Fjellskål Seafood Restaurant. Bonus points because they had a kids menu too. Enjoy the photo of my children pretending to eat shrimp heads.

Fløyen Funicular Railway

This was our favorite spot in Bergen! The entrance to the Funicular is right by the wharf in the center of town and takes you up to the most magical views of Bergen. It runs pretty much all day and leaves every 15 minutes, so it’s really convenient. I bought tickets ahead of time anticipating potential cruise crowds, and I would advise you to do the same. Even though the ride up the funicular was a little crowded, the top is really expansive, so it doesn’t feel crammed at all. Get some pictures of Bergen, have a beer, and enjoy some local goats! There is a lot of beautiful, and easy, hiking here too. We walked around for hours in the ethereal mossy forests. There are also some amazing playgrounds here too! A round-trip ticket will cost you about $20 for adults and $10 for the kids. You can also buy the “family ticket” for $47 that includes two adults and two kids.

Akvariet i Bergen – The National Aquarium

Located on the opposite side of the wharf is the aquarium. It’s pretty small, but they have a lot of penguins, otters, seals, and all the popular fish tanks. Many of the exhibits are outside, so it’s not exactly a great activity to escape the rain, but we really enjoyed it. Adults cost $40 and kids are $25, but there is a family pass available here too for $110. They do several feedings/shows during the day that are in Norwegian and in English.

If you visit the aquarium, I’d also suggest spending some time checking out the park nearby – Nordnesparken. There are some hiking trails, playgrounds, good views, and a few local swimming areas like the Nordnes Seawater Pool. You can hop right in the ocean for a swim, if you wish!

Museums

Due to timing, we didn’t make it to the museum campus. However, there are three museums that you can visit with just one ticket. Based on Google reviews, it seems like these museums are sometimes closed or have limited access due to short staffing. The area near the museums offers nice views of the architecture, a huge fountain, and some restaurants. We walked around the area and enjoyed some wine and pintxos (tapas) from Vinbaren while enjoying some rare sunshine.

Trekroneren

I would be remiss not to mention the local hot dog stand! Trekroneren is near the Funicular entrance and offers several local takes on the traditional hot dog. There are no tables, but lots of good bites! Try out reindeer and wild boar among other choices – and be sure to add some lingonberry sauce!

Fjord Stop 1: Voss

This is more of a “stretch your legs” stop when driving north from Bergen. An hour and a half drive from Bergen brings you to the Voss Folk Museum. This was a highlight for me because I love exploring history with the kids in a hands-on way. There is a museum in the traditional sense with an emphasis on how people used wood to make houses, boats, and furniture. It also has a cool collection of traditional Norwegian clothes, a little “school” the kids can play in and an old-timey grocery store with an antique cash register. It’s really interesting for adults, but also has wonderful imagination areas for the younger family members. My favorite part though was the Mølstertunet which is a traditional farm community with buildings from 1520. You can pop into all of the buildings and feel what it would be like to live in these spaces. There is also a little tour in English with fun stories about how people used to thrive and survive there.

The little town of Voss is nice for a quick lunch. There was a whole area with food trucks, pizza places, etc. Although we didn’t use Voss as a “home-base”, it’s known as an Adrenaline Capital – whitewater rafting, hiking, skydiving, mountain biking, Voss Gondola, skiing – you name it!

We did do a short, popular hike through the Bordalsgjelet Gorge. It was gorge-ous…get it? Gorgeous? Cause it’s a gorge? Anyway…you walk along a little path right at the gorge’s edge surrounded by ferns and waterfalls. It’s a really easy hike and good for families (although not stroller friendly). There-and-back will probably take you about 45 minutes.

Fjord Stop 2: Flåm (My Favorite)

We rented an Airbnb just outside of Flåm on a little goat farm. It was very quaint, very without wifi, and very surrounded by nature. Flåm is located on Aurlandsfjord, which I think was the most beautiful of all the areas we saw and visited. Beautiful water, waterfalls everywhere, easy access to hiking, and lots of activities to keep everyone busy.

There’s not much to the actual town of Flåm itself. Honestly, the town seems to exist just because of cruises and tourists. There is a great brewery (Ægir Brewpub), a small grocery, a bakery, and some souvenirs shopping, but that’s about it.

Take a Boat Ride to Viking Valley

This was my favorite day of our whole trip! We took a leisurely 2-hour boat ride from Flåm through the Aurlandsfjord and around through the Nærøyfjord. The view is pure magic – waterfalls in every direction. The boat is really comfortable with plenty of indoor and outdoor viewing areas. There’s also a cafe with food and beverages to keep everyone happy. We used Norway’s Best and had a great experience. The boat technically goes from Flåm to Gudvangen. We did a round trip experience for about $280 or
2,880 NOK. I originally started second-guessing my choice of spending four total hours on a boat, but it’s so beautiful that you look forward to the return trip just as much as the original ride to Gudvangen. I did pop some coloring books into the backpack along with Phase 10 and Uno, just in case the kids got bored. If you don’t want to do the round trip on the boat, there’s also a bus back to Flåm that’s a short 20 minutes, but it’s mostly in a tunnel, so you don’t get views.

So…what’s there to do in Gudvangen before your return trip to Flåm? VIKING VALLEY! Get off the boat and walk about ten minutes to be transported back to the time of vikings. I cannot describe how much I loved this experience. You can get tickets ahead of time for $25 per adult and $10 per kid (kids under 4 are free).

You can explore the Viking town at your leisure, but there’s also a tour in English that I highly recommend. Our guide was so informative and hilarious. On top of that, he was great with engaging the kids and answering all of their questions about axes, swords, and raids. The kids can learn archery, sword fighting, spear throwing, drumming, and weaving – all from a Viking who actually lives in the village. We had lunch in the valley too, which was excellent! I really cannot emphasize enough how much fun this spot was for the whole family. I dedicated 3 hours to Viking Valley before our return boat trip, and I think that was the right amount of time. Also – fun fact – you can get a legit tattoo here the old Viking way…I kind of regret not getting one…but I also don’t currently have any tats despite always saying that I’m going to get one…

Flåmsbana (aka The Flåm Railway)

Heralded as the “most beautiful train journey in the world”, the Flåmsbana offers a round trip voyage from Flåm to Myrdal and back again. Two adults and two kids cost us about $250 for the 2-hour round trip ride. Definitely book tickets in advance, as this is also a popular cruise ship excursion. The internet informed me that we should sit on the right side of the train for optimal views, although I don’t think you can go wrong with any seat. I would suggest that you get in line 20 minutes or so before departure.

You ride through Flåm up 867 meters to the mountaintop Myrdal train station. Along the way, you stop at Kjosfossen waterfall for a little photo-op and some entertainment…I won’t ruin the surprise…but it’s pretty amusing. From their website: “The 20-km long railway line is one of the steepest standard gauge lines in the world, with 80% of the journey running on a gradient of 5.5%. There are no less than 20 tunnels, 18 of which were built by hand. One of the tunnels even takes a 180 degree turn inside the mountain.” The kids each received a coloring book from the train attendants, which was a really nice gesture. There’s nothing to do in Myrdal, so just hop right back on the train and head back to Flåm. I believe one of the stops has an epic Zipline adventure, but we didn’t participate in that activity this time around.

I do want to mention that this is part of the very popular “Norway in a Nutshell” route. We met some travelers from New York who were following the Norway in a Nutshell path, and honestly, they looked exhausted. You can find information about it easily online, but it’s basically a route through the most popular spots in Norway via train, bus, and boat. Personally, I’m really glad that we rented a car and could move at our leisure without lugging our luggage on endless public transportation; however, if you’re interested in the Norway in a Nutshell, you can find information about it here.

Floating Sauna

Ok, a little pricey at $300, but this floating sauna was so much fun!! If you have children, they ask you to book a private 1.5 hour sauna session for the family. You can also book a shared experience with strangers, but I understand why they would want you to do a private session with kids. The sauna has a place to discretely change clothes, an outdoor space, and the sauna itself. It floats in the Fjord and you can jump in for a cold plunge cool down. The Fjord water is really weird because it’s brackish – part fresh and part salty. The smell and feel is different from the ocean and really unique. We had so much fun alternating between the steamy sauna and jumping into the Fjord and swimming around. SO much fun!

Hiking

There are a few hikes in the area that might be worth checking out:

1. Rimstigen – You have to pay for parking, but there are great views of the Fjord and waterfalls. This one is not great for little kids, as it’s quite steep. Budget 3 hours for this one.
2. Stegastein – Full disclosure, you can drive to the Stegastein Viewpoint and save yourself the hike. Narrow, steep trail that takes about 2 hours to get to the top. We cheated and drove. There’s a cool lookout here as well as ample free parking and bathrooms.
3. Brekkefossen – I hope you’ve been on the stair master recently…beautiful waterfall views, but over 500 steps to the top. We did do this hike, and it was worth the literal pain in the booty. Great views of Flåm too. Even though there were a lot of stairs, I think a lot of kids would be capable of this hike as well…as long as you bring snacks! FYI – All of the hikes in Norway were clearly marked as green, blue or red so you know the difficulty before you venture out.

Fjord Stop 3: Stryn

First of all, there are two great stops to stretch your legs on the way toward Stryn. The first is the Glacier Museum. This is a really cool building in the middle of nowhere. For a nominal fee, you can learn all about the glaciers in Norway, and particularly those in Jostedalsbreen National Park and Kjenndalsbreen which dominates the map just north of the museum. There’s a lot of information on how glaciers are formed, mammoth bones that were found nearby, and the impacts of global warming on the glaciers. We spent about an hour here.

The other stop was one of our favorite hikes of the trip: Briksdal Glacier. This is a gorgeously maintained trail and a pretty easy out-and-back hike for all ages. It’s about 3 miles, so I would budget 4 hours for the whole experience. There are rushing waterfalls, forests, “troll potholes”, and the glacier itself to explore. If you’re absolutely tired of hikes, you can also take the Troll Shuttle to the glacier which is basically a golf cart. But do the hike ’cause it’s so beautiful!!

We used the town of Stryn for an Airbnb home base in the area. The town of Stryn itself is great because there are multiple grocery stores, restaurants, and shopping available. The other main areas to explore near here are Geiranger and Loen.

Hydlaparken Klatrepark

High ropes course, anyone? The Hydlaparken was soooooo much fun! Our ten year old loved it just as much as my 40+ year old husband. It was about $150 for the four of us to do all of the obstacle courses here. You get a quick training on the equipment, and off you go! I loved this park for several reasons – first of all, if you get stuck, you have to figure it out. Talk about building resilience! Each person clips in to the course and you have to maneuver one-at-a-time to get through the various obstacles. I loved seeing my kids struggle, take a deep breath, and figure out how to problem-solve. Although there are employees that can certainly help in an emergency, part of the experience is real time problem solving and independence. I also loved it because I love ziplining over rivers and through forests! We spent about 3 hours here and it wasn’t crowded at all.

Loen Skylift

The town of Loen is just south of Stryn and offers some great views of Nordfjord. There’s a “lift” (or gondola) in Loen that takes you to the top of the mountains with views, the Hoven Restaurant, and hiking at the top. At this point in the trip, my husband nearly died at the $65 per adult and $33 per kid price of admission here. Honestly, we’d seen so many lovely Fjord views at this point in our trip, that I’m not sure the Loen Skylift was worth it. The Hoven restaurant was…fine. We’re talking $30 burgers, but an amazing view. I dunno. We did some hiking here in the pouring rain. They also have ziplining and base jumping, but we did neither. I’m torn on whether to recommend this spot or not.

Hiking

1. Tvinnefossen – Park near the school, and walk a short distance to the trailhead. The hike is pretty flat, well marked, and family friendly. The waterfall is lovely! You can walk behind the falls, which is pretty epic.
2. Västerås – There is a wide path and a lot of stairs! Great views of Geiranger from the farm on top.
3. Storsæterfossen – An easy, winding climb up to a waterfall and the perfect place for a little picnic. You can walk behind this waterfall as well.
4. Løsta Utkikkspunkt – Up you go! This out-and-back will take you about 2 hours to complete with great views of Geiranger and the cruise ships.
5. Geiranger Skywalk – First of all, the drive to the Skywalk is worth it in and of itself. This is a top-notch scenic drive. This is Europe’s highest Fjord view and it costs $35 per car. Unlike the Loen Skylift, I think this one is well worth the price of admission. You can limitlessly wander along the rocky mountaintop, enjoy a hot chocolate in their cafe, shop, and enjoy crazy good views.

Geiranger

OK, unpopular opinion…Geiranger is overrated. The town itself has a cute chocolate shop and a large hotel, but it really just seems to exist because of cruise ships. Technically, this Fjord is the “most beautiful” according to UNESCO, but I failed to see anything more special about Geiranger than any other Fjord we’d seen. We did a rib boat ride here that was a lot of fun and there is plenty of hiking, but I’m not sure this is a “must” when in the area. We saw The Seven Sisters and The Veil waterfalls, which were famous and lovely. It was nice to take a faster boat ride on the Fjord and our guide had engaging stories about the two remaining farms up in the mountains. Perhaps it’s one of those spots you need to see, but if you’re crunched on time, I’d prioritize the Flam area personally.

Fjord Stop 4: Ålesund

Ålesund was our final stop before taking a flight to Oslo. It was a super cute, but very small, town. The main highlight was Aksla mountain which you can access by taking 418 stairs from town…or driving straight to the top. There are a lot of hiking paths here, picnic areas, a cafe, and playgrounds. None of the hikes were strenuous, and all of them offered great views.

The town itself is sleepy, but beautiful. There were plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars to keep you busy. A lot of people were kayaking through the town or taking boat rides along the coast.

Oslo

We took a short flight from Ålesund to Oslo to close out our trip. It was nice to contrast all of the amazing nature we’d experienced in Norway with a little city action. Oslo has a lot to offer! I would suggest purchasing the Oslo City Pass which gives you access to a plethora of museums, all public transportation (including to/from the airport), and discounts on certain restaurants and attractions. The city pass allows you to duck into various locations without worrying about the price of admission. Do you only want to see Munch’s The Scream at the art museum? Perfect! Who cares if you only spend 30 minutes at the museum when it feels free? Here are the spots we suggest in no particular order:

Natural History and Botanic Gardens

There are the gardens and two museums in this spot on the Northside of the city. Check out the expansive gardens, dinosaur bones, gems, taxidermy animals, and solar system exhibits all in one general location. One ticket gets you access to everything.

Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (Norsk
Folkemuseum)

This was a favorite spot on Oslo’s museum campus. You can get here easily via bus or ferry from Rådhusbrygge. The ferry system is also included in the Oslo City Pass and is super easy. There are exhibits here on Norwegian culture, fashion, and heritage that are excellent. But the showstopper is the Stave Church and the reconstructed Norwegian villages that you can wander around. There are a few actors here too that you can interact with and ask questions. I highly recommend this stop for all ages. We were trying to hit all four museums in the area that day, so we zipped through in a few hours, but honestly, you could spend a half day here easily.

The Fram

This was such an epic museum!! We spent a lot of time here learning about Norwegian expeditions into the Arctic. The Fram boat itself is amazing and you get to explore every inch of the ship. The Fram Museum is really three museums in one and focuses on vessels, explorers, and famous Norwegian expeditions. Highly recommend!

Kon-Tiki

This was such a random museum. Evidently, there was a Norwegian guy, Thor Heyerdahl, who decided to sail across the Pacific ocean in 1947 just to prove it was possible. They constructed a raft based on indigenous boats and went 8,000 kilometers into the sea. Spend an hour here looking at the rafts.

Maritime Museum

Take a glimpse into life aboard various vessels throughout history. The top floor is completely dedicated to kids and has a lot of hands-on imagination play areas. This was a great stop to get their imaginations engaged in what it might have been like on boats a hundred years ago.

The National Museum (Nasjonalmuseet)

This was a really well curated art museum. We popped in to see Munch’s The Scream and Van Gogh’s self portrait, but you could spend forever roaming the hallways of this museum. In addition to the National Museum, there’s also the Munch Museum which has another copy of The Scream. I didn’t know there were multiple copies until visiting Oslo.

Frognerparken

This is an expansive public park in the Frogner neighborhood. There are over 200 statues in this park and they’re all naked! I had so much fun wandering the park, looking at the outrageous statues, enjoying some people watching, and having some ice cream. This is a spot you have to see to believe and it’s totally free!

The Royal Palace

If you have an hour to spare and enjoy fancy palaces, this is the place for you! Tickets are available via Ticket Master for $23 per adult and $10 per child. This is not part of the Oslo Pass, so be sure to book online in advance. Our tour guide did a great job engaging with the kids and giving them little “challenges” throughout the tour like counting how many birds are drawn on the elaborate walls. I learned a lot about Norway’s history and enjoyed the extravagance of the various rooms. There are no photos allowed in the residence.

KOK Sauna Experience

Did we already enjoy a floating sauna in Flåm? Yes. Did my husband want to do another one in Oslo? Yes. This was very similar, but there were two distinct differences – this sauna was wood-burning and there was a captain to drive our sauna out into the ocean so that we could enjoy a new view. It was divine. You can warm-up in the sauna and jump into the ocean at various points along your journey to cool down. Side note – there were some jelly fish, but their sting was more like an itch…no big deal. The water felt amazing. It was $450 for a two-hour cruise. At this point we had spent so much money that it didn’t even matter any more.

Promenade Operaen

The Opera House in Oslo is beautiful and right on the water. You can walk on the Operas’s rooftop and enjoy the view of the harbor and city! We did a little evening stroll here and it was perfect. This area is full of restaurants too, so it’s a great spot to end your day.

Norway was a pretty epic family adventure. You never really get tired of Fjord views, waterfalls, museums, and Viking culture. We spent about 20 days exploring the country, and I was a little sad to head home. When planning a trip to Norway be sure to pop destinations into Google Maps because it’s a huge country. When I first started planning the trip I had to pull back drastically on destinations because I didn’t realize it was an eight hour drive from one spot to another. It’s certainly a country that needs multiple visits. I would love to come back and explore the southern areas near Stravanger. It would also be cool to head way north toward Trondheim or Hammerfest – there’s too much to explore!

If you’re planning a Norwegian road trip, feel free to use my interactive Google Map to help you along the way! I’ve pinned hikes, museums, restaurants, and more.