11 Best Places to Visit in Norway with Kids: A Family Travel Guide

A family travel guide to the best places to visit in Norway with kids, from the fjords and Viking history to midnight sun trails and troll country, with tips on budget, getting around, and what actually works when you’re traveling Norway with children.

Norway wasn’t even on our radar initially. Rome, Paris, the usual suspects, that’s what everyone around us was doing for their first European trip. We wanted something different. Something we hadn’t already seen a hundred times on Instagram. So we picked Scandinavia, all of it, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway, packed ourselves into a rental car, seven of us across two families, and just went.

Norway stunned us the moment we started driving through the fjords. I don’t have better words for it. You’re driving, and suddenly the landscape does something to you, the scale and beauty of it. The way the fjord water sits so still between mountains that seem too big to be real. We kept pulling over a thousand times.

Mini-me was ten. She’d been obsessed with Viking stories for weeks before the trip. I’d done that much research at least, and Norway delivered on every bit of that for her. Every museum, every saga retold on an information board, every (admittedly tourist-trap) Viking helmet in a souvenir shop. She was completely in it.

The midnight sun we caught on a trail, right around the summer solstice. That one I can’t explain properly. You know intellectually that the sun won’t set. But when you’re actually standing on a trail at midnight with full daylight around you, something in your brain just refuses to process it normally. We stood there for a long time.

I was a new blogger then, but I guess it was a better trip for it. There was no pressure to photograph everything, without any mental checklist running in the background. I just experienced it. Which means I also have gaps: places I visited and didn’t photograph, viewpoints I drove past and didn’t stop at because I wasn’t thinking like a blogger yet. Now it makes me want to go back and do it properly. More fjord hikes, because that’s really the soul of Norway. Lofoten, which I missed entirely. Svalbard, which feels like another world. But the itinerary we followed then is actually a perfect first-timer’s Norway. I have no regrets on that front.

It’s expensive, yes. More than Western Europe, much more than Eastern Europe. We managed by cooking most meals ourselves, having one proper local meal a day for the culture and the taste, staying in Airbnbs rather than hotels, and using city cards where they made sense. We still spent more than budgeted. That’s just Norway. Go in knowing that and you’ll be fine. Stop being surprised by the prices and start just enjoying where you are.

✦ Planning your Norway trip? Start with our 7-day Norway Itinerary or explore two weeks in Norway if you have more time.

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Why Norway Works for Families

Coming from India, Norway breaks your brain a little.

I don’t mean that in a bad way. I mean, you spend the first day noticing things. The public washrooms, paid, yes, but spotless in a way that makes you want to pay. There are parks everywhere, and open green spaces where kids can run without you watching them like a hawk. Restaurants where the ‘kids’ menu isn’t an afterthought but an actual, thoughtfully put-together thing, different at every place we went. Streets where children can walk around without you bracing for something to go wrong.

Scandinavia invariably tops global safety and happiness indices, and you feel it the moment you land. There’s an ease to life here: an unhurried, well-organized, relaxed quality that makes traveling with children feel effortless.

Norway is as family-friendly as travel gets. With excellent infrastructure, clear signage, well-maintained roads, and the general public being courteous and helpful without being intrusive, you can travel with toddlers, primary school kids, or teenagers; there are no sharp edges to navigate and no moments of stress about safety or logistics.

For families with kids in the 8–14 age range, the sweet spot activities are all here, from hiking trails at multiple difficulty levels and fjord boat rides to Viking history and troll folklore that captures kids’ imagination, and the utter drama of the landscape: waterfalls, mountain passes, and midnight sun, which holds attention without requiring entertainment supplements. Oh, and tell your kids that Norway inspired Frozen. Watch their faces change completely.

Rent a car: that’s the single most practical piece of advice for a family trip to Norway. Public transport works, but the distances between fjord towns are long, and the drives are half the experience. The roads are so smooth and traffic so nonexistent that driving through Norway is like moving through a postcard. If you’ve never rented a car in Europe before, here’s everything you need to know before you book.

Best Places to Visit in Norway with Kids

Here are the places we visited and recommend, alongside picks from fellow family travel bloggers who know Norway well.

Oslo

Oslo, the capital city of Norway, tops the list of best cities in Norway. It offers endless indoor and outdoor activities for kids, making it hard to decide where to go and what to do. Oslo with kids is unlimited fun!

Oslomarka, Bogstad Gård, Tusenfryd Amusement Park, Holmenkollen, Frognerbadet, Frogner Park, Oslo Fjord Cruise – Oslo caters well to outdoor- and adventure-loving families.

That doesn’t mean families that prefer to relax and spend time indoors are left behind. Oslo has myriad family-friendly museums and attractions that offer special events and activities just for their little guests.

How can you not want to learn about the Viking age when in a city founded by Vikings? The Fram Museum, Viking Ship Museum, Kon-Tiki Museum, and Norwegian Maritime Museum are among the best museums to take your kids to introduce them to the fascinating era of the Vikings.

📌 The Viking Ship Museum is closed and reopening as the Museum of the Viking Age in 2027.

We particularly loved the International Museum of Children’s Art, which houses children’s art from around the world…to be precise, 180 countries!

P.S. Almost all the museums are free with the Oslo Advantage Pass.

And when hunger strikes, which in our experience happens approximately every 45 minutes with children, head to Haralds Vaffel, Mathallen Oslo, Mamma Pizza, or Vippa Oslo.

As we are proponents of staying in the city center, especially when traveling with kids, we recommend Hotel Continental. The only 5-star hotel in Norway, Continental isn’t just centrally located; it’s also rated among the best hotels in Oslo. For families traveling on a budget who want the comfort of home while away, Frogner House Apartments is a great choice.

Kristiansand

Kristiansand is on my Norway return list specifically because of one place: Dyreparken. It’s the most visited attraction for families with children in Norway, and it’s not just a zoo.

It combines Nordic wildlife (wolves, lynx, moose) with a full amusement park, a waterpark, and the option to stay overnight inside the park itself in themed accommodation.

For families traveling with younger children, especially, Southern Norway and Kristiansand make a genuinely strong case as a base.

The town itself has a beautiful, centrally located beach, Bystranda, and the waterpark Aquarama sits right behind it for rainy days, which, as Bergen taught us, you should always plan for in Norway.

Lillehammer

I haven’t made it to Lillehammer yet, but it’s on the Norway return list, mostly because of Hunderfossen Familiepark, a troll-themed amusement park with rides and fairy-tale palaces built around Norwegian folklore.

For kids who’ve already fallen for the Viking stories, trolls are the natural next obsession. The 1994 Winter Olympics also left behind some genuinely exciting infrastructure; the bobsled run is open to visitors, and kids as young as 10 can ride it.

Maihaugen open-air museum has 200 historic buildings you can actually walk through, which sounds dry but really isn’t.

And it’s just two hours by train from Oslo, which makes it an easy add to any Norway itinerary that starts in the capital.

Bergen

We arrived in Bergen the way everyone should: on the Bergen Railway from Oslo, one of the most beautiful train journeys you’ll ever take, worth doing just for the ride itself. Bergen greeted us with rain, which apparently is Bergen’s default setting and something locals will tell you with a shrug and a smile.

We had two days and spent both of them in raincoats, which meant adjusting plans on the go, more indoor attractions than we’d intended, fewer cobblestone wanderings than I’d have liked. But we still managed Fløyen, hiking up rather than taking the funicular down, and a fjord safari that the kids absolutely loved, rain and all. Bergen in the rain is still Bergen, still beautiful, still worth it. Just pack a good waterproof and recalibrate your expectations. And if you’re driving rather than taking the train, our Bergen to Oslo road trip guide covers the entire route.

Family travel blogger, Kirsten Maxwell from Groups Are a Trip, adds her picks for Bergen:

Take the Fløibanen funicular to the top of Fløyen, the town’s mountain, and perhaps its most popular attraction. From here, you can take in the spectacular city views, enjoy lunch or snacks at the restaurant, and give the kids time to play on the awesome playground.

If the weather is good, hike back down the mountain and take time to wander through the city’s cobblestone streets. Visit Bryggen, the city’s original heart, with its colorful wooden houses, restaurants, and shops.

Afterward, head to the fish market and sample the local seafood, fruits, and vegetables. Use any extra time to visit the Bergen Aquarium or Bergenhus Fortress, one of the oldest medieval fortresses in Norway. For a deeper insight into everything Bergen has to offer families, our complete Bergen travel guide covers the city in full detail.

We recommend the Opus XVI – Edvard Grieg Heritage Hotel in Bergen. A rustic luxury hotel housed in a historic building, Opus XVI features individually designed rooms and offers a scrumptious Norwegian-style breakfast buffet. Plus, it’s a few steps away from the center of Bergen. It’s a real value for money.

Tromsø

Tromsø, in the Arctic Circle, is firmly on my Norway list for the next trip. We didn’t make it there in 2018, and it’s one of my genuine regrets from that itinerary. For families visiting in winter, especially, it sits in a category of its own. Fiona from Passport and Piano knows it well, and here’s what she recommends:

There are plenty of child-friendly activities and, of course, there’s an excellent chance that you’ll witness the northern lights during your stay.

One of the most exciting things for kids to do in Tromsø is to visit a husky dog farm. Not only can you enjoy a fast ride across the snow, which is exhilarating, but you also get to spend time with the dogs in the kennels.

These dogs may be incredibly fast and boisterous when running, but in the enclosures, they are soft, fluffy, and adorable. The kids love the puppies, and they are encouraged to pet them and get their pictures taken.

Another super experience for kids to enjoy that will get them in the mood for Christmas is a trip to a reindeer camp. Here you can enjoy a reindeer sleigh ride in the magnificent surroundings of the mountains. You get to spend time feeding the reindeer and meet the herders who dress in traditional Sami costumes. 

Tromsø town is easy to walk around; there are plenty of restaurants and a good range of hotels. The city itself has several fascinating museums, and the Fjellheisen cable car ride is the best way for the whole family to enjoy the magnificent views.

Families are gonna love staying at Red Old House Tromsø Apartment, located in a peaceful yet central area.

Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen)

Preikestolen is the one Norway miss I think about most, 604 meters above the Lysefjord, and we drove right past the turnoff. Next time, without question. Katalin from Our Life Our Travel hiked it with her toddler, which tells you everything you need to know about whether it’s doable with kids:

The Pulpit Rock hike was one of our favorite places we visited during our two-year-old’s 3-week-long Norway trip. It is significantly shorter than other iconic hikes, such as the one to Kjeragbolten, and it is suitable for families as well.

Although the 8 km hike is moderately demanding due to 350 meters of elevation gain, you can definitely bring even younger kids along. Our son traveled most of the way in a backpack carrier, but he also enjoyed walking on his own on the duckboards and on flatter surfaces.

The beginning of the climb is the hardest; set your pace according to your fitness. When this part is behind you, you will reach a couple of small ponds, and the view opens up.

The last part of the trail is the most exposed, but thanks to the fences and stairs, it’s safe for kids as well.

On Pulpit Rock, watch them more carefully while observing the gorgeous fjord below you. Hopefully, you will enjoy your day in more pleasant weather than we did in April.

We suggest Apartament Selemork Hus (27 km from Pulpit Rock) and Preikestolen Fjellstue and Hostel (3.7 km from Pulpit Rock), as they are close to Preikestolen and are amazingly family-friendly.

Alta

Roshni from the Wanderlust Within

Alta wasn’t on our 2018 itinerary. We were on a summer trip, and Alta is really a winter destination, which means it’s a completely separate return from Norway. Roshni from The Wanderlust Within knows it well:

Famously dubbed “the town of the Northern Lights”, the small town of Alta is a must when visiting Norway with kids.

Located well above the Arctic Circle, 70 degrees north latitude, Alta experiences the polar night throughout winter, meaning the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon.

This makes it pitch black for 22 hours a day, and a deep blue glow for the remaining 2 hours. Whilst it’s strange to get used to, the conditions are perfect for chasing the Northern Lights and letting your kids experience the magic of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

Snowy conditions also make Alta a great place to try winter activities; everything is on offer, from ice fishing to snowmobiling, but the kids’ favorites are husky rides and reindeer sledding.

If you want to include some culture on the trip, visit the modern Northern Lights Cathedral and don’t miss the Aurora exhibition in the basement, which aims to teach children the science behind Mother Nature’s light show.

Nature-lover families will enjoy staying at Aurora Canvas Dome, a luxury tented accommodation in the middle of nowhere. Think of lying comfortably on a warm bed and watching the Northern Lights dancing in the sky.

If you are looking for an alternative stay, the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is a good option. It’s the largest and northernmost ice hotel in the world. You are served locally sourced food, and they offer amazing Arctic activities such as chasing the Northern Lights, snowmobile safaris, dog sledding, Sami experiences, riverboat adventures, and more.

Trasti & Trine´s Lodge is another beautiful accommodation in Alta. It’s surrounded by lush forest and located just 500 m from the Alta River. It’s super family-friendly. They also offer homemade organic breakfasts.

You can head to Karasjok or Kautokeino from Alta to meet the Sámi people (the indigenous people of northern Europe) and experience Sámi culture firsthand. It’s an experience to observe their life and eat traditional Sami food. In fact, you can buy traditional souvenirs.

Flåm

We did Flåm as a day trip from Bergen and packed it properly. First, the Flåmsbana train ride, one of those experiences that sounds touristy until you’re actually on it and the valley is unfolding outside the window and everyone in the carriage has gone quiet. Then a Nærøyfjord rib boat tour, which the kids loved unreservedly. The fjord at water level is a completely different experience from looking at it from above. We stopped at Stegastein viewpoint, visited the Viking village of Gudvangen, and finished with a cheese tasting in Undredal as part of the fjord tour. One day, done right. Amy from Two Little Pandas adds more on what Flåm offers families:

Flåm, which was once renowned for its huge salmon runs, is now working to bring salmon back and reinvent itself as part of the slow food revolution.  As you enter Flåm, you’ll be amazed by the quaint family farms and the stunning fjord views – the area is beautiful!

Flåm is home to the Nærøyfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, best enjoyed on the Fjord Cruise Nærøyfjord.  The cruise is casual and family-friendly, and at 2 hours, it’s just the right length for younger children. You’ll also want to check out the Viking Village of Njardarheimr, an amazing traditional Viking settlement.

History buffs can learn all about Viking life from the experts and even taste traditional Viking food, prepared with only ingredients available 1,000 years ago. You can buy your Viking Valley Njardarheimr Entrance Ticket here.

Train lovers will want to check out the Flåm to Myrdal train, often described as the most beautiful train ride in the world. And outdoor enthusiasts will love that the entire area near Flåm is beautiful and great for exploring. However, one of the best hikes is the Brekkefossen Waterfall.

If you plan to stay in Flåm, we suggest Flåm Ferdaminne, a family-friendly apartment conveniently located near the bus and cruise terminal.

For an alternative experience, you can choose to stay in Undredal, a beautiful fjord village by the Aurlandsfjord, a beautiful branch off of Sognefjord.

Sognefjord

We caught the edges of Sognefjord on our drive, and it stopped us in our tracks more than once. It made us pull over just to look at it properly.

One of the longest and deepest fjords in the world, Sognefjord is known as the King of fjords. It’s epic in all senses. The fjord unfolds the wildest and most beautiful landscape in Norway.

Sognefjord, one of the most talked about Norway attractions, fragments into smaller arms as it reaches the Aurland municipality – Nærøyfjord, and Aurlandsfjord. Geirangerfjord, along with the Nærøyfjord, is part of the West Norwegian Fjords and is included on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

Another beautiful arm of Sognefjord is Lustrafjord. UNESCO stave church at Urnes, the little fjord villages of Sørheim and Kroken, and Feigefossen waterfall are notable attractions along Lustrafjord.

The northern end of Sognefjord is covered by the largest glacier in all of Europe, Jostedalsbreen. Jostedal National Park is breathtaking. It’s heaven for nature and outdoor lovers.

The tiny, picturesque villages along the Sognefjord include Balestrand, Fjærland, Flam, Lærdal, and many others, all worth exploring.

Exploring the Sognefjord region with kids is exciting, as it offers outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, and taking electric ferries.

Driving the Sognefjellet (the highest mountain road in Northern Europe) National Scenic Route that winds its way through the Jotunheimen National Park is a cherry on top.

Geirangerfjord

If the Nærøyfjord took your breath away, and it will, Geirangerfjord is its more dramatic sibling.

Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, but Geiranger has a particular quality to it: the waterfalls that cascade directly into the fjord, the most famous being the Seven Sisters and the Suitor, are visible from the water in a way that makes the boat cruise here feel entirely different from any other fjord experience.

It’s best experienced at your own pace: kayaking, boat rides, or watching the Seven Sisters Falls from the water.

The village of Geiranger itself is tiny and walkable, and the Eagle Road viewpoint above the fjord is one of those driving moments that makes the whole car go quiet. We missed the turnoff in 2018, and I’ve regretted it ever since. Next time.

Atlantic Road

The Atlantic Road is on the list for the road trip version of Norway I’m planning in my head, a drive where the road itself is the destination. Suzanne from Meandering Wild has done it and makes a convincing case:

The Atlantic Road in Norway is a short stretch of road that links Kristiansund and Molde in the county of Møre og Romsdal, south of Trondheim.

The road follows the coast, which can be exciting during a winter storm (making sure it is safe to travel!), and has a number of large bridges that are engineering feats and are impressive to anyone. From a distance, they appear to curve, and driving them is like being on a roller coaster.

It is very easy to drive the route a number of times, just enjoying the flow of the road and bridges. There are several stopping points with short boardwalks that allow you to explore the coastline, small beaches, and an archaeological site.

The regular stopping points make it an easy journey with kids. Both Kristiansund and Molde have museums and cafes to start and finish the Atlantic Road adventure.

Book your stay at Ola Bua Near The Atlantic Road, a family-friendly guesthouse located in Lyngstad with a private beach, a beautiful garden, and a lounge. Also, check out the top properties in Molde, Karvåg, and Kristiansund.

Norway Family Travel Tips

Pack like you mean it. Norway’s weather does what it wants regardless of season, and being underprepared ruins days that should be brilliant. Every person in your family needs a proper raincoat, not a light windproof, an actual waterproof jacket, plus a medium layer, because evenings get genuinely cool even in summer. Waterproof hiking shoes are non-negotiable. Comfortable sneakers for town days. Quick-dry clothes for hiking and the inevitable rain. Sunscreen for summer because the sun is out for an absurd number of hours, and you forget. Headphones for the kids, always.

On long drives, and there will be long drives, that’s just Norway, music, and frequent stops saved us. Don’t try to push through. The stopping points are often the best bits anyway. Keep dry snacks in the car at all times. Hungry children in a car on a mountain road is nobody’s idea of a scenic experience.

Here’s the thing nobody mentions about fjord safaris and boat tours: motion sickness. It sounds so idyllic on paper, gliding through the world’s most dramatic fjords, and it is, it genuinely is, but the boat movement catches people off guard. We, adults, felt it too. Carry motion sickness tablets for everyone, give them before boarding, and you’ll be fine. Don’t find out the hard way as we did.

The nicest surprise, for me, is that locals speak excellent English everywhere: cities, small fjord towns, trail heads, and supermarkets. You will never feel stranded or unable to communicate. For Indian families, especially those who are often nervous about language barriers in non-English-speaking countries, Norway removes that worry completely.

Best Time to Visit Norway with Kids

Lay it on the line, Norway doesn’t have a bad season. That’s not a diplomatic non-answer; it’s genuinely true, and each season makes a completely different case for itself.

Summer, roughly June to August, is what most first-timers choose and for good reason. The midnight sun is real and surreal; daylight at midnight does something to your brain that you can’t fully anticipate. We timed our trip around the summer solstice, and it remains one of the most disorienting and wonderful experiences of any trip I’ve taken. Summer also means the fjords are fully accessible, hiking trails are open, and temperatures are pleasantly cool rather than cold. For families with school-age kids, summer aligns with holidays, making it the practical default.

Winter, November through February, is Norway in a completely different register. Harsh if you’re not accustomed to snow and sub-zero temperatures, go prepared, or it overwhelms rather than delights. But the Northern Lights. If you’ve never seen them, Norway in winter is one of the best places on earth to try. Tromsø and Alta in particular offer excellent conditions. For families with older kids who can handle the cold and the early darkness, winter Norway is extraordinary.

Spring and early autumn are the underrated options. Northern Lights are still visible in March and April and again in September and October, without full winter severity. Spring brings wildflowers across the fjord valleys. Autumn turns the landscape into something from a painting. Crowds are thinner, prices slightly lower.

I did summer in 2018 and loved every bit of it. If I go back, and I will, it’s winter next. Northern Lights over a Norwegian fjord is still on the list.

Every place in Norway is breathtakingly beautiful, and the list could go on endlessly. We’ll keep adding more destinations as we visit them. Do you have a Norwegian destination in mind to add to this list? Share in the comments!

More Travel Resources to Plan Your Norway Trip

• Nordics Itinerary
• 7 Days in Norway Itinerary
• 2 Weeks in Norway Itinerary
• Oslo with Kids
• Where to Stay in Oslo
• Undredal in Norway
• The Train from Oslo to Bergen
• Road Trip from Bergen to Oslo
• Best things to do in Bergen

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