Nicole Damiano

Norway With Kids: What We Learned From a Month in Arendal

By , ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel · Updated October 2026

Norway with kids

Norway With Kids: What We Learned From a Month in Arendal

Norway is one of the easiest countries in Europe to travel with kids. It’s safe, everyone speaks English, and nature is the main activity. Base yourself on the southern coast around Arendal, Grimstad and Kristiansand, give Oslo two days, and add the fjords or the Lofoten Islands if you can. It’s expensive, so rent a cabin with a kitchen.

Start planning with meNorway travel guide
1Month in Arendal
5Of us, plus Poppy
6Places in this guide
0Honking

We spent a month living in Arendal.

Adam, Gavin, Jake, Avilene, me and Poppy, our Cavapoo. Worldschooling our way through Europe, with Norway as our first home base.

We woke up every morning to rocks and cliffs and docks and water, and I kept thinking the same thing.

How is this real.

Norway reminded me of the Pacific Northwest. Rocks, cliffs, water and green that goes on forever. Except cleaner. Electric cars and buses everywhere, so the air is just air.

Here is everything I know.

Why Norway

Quiet in a way that settles something inside you

There’s no honking. No rushing. Pedestrians always have the right of way, and cars stop. Every time.

Everyone we met spoke English. Menus, signs, conversations. You won’t struggle.

And the kids had a freedom here that feels almost forgotten. Norwegian kids walk to school alone and play outside on their own. You’ll feel comfortable letting yours roam.

Where to go

Norway, place by place

Boats and waterfront buildings reflected in the water in Arendal
Our home base

Arendal and the south coast

Colorful wooden houses, cafes on the dock and a fish market on the waterfront. Real Norway.

Geirangerfjord between steep mountains in western Norway
Western Norway

The fjords

Sognefjord, Geirangerfjord and Hardangerfjord. See them by boat, kayak, car or ferry.

Red fishermen's cabins by the water in Hamnoy, Lofoten Islands
Far north

The Lofoten Islands

Jagged peaks straight out of the Arctic Ocean and fishing villages painted red and yellow.

  1. 1Arendal

    Home for a month, and I’m biased

    A small coastal town on the water, surrounded by islands and boats. Walkable, colorful, and not a big tourist stop, which is exactly why I love it. Our day trip to Lillesand is close by.

  2. 2Grimstad

    The city of roses

    A short drive from Arendal. White wooden houses, a tiny harbor and flower boxes everywhere. Henrik Ibsen lived here. Go in summer when everything is in bloom.

  3. 3Kristiansand

    Norway’s summer capital

    The biggest city in the south. Dyreparken is here, part zoo, part amusement park, part water park, and one of the best family parks in Scandinavia. The ferry to Denmark leaves from here too. Our Kristiansand day.

  4. 4Oslo

    Give it two full days

    The Fram Museum, where you can walk on the real polar ship. Vigeland Sculpture Park, free, with over two hundred sculptures of babies, families and giants. The Nobel Peace Center for older kids. My Oslo guide.

  5. 5The fjords

    Western Norway

    Geirangerfjord is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hardangerfjord is the fruit fjord, with orchards that bloom along the shore in spring. A boat through Geirangerfjord is the classic way to see it.

  6. 6Lofoten

    For truly dramatic Norway

    Northern lights in winter, midnight sun in summer. It takes a flight or a very long drive, and families who make the effort say it’s the most beautiful place they’ve ever seen.

Getting around

Trains, ferries, buses and tunnels

  • Trains, buses and ferries connect most of the country
  • The Bergen Railway from Oslo to Bergen is one of the most scenic train rides there is
  • Electric buses in most towns, clean, quiet and on time
  • Rent a car for remote areas. Expect a lot of tunnels
  • Ferries are part of daily life, and an activity on their own
  • Ruter for Oslo, Skyss for Bergen, Vy for trains. It’s all on your phone

Food

Simpler than you expect. Better than you expect

  • The strawberries. The freshest I’ve ever had, at roadside stands all summer
  • Brunost, the sweet brown cheese. The kids are obsessed
  • The cheese in a tube. Try it
  • Salmon, fresh, cured or smoked
  • Dark dense bread with butter and cheese for breakfast
  • Pizza, pasta and burgers everywhere for picky eaters

What it costs

Norway is expensive. No point pretending otherwise

$6 to $8A coffee
$80 to $120Restaurant meal for four
$200+A hotel night in Oslo
$300 to $500A day for a family of four, about

The quality matches the price. Cabin rentals called hytter are often better value than hotels and give you a kitchen. A picnic of Norwegian bread, cheese and those strawberries is one of the best meals you’ll have.

When to go

Norway through the year

  1. 1June to August

    When Norway is most alive

    Long, long days, and midnight sun in the far north. Norwegians pour outside. Festivals, beaches and boats.

  2. 2Winter

    Northern lights

    Tromso in the north is the place to see the aurora. Dark skies and cold air.

  3. 3Spring and fall

    Shoulder seasons

    Fewer crowds, lower prices, and the fall landscapes are stunning.

Before you go

What I’d tell a friend

  • Pack layers and a waterproof jacket. Sun and rain in the same hour
  • Tap to pay works everywhere. We almost never needed cash
  • Leave no trace. Norwegians take nature seriously
  • Skip rocks on the beaches. The kids will do it for hours
  • Slow down and sit somewhere beautiful
  • Budget properly and don’t let the cost put you off

“We lived in Arendal for a month with three kids and a dog. I know what Norway is like with a family, and I’d love to help you plan yours.”

Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel. Former social studies teacher, mom of three, 60+ countries.

Plan your trip with me

Read next

Keep planning Norway

Norway travel guideEvery Norway post in one place
How we brought Poppy to NorwayAnd what it cost us
31 days in NorwayWhat this country gets right

Ready to plan your Norway trip?

Tell me who’s coming and roughly when, and I’ll help you figure out the order it all goes in.

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Quick answers

Is Norway good for families with kids?

Yes. It’s safe, kids are welcome everywhere, and nature is the main activity and it’s free.

Do people speak English in Norway?

Yes. Everyone we met in a month in Arendal spoke English, and menus and signs are easy.

Where should families stay in Norway?

The southern coast around Arendal, Grimstad and Kristiansand is easy with kids. Give Oslo two days, and add the fjords or Lofoten if you have time.

Is there a theme park in Norway?

Dyreparken in Kristiansand is part zoo, part amusement park and part water park, and it’s one of the best family parks in Scandinavia.

How expensive is Norway for a family?

Very. Plan on about $300 to $500 a day for a family of four. Cabin rentals with a kitchen save a lot.

When is the best time to visit Norway with kids?

June to August for long days and the midnight sun, or winter for the northern lights in the north.

Keep planning: Norway travel guide, Oslo, Lillesand, Kristiansand, Europe travel guide.

Nicole Damiano, ASTA Verified Travel Advisor with FG Luxury Travel. Adventures We Seek is my travel blog and planning resource. Trips are booked through Favorite Grampy Travels. Prices, fees and rules last checked October 2026 and change often.

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