40 Countries and Counting

Why Flåm with kids?:

Flåm was the perfect place to stop over when doing Norway in a Nutshell from Bergen to Oslo with kids. The journey from Bergen to Flåm was a significant portion of a day, and my husband and I could not fathom surviving the entire day trip with two young kids. The full journey includes three separate train rides, a bus ride and ferry cruise and would have been too much in one day with the frequent stops, and vehicle changes that result in a bunch of movement.

Planning:

We booked theFlåm Marina Hotel for one night, planning to wing dinner and our experience once we got to Flåm knowing the journey from Bergen to Flåm would have already included an early morning train ride, bus trip and ferry voyage. I had visions of the kids throwing a foxtail at the playground near the water to get out their energy, but didn’t know what to actually expect after a full day of travel not too long after our arrival in Europe.

Flåm is a popular cruise ship destination, so if you can avoid it, I would pick a day that cruise ships are not in port so the town has fewer visitors. When we arrived in Flåm, a ship was in port, so the playground and restaurants were pretty crowded.  

Experience:

The Norway in a Nutshell tour is a train, bus, train, ferry ride and then two separate train rides from Bergen to Oslo. While many choose to complete the trip in one day, we really loved our night in Flåm because of the breathtaking fjord views we had after the cruise ship departed the port.

We left Bergen at like 8AM which was a lot to ask for the kids who were still adjusting to the time change. We had a bit of a harried bus ride from the hotel to the train station, and then were somewhat disappointed that the train did not have the mythical play car I had read about. Fortunately, the first train ride was pretty short, and we then transferred to a bus. This transfer was a bit confusing to figure out as the buses looked like private tour buses, and were not well marked. Once we were situated on the bus, it ended up being a scenic drive that included a stopover at an old hotel in Stalheim for some really cool views and clean bathrooms. Everyone then got back on the bus to get to the ferry terminal in Gudvangen. The tiny terminal there did have a few food and beverage options, and allowed for ample time for eating and some kid play time at a playground before getting onto the ferry.

The ferry to Flåm was my favorite part of our time in Norway. It had the most beautiful views, and it was truly breathtaking to stand on the top of the ship watching the fjord go by. It also made for an awesome photo op for our annual Christmas card photo since everyone was pretty happy to be in sunshine watching the world go by after several rainy days in Bergen.

When we got to Flåm it was a short walk to the  Flåm Marina Hotel where we had an incredible room situated right on the water with two bedrooms.The  Flåm Marina Hotel checked our boxes for having a patio to drink beers and watch the sun set over the fjord, and then wake up and have coffee with a beautiful view before continuing our journey.

After we got settled at the hotel, our family enjoyed some time at The Fjord Farm in Flåm. The kids really enjoyed the swing that looked out into the fjord, and the adults enjoyed the local beers and fresh air. From there we went over to the port for the kids to enjoy the main playground in Flåm before dinner at Aegir BrewPub. The flights of beer were fun here, but my kids did not enjoy the limited food options. It was one of those meals we were happy to go back to the hotel and break out some bread, peanut butter and jelly we packed so the kids did not go to bed hungry. After they went down we got to enjoy some local beers while watching the sunset over the empty fjord. One thing to note is we tried to find wine at the supermarket in Flåm, but were out of luck. In hindsight we should have bought more wine at duty free at the Bergen airport for the first part of our trip.  

The next morning was a bit of a rush to get to the first train to Oslo. I did sneak in a mystical, beautiful foggy run before the kids were up, but it was a bit challenging to get them motivated to get packed and ready to get on a train for a second consecutive travel day. Luckily we made the train, and were then met with some incredible views. The scenic train ride was soooo cool, and if my kids were obsessed with trains, it would have been a bucket list item for them too. Instead, they were excited to get special coloring books and pencils from the train operators, and enjoyed the quick stop at a waterfall for some photo opps with a dancer who reminded us of the Frozen movie series. 

The second and final train ride of the trip from Flåm to Oslo finally checked the box of having a kid play area, and it did not disappoint. This train had a family car with a ladder, some climbing tubes and padded flooring. My kids loved being able to play in it, and at this point my daughter had made friends with a girl from Egypt, and had a blast playing in the tunnels with her new friend. While this train ride was long, and we did break out the tablets for the kids, it was super cool to experience the full Norway in a Nutshell journey which was just as beautiful as people claim it to be. 

Lessons Learned: 

• Even though we did check some of our bags from Bergen to Oslo (with air tags), we still should have packed more efficiently for this leg of the trip. It was hard to manage luggage and collapsing a stroller several times in two days
• Seeing your kids make friends from completely different cultures is such an awesome part of travel
• Try to visit Flåm on a day without cruise ships in port for a more relaxed experience
• It’s hard to find wine in Norway. We should have brought our wine wings, and stocked up at the Bergen airport duty free to enjoy the Flåm sunset.
  

Travel Gear:

• Air tags to feel better about leaving your luggage with the tour company for the transit from Bergen to Oslo
• Foxtail or small beachball to help the kids get their energy out
• Rain jackets
• Suitcase backpack
  

Final Thoughts:

While it was a lot to ask the kids to complete this journey, the views were truly incredible. It was so peaceful to see the fjord in the morning without crowds, and to experience the magnanimity of nature. If we were to do it again when the kids are older, I would be all in on the adventure zip lining and mountain biking that are offered close to Flåm on the way to Oslo.