Destination Norway Day 5 Journal: Things to do in Stavanger with Kids #VisitNorwayUSA

This is journal entry 5, our fourth day in Norway in which we enjoyed some cool things to do in Stavanger with kids. 

My six-year-old son and I have embarked upon a 14-day Eurail trip from Oslo, Norway to Bodo in the Arctic Circle. We started in Oslo for 2 days then to Stavanger where we are currently. After this we are bound for Haugesund, Bergen, Flam, Trondheim, Saltfjellet, and Bodo on guided adventure tours to explore Viking heritage, the places that inspired Disney’s Frozen, culture, landscapes and fun things for kids.

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Our Second Day in Stavanger

It was our fifth day in Norway and my only mission for the day was to find things to do in Stavanger with kids (or a kid in our case), an energetic, curious, intrepid little kid. You know him as ‘The Little’. We spent all of yesterday with Eurail on the BNS Southern Rail from Oslo. In the evening we saw the Iron Age Farm and the Three Swords Monument. Today was meant for exploring, exploring and exploring some more… and that’s just what we did.

The Norwegian Canning Museum

While we generally don’t find ourselves in museums like this one, we figured what the heck. The Norwegian Canning Museum is a tiny museum that sits on a hill overlooking the water. It’s housed in an authentic cannery which was in operation from 1916 until 1958. While it’s not a very fairy tale-like attraction, it’s a pretty neat on the things to do in Stavanger with kids list. Surprisingly enough, The Little really enjoyed himself. We learned all about the city’s former industry of canning (primarily sardines), and got to see the factory with all its vintage canning machinery. Visiting the museum was educational and I would totally recommend it for kids. The more you know right!

The Rodne Fjord Cruise

Okay, adult or child, solo or with a group, the Rodne Fjord Cruise is a must. We’ve been on our share of harbour cruises, and while we’ve never been on a Fjord cruise until now, this was by far the best cruise to be on. The inside was comfortable, there was an outlet to stay charged up, and they stopped along the way to pull right up to cool waterfalls and the famous Pulpit Rock. This is an awesome choice for things to do in Stavanger with kids. (More to come in detail on the Rodne Fjord Cruise).

The Norwegian Children’s Museum

On land, this was my favorite thing to do with The Little. In fact, it’s my favorite children’s Museum ever, on the planet, period. That’s a pretty big shoe to fill and I was shocked they did it. If you are a regular reader of The Fairytale Traveler, then you know I’m not easily impressed by ‘children’s attractions’. They are pretty much all the same and they all ring the same bells and whistles.

The Norwegian Children’s Museum is different than any children’s museum. It’s a museum of cultural history dealing with children’s culture and the history of childhood. It’s got an awesome basement of animal skeletons and stuffed wildlife where kids can learn all about animals from a scientific viewpoint. The other floors of the museum are filled with themed rooms of vintage children’s toys put into these totally killer interactive displays. There’s even a castle on the third floor with fairy tale themed windows depicting famous characters from timeless tales. It’s an absolute must if you’re looking for things to do in Stavanger with kids.

Final Thoughts and Tips:

Travel Tip: Taking kids through Stavanger is totally easy. I recommend taking them in the spring, summer or early fall when the weather is comfortable. Stavanger can get very windy and cold in the winter months. While it doesn’t snow much, it totally hails…and fast hail hurts. 

It was our last night in this little big town. The light was just right for some cool pics of the city. So, we decided to take a stroll along cobblestone streets and start snapping. Taking pictures in new cities is one of our favorite things to do when we’re traveling. Do you have any ideas on things to do in Stavanger with kids?

For more information on visiting check out RegionStavanger.com and for trip planning to Norway check out VisitNorway.com! You can also check out my Yonderboxes for the cheapest hotel booking exclusive to my readers!

Special thanks to Visit Norway USA. While they and the local tourism offices are funding all air, hotels and meals, this in no way shapes my opinion of my journey through Norway. An additional thank you to Region Stavanger for guiding us during our stay.