Create great summer memories with your family in Haugesund and Ryfylke

A bucket list experience for the whole family

The steep mountains and deep valleys of the Åkrafjord offer opportunities for families looking for a shared bucket list experience. Via Ferrata Ingadalen is a family-friendly route suitable for children from the age of 6. The route is carried out with a local guide, and the challenges you experience along the way give you a sense of achievement worth sharing with others. In Åkrafjorden you can stay overnight at Åkrafjorden Nature B&B or Mikrohyttene, both family-friendly options.

Small and big adventures

What's a summer vacation without a visit to the world of fairy tales or an excursion to an island?

A stroll in Eventyrskogen is exciting for the little ones and nostalgic for the adults. You'll meet familiar and beloved fairytale characters, as well as goblins and trolls along the way. Feel free to bring a barbecue and enjoy lunch or dinner among historical figures. Eventyrskog can be found in both Årdal and Sauda.

From one adventure to another - treat yourself and your family to a visit to the island community of Røvær this summer. The boat trip from Haugesund city center can be an experience in itself, not to mention when you set foot on the island and feel both the tranquility and the great atmosphere.

Røvær actually has its very own taxis, but not the kind you're thinking of! Røværtaxi, which are actually several colorful wheelbarrows, can be borrowed to carry fishing gear, swimming gear and barbecue food while you explore the island. Røvær is full of small swimming spots and places that are perfect for crab fishing. Stop by the Røvær Aquaculture Center to learn more about Norway as a seafood nation, and stay at the island's only hotel, Røvær Kulturhotell. Despite its small size, the island offers experiences that you can be sure will sneak into the family album! Who doesn't remember their first crab catch on the shore?

Looking for more exciting experiences related to marine life? Visit the Salmon Studio in Suldal, and get up close to both salmon and trout.

Historical fun for children, parents and grandparents!

If you like to take your family to places that combine both play and learning, there are many great experiences in Ryfylke and Haugesund.

In the old zinc mines in Allmannajuvet you can join a guided tour. With headlamps on, you'll be taken into the old mines and learn more about the history that stretches back to the early 1800s. At the mines, you'll also find a café, perfect for sitting down with a freshly baked treat and sharing your experience of the mines with your family. Was it what you expected? What was it like to visit a mine that's been there since the 1800s? You're guaranteed lots of great discussions and fun answers - from children and adults alike.

Holidays are all about exploration and discovery, and that's exactly what the Vikings did. You can learn more about life in the Viking Age and what everyday life was like for a Viking at Nordvegen History Center and the Viking Farm at Avaldsnes. To make it even more exciting, the whole family can complete the Viking rebus. Avaldsnes is the perfect place to combine with the more modern and digital museum The Viking Planet in Haugesund city center.

You can also visit the Dokken - Sildamuseet in Haugesund, which is open during the school holidays (mid-June to mid-August). This open-air museum tells the history of the city, and you can visit an old shop and see what it was like to shop for groceries before automatic checkouts were invented. At Dokken, you can also borrow a rowing boat free of charge during the summer and take a trip to the nearby island of Vibrandsøy, where you can visit the day trip cabin and explore the island.

Perfect bathing temperature all year round

It's too hot, it's too cold, it's... maybe it's just as well to visit the water parks where the temperature is perfect all year round? With water slides, diving towers and pools for both young and old, everything is in place for a fun family day out. Suldal Bad, Sauda Badeanlegg and Tysværtunet Badeanlegg are all family-friendly options. Perhaps this is the year for your children's very first swim?

Farm holidays - when comfort and charm go hand in hand

Spend quality time with your family in scenic surroundings at Gøysa Gard in Forsand and Fossane Gard in Hjelmeland. Both are located in scenic surroundings and offer both comfort and plenty of charm. Everything you need to log off, slow down and enjoy quality time together.

At Fossane Gard, your hosts Janneke and Martijn are happy to take you on a guided tour of the power station or to meet the sheep on the farm. Both farms are perfect as a base for exploring the spectacular Ryfylke nature. Don't be afraid to ask the local hosts for tips on nearby activities and hikes, they'll be happy to share their knowledge and local secrets.

Minigolf - the ultimate summer family activity

Spice up your family holiday with a little internal family competition and find out once and for all: who is the best golfer? At Torvastad, just south of Haugesund, you'll find what must be Norway's, if not Europe's, finest and most accomplished mini-golf course: Minigolfen Familiepark! Bring the whole family and play your way through the courses with themes such as the farmyard, the mine, the barn, the Viking kingdom and pirate island. More mini golf during your vacation? Then you should head to Sauda, and the miniature golf course located right by the duck pond.

Colorful treats

It's okay to treat yourself on holiday, and there's no shortage of colorful delights. Visit Jåblom Bakst Cupcakehuset, located in what may be Haugesund most colorful house, and treat yourself to one (or more) delicious cupcakes. On the same street, just a few houses away, you'll also find "donut heaven" Lutchfood. In addition to doughnuts in every imaginable flavor, you'll also find fresh summer drinks, ice cream and other pastries here. Both places are also very insta-friendly, which is of course something to tempt the slightly older kids with!