At about five months pregnant, wanderlust kicked in, and while we weren’t interested in the traditional “babymoon,” we knew we needed some international action before we were potentially trapped at home for a bit post-baby. We wanted a relatively easy flight, a place where we could be active but not too aggressive given my state, and otherwise have good access to quality health facilities should we need it. Norway and its beautiful fjords had been on our radar for years, and it felt like the time had arrived. Even more exciting, our awesome friends wanted to join us!

After receiving an impressive trip itinerary from a friend, we decided to follow a fair amount of the advice and do the same fjord route he recommended. We took a redeye to Amsterdam and then went direct into Alesund – skipping Oslo because we heard it was “meh.” We learned there are basically two key routes you can take to see the fjords – the Bergen route and the Alesund route. Bergen is definitely the most popular, so of course we preferred the less traveled path.

Alesund is a quaint Scandanavian town on the water with classic architecture that supposedly rivals Bergen’s. It spreads itself across a series of islands and we were able to see most of them from above (viewing point is worth a stop, and can be driven or hiked to). Wandering the streets was lovely. There wasn’t a whole lot to do there, and the restaurant scene seemed small, but that’s not our style anyway so it didn’t matter.

The next day we headed toward Stryn in the fjordland! We started weaving through beautiful passages with increasing altitude and turquoise rivers and waterfalls amongst craggy mountains and farmland. Whew. Every turn opened up to even more amazing scenery. We stayed in a handbuilt cabin on a steep hill overlooking a very peaceful, very majestic fjord. We were totally wowed. We had dinner and drinks on the deck and carried on until close to midnight since it was still sunny. The sun barely dipped below the horizon before it was back up again with a vengeance at 3 a.m., and then the equivalent of a noon sun at 7 a.m. Powerful stuff.

We did a mild hike to Brikdalsbreen, a glacier in the area, which was very accessible. We picnicked on a rock on the beach of the glacier and otherwise drove around with mouths agape at the wondrous scenery.

We headed next to Geiranger, the “big daddy” of fjords and the largest in Norway. We went from summer weather up the mountains into literally freezing weather, where people were skiing in the summer! We also drove past a race where people were legit using Nordic Track skates and poles. We were in Nordic heaven. Lots of winding up and down, climbing roads and a few ferries, bridges and tunnels later, we were in our cabin in Geirangerfjord with a dead-on view of the fjord. Cruise ships looked like toys in that badboy. It was massive and exquisite.

We rented a boat and ventured into the fjord to explore on our own. No real rules in Norway or need to be licensed, just “watch out for the big boats” (cruise ships, NBD). We survived their wakes and cruised past the Seven Sisters and parked in Hellesylt for a quick jaunt and fjord-side picnic. We also got lucky catching a ton of big fish that became our dinner that night. Yum.

Next up was Kristiansund and the Atlantic Coastal Road via the Troll Road (Trollstigen). Twists, turns and no trolls later, we cruised through the valleys and more fjords and made it to the northern region. The Atlantic Coastal Road is pretty exquisite. We luckily had great weather on our trip, but for that stretch you want some rough water to see the huge waves hit the towering, curling roads that cut through the many islands out there. Still, it was impressive. Our adorable white-washed accommodations on the coastal islands was very remote (15+ minutes from town) and so serene.

Our last stop was intended to simply be an overnight before our early flight out, but we lucked out while driving around aimlessly and stumbled upon a beautiful beach in Vigra. Clear (very cold!) water with farmland and cows lined right up to the beach with cliffs behind it. We ventured along other coastal roads and discovered wildflower-covered hills with antique barns, boats clanging their docks in the deep blue sea, and warm salty breezes swirling around us – needless to say, we ended our trip in a really special place.

HIGHLIGHTS: Uh, everything? It’s a nature lover’s paradise. You have two main fjord routes to choose from — Bergen or Alesund. We chose Alesund because it’s less touristy but just as beautiful. I really don’t think you can go wrong. But worth researching both to see which area suits you best. The drives are where it’s at. They are jaw droppingly beautiful around every twist and turn. You can’t anticipate the natural beauty in front of you. Even if you spend 4-6 hours a day in the car, it’s exactly where you want to be. Visit Stryn and stay at that cabin! Really special place. Don’t hesitate to drive around. See a cool-looking route on the map and follow it. We were given this advice and were so glad we followed it. It’s impossible to go wrong. The whole area is incredible.

HINDSIGHT: It is definitely an expensive country. We ate PB sandwiches for lunch and did self-catering for the most part, but it was still pricey. If you can travel with friends so you can stay in cabins and share the cost of food, car, etc., that will definitely help. Otherwise, don’t think about the exchange rate and just enjoy it, be smart with costs when you can and let it go. Renting a car in Norway is easy and a must-do. Cabins are much cheaper than hotels and served us really well! Ferries are standard to get between islands but build in a little extra time in case you don’t pull up when one’s arriving. We originally planned to visit Runde and the puffins, but timing was off (they only appear at a certain time of day) and it was fairly out of the way. But that would’ve been cool. Overall, this trip felt easy, much easier than we’re used to when traveling. It’s so clean, affluent and everyone speaks English. It barely felt like we were traveling. And it’s very family friendly. Would likely be a great place to visit with kids. Don’t forget your eye mask if you’re visiting in summer. The bright midnight sun is no joke!

ITINERARY: Alesund (1 day) > Stryn (2 days) > Geiranger (2 days) > Kristiansund (2 days) > Vigra/Alesund

ACCOMMODATIONS: Geiranger – Fossen Camping; Kristiansund – Sveggvika; Stryn – Roset Panorama; Vigra – Glede på Reisen Bed & Breakfast