Summer in Norway....Where to go?

The kids have 6 weeks off of school this summer (July through mid August). We are thinking of a roadtrip to Norway. We have stops planned at Legoland and Gothenburg on the way and will visit friends in Stryn for a few days. Would like to make it as far as Lofoten but it seems pretty far.

What recommendations does anybody have considering the following:
1. Traveling with 3 kids (4, 6 and 9) and 1 dog (12) so can't be many days of driving 6+ hours
2. Tent camping primarily but would be up for renting a house/cabin as well. As it's a pain to set up/take down the tent we'd like to spend a minimum of 3-4 nights in each spot before moving on (Not opposed to spending a week or more at same location if it's worthwile.
3. Interests: biking, hiking, relaxing, fishing maybe, trollspotting?, will bring the SUP as well.

Briefly looked into the long-distance ferry options for traveling without driving. Only concern is that of the dog. Does anybody have any experience with traveling with dogs on these ferries (piss breaks, can he be up on deck with us, etc.,....?)

Any recommendations appreciated.

Bergen is beautiful. Well worth the trip.

When I went with my family, we rented two houses, each for a week, in Norheimsund and Urke. From there we were able to take daily excursions without having to drive too far. Both came with a dinghy that was ours to use as we pleased.

Bergen and Alesund are both great places.

You should pm meathelmet, he and the missus did some holidaying on the west coast of norway last year.

I'm partial to voss, a cool little place that has it all really. Hiking, biking (trails, liift served), bc skiing long into summer (june, july might be stretching it a bit), whitewater rafting/kayaking and a solid hang/paragliding and skydiving community. There is a lake for your sup or for kiting and there is the achingly beautiful nærøyfjord for seakayaking. Short drive to bergen as well if you wanna get some urban life.

Check out http://www.visitnorway.com/en/Where-...d-Norway/Voss/ and http://www.ekstremsportveko.com/

And staying in tents and/or camping huts and cooking your own food is a good idea, norwegian hotels and restaurants are muy expensivo.

Other places worth checking out for outdorsy types: sogndal, stryn, romsdalen/rauma.


Voss stoke:
http://vimeo.com/26025408

Lom & Skjak area is a big win.

Lom bakery is awesome. The historical Fossheim Turisthotell is great - and the annex is super reasonably priced IMO. Some of the original cabins are hundreds of years old. Camp at the little campground run by these guys: https://www.facebook.com/lomskjakadventure Tent or cabin. Really nice people. Ask if the escapist giant rabbit is still around (the kids will get a kick if it is). The folks who run it can point you at many local things. Consider doing a raft trip with them (or kayak or canyoning or whatever...). They can probably point you at a fishing guide too. Drive over to Geirangerfjord as a day trip from there - enjoy stuff along the way and do the fjord cruise.

The route between Bergen <-> Voss <-> Lom is amazing. Find the ferry route between Voss and Lom and enjoy mixing up maybe 4 hours of driving and ferry IIRC. The drive through Jotunheimen on the Sognefjell road is full of win. Although there are a few sections on tight little bits of road along the way. Take the kids up for an afternoon of funny rope tow glacier skiing on crappy rental gear at Galdhopiggen. Or just looking at the mountains...

When I was a wee lad and went on a pilgramage to the Norsk country I remember going to the ski museum and jump at Holmenkollen near Oslo which was really cool and going to "prekestollen" or something like that called Pulpit Rock which was really cool.

Also, I would love a true Norwegian Sweater and would be glad to pay you for shopping for one for me. Seriously, XXL XXT.

PM if you want to work a deal.

I have always loved the Oslo viking ship museum. The fact that you can walk right up to an honest to god viking ship from the 900's just blows my mind every time.


http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/2788/mviking1.jpg

http://www.khm.uio.no/vikingskipshuset/

The cultural museum right next door is great in the summer also. Recreation of a Norwegian village from the day. People dressed the part and everything.




Some pics of that from my shitty website.

http://www.foxhus.com/?p=316

Also in Oslo

Akershus Castle
WWII Resistance Museum - Really Cool!
Kon Tiki Museum - That straw boat that crossed the ocean :)
The Fram Museum - In the past you could go on this boat. Not sure if you still can or not.
The Maritime Shipping Museum - As a kid I loved all the tanker ship models and simulation tanker Captains Bridges.

http://oslo-norway.ca/attractions/museums.html