2 Days in Oslo suggestions & recommendations?

sobeitjedi

Hi.

I have two days in Oslo booked for a party of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids (8-13)) during the first weekend of November. Does anyone have any great suggestions / recommendations of where to go, what to do, where to eat, etc?

Apparently the timing of this trip is out of the main tourist season, so I there'll be less queues and I won't need to book anything? Is that right? Is there anything I should / need to book? 

daveyjp

Visited a few years ago for a day on a cruise and went here, but it was June and not November!

https://www.visitoslo.com/en/product/?tlp=2992333&name=Holmenkollen-Ski-Museum--Tower

well worth it and can be reached by metro.

Norway isn't cheap, but with 14kr to the £ (not the 10 when I visited) eating out is now similar cost as major UK cities. 

Drinks are expensive, £10 a pint as a minimum, wine £50 a bottle etc.

mebu60

Check out the Ruter app, that covers travel on buses, trams, ferries and local trains.

Avoid the Munch museum if you want to see The Scream, it's displayed on a random timing there. Go instead to the National Museum / Nasjonalmuseet which has one on permanent display and a lot more to see generally. Should be fine to go as walk-ins.

Vigeland Sculpture Park might be worth a family visit too, is free. The train ride to the Ski Slope at Holmenkollen offers lovely views and you can stand at the top of the slope to look down it.

Most eateries are of a good quality. Don't convert the prices to sterling, pay with plastic and worry about the bill when you're back. Ask for water for the table rather than order soft drinks and have a teetotal weekend. 

If you want to have a ferry ride in the Fjord perhaps take the B10 from Aker Brygge (near the National Museum) to Nesoddtangen and have a walk around on the peninsular before returning. There's a nice selection of restaurants on the front near the ferry terminal at Aker Brygge. 

Take warm clothes / layers and footwear with a good grip for walking around. 

mr_stripey

Opera House is  nice for a walk around
Fram museum (Amundsen's ship) is really good and the Kon-Tiki museum is next door, We walked in to both of these in July with no booking and there were no major queues

The Viking Ship Museum was closed for refurbishment when I went in July

As others have said, very expensive city although the exchange rate is a bit kinder than in the past.

Aurilau

November in Nowraw is really nice. Autumn brings better chances to see green diva dance across the sky... the National Museum, you must visit it! If you prefer warm and busy places, there are plenty of bars worth visiting in the evenings.

eskbanker

Aurilau said:

November in Nowraw is really nice.

Sounds chilly!

RAS

Take a flask and make up hot chocolate to share. 

A lot depends on whether it is rainy or dry and cold. And whether your kids have legs or prefer scrolling.

Vigeland is amazing and free although your kids won't want to see everything. However clambering on the lower statues seemed OK when I was there.

Some museums are free to children up to age 17 years, including the maritime museum, folk museum which includes a huge outdoor museum and the Historical Museum which has a fair bit of Viking stuff. The Akerhus Fortress is free but the castle and each museum charge for kids. The Resistance museum is brilliant but maybe a challenge for younger children. 

Do download the ferry timetables and highlight those for the correct dates. B1 for example is in area one, lasts an hour, but reduces to one trip an hour rather than every 30 minutes. At this stage in the year cafes, shops and toilets on the islands are usually closed. B10 takes a little longer for the round trip but again is one or two an hour except in rush hour.

Re alcohol, if you go to supermarkets you can find lettol, light beer below 2.75% which is often twice the price as a similar can of soft drink and similar to an energy drink. Or the slightly more expensive beers up to 4.75%. Wine, spirits etc are usually sold in state monopoly shops, and much more expensive drunk on licensed premises.

Looking on line, if you want something different and cheap, there is a little food hall on the quay near the fishmarket, at least worth checking if you go to the Akerhus, and the other side of the rail and bus stations, the Palymera gets mentions and serves Tamil food at reasonable prices. Dosa/dosai are great finger food and the cuisine isn't too hot.

sobeitjedi

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, really interesting and valuable, thank you

Aurilau

eskbanker said:

Aurilau said:

November in Nowraw is really nice.

Sounds chilly!

Noticed the typo when it was too late, lol

Mathicawob

Great choice for a November trip, Oslo in autumn is lovely and much less crowded than summer!

For 2 adults and 3 kids (8-13), here are my top suggestions:

Must Do:

Viking Ship Museum — kids absolutely love it, very hands-on and visual

Akershus Fortress — free entry, great views, feels like a real castle adventure for kids

Aker Brygge waterfront — perfect for a stroll and lunch with nice harbour views

For the Kids Specifically:

Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology — very interactive, kids aged 8-13 will love it

Frogner Park — massive outdoor park with unique sculptures, completely free

Food Tips:

Mathallen food market for lunch that's something for everyone

Most restaurants are child-friendly in Oslo

About Booking:November is off-season so you generally don't need to pre-book attractions. However, I'd recommend booking the Viking Ship Museum online just to save time at the door.

Getting Around:Get a 48-hour Oslo Pass that's covers all public transport and most museum entries. Great value for families!

Mathicawob

November is actually a brilliant time to visit Oslo with kids — you are absolutely right that queues are minimal and the city feels much more relaxed than summer!

A few insider tips since I live in Norway:

November Public Holidays:Good news — November has no major public holidays in Norway, so everything will be open normally during your first weekend visit. Shops, museums and restaurants will all be running on regular hours!

The only thing to be aware of is that Norway has quite a few public holidays spread across the year — particularly busy periods are around Easter, May 17th (Constitution Day) and Christmas. November is one of the quietest months which works perfectly in your favour!

For Your 2 Days with Kids:

Viking Ship Museum — absolute must, kids love it

Akershus Fortress — feels like a real castle adventure, free entry

Frogner Park — outdoor sculptures, completely free

Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology — very hands-on for ages 8-13

Oslo Pass covers transport and most museums — great value for families!

Enjoy your trip😊