Hi friends,

I have a conference in Bergen in February 2018 and my wife and I are trying to plan a holiday around that. I should mention that we are adventurous, fit people, but we just had our first child and she will be 5 months old in February (is hiking just a very bad idea with an infant?) We’ve scoured the boards and read trip reviews, and here is what we are thinking. We could really use some input regarding the itinerary, things to see, and if you have answers to the specific questions we have posed. We greatly appreciate your time and input.

Norway Itinerary - Draft

2/8 Leave Florida

2/9 - Fly into Oslo, Flight from Oslo to Bergen. (Should we stay the night in Oslo after our cross-Atlantic trip, or just push through with our kid and do the intra-Norway flight as well?). If we push through, dinner and stay first night in Bergen.

2/10 – Acclimate to weather and time zone and stay in town. Hopefully find a hotel within walking distance to Bryggen or somewhere else close to interesting things to see and do. Other cool things to do in town? Possible trip if the weather is good to go up the Funicular. We don’t mind bundling up our kid and taking her for a short crisp winter hike/walk. (Should we bundle her and carry her in a pack/wrap or put her in a stroller/carriage?)

2/11 – Travel to the Fjords (Best fjord to go to for easy exploration with a baby?) maybe take a short easy hike somewhere high on the mountains hopefully looking into the fjord from the top and stay in a hotel near a fjord.

2/12 – Explore the fjords/ mountains. (Maybe a cruise tour?) Stay night in the same hotel.

2/13 – Travel back to Bergen for the conference. (How should we get back? Bus? Cruise? Train?)

2/14-2/15 Conference. Wife and baby on their own to explore town. Maybe go to the fish market, visit churches, museums, shopping, another ride on the funicular if the day is clear? (Is public transportation easy to use?)

2/16- Take Bergen Railway trip back to Oslo. (Should we take the Norway in a Nutshell route? Should we make our own plans or take the tour?)

2/17- Stay the night in Oslo.

2/18 – Fly out of Oslo to Florida

Other random thoughts: we should consider the lack of light in winter. We should maybe take the flight from Oslo to Bergen to save time. We should travel to the fjords we take a cruise through a fjord during the day so we get to experience it. We then take the NiN tour from Bergen to Oslo, thus seeing the scenery on the train to Voss and the bus to Gudvangen. Our cruise will then be in the dark but maybe we will see the northern lights? We do realize it is a total crapshoot.

Overall, we want to see most of the natural/geographic highlights, if possible, but maybe that’s not possible with a brand new child, and we should come back by ourselves when she is older, and during a warmer time of year, and do a lot more outdoorsy stuff. What do you think?

Thanks again for your assistance - it means a lot as we try to figure this out and do it well.

Very minor comment. Of all of the places we have hiked, Norway has had the most people hiking with babies. And not on simple trails. On some tough ones. They strap them in and off they go.

I can’t speak for February though. Average temperature is in the 30’s. It could be slippery.

Many of the fjord hotels are closed in winter.

I have hiked the Swiss Alps when my baby was 8 months... during the summer. I have lived 10 years in Canada before moving to Florida, so I understand cold weather. I see you are coming from Florida.

Never I would attempt to hike with a baby during the winter in Norway. The baby does not move and therefore cannot get warmer during the hike.

I think it is a terrible idea. And this is coming from someone who travels extensively with her children. Can you bring a grandparent to watch over the baby?

If the baby is 5 months old in February, then you are very new parents and perhaps need some time to learn that life revelves around the baby at that age. Doing what you used to do as a couple will have to be on hold for a time.
Your baby will probably need a fair time to acclimatise to different time zone, as you also will, and to get over the stress of travelling. Keep it simple, relaxed and comfortable for all of you. If you can get a through ticket with a good connection in Oslo then by all means push on and have a good rest i Bergen.
Easiest fjord trip from Bergen is the Norway in a Nutshell - do as a day trip from Bergen. Just take the train direct from Bergen to Oslo. The NiN Bergen - Oslo is a very long day.
You might also consider a return trip on Hardangerfjord express - http://www.rodne.no/other-offers/har...-express-boat/
or http://www.rodne.no/fjord-cruise/from-bergen/
February is not hiking season, with or without a baby, the ground is covered in deep snow.
There are rarely Northern Lights as far south as Bergen or Oslo.

There is not a lot to do in Bergen. With such a small child, in February, I would stay in Oslo until 2/13, then fly to Bergen.

I suppose if you insist on seeing fjords in the middle of winter you could take a couple of nights cruise on Hurtigruten.

Not a lot in Bergen? - https://en.visitbergen.com/
Hurtigruten does not enter the fjords in winter.
Winter of course is a wonderful time with the scenery covered in snow.

Most of the (few) things under "Highlights" on that link require good weather. I did find some other things to do, but two nights were plenty.

https://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com...usy-in-bergen/

Certainly more options in Oslo, but I don't think Bergen should be ignored. If wanting to do some hiking, take the funicular up the mountain ( Bergen) and walk around the lake. It's a fairly short jaunt but very pleasant and should be manageable with a baby.

Bergen-Oslo Railway one of top scenic railways in Europe and driving in winter could present problems so take the train - NINutshell not practical in winter. for lots on Norwegian trains check https://www.nsb.no/en/ (Norwegian Railways) - www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

We did a lot if hiking with small children.
We would have a back pack in which he/ she would be seated.
But it is cold no ?

But it is cold no ?>

And perhaps snow on trails?

Of course it'll be cold, but people in Norway are used to traveling around the countryside with babies. It's simply a matter of dressing for conditions. The walk around the lake that I suggested is not long. There may be snow on the trail, but this is a very popular place, and Norwegians are hardy people. I imagine many will be out doing this walk so trail should be packed down and very manageable. which is one reason I mentioned it. In short, it's a very doable walk with a baby in a backpack.

Norway in a Nutshell runs all year and is perfectly practical at any time - https://www.norwaynutshell.com/

I am used to cold. I am used to having babies.

Are people from Florida used to cold and babies ?
If yes no problem.

You should realize that you will have between 8-9 hours of daylight in February with sunrise after 8am and sunset around 530-6pm. add in cloud cover, and sleet or snow and you will not be having sunny days. You can count on the temps being in the 30s, so spending considerable time outdoors may not be very pleasant.

plan on indoor activities that work with nap and meal times for your infant. remember that you will need who carry diapers with you where ever your go, along with wipes, and whatever else you find to be necessary. carrying a baby in carrier or wrap at all times may or may not be comfortable ..try it out at home for a few days and then decide.

I would think that the parents by this point are very much aware of what items they need and that adapting to a baby's schedule is necessary. Not sure why all the concerns. Other than the baby adapting to a different schedule which may not be as much of a problem as some propose, it's simply not that difficult to travel with wee ones. People do it all the time. My only caveat would be to trying to do too much hiking. Short hikes/ walks on easy paths would be fine. Any thing more advanced would be a problem.

New parents are still adjusting to a very, very new baby. Of course, people travel with babies and make adjustments, but the first time out, they may need to think about a few things that might not be on their radar at home.
I'm sure there is plenty of info to help them out. Mine are just minimal to get started.

Cold, especially coming from Florida, will be an issue in several ways.

Babies do not have the ability to properly regulate their body temperature, sometimes for several months. Their temperature can fluctuate quickly, so clothing that works wth that is absolutely necessary. Read so you know the situation and how to handle it.

Some babies do not mind being wet or dirty and will wait for a diaper change, others won't. An uncomfortable baby might make for an comfortable hike. Do the hiking trails have any warm rest stops? In Florida, most anytime, you can change a baby someplace handy. It might not be so easy on a cold hike.

If Mom is breastfeeding on demand, timing of hikes with warm places to stop will be necessary.

I suggest you take a 4 night, 3 day trip to some place a few hours from home where you can hike and see how it goes, so you have some experience while still having easy access to things you might need and seeing what adjustments you will need to be prepared to make in a longer trip. Even better, catch a flight to someplace colder like central PA or Asheville, NC where you can also hike. Fly there to see how the baby does on flights, and rent a car. Take a car seat, a stroller and backpack.

thursdaysd and others who dis Bergen have got it wrong. I would say that Bergen is excellent especially with an infant. Everything is child friendly, you can hike Mt Fløyen easily, lots of amenities for families there too.

All because "friluftsliv" is a Norwegian passion and infants, toddlers, children fully participate.

So if I were in you shoes, I'd get a comfortable apt in Bergen, use it as a base and do excursions by means of Norway's excellent, clean, punctual, comfortable and well funded public transport, train, bus and ferry. Flåm is easy by train, so is an excurion to Eidfjord or similar.

I've never been to Norway, but being from Pa we do get cold weather and snow!
On our winter walks this past year our daughter put our grandaughter(4-6 months old} in a baby carrierthey dressed her warmly then her or her hubby would wear a warm coat big enough to zip the baby inside the coat, she was always toasty warm!
So I definitely think you should be able to do the trip with a baby.
We went to Iceland with them in May the baby was 9 months old and they did the same thing on cold days. We were fortunate she was an awesome traveler!