Hardangerfjord, may 2024

When I impulsively booked a three-week trip to Norway just because I got tickets to see Taylor Swift in Stockholm, I knew it was time to take my husband and daughter to the western fjords. After two weeks with my family, followed by a quick 48 hours in Stockholm with friends from back in Denver, we were stoked for a week to ourselves to hike, explore, and relax.

My priorities while traveling with a three-year-old are quite different from my solo travels, so we booked a cabin at a family resort with a heated outdoor pool—but in walking distance to the local ferry, and close to a couple of hikes that have been on my scouting list for years. Olivia loved running through the historic old buildings, I loved testing my brand new Sony a7iv on some stunning scenery, and we all loved eating kanelsnurrer at least once a day. Good times.

This part of Norway would be perfect for a couple who wants to elope at a waterfall, on a challenging hike, or have a micro-wedding at a local apple cider farm or a hotel that’s been operating since 1722. It’s green and lush from early May through September, but the waterfalls are especially epic earlier in the summer. (And if you’re lucky, you can catch the apple trees that cover every hillside in full blossom.)