Discover Bodø: trails, museums and coastline

Bodø offers a range of options to consider when planning your trip: coastal trails, museums, viewpoints and destinations such as Saltstraumen and Kjerringøy. If you’re looking for a hotel in Bodø, you can decide whether you want to focus mainly on city history and aviation, trails and views, or natural and cultural heritage.

Getting there and connections

Bodø Airport offers domestic and international flights. Check current flight times before travelling. By rail, Bodø is the northern terminus of the Nordland Line. For onward travel to Kjerringøy, bus route 400 connects central Bodø with the area several times a day; the journey includes a ferry crossing. Check the current timetable before travelling.

To visit Keiservarden, take a bus from central Bodø to the Vollen sykehjem stop. Check departure times in advance if you plan to use this connection.

Trails and views

Kyststien runs for 6.5 kilometres from Bodøsjøen to Mørkvedbukta. Along the route, there are viewpoints, picnic areas and benches; the trail is designed to be accessible. The length refers to the entire route between the two endpoints. Keiservarden offers a 360-degree view over the city and mountains. Bodø therefore offers a choice of outdoor destinations: a coastal trail with designated places to stop and rest, and a viewpoint with expansive views.

Saltstraumen: currents and traces of the past

The Saltstraumen channel is three kilometres long and 150 metres wide; the current reaches speeds of up to 20 knots. One way to experience Saltstraumen is to go RIB rafting in the current. Several cultural heritage sites dating from the Stone Age and the Viking Age have also been found along Saltstraumen. Some finds are estimated to be up to 11,000 years old. This destination brings together a powerful current and archaeological traces from different eras.

Aviation history at the Norwegian Aviation Museum

The Norwegian Aviation Museum presents the history of military and civilian aviation across 10,000 square metres. The aircraft on display include the U-2, Starfighter and Spitfire. The museum is located in Stormyra, Bodø, near the city centre. In the interactive “Bli pilot” (“Be a pilot”) exhibition, you can try it out for yourself and compete against family or friends. The museum combines aviation history with an exhibition where visitors can take part themselves.

Bodø City Museum

Bodø City Museum is housed in a listed building dating from 1903, one of the oldest buildings in central Bodø. In the basement is a historic dry aquarium. It was established shortly after the Second World War and is also protected as a cultural heritage site. Bodø City Museum thus brings together a protected building from the early 20th century and a later museum feature that is also protected.

Kjerringøy: landscape and trade

Kjerringøy combines steep mountains, white sandy beaches and protected natural areas. Kjerringøy trading post is one of Norway’s best-preserved trading posts from the 19th century. The landscape and trading history offer two different points of interest for planning a trip; the bus connection from Bodø includes a ferry crossing.

Cross-country ski trails in winter

In winter, more than 100 kilometres of cross-country ski trails are groomed in Bodø municipality. The municipality is responsible for grooming the trails in Bodømarka; the extent of grooming depends on snow conditions and operational capacity. If cross-country skiing is part of your travel plans, take these conditions into account when planning.

Discover more destinations: Bodø, Ljønes, Skivika, Kjerringøy, Skjerstad, Løding, Saltstraumen, Tverlandet, Breivik i Salten.

For the main travel overview: Nordland.