10 Best Sights in Southern Norway, Norway

One of Norway's most popular attractions, Dyreparken Kristiansand is actually five separate parks, including a water park (bring bathing suits and towels), a forested park, an entertainment park, a theme park, and a zoo, which contains an enclosure for Scandinavian animals such as wolves, snow foxes, lynxes, and elks. The theme park, Kardemomme By (Cardamom Town), is named for a book by the Norwegian illustrator and writer Thorbjørn Egner. In the zoo, the "My Africa" exhibition allows you to move along a bridge observing native savanna animals such as giraffes and lions. The park is 11 km (6 miles) east of town.

The charm of the city's past is on view in Old Stavanger, northern Europe's largest and best-preserved wooden house settlement. The 150 houses here were built in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Wind down the narrow cobblestone streets past small white houses and craft shops with many-paned windows and terra-cotta roof tiles.

Established in 1832, this museum displays a fascinating array of artifacts pertaining to coastal life, from toys to farm tools. Find out about the 1767 slave ship Fredensborg and learn more about the region’s folk art traditions.

Outside of Haugesund, Avaldsnes is the seat of Norway's first kings and thus considered the "birthplace of Norway," an important status for the city. For a rich overview—from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages—of this historically significant region, the Norwegian History Center is a must. In the center, Norway's story is laid out through timelines, life-size costumed figures, and multimedia exhibits. The grounds include a fascinating outdoor Viking farm re-creating life in the 7th and 8th centuries, and 13th-century St. Olav's church, the last vestige of the kings' royal manor.

A huge cube with a vertical drop of 2,000 feet, Pulpit Rock is not a good destination if you suffer from vertigo—it has a heart-stopping view. The clifflike rock sits on the banks of the finger-shape Lysefjord. You can join a boat tour from Stavanger to see the rock from below, or you can hike for about two hours to the top on a marked trail. The track goes from Preikestolhytta, where there is a big parking lot.

Sola's beach has 2⅓ km (1½ mile) of sandy beach ideal for windsurfing and beach volleyball. Other prime beach spots, with sandy beaches, some that are even longer, just go farther south. You will find Bore, Hellestø, Refsnes, Orre, Ogna, and several more. They are all called Jærstrendene, named after the region. For families, Ølberg, Vigdel, Vaulen, Godalen, and Viste Stranden in the region are great spots. But you will need a car to most of these beaches, as public transport isn't that good. On the plus side, to Ogna and Brusand you can take the train from Stavanger. Highly recommended. The distance from Stavanger to Ogna is about 60 km (37 miles).

Founded in the late 1200s, Utstein is the best preserved medieval monastery in Norway. Public transport to the abbey isn't that good, so it's best to rent a car. By bus or car it's about a half-hour trip north of Stavanger on a coastal highway. If you rent a car to get to Utstein, you can also take in the medieval ruins and Stone Age rock carvings on nearby Åmøy Island as well as Fjøløy Fyr, a lighthouse.