Baby-friendly beaches in Oslo

The city's most central sea bath, with its own sheltered children's pool, bathing ladder and large sun decks, plus a 50-metre swimming pool, plenty of toilets (two wheelchair-accessible), outdoor showers and lifeguards on duty during the summer school holidays.

🚌 Walking distance from Oslo S/Bjørvika.

Sea bath with a bathing platform, diving tower and large grassy areas to relax on right by the city centre. The shoreline has small stones, so water shoes are handy for the youngest ones.

🚌 Walking distance from Aker Brygge/city centre.

A sheltered, child-friendly bay on Bygdøy with fine sand, calmer and less crowded than Huk. Good for those who want to avoid crowds with small children.

🚌 Bus 30 to Huk, then walk about 15 minutes to Paradisbukta.

One of Oslo's most popular bathing spots, with large grass and sand areas, a new toilet building (18 toilets, two accessible toilets), a kiosk, shower, drinking water, fixed barbecue spots and courts for beach volleyball and basketball. Lifeguards on duty during the summer school holidays.

🚌 Bus 30 to Huk. Parking available at Huk.

A slightly more sheltered bathing spot on Bygdøy with nice smooth rocks and patches of sand, a good alternative when Huk is full.

🚌 Walk from Huk or Skøyen, or drive, parking available at Bygdøy Sjøbad.

A lake in the Oslo forest with a sandy beach, three bathing platforms along the water, a kiosk, a beach volleyball court, approved barbecue spots, six toilets (four wheelchair-accessible) and a universally accessible path and ramp down to the water.

🚌 Metro line 6 to Sognsvann. Large parking area at the southern end.

An idyllic island eight minutes by boat from Aker Brygge, with several lovely bathing and sunbathing spots (sand, smooth rocks and grassy areas), a kiosk/café by the monastery ruins, barbecue spots in several places on the island, and toilets both by the ferry landing and by the beach at Lindøysund (seven in all, two of them wheelchair-accessible).

🚌 Boat from Aker brygge, about eight minutes.

Oslo's longest and perhaps best sandy beach (about 250 metres, crescent-shaped), with a kiosk (open 12pm-6pm in season), new accessible toilet buildings, drinking water, a double volleyball court, barbecue spots (open fires not allowed) and the option to camp for up to two days in a designated area.

🚌 About a 15-minute boat trip from Rådhuskaia.

A child-friendly bathing spot with a nice sandy beach, smooth rocks, two diving boards and a cosy kiosk/toilet building from 2009 (four toilets and one wheelchair-accessible toilet), an outdoor shower and drinking water. A grassy lawn with tables and benches for picnicking.

🚌 Bus 83 from Jernbanetorget towards Tårnåsen, get off at Katten.

A bathing spot with clean water in Østmarka, more natural and closer to the forest than the sea baths near the city centre. Has a wheelchair-accessible toilet, an approved barbecue spot and is partly accessible for people with mobility challenges, with steps/a ramp into the water, a good option for a quiet day by the water.

🚌 Metro line 2 to Haugerud, then walk from there.

A bathing spot at Holmlia with two sandy beaches, grassy areas and smooth rocks, a large parking area, a café kiosk, toilets (incl. wheelchair-accessible), an outdoor shower, drinking water, a barbecue spot and lifeguards on duty 12pm-8pm during the summer school holidays. Popular among families from southern Oslo.

🚌 Bus 83 from Jernbanetorget, get off at Fiskevollen.

A popular lake with a sandy beach, a bonfire spot, six toilets (plus one wheelchair-accessible), three bathing piers, an outdoor shower, a kiosk in summer, a nice floating dock and good parking (incl. reserved accessible parking and bike parking). Universally accessible with a bathing ladder and ramp.

🚌 Drive, or take metro line 5 to Røa and bus 41 to Bogstadvannet.

A smaller, local bathing spot at Grorud, a nice and often quieter alternative for families in the neighbourhood.

🚌 Metro line 5 to Vestli or bus to Grorud, about a 15-minute walk.

An idyllic bathing spot on Nesodden with a sandy beach and smooth rocks offering good fishing opportunities, and a lovely view over Bunnefjorden. Can be combined with food from Hellviktangen art café, located right nearby.

🚌 Bus/boat from Oslo to Nesodden, then a short walk to Hellviktangen.

A bathing spot at Klemetsrud in southern Oslo, with bathing piers, a diving board, two fixed barbecue spots, picnic tables and toilets in the summer season. A small, unpaved parking area and bike parking, a quiet local alternative away from the most visited sea baths.

🚌 Parking available, or bus 501.

Nice bathing water with a small sandy beach at Ammerud, steps/a ramp into the water on the north side, a wheelchair-accessible toilet (open year-round), benches and an approved barbecue spot. Well suited for a quiet afternoon with the youngest children.

🚌 Metro line 5 to Ammerud or bus 62 to Ammerud T. Parking available at Greibanen.

A bathing spot with a long tradition (a bathing community since 1890), with a bathing pier with steps down to the water, diving opportunities from the pier, toilets (incl. wheelchair-accessible) in the summer season and a lovely beach promenade with views towards Ulvøya. No parking nearby, public transport is recommended.

🚌 Bus 81A from Tollbugata.

An outdoor recreation area with a sandy beach, modern granite ramps along the water, fixed barbecue spots, several grassy areas, a boules court, playgrounds and a wheelchair-accessible toilet in the summer season.

🚌 Metro line 5 to Romsås, or by car (parking at Romsås senter).

A nature reserve in the inner fjord with a small sandy beach below Gressholmen Kro and smooth rocks towards Rambergøya. Calm and rural, with a café on the island. As a nature reserve it has some rules, so stick to the paths and beaches. Note that the City of Oslo still has advice in place for the island after contaminated ground was found there: stay outside the cordoned-off areas, and make sure children do not get soil or sand in their mouths.

🚌 Ruter boat B1 from Aker brygge, about 20 minutes.

A small, quiet cabin island closest to the city centre, with swimming from smooth rocks and little coves. Nice for a calm day away from the crowds. Bring water shoes, as it is mostly rocks and little sand.

🚌 Ruter boat B1 from Aker brygge, a short trip.

An idyllic cabin island with red and green boathouses, swimming from smooth rocks and a few small patches of sand, and paths around the whole island. Calm surroundings, but mostly rocks, so water shoes are handy for the youngest.

🚌 Ruter boat B1 from Aker brygge to Lindøya (west or east).

The westernmost of the cabin islands, with swimming from smooth rocks in calm surroundings. Nice for a quiet day on the water, but mostly rocks and little sand, so bring water shoes for the youngest.

🚌 Ruter boat B1 from Aker brygge to Nakkholmen.

One of Groruddalen's most popular swimming spots, and one of the few with a Blue Flag. The pond is shallow and calm, with an asphalt bottom and grassy slopes around it, which makes it well suited both for children learning to swim and for toddlers who just want to paddle. A playground is right next to it.

🚌 Selvbyggerveien/Rødbergveien at Årvoll. Bus to Årvoll, or metro to Grorud and onward by bus.