Family Discovery Tour on Bothnian Coastal Route

Day 1: Arrival in Oulu

Arrival at Oulu airport (OUL).

Several flight connections via Helsinki are available from Europe. 
Lufthansa offers a year-round direct connection between Munich and Oulu. 

It is possible to rent an electric or hybrid car at Oulu airport. 

The drive to Nallikari is about 30min.

Nallikari by the Sea offer accommodation in cozy Messi Summer Cottages or in Poiju Villas. Poiju Villas resemble a modern Finnish family home.

Day 2: Oulu

Explore Nallikari! There are many things to do on and just by the beach of Nallikari. playgrounds, a lighthouse, strolls and playing time on the beach. There is also an activity provider offering kayaking, nature tours and fun activities.

Day 3 Oulu

Oulu city center is close by and there are further sights, attractions, restaurants and shops. A fun way to get into the city center is to by the City Train Kompiainen.

Day 4 Liminka & Kalajoki

The drive from Nallikari to Kalajoki is two hours. In the middle you find Liminka Bay, one of Finlands foremost bird wetlands. At Liminka Bay Visitor Centre you can learn about bird migration and there are always brids coming or going in the bay. Refreshments or light lunch can be enjoyed in the cafeteria.

In Kalajoki you find a plethora of holiday apartments. Santa’s Hotel & Resort Sani has 66 stylish apartments, most with seaview and hotel breakfast and access to spa (indoor water park) included. Furhter family friendly apartments are e.g. Tahkokorva.

Day 5 Kalajoki

Kalajoki’s sandy beach with dunes invites to spend an easy-going day with the family. In the evening people stroll and play on the beach enjoying the never-ending sunsets. There are several restaurants with seaview.

The most popular attraction for families is JukuPark – a water adventure park with also mini-golf. restaurants and enough fun for a full day.

Day 6 Kalajoki

For a fun and active day on land Kalajoki beaches have a lot to offer. Adventure Park Pakka has e.g. high roes courses, Megazipline and disc golf. Safaritalo premises feature a traffic park for children, go cart and also a nice large terrace to relax on.

In case nature activities are your thing, then you can enjoy e.g. hiking or horseback riding.

Day 7 Vaasa

The drive from Kalajoki to WästInn close to Vaasa takes about two hours. At WästInn you can choose between different kinds of accommodation. There is a summer kitchen for the use of all guests and also the private herb garden. Maybe the best feature is the small private beach. Saunas are for rent for the accommodating guests.

WästInn features a traditional rural estate and has a large garden for playing and spending quality time together.

Day 8 Vaasa

Kvarken Archipelago with its UNESCO World Heritage Site is only one hour’s drive away from WästInn and it can be easily visited over the day. In case you feel like exploring the Kvarken area more, there are e.g. Bergö Havudden cottage for rent in the area. Further, there is a small harbour, hiking trails and the observation tower in the area.

Day 9 Vaasa

From WästInn you can also explore Vaasas amazing Outdoor Museum Stundars, that has many familyfriendly attractions. Close to Stundars you find Meteoria, a nature site created by a meteor impact.

Day 9 Wasaline & Umeå

The ferry takes about three hours.

In Umeå Gamla Fängelset is a nice accommodation venue with rooms and family rooms with shared kitchen and bathrooms in the main building and also a separate annex with private facilities. Gamla Fängelset means Old Prison and this venue has a lot of history that is displayed in the on-site museum.

For families preferring a cottage, First Camp is the good choice. The camping site has cottages and also other services for holiday makers.

Day 10 Umeå

Norrbyskär island features a small outdoor museum telling hte story of the sawmill that once was located here. There is a historic playground and a museum restaurant, so plan a full day att Norrbyskär.

Day 11 Umeå

Umeå city center has a lot to offer in terms of shopping, restaurants, cafés and museums. Umedalen skulpturpark is one of Europe’s most prominent sculpture parks, located only 5km from the city.

For the more nature interested families we recommend easygoing canoe tours.

Day 12 Skellefteå

Do you opt for a lighthouse or a 17th century church town cottage? Heading north from Umeå, towards Skellefteå, you find two exciting accommodation venues.

Bjuröklubb is a nature reserve at the eastern tip of Sweden. There are beaches and hiking trails with historical sights en route. You can stay at the old light hosue station, that now functions as a hostel.

Lövånger Churchtown is possibly the only one where one can accommodate in cottages from 17th century. The cottages have been updated with bathrooms and there is a kitchenette in some. There is a restaurant on the premises.

Day 13 Piteå

In case lighthouses and churchtowns are not in your radar on this family holiday, you can drive from Umeå to Piteå for your next overnight. The drive is about two and a half hours and a stop at Bea’s Rökeri is a good idea en route.

Pensionatet in Piteå is a Bed & Breakfast accommodation in 19th century quarters. In addition to accommodation you find a bakery, restaurant and a shop here. Pensionatet is located in the city cetner, so you can easily access everything in Piteå from here.

Day 14 Piteå

Sámis, the indigenous people of the Nordics bare a culture and heritage of their own. In Sweden only Sámi people can own reindeer, while in Finland you do not need to be Sámi to be a reindeer owner. At Parfa Reindeer you get an insight in the Sámi culture and reindeer herding.

Piteå has a famous beach resort called Pite havsbad. Even if you are not staying in the resort, you can visit the beaches or water park over the day.

Day 15 Luleå

You drive to Luleå in less than one hour from Piteå. Huntigbay Lodge just outside Luleå is a lovely villa for an easy going family stay. In case you prefer a camping site with services, First Camp Luleå is a good option.

Day 16 Luleå

Luleå city center has good possibilities for shopping, visiting restaurants and cafes. We put a recommendation for Äventyrsbutiken, where you can update your outdoor gear.

At CapeWild wildlife park you can meet the mighty moose. They are not so easy to spot in the nature, but here you can meet them, learn about them and some are even domesticised enough to be patted.

Day 17 Luleå

One of the best features with Luleå is the city harbour and the boat tours to the archipelago. In the summer months there is regular daily boat traffic to the islands and some islands have picturesque, simple archipelago cottages for rent. Maybe you opt for one overnight at Brändöskär, a true archipelago gem.

Day 18 Tornio

Kukkola is a village divided by Torne River and the national border of Sweden and Finland. Still the village is united by its history, heritage and traditions. Dipnet fishing is a tradition that has shaped the village and this type of fishing can still be seen today.

Kukkolankoski Resort offers accommodation in self-catering apartments and cottages located by the beautiful Torne River. On the premises you can do different activities, such as white river rafting (not suitable for children) and fishing.

Day 19 Tornio

Take the family out to a real farm for a day! At the farm you can try out the fun Farm Escape game and also familiarize with the inhabitants of the farm.

For a more in depth insight to the local borderzone culture, a visit to the Museum of Torne Valley will be just right.

Day 20 Tornio

Your holiday is getting to its end. Do you opt for one more coastal archipelago tour or do you need to shop for souvenirs?

Innala tours takes you to the archipelago, to Sandskär, for a day well spent. In case you go for shopping, you are well served in Rajalla shopping center.

Day 21 Departure from Oulu

The drive from HaparandaTornio to Oulu airport is about two hours.

Departure from Oulu airport (OUL).