Van Life Diaries: Magic & Mountain Air in Oslo, Norway July 2025
Welcome to the first stop on our big van adventure! If you’ve been following our stories, you know when we arrived on our Europe trip we made sure our first stop was the land of fjords, trolls, and the most incredible crisp summer air we’ve ever experienced.
Our first destination? Oslo.
📍 Home is Where You Park It
Finding a spot to tuck a van away in a capital city can be tricky, but we leaned heavily on Park4nite. It hasn’t steered us wrong yet! We found some peaceful spots that let us enjoy the nature surrounding the city while still being close enough to dive into the action.
Skiing in the Summer? Only in Norway!
One of the absolute highlights was heading to SNØ, the crazy-cool indoor skiing facility just outside the city. It’s a bit surreal to walk from a sunny summer day into a literal winter wonderland, but the kids (and let’s be honest, us too) absolutely loved it.
Whether you're a pro or just trying not to fall over, it’s a must-visit. You can check them out here: SNØ Oslo - Indoor Skiing.
🌲 Lakes, Friends, and "Crisp" Summer Vibes
We weren't alone for this leg of the journey! We spent an amazing time with our friends George and Crissa, exploring the hidden gems of the area.
We spent our days:
Lakeside Lounging: The lakes around Oslo were crisp and cold and perfect for the kids to splash and cool off in.
Mountain Magic: We spent a lot of time in the ski areas, which transform into hiking paradises in the summer. The air was so magical and crisp—it’s the kind of freshness that makes you feel like a new person.
Meeting the Locals: We have to say, Norwegians are incredibly kind and welcoming. It made the whole experience feel so grounded and easy.
Final Thoughts on Oslo
Oslo was the perfect first official stop on our trip, it gave us everything we wanted: city culture, deep woods, and freezing cold ski runs in the middle of July. It was an amazing experience that we’ll never forget, but the road is calling...
Next Stop: Bergen! 🏔️🌊
Glacier National PArk
It all begins with an idea.
So excited to be sharing where we stayed, what we did, and everything we saw at Glacier National Park and the surrounding area! We absolutely LOVED Glacier, it was one of the most unreal, awe-inspiring locations we've ever been to and we hope to go back many more times!
Where We Stayed.
The journey to where we stayed was a bit rough at first, we had searched "boondocking" aka dispersed camping spots way ahead of time and thought we had found the perfect place at the top of the Hungry Horse Reservoir, while the location was remote and beautiful, it was NOT going to work with our giant 35 foot RV... let's just say we almost tipped over. Thankfully I had a running list of backup spots one of which was the Goose Head Campground in Martin City, Montana. I am SOOO glad we found this spot! It was not only gorgeous, on a lake and in the serene forest, but close to the west entrance to the Park and close to a little town where we could get cell service/hotspot when we needed to work.
We would've stayed here for a month if we could! 10/10 recommend this camping area whether you are tent camping, RVing, van life, etc.
What We Did and Saw at Glacier National Park
I don't even know where to begin this! there were so many incredible things that we saw, you truly cant go wrong here. there are hikes for the avid long-distance hiker i.e Blake and completely feasible options for short-distance hikers like myself! Here are the top Hikes we either did or had on our list to do that were just incredible!
1. Hidden Lake Overlook - Kid-friendly and gorgeous!
2. Fishercap Lake - Redrock Falls we LOVED the Redrock area! We ate lunch here and absolutely recommend it - also kid-friendly.
3. St. Mary and Virginia Falls - This one was our absolute favorite. We spent the day here, saw wildlife, all the falls, and just enjoyed the serenity. If you do ONE hike do this one! - Also Kid-friendly.
4. Highline Trail - Definitely one I did not participate in because of the length and difficulty. But I heard the views were incredible.
If you're not a hiker we also recommend driving and stopping at every viewpoint along Going To the Sun road it is so beautiful and every stop is worth it. There are signs for some smaller hikes where you can walk into a more secluded area and get views that are off the beaten path, watch out for those and if you have the time, have a picnic there, which is what we did!
Overall, Glacier National Park has officially made itself a favorite spot in our hearts. We will certainly be going back here as much as we can. Anything you choose to do here will be a success, visit the town and the small restaurants. The Hungry Horse Dam is also a beautiful sight and worth the visit! The best times to visit are summer (though very busy) and early fall- which is when we were there the leaves are turning and the air is crisp, just be ready for some cold as well!