Ressel Ferries in Stockholm

The private ferry company Ressel Rederi Ferries provides two ferries that help residents in Hammarby Sjöstad and Södermalm commute between both islands and to Stockholm city.

One ferry, the "Emelie",  runs from Hammarby Sjöstad to Nybroplan, in Stockholm center, stopping at Djurgården on it's way. The other ferry runs a triangular route between Hammarby Sjöstad to Henriksdal and then Barnängsbryggan on Södermalm.

This triangle ferry is free and makes it very convenient to get to the other islands! 

The ferry into Stockholm city is a beautiful scenic ride and much nicer than taking the Stockholm Metro. You can buy a single ride, a month card or a pack of 10 rides. Seniors get a discounted price on all 3.

If you're visiting Stockholm and staying outside the city in Hammarby Sjöstad, the Emelie ferry is a great option for getting into town!

The Ressel Rederi ferry staff work so hard yet they've been super friendly and helpful each time. They even offer tea on the morning commute into the city!

Be sure to check out the latest ferry schedule on their website. There was recently some construction at Danviksbron so the Emelie did not run from Hammarby Sjöstad during specific weeks. All the details were posted at their website.

Ressel Rederi ferries run year-round in all weather and have been quite reliable - even in the winter snowy weather! Definitely, beats the Stockholm Metro!

If you're visiting Stockholm or live in the city and need to commute, hop onboard the Ressel Rederi Emelie ferry to get into the city and enjoy a scenic ferry ride!

Don't forget your snacks!

Ressel Rederi AB

Check out their website for more info 

A Visit to Astrid Lindgren's Värld

 

Located in Vimmerby, Sweden, Astrid Lindgrens Värld (Astrid Lindgren's World  in English) is a Theme Park based on characters and little houses from the Swedish Author's stories.

The idea of Astrid Lindgren's World was to create a 'Fairy tale village' and the first houses started in 1981. 

About a 4h drive south from Stockholm, we visited this magical theme park during our Summer vacation and it was actually better and bigger than we expected. 

There were theater performances all around the park with singalongs and different areas from the books to discover! Areas one has only read or heard about from the stories really come to life in this park!

Despite it being a warm summer day, the kids enjoyed the play areas! The little houses to enter even had little details like indoor furnishings and school desks so they could pretend-play to their heart's content. It's wonderful to have so many different park areas to walk through and visit. Even just spending time relaxing in one area in the shade was great. 

Of course, one has to see the most famous character from Astrid Lindgren's stories, Pippi Longstocking, and the Pippi Longstocking performance at the main stage. 

The kids rushed in to check out Pippi's house after the show and even went down the slide from the second floor. However, it was a bit chaotic as they just let everyone in at the same time. 

After one of the Pippi performances, you can get a chance to say hello to the characters, including Pippi, from the show!

There are more than few different eating places throughout the park. We stopped for hot dogs on the way to a show then fika in one of the cute little cafes in the afternoon. It was too hot to sit in, so we grabbed takeaway and sat outside.

A visit to the park wouldn't be complete without stopping for a souvenir or a gift for others who also enjoy Astrid Lindgren's characters and stories.

There are some cabins you could stay during your visit. Tickets to enter the park can be single day or multi-day tickets as well. We visited from the cabins we stayed at in Gamleby (blog post on our cabin stay).

Some of the gifts we picked up at the Pippi store!

Enjoy your visit and remember, kids are hungry for snacks all the time, so don't forget your snacks!

Astrid Lindgrens Värld

598 85 Vimmerby, Sweden  

Check out their website to plan your visit!

(The park is open from May to August)

Småland at IKEA

We visited the second largest IKEA in the world located just outside of Stockholm. 

If you're a parent, you know, shopping with kids can be exhausting. It takes longer, since you are always putting things they've grabbed back or they are having tantrums over wanting to buy something.

A visit to IKEA however, the shopping experience is made a little easier. You could go for a reasonably priced lunch at the IKEA cafeteria with the kids, they could find something to play with in the kids area or even better head over to IKEA's kids-only area, Småland! 

Parents can get some shopping done, browse for design ideas, pickup their IKEA order or even sit and have a dessert and coffee. It's really a brilliant idea! 

Remember to pack some socks to wear in the Kids area, if it's a warm day and the kids are wearing sandals. The same parent who checks in the kids, must pick them up. In Sweden, the kids area is only for kids 3-7yrs old.

One of us picked up the kids while the other parent stood in line to pay for everything we had bought that day. Then we switched and got the kids some Vegan softserve ice cream :)

Enjoy your next trip to IKEA (after you drop the kids off at Småland)!

Don't forget your snacks!

IKEA Stockholm - Kungens Kurva

Ekgårdsvägen 2, 141 75 Kungens Kurva

Check out more info on the IKEA website 

Quiet Time For Yourself

Everyone needs quiet time once in awhile. With how busy we are each day, it is often not something we prioritize. I didn't realize how important quiet time was until I had my first baby. 

There wasn't a moment that the baby wasn't with me. Having a baby who was very attached since birth and who breastfed, meant they were feeding all the time.

The few minutes between feedings, I rushed for a bathroom break or to eat a snack. Of course, I tried to sleep when baby slept but I don't remember having so much quiet time back then by myself. 

While feeding, I would maybe watch a show or eat a meal. I did manage to take some walks while baby napped in the stroller or baby carrier and I was thankful for having a few friends to meet while the baby slept. 

As parents, we always have something to do - folding laundry, preparing food, playing with the kids, cleaning up, it can be an endless list. We need to remind ourselves that it's OK to take a break once in awhile. How else can we have the energy to continue taking care of everyone and ourselves?

I recently took a much needed break for myself. I took some time off at the spa, kid free. I gave my self a chance to forget about all the housework and messes the toddler made. The kids and I both benefited from that time apart especially after we had been together all summer and all week while they were home sick.

Whatever you prefer doing during your quiet time, whether it's spa time, watching a show, going for a walk or happy hour with a friend, you should do it at least once in awhile. You deserve a break!

Don't forget your snacks!

Elements Spa 

Ringvägen 98 104 60 Stockholm

Clarion Hotel Stockholm

Check out their website for more info 

SkiStar Hammarbybacken - Summer Activities

A ski hill just a short commute from Stockholm city, SkiStar Hammarbybacken, has opened for Summer activities!

If you're looking for a great family activity, why not try a tube ride, trampoline or maybe the downhill Mountain Coaster! Note: Only kids ages 3 and up can go on these rides.

For the Mountain Coaster, Kids 3-7 must ride with an adult. You can buy single ticket or a 3 or 5 pack of tickets. Parents need their own ticket even when riding with a child. 

The tube ride ticket gives you 30min of tubing fun on 3 different tracks! A parent can ride with a child and there is no charge for the parent. 

Buy your tickets on the SkiStar app or onsite! We found it easier to use the app because then you don't need to worry about losing the paper ticket with your QR code.

You can also buy a 3 hour pass and ride as much as you want during those 3 hours!

Note: The physical cars cost an extra 55kr.

There is also an obstacle climbing park and "Summer ski" area at Hammarbybacken. As of Summer 2026, these activities are included in the day pass.

We've tried both the Mountain Coaster and the tubing, and they were awesome! It's such a cool idea, a lot of fun and so close to the city. Definitely fun for kids over 3 years old, especially since the kids are now off for Summer vacation!

The Mountain coaster and tubing area are located at the bottom of the ski hill. For the climbing area, you need to hike up the hill to get to it.

In need of snacks? There's a cafe at the bottom of the ski hill where you can find food like hot dogs or Swedish pastries and hot and cold drinks. There's also indoor seating. Of course, you can bring your own snacks to have in-between rides. 

Rock-climbing and trampoline were new additions to Hammarbybacken but unfortunately not available in Summer 2026.

They've also added their mascot, Valle and some small playgrounds as you walk up the ski hill. It's especially exciting for the kids!

If you're looking for some outdoor summer activities for your family, check out Hammarbybacken in Stockholm!

Don't forget your snacks! 

SkiStar Hammarbybacken 

Hammarby Fabriksväg 111, 120 66

Stockholm, Sweden 

Check out their website for prices and booking information!

Clarion Hotel Post Gothenburg

 

We recently stayed at the Clarion Hotel Post in Gothenburg, Sweden. Located in Gothenburg centre, the hotel used to be an old post office, hence the name. We had a great night and enjoyed our stay - including the Swedish hotel breakfast!

The Clarion Hotel Post's breakfast is served on the main floor of the hotel. Check with the front desk on the breakfast hours. During our stay in May 2022, we had to book a breakfast time to avoid crowding... although it was pretty crowded anyways.

The delicious breakfast included a variety of cold and warm dishes. They even had a tasty dessert section with little brownies and cakes! 

The breakfast area had multiple tables for the main food. For the hot dishes you could choose from items like sausages, thin pancakes, and eggs. The cold dishes included deli meats, cheeses, and smoked salmon (both warm and cold smoked).

There were also a few different drink stations to get tea/coffee, and juice but it seemed like everyone wanted to lineup at the closer coffee station, so it was slow getting your drinks.

One station offered some dairy free, gluten free and Egg free alternatives which included, yogurt, milk, bread, cheese, and even a couple of desserts. With a few allergies in our family, it's always nice when a hotel breakfast has some great alternatives. 

The Clarion Hotel Post is a very popular hotel located next to Gothenburg Central Station. We loved the location, the service, and of course the hotel breakfast. The room was spacious and had a fantastic view of the square outside.

A few things to know when staying with family...

- the pool at the hotel isn't included but can be booked. Kids can swim before 3pm.

- front desk replies to emails if you need to ask any questions before your stay.

- the sofa in the room can be made into the extra bed, however, there's an extra charge if you want bedding/pillows. 

- the hotel suite had a small fridge but it was full of drinks and snacks.

- There was also a kettle and coffee maker.

If you're visiting Gothenburg and looking to treat yourself to a nice hotel experience, check out the Clarion Hotel Post!

Don't forget your snacks! 

Clarion Hotel Post

Drottningtorget 10, 411 03 Göteborg

Check out their website for more information.

Dairy-free Food Alternatives for Toddlers

 

It's not easy when one child has allergies and the other doesn't. The toddler has a long list of food allergies - including dairy.  We try our best to give them an substitute for things their sibling can eat but they can't. 

Here are some of the dairy-free alternatives we use:

Milk

Oatly

Note: We are in Sweden, so Oatly brand may not be available where you are.

Cream cheese

Oatly

Hard cheese

Violife - toddler prefers "Mature Cheddar Flavor" 

Butter

Flora

Porridge

Enago Milk free 

Of course, whenever his older sibling gets dessert, we need to give him something or he tries to take her food.

Swedish Cinnamon buns - Findus brand frozen cinnamon buns are vegan!

Whip cream

Ice cream

Sorbet or Choice brand dairy, soy, nut free ice cream (made with rice).

For a Vegan pancake mix we used to use Vantastic brand.

For chocolates, we have tried MooFree and Purdy's Chocolatier. We have seen Vegan Lindt and Kit Kat too, but Toddler surprisingly prefers candy over chocolate. 

These are the brands that are available to us at the regular grocery store in Sweden.

While visiting Canada, we found other brands for alternatives like Daiyo (cheese), Earth's Own Oat milk, and Earth's balance dairy free spread. 

Hopefully, you can find some Dairy-free alternatives where you are! Don't be discouraged if there's nothing at a grocery store, try a local Vegan store!

Don't forget your snacks (especially the allergy safe ones for your little ones with allergies)!