Family holidays
Dyreparken hotels: where to stay for Kristiansand Zoo
Hotels by Dyreparken and in central Kristiansand, and who each one suits.
- October 22, 2026
- 6 Mins
Kristiansand travel guide
A city beach in the centre, Dyreparken just outside town and white wooden houses in Posebyen. Kristiansand is the capital of Southern Norway and one of the country's favourite summer cities.
Torvet
Photo: Gunnar Ridderström / Unsplash
Why visit Kristiansand?
Kristiansand is the largest city on Norway's south coast and a natural base for a holiday in Agder. The centre, Kvadraturen, is laid out in a grid of streets, with short walks to the Bystranda beach, the Fiskebrygga fish quay and the archipelago. In summer, boats head out to islets and swimming spots, and Dyreparken draws families from all over Norway.
Things to do in Kristiansand
Dyreparken: zoo, Cardamom Town and Captain Sabertooth's World, about a 15 minute drive east of the centre. See the hotels near Dyreparken.
Posebyen: one of the largest continuous neighbourhoods of wooden houses in Northern Europe, with white houses, gardens and narrow streets.
Kunstsilo: the art museum in the old grain silo on Silokaia, opened in 2024.
Odderøya: walking trails, smooth coastal rocks and swimming spots a few minutes on foot from the centre.
Fiskebrygga and Bystranda: seafood on the quay and a sandy beach in the middle of the city.
Where to stay in Kristiansand
Stay in the centre if you want to walk everywhere. Scandic Kristiansand Bystranda is right by the beach, and Hotel Caledonien is in the heart of Kvadraturen. Travelling with children? Dyreparken Safarihotell inside the park is the most memorable choice.
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Book your stay: Check rooms and prices at Scandic Kristiansand Bystranda (Paid link)
How to get to Kristiansand
The Sørlandet Line train runs from Oslo in about four and a half hours, and the drive along the E18 takes around four hours. Kristiansand Airport Kjevik has direct flights from Oslo and Bergen, among others, and ferries sail from the harbour to Hirtshals in Denmark.
Further along the south coast
The coast continues east to Lillesand, Grimstad and Arendal, and west to Mandal with its Sjøsanden beach and on to Lindesnes Lighthouse. All make easy day trips from Kristiansand.