If you'd like to go horseback riding under the midnight sun, Bodø Hestecenter, Soloya Gård (tel. 75-51-41-48), about 14km (8 3/4 miles) southwest of Bodø, rents horses. Buses go there Monday to Friday mornings and evenings and on Saturday morning. For more information, ask at the Bodø Tourist Office. The cost is 100NOK ($15/£8.20) for a 45-minute ride.

At the visitor center , you can pick up maps detailing the best hiking in the area. The best area is through Bodømarka (Bodø forest), with its 35km (22 miles) of marked hiking and cross-country skiing trails. For detailed touring, including overnighting in the forest, contact Bodø og Omegn Turist-forening, the Bodø Mountain Touring Association (tel. 75-52-14-13), which operates a dozen cabins in the forest.

The most up-to-date and well-recommended indoor swimming pool in the region is the Mørkved Badet (tel. 75-55-08-90), in the hamlet of Mørkved, about 4km (2 1/2 miles) north of Bodø's center. If you want to use it, know that it gives priority to local swim teams and school groups, so public hours are limited to Wednesday from 5 to 10pm, Friday 5 to 9pm, Saturday 9am to 3pm, and Sunday 9am to 4pm. Admission costs 45NOK ($6.95/£3.70) for adults, 25NOK ($3.85/£2.05) for persons under 18.

A popular man-made attraction, Saltstraumen Opplevelsesenter, or adventure center, lies at Saltstraumen, Route 17 (tel. 75-56-06-55), and is fun for the whole family. The center gives an in-depth preview through exhibits and artifacts tracing the history of the area and its people from the Ice Age to the coming of the Vikings. An on-site aquarium includes a pond for seals and fish found in regional waters. Admission is 65NOK ($10/£5.35). From May to mid-June, it's open daily from 11am to 6pm; from mid-June to late June and from mid-August to late August, it's open daily from 10am to 7pm; from July to mid-August, it's open daily 9am to 8pm; and in September, it's open Saturday and Sunday only 11am to 6pm.