The Trip of a Life Time

As a family of three, we traveled to Lapland, Finland in search of a big adventure this past December. It was the most magical and amazing trip that spanned experiencing the Arctic to seeing the Northern Lights to jumping in the Arctic Sea and ended with seeing Santa Claus in his cabin in the wilderness. If you want to know how we came up with this amazing trip and the itinerary with links, check out my Blog Post on How I Came to Travel to the North Pole.

This post provides general recommendations for visiting the area including accommodation, transportation, food, activities, and clothing to make your trip even more special. I recognize our family privilege to be able to enjoy a trip of this nature and am grateful for the ability to do so. This trip may not be in reach of everyone. I wish adventure and memory making however it is achieved or valuable to you. These are my opinions only and this blog post is not endorsed by any companies. 

When to book travel

We traveled from mid December to the end of December. We booked approximately 5-6 months in advance and it was filling up quickly. I would suggest 6-7 months out if you are a planner. I met up with a friend there that had booked only a few months out and it worked out for her. She was traveling with two other friends so they were more flexible.

The prices for the glass Igloos (a very special experience) seemed to increase from one day to the next. I would recommend booking as early as possible if wanting igloos. I also booked activities at the resorts within a month of making room bookings.

Phone

We bought sim cards once we arrived to the airport. For our 12 days in Finland, we spent 15 Euros to cover our data and cell coverage. There is an RKoski convenience store right in the airport. So easy. 

Transportation 

Our point of origin was California. I found flights for fairly cheap ($700 return) around June when I started researching the trip. The cheapest flights were around Thanksgiving (end of November) for $500. Please note these are times when travel was just opening up from COVID and prior to inflation. However, I tracked the flights on Hopper for a few days before I booked. The minimum travel time for us was 15 hours with 2 layovers. The duration of the flights can be a mind game but worth it in the end. November is the official opening of the Christmas season and Santa Claus ignites the ceremony. However, December worked better for our family.

Helsinki is really easy to get around via the public train. All you have to do is download the HSL app. You can buy tickets for multiple travelers through the app. More info can be found on HSL website.

Rovaniemi - We took the overnight Santa Claus Express train up into Rovaniemi, Lapland. A great alternative to a flight and fun for the kids. You can find out more information at their website.  You can choose seating or book a cabin. 

Picture: Family of 3 ready to board the Santa Claus express train, Helsinki, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Note: We were only three but I had to book two cabins per guidance from the website. Although we only stayed in one as my son wanted us to stay together. We easily slept one adult and one kid in the bunk. That extra cabin was essentially a waste of money. They didn’t come around to check our tickets but I am not sure if it would have mattered if we did sleep two and one kid in one cabin. Something to think about when booking.

We flew back to Helsinki from Rovaniemi and booked flights through Finn Air.

Lapland – I booked a car starting on day four in Rovaniemi as we were staying at The Apukka Resort which was fairly close to town. Booking accommodation outside of town was intentional to allow distance from city lights to better view the Northern Lights. However, not renting a car for the full time in Lapland was a mistake. Without a car, it cost us between $35 to $50 for every taxi ride to and from attractions/hotel within a 15 mile radius. Add an extra $150 to your daily spend for transport if you don't rent a car. It seriously limited us from going from attraction to attraction or to eat at a restaurant in town in the same day due to not wanting to spend up. The public transit system in Rovaniemi, Linkkari, is at minimum, limited if not very reliable.

Lapland by Rental Car. We booked our car through Sixt. There are several car rental options and they are located at the Rovaniemi airport. I was initially amazed watching the driving in this white wonderland thinking how is everyone not sliding around. To my surprise, it was very easy to drive as the cars are equipped with snow tires, there are minimal cars on the road, and drivers appear respectful of the speed limit. This respect could be linked to the integrated video surveillance and ticketing system throughout Finland. 

We drove north 3 hours to Saariselka, Lapland to delight in more winter activities and to again, hopefully, see the Northern Lights. 

Accommodation

As someone that is very financially oriented, I knew that I would need to balance my trip with a variety of accommodations ranging from out of this world (think Igloos) to credit card points to shared housing via Booking.com. It is easy to book hotels with credit card points if they are in major cities or next to Airports.

Helsinki

Flying in and out of Helsinki I booked us hotels one and then two days each side of our venture to Lapland using my Chase points. I cannot recommend enough the Scandic Hotels. We stayed at Scandic Grand Marina in the Marina district of Helsinki and it was A-mazing. A beautiful old but renovated building in the heart of the Marina district.

 Picture: Family of 3 outside Scandic Grand Marina, Helsinki, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

The breakfast was traditional scandic and offered an array of yogurt, granola, pastries, meats and cheeses, pancakes, and so much more. The spread offers enough to fill you up for both breakfast and lunch. 

It was also a nice and handy walk to the Christmas Markets. On the way out, we stayed at the Clarion Hotel at the Airport. It was more modern than the Scandic but overall it was ok. I wish I would have booked the Scandic at the airport on the way out as well. 

Rovaniemi 

The Apukka Resort was the first place we stayed after arriving in Rovaniemi, Lapland. First night was in an Igloo type setting which was amazingly cozy and just awesome to gaze out at the night sky right from your bed. I felt that the Igloo was plenty of room for the three of us. We stayed in the Igloo for one night and moved into a hotel suite for the next two nights. 

Picture: Glass Igloos. Apukka Resort, Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

 Picture: Boy inside glass igloo, Apukka Resort, Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

The resort had an array of things to experience including a frozen lake perfect for Northern Lights gazing, a self-propelled sled ride, a Lapu (teepee), and a sledding hill. They also offered paid experiences. Breakfast was included and you could also add in dinner. Overall, the Apukka resort was nice but rather expensive for the quality of accommodation, food, and customer service received.

 Picture: Woman standing under Northern Lights, Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

 Picture: A lava on a frozen lake, Apukka Resort, Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Picture: Boy standing next to self-made snow angel. Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

On the down side, it was a busy time of year which seemed to impact the customer service. The staff seemed overwhelmed and not very welcoming. They also charged my credit card after I already paid in full but luckily reversed it before I saw it. 

Their breakfast spread was average for a pricey resort.  The food options were significantly less compared to the Scandic Hotels.  The breakfast food area was small and cramped. The seating area equally small for the number of guests. They had a little play area for the kids but it was tucked in a corner behind some tables making it hard to reach. The roaring fire was definitely nice but again it all seemed really cramped. 

Saariselka

Northern Lights Village was a delight. It was a full service resort with paid attractions and breakfast and dinner service. We stayed in the Igloos and they were comfortable and clean and plenty of space for the 3 of us. This is where we did the Searching for Santa experience. I have to say this experience was pretty epic, strategically set up to give you a full experience with the elves and Santa himself. I quite enjoyed the elves and the stops prior to meeting Santa. There were a lot of warm feelings from other guests about this experience as well. The most notable is when Santa comes out from his hideaway in the forest and calls your child by name. 

 Picture: Family of 3 at a glass igloo, Northern Lights Village, Saariselka, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

 Picture: Boy standing next to Santa at Stanta’s Cabin in the Woods, Saariselka, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Food

We loved trying all the Finnish delicacies and pastries.  

There was a wonderful Nepalese restaurant in the Marina District in Helsinki, Restaurant Everest Katajanokka. Easily walked to from our Hotel.

We also booked the Christmas Eve fixed meal at the Arctic Restaurant . It was amazing with traditional meats, fish, sauces, and everything to delight the senses. 

Picture: A lounge at the Arctic Restaurant in Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

As mentioned before, there are meal programs at the resorts. We only paid for breakfast at the Apukka Resort as there were many options for meals in the town of Rovaniemi. As Saariselka was more remote, we opted for the dinner breakfast and dinner program. The food at the Northern Lights Village was fantastic and plentiful. They had a children’s section that catered to all palates. 

While on the road to Sweden, there were many options for meals. Their stores serve premade sandwiches, meals, and have reasonably sized groceries to fill your belly and not be wasteful. The gas stations also delivered options for healthy eating. 

Family Friendly Activities

In Helsinki we visited the Helsinki Christmas Market, considered the Allas Sea Pool on the Harbor for a dip in the cold and heated pools. We walked around town, enjoyed the café scene, and visited the wonderfully wintery decorated storefront at Stockmann Department Store.

Design Museum in Helsinki Finland is known for its design. This museum gave a wonderful introduction to the ingenuity of the Finnish. I also picked up some scrap prints from Merrimeko and had my husband make napkins for us. Beautiful!

Heureka Science Museum in Vantaa near the airport in Helsinki. This was my favorite. It is so well designed with experiential activities for both kids and adults. 

 Picture: Wood area of Heureka Museum, Vantaa, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Rovaniemi

Angry Birds Activities Park in Laapset, Rovaniemi. Even though everything was iced over, it was still enjoyable. I personally liked the swing zip line and my son enjoyed playing soccer in the snow with a Finnish friend he met at the park. 

Picture: Father and son at Angry Birds Park, Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com 

Picture: Woman swinging on park zip line, Angry Birds Park, Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Santa Claus Village - this is where you can find and cross the Arctic Circle amongst many, many other things as this is a major tourist attraction in the area.

Live Web Cam: A neat experience is to alert family to the time you will be there as there is a camera where they can see you. It was a delightful Christmas Eve activity to share with friends and family.

There are also pics with Santa, Husky sleigh rides, and the official North Pole post office.

Note: You can send letters for the present year and the year ahead. I collected personal notes from parents of my son's closest friends, wrote them out on a card, and sent them on behalf of Santa from the North Pole post office. Huge hit. 

Santa Park - is a cool bunker building where there are many delights for both kids and adults. I quite enjoyed the Elf school. It was a bit cheeky so catered to adults as well. I also enjoyed the acrobatic elf show. 

 Picture:  Elves performing acrobatics to a crowd at Santa Park, Rovaniemi, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Northern Lights: There are several ways to TRY to see the Northern Lights. I say try as they may or may not appear. Winter is a fairly good time to see them. There are organized trips that will take you to search for them. Or you can search on your own. We strategically stayed out of the city in Rovaniemi (less light pollution) as well as traveled three hours north to Saariselka. We happened to see them within the first few days of arriving to Rovaniemi. To say this sealed the magic of the trip is an understatement.

My husband used the app, My Aurora Forecast Pro (not pro version) and it was pretty accurate. 

Sweden

Arctic Plunge: We also took a side trip to Sweden to board the Polar Explorer. This was a great experience for both the boat ride into the Arctic sea where our boat clawed through ice to create a pathway and then a swimming hole for us all to jump in! With a dry suit, there is no reason not to do this activity. Although our 6 y/o son was not having it!

Picture: Family of three standing along side The Polar Explorer in Sweden, Lapland. ©mariahhudler.com

Picture: Couple taking a polar plunge in dry suits in Sweden, Lapland. ©mariahhudler.com

Ranua Wildlife Park in Rovaniemi is worth a visit. View arctic animals as close to the wild as possible. It is essentially an open air zoo. Cozy cafe and full lunch served. 

 Picture: Young boy going down an icy slide at Ranua Wildlife Park, Ranua, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Picture: Polar bear at Ranua Wildlife Park, Ranua, Finland. ©mariahhudler.com

Weather and Clothing

The forecast for Lapland is cold and snowy between 14 and 21 degrees Fahrenheit. The snow covered ground made Lapland an absolute magical winter wonderland. it was absolutely amazing. Helsinki was cold but there was no snow on the ground. It snowed minimally while we were there, just a few times while in Saariselka. 

 You will want to bring multiple pairs of gloves for kids and yourself. We saw and contributed to the many solo gloves around Lapland. A neck buff or balaclava works well for both kids and adults to withstand prolonged periods outside. 

I interchanged a hat with a cozy ear band. There was not a lot of wind which was nice. 

Layering is essential but we mostly used a heavy coat to cover a base and then medium layer. You are taking off your coat while inside and it is well heated in hotels, restaurants, and activities. There are always coat racks to accommodate your coats.

Laundry: There are laundromats in the towns which makes bringing fewer clothes easier. 

Coats

I purchased about a 700 fill coat. We used a heavy coat for my son and snow pants plus a base and medium layer. He loved being outside. We were able to handle playing outside for approximately two hours. My husband also had a 700 fill coat and snow pants. I went with a thick or microfiber lined leggings and was fine.

Boots

We bought a pair of snow boots for my son in Helsinki at a sports store for Lapland. Otherwise, he used his tennis shoes in Helsinki.

I brought tennis shoes and a pair of medium durability Sorel (Evie) for Helsinki and interchangeably with Sorel (Caribou) snow boots in Lapland. Wool socks a must.

I started looking for clothes from August to November to purchase on sale through REI, Eddie Bauer, and Big 5. 

Cost and Summary

Overall, the trip was amazing and definitely a trip of a lifetime. In regards to cost, for the three of us, it added up to just about $10,000 US dollars all inclusive. I grappled with spending on experiences such as, just under $500 dollars, for the Christmas Eve dinner and the multiple nights that we stayed at the glass igloos, between $700-$1,000 a night. However, once we did them, I didn’t regret them at all. They were amazing, special experiences I could not have at home. 

As a financial therapist, I find that within couples, one is a saver and one is a spender. I see myself as someone between the saver and the spender, ok I lean more towards spending. My husband is definitely a saver. This and other trips would likely not happen if not for me. I truly believe in balance in life. I believe that work-life balance is important, that memory making is priceless whether you spend a little or a lot. I believe that if you are mindful with your money you can have both a feeling of joy and restraint choosing to spend on what is most important to you. Travel and memory making is very import to us. And, this trip tested both our saving and spending behaviors. it worked out well for us. I am so happy to share this experience with you. 

Blogpost: Wrestling with money vigilance: a personal story

Between my husband and I, we took over 900 photos. Needless to say, our son will never forget this trip!

Let me know if you have any questions. You can follow or DM me @letstalkfinancialhealth on Instagram. There are more photos of the North Pole trip as well. 

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