Things to do in the High Coast - 25 sights and experiences

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: October 2026 | What to see and do in the High Coast? We've traveled around here by motorhome on three different trips and collected our personal favorites. Here are 25 sights and experiences we think are most worth discovering – from dramatic hikes and fishing villages to some places we still long to visit.

Things to do in the High Coast – our personal favorites

The High Coast is one of the areas in Sweden that we like to return to. We have traveled around here by motorhome on three different trips, but always in spring or autumn. The High Coast is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its unique land elevation and dramatic landscape with high mountains, deep forests and a stunning archipelago.

1. Hike up Skuleberget

If we had to choose just one place to start, it would be Skuleberget. The mountain is one of the great symbols of the High Coast and here you can hike, climb Via Ferrata or, during parts of the year, take a lift to the top. We chose the legs.

We started at High Coast Nature Centre, which is located at the foot of Skuleberget. Here you can learn more about the world heritage site, the land uplift and why the landscape looks the way it does. Naturum is therefore a good stop before or after the hike – but for us, this was above all where the adventure up the mountain began.

We had read that the Södra Bergsstigen would be the slightly easier option. That doesn't mean it's flat. The path goes up over roots, rocks and steep sections and we had reason to grab both water and chocolate biscuits before we got to the top. The reward is the view. From the top, the forests, mountains and water of the High Coast spread out below and you get a completely different understanding of the landscape.

READ MORE: Skuleberget – hiking, views and our best tips

2. Hike in the Skuleskogen National Park to Slåttdalsskrevan

Skuleskogen National Park is the High Coast when nature is turned up a few extra gears. Here you will find old forest, mountains, gravel fields and hiking trails – and in the middle of the area lies the famous Slåttdalsskrevan.

We did the hike from Entré Syd as a full-day excursion. When we reached the approximately 200-meter long crevasse, we also experienced something that is no longer possible. We walked through the entire Slåttdalsskrevan for only a short time before the passage through the crevasse was closed.

Today you can still hike to Slåttdalsskrevan, but the trail no longer goes through the crevice itself. Don't miss Slåttdalsberget either. The view from there is one of the great experiences in the national park.

READ MORE: Slåttdalsskrevan - hiking in the Skuleskogen national park

3. Take the boat to Ulvön, Trysunda or Högbonden – we'll do that next time

Here's an unusual tip from us: an experience we still haven't had ourselves. We've been to the High Coast three times, but each time in spring or autumn. And each time we've looked out towards the archipelago and realized pretty much the same thing – we're here at the wrong time.

Ulvön, Trysunda and Högbonden are among the places we would most like to experience in the High Coast, but the range of boat trips and services on the islands is significantly greater during the summer. We don't just want to go there to be able to tick an island off a list. We want to be able to stay, walk around and actually experience the place. So this point is a promise rather than a report. We are going back to the High Coast in the summer – and then we will go out to the islands.

4. Hike to the pulpit on Getsvedjeberget

Getsvedjeberget is a good example of how a hike doesn't have to be long to feel good in your legs. We started at Skulebergets Havscamping and started walking up towards Predikstolen.

Officially it is a relatively short hike. For us it took about 40 minutes to get up. The path is steep in places and goes over roots, rocks and uneven terrain, but when the forest opens up you understand why so many people come here.

The pulpit stands out above the landscape and the view over the High Coast is magnificent. Three years later we stood on the much more famous Norwegian Preikestolen – in such dense fog that the view had almost disappeared. On Getsvedjeberget we had much better luck.

READ MORE: Getsvedjeberget – hike to the pulpit on the High Coast

5. Experience the fishing village and nature in Norrfällsviken

We arrived at Norrfällsviken with the camper and chose a spot where FREEDOM could stand with a view of the sea. We were only going to stay one night, but when we left we would have liked to stay longer.

It is the combination that makes Norrfällsviken special. Here you will find the old fishing village, the sea and several nature reserves in a small area. Within about two kilometers are four nature reserves including pebble fields, sand dunes, orchids and Rammbergets tunnel cave.

Here you can also find Storsands sea bath and the opportunity to hike, kayak or just sit by the sea. In other words, Norrfällsviken is much more than the campsite where we happened to stay.

READ MORE: Norrfällsvikens Camping – with fishing village and nature reserve

6. Stroll through the fishing village of Bönhamn

Bönhamn is one of the old fishing villages that gives the High Coast a completely different character than the mountains and hiking trails. Here, red boathouses, piers, boats and the sea meet in a small environment that is made to be discovered slowly.

This is not a place where you need to hunt for sights. Walk around, sit down for a while and enjoy the surroundings. The journey is the destination, and sometimes the place itself is the whole experience. From Bönhamn there are also opportunities during the season to get further out into the High Coast archipelago.

7. Try to understand Mannaminne

What exactly is Mannaminne? An open-air museum? An art museum? A vehicle museum? A collection of old buildings? After our visit, we're still not entirely sure – and that's a big part of its charm.

Here, artist Anders Åberg has created a world of historic buildings, art, museums, trams, cars and even a Saab 35 Draken. It's big, sprawling, fascinating and a bit dizzying.

In the midst of it all, we also found The Silver Arrow, Stockholm's mythical subway car that appears in old stories about the ghost train and Kymlinge station. What is it doing in the middle of Nordingrå? Go there and think for yourself.

READ MORE: Visiting Mannaminne in Nordingrå

8. Experience the cliffs at Rotsidan

The Rotsidan shows yet another side of the High Coast's nature. Here the forest meets the Bothnian Sea and along the shore, smooth cliffs spread out towards the water.

It is a place for walks, picnics and a moment by the sea rather than an achievement with a mountain to conquer. That is why Rotsidan is a good place to be between the more demanding hikes.

9. Drive over the High Coast Bridge – and stop.

For many coming from the south, the High Coast Bridge is the dramatic entrance to the High Coast. The bridge spans the Ångermanälven River and the landscape opens up all around.

We have driven over it ourselves with FREEDOM, but don't make the mistake of just blowing past. Stop and see the bridge from the side too. Only then will you get a real perspective on how big it is and how it is situated between the mountains and the water.

READ MORE: The High Coast Bridge at the High Coast – views and facts about the bridge

10. Go down the mountain at Hemsö Fortress

Our visit to Hemsö Fortress actually started with a failure. We took the ferry over to Hemsön even though the fortress was closed, looked at some military vehicles and then sat in the camper van to have lunch. Then someone knocked on the door.

A group was going on a guided tour and we were asked if we wanted to join in. A few minutes later we went down through the main entrance and into the former top-secret military facility inside the mountain.

The fortress was built for 320 people and could function self-sufficiently for a long time. Down there are, among other things, lodgings, kitchens, medical facilities, stores and military installations. Peter also recognized some equipment from his own time in the rags.

READ MORE: Visiting Hemsö Fortress – an exciting destination on the High Coast

11. Discover Härnösand

Härnösand surprised us. We came here with our camper van and discovered a small town where the city center, the water and several attractions are close to each other. We walked around, among other places, at Nattviken and through the older wooden houses of Östanbäcken. At the cathedral, the photo opportunities were quite effectively ruined by scaffolding – but the sign ”God holds the posts. We do the work”At least it made the visit more memorable.

Härnösand also works well as a base for the southern part of the High Coast, with Hemsö Fortress and Smitingen within easy reach.

READ MORE: Things to do in Härnösand – 15 tips for a gem on the High Coast

12. See the High Coast from Örnsköldsvik and Varvsberget

We have visited Örnsköldsvik twice with the camper. The city is located between Åsberget and Varvsberget with the center and the harbor down by the water. One of our best tips is to go up to Varvsberget. From here you get a view of the city, the harbor and the surrounding landscape. And down in town there is much more than you might first think.

Among other things, there is Ting1, the to say the least special building on top of the old courthouse that has been given the unflattering epithet several times. ”Sweden's ugliest house”. We leave the verdict to you.

READ MORE: What to do in Örnsköldsvik - 15 sights and experiences

13. Experience Smitingen's sea bathing and nature reserve

Just outside Härnösand lies Smitingen, where a long sandy beach meets the Smitingen-Härnöklubb nature reserve. When we were here, it wasn't exactly swimming weather, but the beach is worth a visit even without swimwear. The nature reserve also has coastal nature and caves that make Smitingen much more than just another beach.

On a warm summer day it's of course a completely different story. Then this is one of the places where you can actually combine the nature of the High Coast with a day at the beach.

14. Go behind the scenes at High Coast Whisky

High Coast Whisky is located on the Ångermanälven River, where we took a guided tour of the distillery and saw how the whisky is made and aged. Among all the barrels, we learned that old whisky casks are sometimes sold on. We ended up calling Peter's son Robin and his wife Alexandra on WhatsApp, filming a cask and asking if they wanted it for the garden at their new house.

The answer was approximately YES! So our visit to the distillery ended with an old whiskey barrel being loaded into the camper. There is also a restaurant with a view of the Ångermanälven River and the possibility of staying overnight in the area.

READ MORE: Visiting High Coast Whisky – guided tour and parking

15. Travel 6000 years back in time at Nämforsen

At Nämforsen there are around 2,600 rock carvings, and the oldest were created around 6,000 years ago. We walked on the footbridges among images of people, boats, fish and, above all, moose. But what stuck with us the most was the thought of the people behind the images. People had stood and sat here thousands of years ago. What were they thinking? And what were they trying to tell?

We first wondered why we couldn't see more of all the carvings. The explanation is that many are out on the islands in the rapids and therefore not accessible in the same way. It almost makes the place even more fascinating – you only see part of the enormous image archive that people have left behind here.

At Nämforsen there is also Nämforsen Rock Carving Museum, where you can learn more about the carvings, the people who created them, and life around the river during the Stone Age. When the museum is open, it is therefore a natural complement to the walk among the rock carvings.

READ MORE: Visiting the Nämforsen rock carvings

16. Sleep in a glamping tent and eat dinner over an open fire

Our visit to Glamping Höga Kusten didn't start out as picture-perfect. It was spring, thawing and slippery, wet and icy. Then the fire was lit. We stayed in glamping tents, had dinner cooked over an open fire and ended the evening under a starry sky.

In the morning, breakfast awaited us by the fire, including eggs from the farm's own chickens. In the midst of all the nature, we also sat with our computers because our new travel agency was opening the next morning. So much for a total digital detox.

READ MORE: Glamping High Coast – with food over an open fire

17. Experience Skeppsmalen and the history of sourströmming

Farthest out towards the sea lies Skeppsmalen, an old fishing village where the history of the High Coast meets the Sea of Bothnia. We had heard a lot about this little idyll before we came here – and Skeppsmalen really lived up to expectations with its fishing huts, old cottages and the sea right next door.

We continued our walk out over the cliffs towards Skagsudde and the lighthouse. There suddenly appeared The Sausage Man up – a strange stone figure standing out on the rocks and which we didn't understand at first. On site we could read the story behind the Sausage Man, and we love little surprises like that. You go out to look at the sea and a lighthouse and come back with the story of an old man built of stone.

Here is also Fishing spot, sour herring museum, and what could be more Ångermanland than that? The Surströmmingen is part of the region's food culture and history, and inside the museum we got to get closer to the tradition, the fishing and the story behind this, to say the least, controversial Norrland delicacy.

For us, Skeppsmalen was also perfect with a camper. There is a parking space here and we parked FREEDOM for the night in a wonderful spot near the sea. It was one of those stops where we first thought we would look at Skeppsmalen – and instead stayed overnight.

18. Hike a bit on the High Coast Trail

The High Coast Trail stretches through the area and connects many of the environments that make the High Coast special. Of course, you don't have to walk the entire trail to get a feel for it. Several of the hikes and places we visited ourselves are located along or connect to the trail system, and the trail makes it possible to combine nature experiences into significantly longer adventures.

19. Visit Sweden's largest car museum in Härnösand

Härnösand's car museum is one of the attractions we still have yet to fully experience. When we were in Härnösand, the museum was closed, which was extra annoying since it is usually described as Sweden's largest car museum.

There is a large collection of vehicles from different eras here, and you don't have to be a car nerd to appreciate the time travel. Old cars tell quite a lot about how both travel and everyday life have changed over the decades. Next time we come to Härnösand we plan to check the opening hours a little better.

20. Taste flatbread with centuries-old traditions at Mjälloms

Mjälloms Tunnbröd has been baking flatbread since 1923 and is Sweden's oldest flatbread bakery. The company was started by the then 21-year-old Rut Viberg and passed the centennial mark in 2023.

For us, stops like this are part of the journey. The High Coast is not just about mountains, hiking trails and views, but also about the flavors and traditions that go with the place. And flatbread takes up significantly less space in the camper than the whiskey barrel we bought from High Coast Whisky.

21. Discover Hernö Gin

The High Coast doesn't just have whiskey. In Härnösand there is also Hernö Gin, which has made a name for itself far beyond Sweden and has won several major international awards.

Here you can book a visit and learn more about how gin is made. For us, Hernö Gin is still one of the experiences we have yet to do properly, but the business is so strongly associated with the area that it deserves a place in the guide. It may simply be another reason to return.

22. Travel back in time at Murberget and Västernorrland Museum

In Härnösand you can find the Västernorrland Museum and the Murberget Open Air Museum, where you can travel back in time through the history of the region.

The open-air museum features older buildings and environments that show how people have lived and worked in Västernorrland, while the museum complements it with collections and exhibitions about the county's cultural history. We like these types of places because the history becomes much easier to understand when you can actually walk around in the middle of the environments.

23. Climb up Vårdkasberget

Vårdkasberget above Härnösand provides another perspective on the coastal landscape. We went here with our camper van and were able to drive all the way up.

This makes Vårdkasberget a good alternative for those who want a view without having to first undertake one of the more challenging hikes of the High Coast. It is not Skuleberget or Predikstolen – and it doesn't have to be. Not all views have to be earned with sweat.

24. Visit the Old Farm in Myckelgensjö

The Gammelgården in Myckelgensjö is a well-preserved old farm environment with buildings from several centuries. When we arrived here, the museum itself was closed, but we were able to walk around the old houses and feel the presence of history anyway.

The location also has a connection to Swedish film history. Parts of The children from Frostmofjället in, the 1945 film based on Laura Fitinghoff's story about seven siblings who are forced to leave their home. Myckelgensjö is located a good distance from the coast itself and is therefore best suited as a longer excursion into Ångermanland – just like Nämforsen.

25. Swim at Gullviks sea bath

After mountains, hikes and museums, we end with the sea. Gullviks havsbad is located about 15 kilometers southeast of Örnsköldsvik and here you will find a sandy beach, a pier and the sea. We stopped here with the camper back in 2010 during a trip through northern Sweden – long before we had had time to discover the rest of the High Coast properly.

There was no swimming, however. The weather was cold and rainy and our son Billie, who wanted to fish the most, would have liked a different kind of beach. We went down to the jetty, looked out over the sea and towards evening the barbecue came out. With warm clothes we sat outside by the camper as long as possible.

On a warm summer day, Gullvik shows a completely different side. There is a long sandy beach here and today also a swimming pool, children's pool and various activities. For those traveling with children or just wanting to alternate the hikes of the High Coast with a day by the sea, Gullvik is a good stop.

READ MORE: Gullviks sea bathing and camping – by the beach in the High Coast

Best areas to live in the High Coast

The High Coast is a large area and where you live affects how much time you get to spend on the road. For a first trip, we would mainly choose between Skuleberget/Nordingrå, Örnsköldsvik and Härnösand, depending on which experiences are highest on the list.

The High Coast with a motorhome – campsites and parking spaces

The High Coast is very suitable for exploring by motorhome. We have stayed overnight at, among other places Skulebergets Havscamping, Norrfällsvikens Camping, Snibbens Camping and The ship moth, and already in 2010 we lived at Gullvik sea baths. For those who want to plan the entire trip, we have collected more campsites and camping sites in our separate guide.

READ MORE: Campsites and pitches in Ångermanland

More travel destinations and city guides near High Coast

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• Things to do in Sundsvall
• Things to do in Hudiksvall
• Things to do in Östersund
• Things to do in Söderhamn