The good news: Scandinavia is a very easy place to travel, and in spring, you don't really have to do a lot of advance work. Outside the cities, affordable lodging should be plentiful, even at the last minute.

One terrific option is a farmstay. You can avoid inner-city parking hassles, and farmstays are usually very kid-friendly. You can browse for farmstays in Sweden at Bo på Lantgård (bopalantgard.org).

RELATED ARTICLE • How Was Your Trip?

There's not much going on in Trollhättan, where the Saab factory is located. Göteborg, 48 miles south, has more life (goteborg.com details visitor info).

Molle, a hillside coastal town, is about three hours south of Göteborg. It's Sweden's Niagara Falls in that it attracts honeymooners--but without the waterfall and the kitsch. On the way, you'll pass Höganäs, home of Höganäs pottery; there's even a factory outlet (keramikbygden.se).

Farther south is Lund. If Lund were a kid, you'd want to pinch its cheeks. The town is adorable--and highly walkable.

Malmö also offers nice walking areas along the coast south of town and in the old town center. Try a sauna and a dip in the freezing seawater at Ribersborgs Kallbadhus. It's fairly common to bring kids (ribban.com, $8, kids $4.50). For a very kid-friendly activity, rent a canoe from the Malmö Canoe Club and paddle the canals to explore the city's 17 bridges (011-46/40-97-20-47, $15 per hour).

Denmark
After you drive across the new Øresund bridge to Denmark, take a quick detour north and visit Kronborg Castle, the setting for Shakespeare's Hamlet and, as such, one of Europe's more famous castles (kronborgcastle.com, from $5.50).

There are also ecofriendly farms in Denmark where you can stay: Økolologisk Bondegårdsferie has a list (ecoholiday.dk). Danish manor houses and castles also rent rooms: The website of Danske Slotte & Herregaarde is mostly in Danish, but you can download a list of properties, or just pick up a brochure once you're in Denmark or call them when you're close; they'll point you in the right direction (011-45/86-60-38-44, slotte-herregaarde.dk).

Some of the best-preserved Viking ships in the world are on display at Vikingeskibsmuseet in Roskilde, a half-hour west of Copenhagen (vikingeskibsmuseet.dk, from $9). Another worthwhile stop is Odense, on the island of Fyn, the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen (visitodense.com).

Egeskov Castle, south of Odense, is a true fairy-tale castle with towers, a moat, and a garden labyrinth (egeskov.dk, from $20). The inside is only open from May through September, but the outside is picturesque. It makes a happy ending for any trip to Denmark.

Tip
Empty your car whenever possible. When you can't, keep things covered in the trunk. Break-ins of rental and foreign-plate cars are sadly commonplace in Europe.

Got Questions?
Experts answer 'em on our website during Trip Coach chats, Tuesdays at noon (ET).

6/26 Wayne Bernhardson, Moon Handbooks Chile

7/10 Liliane Opsomer and Bob Sehlinger, Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World With Kids

7/17 Christopher Winner, the Rome-based The American

7/24 Beth Whitman, Wanderlust and Lipstick: The Essential Guide for Women Traveling Solo

7/31 Patricia Schultz, 1,000 Places to See Before You Die (U.S.A. and Canada)