Sandefjordsfjord

Granholmen is an island in the Sandefjordsfjord in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located about 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) south of the city center of Sandefjord and about 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) to the north of the village of Hem in neighboring Larvik Municipality. The 5-hectare (12-acre) island has a campground, a cafe, kiosk, pub, and soccer field, along with grasslands and sandy beaches. It lies along county road 303 and is connected to the mainland by a bridge. A hotel was constructed on the island in 1902 when the island was purchased by Anton Johansen. He also established a restaurant at Granholmen. Ferries such as Fjeldvik, Huvik II, Laugen, Expedit, and Varden transferred visitors to the island.The island was home to a farm with cows until 1890, and later one of Norway’s largest wooden buildings with a restaurant and hotel. It also housed a school for Germans during World War II and was the location of the Norwegian championship in boxing in 1933 and chess in 1935. It was also previously a destination for steamboats carrying passengers.During the German occupation of World War II, Granholmen Hotel was housing NS Ungdomsfylking, the youth organization of the fascist party Nasjonal Samling. After the war, Stephan Trøber of Sarpsborg purchased the island and opened Granholmen Turisthotell. This hotel burnt down on 4 September 1950, and all ten hotel guests were brought to safety. The island was purchased by the municipality of Sandar the following year. The island was previously named Flatskjær but was given the name Granholmen in 1887 due to its many spruce trees.Today, the island is used for a variety of outdoor activities, including sailing, kayaking, rowing, camping, hiking, swimming, boccia, soccer, and more. Granholmen is one of 124 islands within Sandefjord Municipality. A new swimming rig and ramp were installed at Granholmen Campground in 2020. Granholmen’s sandy beaches are popular for swimming and one of few beaches on the western shores of the Sandefjordsfjord.

Langeby is a beach at West Island (Vesterøya) in Sandefjord, Norway. It is described as the city's best beach by both Frommer's- and Fodor's Travel Guides. Besides its 150 metres (490 ft) sandy beach, it is home to Langeby Camping which offers boat- and kayak rentals. Langeby has a convenience store and piers used for fishing and boats. The beach has sloping rocks, a floating platform, diving boards, and showers. There is also a playground as well as a soccer field and volleyball court.Langeby attracts thousands of visitors every summer. It lies near Vøra, a beach and campground which attracts summer visitors and vacationers from throughout the country. A coastal path known as Kyststien connects Langeby to Vøra. Near Vesterøyveien between the two beaches are remains from the Stone Age, discovered at an area 23 metres (75 ft) from the ocean. Many archeological artifacts have been retrieved from this location. Tent camping is permitted on numerous nearby islets, including the 11 acres (4.5 ha) Hellesøya and 12 acres (4.9 ha) Buerøya. A nearby uninhabited island, Hellesøya, was purchased by the city in 1934 to become a public recreation area. Hellesøya Island is home to a campground, sandy beach, and a boat pier.The beach was purchased and acquired by the city in 1958.

Vesterøya (lit. 'West Island') a peninsula in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is one of two long, narrow peninsulas located south of the city of Sandefjord. The peninsula lies between the Mefjorden and Sandefjordsfjorden and it sits across the fjord from the Østerøya peninsula. The peninsula is primarily known for its many beaches and idyllic coastal landscape, but there are also numerous trails used for hiking and biking.The landscape is dominated by hills, mountains, forests, beaches, sloping rocks, and farm fields. The peninsula has a length of 10 kilometers. It is home to a large number of vacation homes, beaches, campgrounds, and recreational areas. There are about 25 kilometres (16 mi) of hiking trails on Vesterøya, which is connected to the 20-kilometre (12 mi) coastal path on Østerøya. The hiking trail is part of the international North Sea Trail.

Hemskilen is a plant and wildlife preserve with a wetland area known for its unique vegetation and fauna. It is located near the island Storøya on the Sandefjord-Larvik border in Vestfold County. Hemskilen is, at 335 decares (83 acres), one of the largest preserves of its kind in the county. A bird sanctuary was established on the outside of the preserve in 2009. The nature preserve was established in 1981 and consists mostly of wetland and mudflats. It is a regionally important site due to its avifauna, including sea birds, ducks, wading birds, geese, and perching birds. It is also one of Vestfold's most important habitats for the grey heron, while raptors such as the sea hawk and Western marsh harrier can also regularly be observed at Hemskilen.The Pectoral sandpiper is one of the many rare bird species often observed at Hemskilen. It is one of the most important wetlands in Vestfold County. Hemskilen is also where the river Istre-Syrristelva (Istra) discharges into the ocean. 171 bird species have been recorded at Hemskilen. The area is open for Trout fishing in the spring.The ancient monument Istrehågan is located 2 km (1.2 mi.) northwest of Hemskilen.

Vesterøy Church (Norwegian: Vesterøy kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located on the Vesterøya peninsula in the southern part of the city of Sandefjord. It is the church for the Vesterøy parish which is part of the Sandefjord prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Tunsberg. The red brick church was built in a rectangular design in 1967 using plans drawn up by the architect Elisabeth Breen Fidjestøl. The church seats about 250 people.

The international schools at Skagerak are a group of private schools located on the waterfront in Sandefjord, Norway. Skagerak is located at the prestigious premises of the former shipyard administration at Framnes. They comprise a kindergarten, primary school, middle school, and a high school. The high school is recognized as an International Baccalaureate World School. Together, they promote mutual respect, intercultural awareness and international-mindedness through the International Baccalaureate programmes: the Diploma, Middle Years and Primary Years programmes. The PYP was authorized in June 2006 and the Middle School is a candidate for MYP authorization in June 2007.The Skagerak schools were founded to provide a high level of education and quality teaching concerning each student. The schools’ population is made up of a mix of Norwegian students, those who have lived overseas, and students with a variety of other nationalities. Although English is the language of instruction, students are, or become, bilingual and several additional languages are offered in the middle and high schools. The teachers are as diverse as the students, providing a wide range of international influence and knowledge. Although relatively small, Skagerak offers students a varied curriculum with opportunities such as outdoor education, cultural trips, service, performing arts, and sport. Annual ski trips take place from PY6 and up, and Primary, and Middle School students participate in organized outdoor education programs of excursions and camps, along with two or more annual international trips. High School students often participate in service-oriented trips to Central Asia, Africa, and Europe. As of 2009, the school had 359 enrolled students from 20 countries. It was 34 full-time faculty members and 6 part-time, originating from 13 countries. The faculty is highly experienced, and most have backgrounds in international education. Students benefit from English medium education with an additional emphasis on other languages to support bilingualism. The school is operated by its own independent Board of Governors.Representatives for the world's leading universities are visiting the high school yearly, and Skagerak offers university guidance for graduates. High School classes also attend international universities which have previously included University of British Columbia in Canada, Glyndŵr University in Wales, London School of Economics, and others. Despite being a private school, it is recognized by the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund, which funds 85 percent of the tuition fees. Sports offered at Skagerak are soccer, tennis, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, athletics, and indoor games. The campus facilities encompass two playing fields, two basketball courts, a tennis court, and a turf playing area. It has a cafeteria, an art room, and three science laboratories.The annual graduation for High School students takes place during a ceremony held at the Banquet Hall at Scandic Park Hotel. Diplomas and awards are awarded at the ceremony.As of 2011, there were 173 students enrolled at its high school, 102 at its middle school, and 95 at its elementary school. For high school students, 85 percent of the cost is covered by the state, and students paid an annual fee out-of-pocket of 20,790 NOK.

Southern Actor is a former whale catcher, currently a museum ship based in Sandefjord, Norway and owned by Sandefjord Museum. It is the only whale catcher from the Modern Whaling Epoch still to be in its original working order. Over 100,000 hours have been spent on restoring the vessel.Southern Actor was built in 1950 at Smiths Dock, Middlesbrough, England, for the whaling company Christian Salvesen Ltd in Leith, Scotland. Many of Salvesen's employees were Norwegian mostly from Vestfold. The ship was in Norway for maintenance in the summer. In 1995, Southern Actor was fully restored, as authentically as possible in relation to the way the boat was originally constructed. That same year she was declared worthy of preservation by Riksantikvaren, the Norwegian Directorate of Cultural Heritage. Southern Actor is in working order and can be chartered for excursions.

Sandefjord Spa (Norwegian: Sandefjord Kurbad, often shortened to Kurbadet), was a spa in Sandefjord, Norway, established by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow in 1837. The main building from 1899 is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway and in the Nordic countries overall. Kurbadet was one of Europe's most visited baths in the late 1800s. Royalty and Prime Ministers from throughout Europe visited the spa in the late 1800s. It was the first spa in Sandefjord and functioned as a medical institution focusing on the treatment of symptoms for rheumatic diseases. A majority of spa visitors were from Norway, but international guests from Germany, Britain and the United States also visited Kurbadet.The spa was open from 1837 until 1939, when it became a municipal property. The buildings are now housing a café, bar, gallery, and a host of local associations. The bath's original building from 1899 is made in style of a dragon and is located in the city centre. Tours of Kurbadet can be scheduled.Badeparken, or "the Bathing Park", is located nearby and was established by the spa in 1902.

Mefjorden or Mefjord is a small fjord in Sandefjord Municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. The 9-kilometre (5.6 mi) long fjord lies in-between two long, narrow peninsulas: Vesterøya and Østerøya. It is a narrow fjord with many minor islands and islets.

Whaler's Monument, also known as The Whaling Monument (Norwegian: Hvalfangstmonumentet), is a rotating bronze memorial statue situated by the harbor in Sandefjord, Norway. It is located at the end of Jernbanealleen, which is the main street in town.The monument was created by Norwegian sculptor Knut Steen for which he won a competition in which more than one hundred sculptors had competed. A commission was granted to Knut Steen in 1953. The work took seven years to complete. It was first unveiled in 1960 and has become one of his most widely recognized works of sculpture.It features an elegant, fishing boat raised by a whale fin. It depicts four stylized figures of whalers with oars in an open boat, with harpoons ready and water spraying. It is made in the style of a compass rose and rotates slowly. Central parts are made of bronze and weighs 26 tons. The dramatic effect is enhanced by the water columns in the fountain that are regulated at different heights. The pool has 128 underwater lights. Around the fountain are stylized reliefs in granite from modern whaling.The costs associated with the design and construction of the sculpture were donated to the city by shipowner and whaling magnate, Lars Christensen. Earlier Consul Christensen had also funded the costs associated with the construction and development of the Sandefjord Museum.

The Grans Brewery (Grans Bryggeri AS) is a brewery founded in 1899 in Sandefjord, Norway. The name was Sandefjord Bryggeri og Mineralvandfabrik A/S until 1965. After two generations of Guttorm Gran (senior and junior) in the management, Trygve Christophersen was employed as CEO in 2001.In 2019, the brewery sold 55 million liters of drinks, which was a four percent increase from 2018. 80 percent of their production consists of soda and mineral water, while beer and other alcoholic beverages make up 20 percent of the production. As of 2020, Grans is the fifth-largest brewery in Norway.It distributes most of its products domestically through the REMA 1000 chain stores.The brewery was not a member of Norwegian Brewers & Soft Drank Association ("Den norske bryggeriforening") from 1965 to 1996. It withdrew in 1966 in order to compete outside its designated sales area. The organization organized a nationwide boycott of Grans products following their decision to withdraw.

Scandic Park Hotel (formerly Rica Park Hotel) is a large hotel in Sandefjord, Norway. The Park Hotel was completed in 1960 and was the largest and most luxurious hotel in Vestfold County when established. Park Hotel was built on a site that previously belonged to Sandefjord Spa. It is located next to the harbor and near the city center. It caters for conferences, business functions, and courses. Most rooms overlook the Sandefjordsfjord. The hotel houses three restaurants: Parkstuen, Kosmos, and Vinstuen. It has spa facilities, gyms, solariums, saltwater swimming pools, saunas, conference halls, and a banquet hall.The hotel was designed by architect Arnstein Arneberg, and opened as “The Whaling House” (Hvalfangstens Hus) in 1959. It was frequently visited by the shipping magnate Anders Jahre.A whale jawbone arch from a Blue whale killed in 1956 has been placed outside the hotel.