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Sandefjord () is a municipality in Vestfold county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Vestfold. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Sandefjord. Other population centres in Sandefjord include Andebu, Fevang, Fokserød, Fossnes, Freberg, Hafallen, Helgerød, Himberg, Høyjord, Kodal, Lahelle, Melsomvik, Råstad, Solløkka, Stokke, Storevar, Strand, and Unneberg.
The municipality is the 233rd largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Sandefjord is the most populous municipality in Vestfold and the 14th most populous municipality in Norway, with a population of 67,009 (2025). The municipality's population density is and its population has increased by 6.6% over the previous 10-year period.
Sandefjord is known for its rich Vikings history and the prosperous whaling industry, which made Sandefjord the richest city in Norway. (2025). 9780764524677, Wiley. ISBN 9780764524677 Today, it has built up the third-largest merchant fleet in Norway. Sandefjord Museum is the only museum in Europe dedicated to whaling, and is home to Gokstad Mound where the 9th-century Gokstad Ship was discovered.
Sandefjord has numerous nicknames, including the whaling "capital" of Norway or as the undisputed summer city of Norway. Sandefjord is also known as the "whaling capital of the world." (2025). 9781786717580, Insight Guides. ISBN 9781786717580 It has also been dubbed the "Bathing City" (Badebyen), due to its many beaches and former resort spas. It is still considered a resort town, due to high numbers of visitors during summer months.
Sandefjord has become a transportation hub, home of Torp Airport, one of Norway's largest airports. Daily ferry connections to Sweden are provided by Color Line from the city harbor. European Route E18, one of Norway's main north–south highways, traverses the municipality.
Sandefjord is a stronghold for the Conservative Party; the Conservative coalition received over 70 percent of votes cast in 2011. Current mayor is Bjørn Ole Gleditsch from the Conservative Party, who has been mayor since 2004.
During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1968 the municipality of Sandefjord (population: 6,242) was merged with the surrounding municipality of Sandar (population: 24,898), creating a much larger municipality of Sandefjord.
On 1 January 2017, the rural municipalities of Andebu and Stokke were merged into Sandefjord as part of a nationwide municipal reform. This merger was the first one to take place during the reform.
The original coat of arms was granted on 9 May 1914 and they were in use until 1 January 2017. The official blazon is "Or, a Viking ship sable with a sail paly gules and argent under a whale embowed". This means the arms have a field (background) has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The arms usually showed a mural crown over the shield. The charge is a Viking ship with a red and white striped sail with an arched whale over the top. The Viking ship symbolizes the famous Gokstad ship, which was found in Sandefjord in 1880, one of the best preserved Viking ships known. The whale symbolizes that in the late 19th and early 20th century, Sandefjord was a main home port for whale hunting operating in the southern oceans. The arms were designed by Andreas Bloch. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.
The current coat of arms was approved for use starting on 1 January 2017, after the merger of Andebu, Stokke, and Sandefjord. The official blazon is "Or, a whaler with raised harpoon on a boat issuant from the base sable" (). This means the arms have a field (background) has a tincture of Or which means it is commonly colored yellow, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The charge is a whaler with a harpoon standing on a boat that is coming out of the base of the shield. The arms show part of a local whale hunting monument to symbolize the historical importance of whaling. The arms were designed by Erik Raastad from Sandefjord who called the design "courage and strength". There were also minor modification done by the heraldic expert Jan Eide from Oslo. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.
The Vikings lived in Sandefjord and surrounding areas about 1,000 years ago, and numerous Viking artifacts and monuments can be found in Sandefjord. One of the most important remains from the Viking Age was found at the grave site Gokstadhaugen (Gokstad Mound) in Sandefjord. The Gokstad ship was excavated by Nicolay Nicolaysen and is now in the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo. The Viking, an exact replica of the Gokstad ship, crossed the Atlantic Ocean from Bergen to be exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. A replica of the Gokstad ship, called Gaia ship, currently has Sandefjord as home port. Other known replicas include the Munin, (a half scale replica) located in Vancouver, Canada.
The Gokstad Ship, Norway's largest preserved Viking ship, was discovered during an excavation at Gokstad Mound in 1880. The Vikings first settled here due to its speedy route from Sandefjord and along the coast. Viking settlements and grave sites have been discovered in Sandefjord.
Sandefjord functioned as a seaport defined by the twin industries of shipping and shipbuilding throughout the 1600s and 1700s. It was formally recognized as a market town (kjøpstad) by King Oscar in 1845. Its population at the time was 749 residents.
Around 50,000 people, mostly Norwegians, visited the bath from 1837 to 1939. A majority of spa visitors were from Norway, but international guests from Germany, Great Britain, and the United States also visited the spas of Sandefjord. Today the bath's building, Kurbadet, has been restored and hosts cultural events and various annual activities.
A new town fire on 27–28 March 1915 led to the death of two people and destroyed seven farms. Large parts of the street Storgata were also destroyed.
Starting in 1850, a number of ships from Sandefjord were whaling and seal hunting in the Arctic Ocean and along the coast of Finnmark. The first whaling expedition from Sandefjord to the Southern Ocean was sent in 1905. Towards the end of the 1920s, Sandefjord had a fleet of 15 and more than 90 whalers. In 1954, more than 2,800 men from the district were hired as crew on the whalers, but from the mid-1950s whaling was gradually reduced. The number of southbound expeditions rapidly decreased during the 1960s, and the 1967–1968 season became the last for Sandefjord. In 1971, Sandefjord's last whale processing vessel was sold to Japan. The shipping industry was gradually readjusted from whaling to other ship types during this period. The local Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted and Jotun Group Private Ltd. had major roles in this business.
Today, the memories of this important period of Sandefjord's history are kept alive at the Whaling Museum (Hvalfangstmuseet). This museum is the only museum in Europe specializing in whales and the history of whaling. The history of the whalers can also be explored at the Museum's Wharf with a visit aboard the whale-catcher Southern Actor. Whaling is considered to be the industry which made Sandefjord the richest city in Norway.
Sandefjord also has shipping traditions of tall sailing ships and steam ships. The full-rigged sailing ship Christian Radich, three-masted barquentine Endurance, whaler Jason and Viking ship replica Viking were some of the many ships built by Framnæs Mekaniske Værksted.
Hans Albert Grøn of Sandefjord established the first whaling station in the Faroe Islands in 1894, which was located at Langasandur on the island of Streymoy. (1982). 9780520039735, University of California Press. ISBN 9780520039735 As of 1903, half of all whaling companies in the Faroe Islands were operated out of Sandefjord. Furthermore, Sandefjord was the headquarters of the South African Whaling Company (SAWC), which was established in 1908 and managed by shipowner Johan Bryde of Sandefjord. (2025). 9781782385400, Berghahn Books. ISBN 9781782385400 Sandefjordian whaling firms were also established on the coast of Africa, in Portugal, Mexico, Western Australia, among other places.
In the 1910s, affluent resident August F. Christensen was given a grant to practice whaling outside Peru and Ecuador. He was also appointed Ecuador's consul to Norway. He achieved an agreement with Ecuadorian government officials which allowed Norwegians to inhabit the Galápagos Islands, and also receive of land, pay no taxes for ten years, and be allowed to keep their Norwegian citizenship. Christensen created huge local interest of Galápagos, and the local company La Colonia de Floreana A/S was established on 21 March 1925. Its main goal was to exploit the Norwegian fishing rights at the Galápagos Islands. A ship named Floreana departed from Sandefjord on 15 May 1925, equipped with enough men and goods to establish a colony.
On 16 November 1904, Carl Anton Larsen of Sandefjord established the whaling community of Grytviken, the largest settlement in South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. South Georgia Island lies a few thousand kilometers east of Cape Horn.
Nils Larsen (1900–1976) was a sea captain from Sandefjord, famous for his expeditions of Antarctica in the early 20th century. It was under his expeditions that Norway achieved annexation of Bouvet Island in 1927 and Peter I Island two years after. A cove on Antarctica's Peter I Island is named Sandefjord Cove in honor of Larsen's hometown. Sandefjord Ice Bay in continental Antarctica is also named after Sandefjord. Mount Nils Larsen in Queen Maud Land, Mount Nils in Enderby Land and Nils Larsen Glacier are examples of many geographical names given in honor of Nils Larsen.
German forces constructed two coastal forts in Sandefjord, located at the southern tips of two local peninsulas: Vesterøya and Østerøya. The largest German construction in Sandefjord took place at Folehavna, where a fortress was erected in the spring of 1941. Four cannons with a target range of were installed at the site, along with a tunnel. The four cannons were installed in concrete gun pits on the sloping rocks. German construction also took place by the lake Goksjø, and also at Jernbaneallén, where a former garage structure was turned into a prison camp.
Many local residents were killed during World War II, including a number of seamen. Håkon Andersen of Framnes was killed onboard Arcturus when the ship was attacked by British . Albert K. J. Skålsvik (1921–1944) of Krokemoa, a member of the Norwegian Homefleet ("Hjemmeflåten"), was 18 years when the war broke out. Skålsvik was killed, along with the captain, when the ship DS Kong Bjørn was attacked by allied warplanes by Ryvingen Lighthouse in 1944. He is now commemorated at the Minnehallen in the town of Stavern in neighborin Larvik Municipality. Skålsvik's younger brother, Bernard, was also a part of the Homefleet and was killed at age 17 in 1945.
Radios were illegal, and people of Sandefjord such as Henry Melby of Gokstad was arrested for having a radio in 1942. He was incarcerated at the tanker Inger Johanne, which was attacked by allied warplanes in 1944, killing 15 people, including Henry Melby.
In the fall of 1941, German occupation forces replaced Sandefjord's city manager Finn Sandberg with Nasjonal Samling-member Frithjof Holtedahl who was soon appointed mayor. The neighboring Sandar Municipality received its NS mayor in November 1941, Ole Kristian Holtan. Olaf Bøe from Nasjonal Samling was appointed editor for Sandefjords Blad by Anders Beggerud in 1944.
Following World War II, Norway became one of the founding members of NATO and several air bases were constructed in Norway using NATO funds. One of these was Sandefjord Airport Torp, which was to be used by the United States Air Force in case of war. Construction began in 1953 and was completed in July 1956.
A poll conducted by the Sandefjords Blad newspaper in January 2015 called 600 residents in Andebu, 750 in Stokke, and 1,000 in Sandefjord. All were given the question "Do you think Stokke, Andebu, and Sandefjord should establish one single municipality?". About 69% of Sandefjord residents answered "yes", while 64% (Andebu) and 61% (Stokke) answered "yes" in Stokke and Andebu.
Few Stokke residents read Sandefjords Blad, the main newspaper of Sandefjord, and relatively few residents commute to the city of Sandefjord for work. Despite this, Stokke residents voted to merge with Sandefjord due to two key features: its wealth and the nearby international airport. About 78 percent of Stokke residents ultimately voted to merge into Sandefjord during the September 2015 elections.
From 1875 to 1900, the disposable income of people from Sandefjord increased by over 200 percent. Total assets in local banks also increased, and in 1895–1900, total assets went from Norwegian krone 0.6 to 1.9 million in Aktiekreditbanken and from NOK 1.1 million to 1.3 million in Sandefjords Sparebank. Even after whaling lost its importance, Sandefjord remained Norway's richest city, and from 1913 to 1917, the median income increased by over 350 percent.
The coastal municipality includes about 124 islands. Small island bays give shelter for overnight campers, and many islets have relatively accessible beaches. Sandefjord is home to several peninsulas, including the Vesterøya, the Østerøya, the Engø, Marøy, and Årø. The island of Langøya (Langø) is the largest island at , while other islands include the Ravnø, the Skogøy/Storøya, the Natholmen, the Storholmen, the Ormestadholmen, the Grindholmen, and the Granholmen. Despite its location in between Flautangen and Lindholmen (both part of Færder Municipality) in the Tønsbergfjorden, the archipelago of Stauper belongs to Sandefjord. It consists of ten large islands and a number of smaller skerries and islets.
There were two natural lakes in Sandefjord prior to the 2017 merger: Goksjø, which is the third-largest in Vestfold County, and the smaller lake Napperødtjern. Napperødtjern lies a few hundred meters north of Goksjø and is a nature preserve surrounded by swamp forests and wetland. Artificial ponds include Bugårdsdammen, Brydedammen, Virikdammen, Kroksjø, Veradammen, Svarttjern, and others. Local wildlife such as moose, deer, and avifauna can often be observed near freshwater lakes and rivers.
Sandefjord has four fjords: Sandefjordsfjord, Lahellefjord, Mefjord, and Tønsbergfjord, which it shares with neighboring Tønsberg and Færder municipalities.
The highest point in the municipality is Brånafjell at , which lies northwest of the village of Høyjord. Hjertås at above sea level is the highest point within the city of Sandefjord. From the peak are surrounding views of the Oslofjord, Vealøs by Skien, Skrim and Torp Airport.
Like the rest of Norway, Sandefjord's climate is moderated by the Gulf Stream. Its location on the southeastern coast of Norway contribute to generally sunny conditions. For reference, the Melsom weather station is the sunniest in the country during the summer, measured by a combination of the parameters cloud cover, temperature and precipitation. Daytime temperatures in winter usually hovers around , but can briefly plunge to during cold snaps. Summers are dominated by southwesterlies, with July daytime highs ranging from and occasional hot spells bringing the temperature towards . The highest recorded temperature at Melsom is , set in July 2018.
The landscape become lush in early May, and summer nights are characterized by the sound of songbirds and a lingering dusk lasting for 5-8 hours, depending on the date. Nights from late May until the end of July never get darker than nautical twilight.
A small part of Sandefjord, the Himberg farm, is an exclave inside the borders of the neighboring Larvik Municipality. All efforts at annexing Himberg into surrounding Larvik have been met with massive protests from local residents. A 1995 annexation attempt was ultimately canceled due to large protests from Himberg residents. Himberg is a rural agricultural community consisting of no more than ten households. There are only four similar exclaves in Norway, and Himberg is the most populous exclave in the nation, with a population of around 40. It is .
Religious minorities with congregations in town include Pentecostals (Salem), Catholics (St. Johannes Døperen), Methodists (Metodistkirken), Seventh-day Adventists (Adventkirken), Baptists (Baptistkirken), Norwegian Lutheran Mission (Den lille gren), Jehovas Witnesses (Rikets Sal) and Muslims (Alkawther Islam Center and Sandefjord Islamic Center). Baptists first established a congregation in town in the 1880s and Methodists in the 1890s. Brunstad Christian Church (Smith's Friends) is an evangelical non-denominational church which was established in neighboring Horten Municipality in 1905. Brunstad Conference Center is the denomination's headquarters and is located in Stokke. It is the only worldwide denomination which was established in Norway.
The largest minority groups in 2017 (first- and second generation immigrants) are Lithuanians (1.95%), Polish (1.93%), Iraqis (1.24%), Vietnamese (0.80%), Germans (0.71%), Swedes (0.69%), Kosovans (0.67%), Bosnians (0.64%), and Danes (0.51%).
After the merger with Stokke and Andebu in 2017, Sandefjord has a population of over 63,000. This makes Sandefjord to the 11th most populous municipality in Norway. It is the most populous city in Vestfold County; One in four people from Vestfold county are from Sandefjord, or 25.2 percent of the county population.
The largest employer, besides the municipality itself, is Jotun, which was established in Sandefjord in 1926. Jotun is now one of the world's largest manufacturers of paints and coating products. As of February 2017, Jotun has a presence in over 100 countries and employed 9,500 employees worldwide. The Jotun Group operates four divisions, while its head office is located in Sandefjord. As of 2016, Jotun had 9,800 employees including one thousand employees within Norway. It operated 37 factories in 21 countries and is represented in 120 countries through distributors, offices, and agents. It is owned by the Gleditsch family and Orkla ASA.
While Jotun by far is the largest company in Vestfold county, the second-biggest company is Komplett. A web shop operating in all of Scandinavia, Komplett had a Norwegian krone 7.3 billion revenue in 2015 and had 800 employees.
Sandefjord had Norway's most expensive seaside vacation homes as of 2011, with an average price of Norwegian krone 7.2 million. General property values in Sandefjord appreciated 25.7 percent between 2010 and 2015.
The largest companies in Sandefjord based on operating income in 2015:
| 1 | Jotun | 16,844,327,000 |
| 2 | Komplett | 7,256,700,000 |
| 3 | Skjeggerød AS | 4,523,277,000 |
| 4 | ALSO AS | 2,457,643,000 |
| 5 | Carlsen Fritzøe AS | 1,543,189,000 |
Sandefjord is home to over two thousand vacation homes, most of which are built along the seaside. Sandefjord had Norway's most expensive vacation homes as of 2012; the mean vacation home price was Norwegian krone 7.1 million in 2012.
Sandefjord may be best known for its bathing and many beaches. The city of Sandefjord is in the southern part of the municipality and it lies on a low, slightly inclined Shore, protected on three sides by hills, and only open towards the south where the Sandefjordsfjord is located. It is known for its great bathing and pure sea water quality. It has a country-like appearance with clean streets and quaint roads. The area is dependent on the beaches during the summer season when many tourists arrive in Sandefjord. The bathing season in Sandefjord generally begins on the first of June and runs through the last day of August.
Visitors to Sandefjord Spa in the 19th century were the first tourists to the area, and this made Sandefjord into a popular holiday destination. Sandefjord's fame as a seaside mecca dates back to 1837, when first were discovered in town. Sandefjord has been nicknamed "Eastern Norway's vacation paradise." A majority of current tourists and vacation homeowners are from the capital of Oslo.
Sandefjord is home to four hotels: Scandic Park Hotel, Hotel Kong Carl, Torp Hotel, and Clarion Collection Hotel Atlantic.
| + Number of immigrants (1st and 2nd generation) in Sandefjord by country of origin in 2017 |
| 1,121 |
| 1,111 |
| 733 |
| 504 |
| 429 |
| 423 |
| 408 |
| 394 |
| 319 |
| 298 |
| 250 |
| 207 |
| 191 |
| 189 |
| 182 |
The 9th century Gokstad Ship was discovered in Sandefjord during an 1880 excavation led by Nicolay Nicolaysen. The ship itself, which is now at the Viking Ship Museum in Oslo, was built around year 910. It is the largest preserved Viking ship in Norway. A Viking chieftain was buried at the Gokstad Mound (Gokstadhaugen), along with the Gokstad Ship. Interpretive signs have been put up at the Gokstad Mound on Helgerødveien.
Sandefjord has four churches remaining from the Middle Ages: Høyjord Stave Church, Kodal Church, Skjee Church, and Andebu Church. While Andebu Church has Norway's oldest parish register (dated 1623), Høyjord Stave Church is the only stave church left in Vestfold county. Its chancel dates to the year 1100 and is the oldest part of the church. Burial mounds dating to the Viking Age can be seen around the church. Sandar Church by Sandefjord Station was constructed atop of the ruins of a medieval church dated to the 13th century. The present church, however, was erected in 1792.
Midtåsen Sculpture Park contains a collection of bronze and marble works by sculptor Knut Steen, which is housed in a pine forest pavilion overlooking Sandefjord and the Sandefjordsfjord. The former estate of shipping magnate Anders Jahre is located at Midtåsen, and is now owned by the municipality. Guided tours of the villa are available. The villa was designed by architect Arnstein Arneberg. It is located in a park.
Hjertnes Civic and Theater Center is home to three auditoriums and an outdoor amphitheater. A movie theater, City Hall and library are found at Hjertnes. Concerts, opera, and other cultural events also take place at Hjertnes Civic Center.
The fountain at Christopher Hvidts Plass, the Thaulow fountain, was donated to the city in 1875 by Heinrich Arnold Thaulow, the city's first physician and founder of Sandefjord Spa. It is the city's oldest sculpture and its first donation.
In 2017, the NGO Art for All in the World conducted a project where seven mural artists contributed. A mural by Eduardo Kobra, “Peace between nations”, can be seen behind Peter Grøns gate 2B. Street art by graffiti artist Victor Ash can be seen at Stockfeldsgate 6-8.
There are six protected buildings in Sandefjord as of 2008: City Museum (Bymuseet), Maritime Museum (Sjøfartsmuséet), and the three farms Elverhøy, Nordby, and Auve farms. The city's oldest house, which is located at Skippergaten 6 and was built in 1667, is also one of the city's protected structures. The City Museum and Maritime Museum, along with Sandefjord Museum, are the three museums found in Sandefjord. Sandefjord Museum is among the world's largest whaling museums. It was established in 1917 and was a gift to the city from Lars Christensen.
Sandefjord Airport is a budget airline hub for airlines such as Widerøe, Ryanair, and Wizz Air. Torp offers direct routes to over 30 international and domestic destinations, including daily flights to European cities such as London and Amsterdam. Sandefjord is served by frequent intercity trains to Oslo and onwards to Oslo Airport.
Daily ferries connect Sandefjord to Sweden. Color Line ferries MS Color Hybrid and Color Viking connect the town to Strömstad in Sweden. Fjord Line is another ferry service connecting Sandefjord and Sweden. The neighboring town of Larvik is home to daily ferry operations between Norway and Hirtshals, Denmark. Scandi Line was a former ferry service operating ferries between Sandefjord and Sweden. Sandefjord is also home to a domestic ferry route: MF Jutøya transports people and goods to the nearby island of Veierland from Engø peninsula several times per day. (2025). 9783770167326, DuMont Reiseverlag. ISBN 9783770167326 Sandefjord is also a cruise ship destination.
European route E18 traverses the municipality. It is one of Norway's most important main roads, and makes the drive to Oslo approximately 90 minutes.
Besides Sandefjord Station, additional railway stations include Sandefjord Airport Station and Stokke Station. Torp Express Bus Service operates buses from Sandefjord Airport to Oslo. There are free shuttle buses between Sandefjord Airport Station and Sandefjord Airport.
Sandefjord Golfbane is an 18-hole golf course located at Jåberg, about from the city center. It was designed by Peter Chamberlin. It was established in August 2009.
Sandefjord is noted for its strong performance in professional handball. Sandefjord is home to two top league handball teams: Sandefjord TIF and IL Runar. From 1991 to 2008 Sandefjord TIF won nine Men's Premier League and another local team, IL Runar, won four. Sandefjord TIF Handball won the Men's Premier League again in 2005–2006.
In professional ice skating, Sandefjord has been the location of Norwegian Allround Championships in 1928, 1958, and 1961.
The Gamle Stadion hosted motorcycle speedway around the pitch during the 1970s and held the final of the Norwegian Individual Speedway Championship in 1972.
Sandefjord High School (SVGS) and its two-story facilities are located at Krokemoa near the Bugårds Park. It is a public International Baccalaureate World School, but also offers general academics (the college preparatory studiespesialisering of the Norwegian school system), as well as elite sports, vocational education, and more.
Skagerak International School is a private, English-language, International Baccalaureate World School at Framnes. Its education is offered to both international and Norwegian students. Established as a High School in 1991, the school expanded to include a kindergarten as well as primary and middle schools in 2000. The basis of the education is formed by the International Baccalaureate Primary Years (PYP), Middle Years (MYP) and Diploma (DP) programs. Skagerak is located in a renovated shipyard on the waterfront at Framnes. Camps and excursions are offered for all primary and middle school students, as well as two or more annual trips abroad. High school students travel abroad for cultural and service-oriented trips, mostly to areas in Europe, Central Asia, and Africa. The High School is a member of UNESCO's SOUL project.
As of 2018, 250 students are enrolled at Pilot Flight Academy at Torp Airport.
Goksjø is a lake on the border between Sandefjord and Larvik municipalities. It is the third-largest lake in Vestfold county. Goksjø is popular for swimming, kayaking and fishing; some of the fish species found here are Northern pike, European perch, Ide, Common dace, European eel, Salmon and Brown trout. Freshwater fishing is also common by rivers such as Svartåa in Andebu and the Hagenes River in Kodal. Numedalslågen, which is considered one of Norway's best salmon fishing rivers, is located in neighboring town of Larvik.
Sandefjord is home to numerous campgrounds, all which are located along the seaside. Campgrounds include Asnes, Langeby, Vøra, Sjøbakken, Strand Leirsted, Solløkka, and islands such as Granholmen and Natholmen. Langeby is considered Sandefjord's best beach by Frommer's and Fodor's Travel Guides, and is home to Langeby Camping which offers boat and kayak rentals. Tent camping is permitted on numerous nearby islands, including the Hellesøya and the Buerøya. Langeby lies adjacent to Vøra, a neighboring beach and campground. Vøra tends to get crowded during warm summer days due to tourism. It attracts summer vacationers from throughout Norway during warm summer months.
The archipelago of Stauper in the Tønsbergfjorden, between the island of Tjøme and the Østerøya peninsula, is particularly popular during summer months. These islands are popular for swimming, kayaking, boating, and camping. It consists of four larger islands, four small islands, and a number of islets.
Tent camping is permitted in forests, a minimum of from the nearest settlement.
Additional beaches include Bogen (Nallberg), Brunstad, Kleivern, Korsvik, Kulerødvannet, Sandbånn and Rossnesodden (Melsomvik), Storevar, Stålerødvannet, Ertsvika, Strandvika, Albertstranda, Ormestadvika, Trollsvann, and Vårnes.
Several islands with beaches are only accessible by boat, including Gokstadholmen, Lindholmen, Gåsø, Furuholmen, Gåsøkalven, Ravnø, Buerøya and Hellesøya.
The lake Goksjø is home to beaches such as Gubbetangen and Sandtangen.
In the early 1940s, Sandefjord's mayor Frithjof Holtedahl acquired the beaches of Asnes on Vesterøya and Skjellvika on Østerøya. Mayor Holtedahl was also instrumental in acquiring the beach Vøra in 1943.
Sandefjord is home to 16 as of 2017: Nature Preserves in Vestfold County. Visited 9 December 2017.
Wolves are extremely rare in Sandefjord, although they have been observed on numerous occasions. A wolf shot in neighboring Lardal in 2013 was the first wolf killed in Vestfold County in over 100 years.
Common European Viper is the only venomous snake found in Norway. There are an additional two non-venomous snake species found in Vestfold County: European grass snake and European smooth snake. The Slowworm is considered a lizard.
Sandefjord is mentioned in a number of songs, including "Ola var fra Sandefjord" (by Einar Rose, later recorded by the Johnny Band and others), "" (Anita Hegerland), "En sang om en sjømann" (Lillebjørn Nilsen), "Oasen 2014" (Tix), "Medvind" (Erik og Kriss), "Vanvittig Utopi II" (Gatas Parlament), "Så Det På TV" (Postgirobygget), and "Helt om natten, helt om dagen" (Lars Vaular).
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