ICELAND TRAVEL GUIDE
Oh, Iceland how I love thee with all my heart with all my soul. I’m a huge advocate for visiting Iceland as it is such a gloriously unique country with offerings you can’t find anywhere else in the world. As soon as you touch down on this magical island your jaw drops until the day you leave. I first came here in 2018 with my then boyfriend (now husband) before we had children. I knew after I had kids, I absolutely wanted to experience this beautiful place with them and so I planned a 12 day excursion to the country of my dreams. Of course, it had to be family friendly because duh. So, I compiled all the family friendly hotels and locations to visit on the island and mapped out an entire comprehensive itinerary for us so we could both have time to enjoy as much as we could, and also have downtime for the kids. I find that giving kids downtime and not rushing your trip makes an overall better experience for everyone and causes WAY less meltdowns. With that said I understand for Americans a 12-day trip is a privilege so I will also share how to break down this itinerary into smaller bites for a shorter stay if needed. I know planning itineraries don’t come easy to all, so this is to help you not think at all to plan your trip and to literally just copy everything we did down to the T. I hope this encourages you to visit Iceland and makes the trip so much more seamless for you. As someone who did this exact itinerary with 2 kids under 5, I will say it worked out perfectly and we enjoyed every minute of it.
Best trip ever.
Notes: All the places I’m excluding have easy parking, and not very long walks. Some locations have the option to explore further and walk more but it did not change the experience for us by opting out the extra views. So don’t feel pressure to push your kids too far, especially the little ones.
Flights
The best airline with the most flights in and out of Iceland Is Icelandair. They also have the most competitive pricing and most direct flights. It’s pretty easy to fly to Iceland from most of Europe but the easiest place to fly out from the States is the East Coast as it’s only a 4-5 hour flight. I understand it’s far from a lot of other places, so if you are from the states I would say maybe break up the trip and visit the East Coast then head to Iceland or just thug it out with the kiddos. This is one place that I would say is worth the long flight.
Flights
The best airline with the most flights in and out of Iceland Is Icelandair. They also have the most competitive pricing and most direct flights. It’s pretty easy to fly to Iceland from most of Europe but the easiest place to fly out from the States is the East Coast as it’s only a 4-5 hour flight. I understand it’s far from a lot of other places, so if you are from the states I would say maybe break up the trip and visit the East Coast then head to Iceland or just thug it out with the kiddos. This is one place that I would say is worth the long flight.
What’s The Best Time of Year To Visit Iceland?
In my opinion. Winter is the best time to visit Iceland. It’s the best time to see the Northern Lights and this country is just SO beautiful in the winter. The downside to winter visiting is that the days are shorter and the weather a lot less predictable. After much research and from previous experience, we decided to visit Iceland in late February (the last two weeks). We had previously visited in December and we were basically chasing the sun because there was barely 5 hours of sunlight each day. If you’re visiting alone or as a couple you can make that work, but with kids that sounds extremely stressful so I opted to go later in the year. I dabbled with the idea of going in January but after some research I found that it’s the coldest month of the year as well as rainiest and windiest. By experience I know the winds in Iceland are no joke so I felt like January would not be a good time and also the days are still rather short. End of February is still winter but getting closer to Spring so the weather starts to taper a bit and the days grow longer. The first week we got there the sun rose at 9 and set at 6 which was ample time to visit around and by the second week the sun rose by 8 and set closer to 6:30-7. The weather although cold was manageable (it actually was colder in Boston than Iceland). There is a misconception that Iceland is colder than it is, but it’s actually not as cold as you may think. The only thing I would say is the winds are no joke. I have never experienced winds like this before and at times it can feel like they will knock you down (which is why I avoided Jan windiest season). So the wind chill makes it feel much colder than what it actually is. When I checked the weather closer to our trip it said it was going to rain every single day but in true Iceland form the weather is inconsistent and although the first few days it did rain and snowed later on the trip, we never had a day where it rained or snowed all day but rather just spurts of rain and snow at certain times. So I wouldn’t let a forecast of the rain kill your vibe and just prep for it because you most likely will get rained on and out of nowhere. All that to say if you want to experience the true magic of Iceland and see the northern lights, winter is best and I recommend end of February to get as much daylight a possible.
What to Pack/Wear
Listen, you know I like to be cute and I had to find the balance of cute and practical because I’m a mom now and need to also wrangle kids so even though I wanted to frolic in my epic snow outfits, I also wanted to be safe and warm so here are some MUST things you need to pack for you and the kids.
Kids
Snowsuit for children under 2 that are not potty-trained cause no one has time to take a whole snowsuit off to use the bathroom
I recommend a coat with a drawstring hood so the wind doesn’t keep blowing the hood off (don’t be like me lol) and also a snow hat for layers.
Skiwear (for older kids who are potty trained) aka Warm waterproof jacket and snow pants
I opted for two sets for each kid and just alternated between the two. And then some layers. Sweaters, long sleeve shirts, and fleeced lined leggings or sweatpants. When we ventured around the city part of Iceland, the fleece lined leggings were fine, but for all the adventures they wore their snow gear. I didn’t want them to be cold at all.
Waterproof snow boots (not water resistant, water proof lol) and boots with traction so they don’t slip.
Its especially important to bring waterproof gloves or mittens for the kids so their hands stay warm and they don’t get wet in the cold. My kids loved playing in the sand and touching the ice so this part was imperative for me.
For Adults
Skiwear is the best for Iceland because it’s warm lightweight and waterproof. I wore a ski jacket most days and it was perfect. And I was warm with layers underneath.
If anything, you need a warm waterproof jacket with a hood with drawstring so it stays on in the wind. Waterproof pants/windbreakers are a must. Like I said you can get caught in the rain easily and there’s nothing worse than being cold and wet.
Waterproof gloves
Waterproof hiking boots with traction
Fleece lined leggings for layering but they also worked for me in the city when we weren’t adventuring.
Warm layers
A nice warm winter hat
Warm Socks
I did also bring hand warmers and toe warmers but I didn’t even use them or need them really but if you run cold it’s a nice touch to add them
Car Rental
I don’t know how you can go to Iceland and not rent a car. That is a part of the whole experience so if you go, I highly recommend you do so or you will miss out on really cool locations or be forced into super long drives on tour buses every day as most tours only leave from Reykjavik, and all the beautiful locations are not very close to there. We used Lava Car Rental and I highly recommend them. Their pricing is competitive and the process is super streamline. Once we solidified our rental it was easy to add any extras online as we managed our reservation. We added two car seats and you can even check in online before you pick up the car so when you are at the desk it takes only a few minutes to get your car. They have a shuttle that picks up at the departure side of the airport (not arrivals) so be mindful of this and it’s quick 5 minute drive to their office where check in is a breeze and then you’re off. They even have after hour check in where they can pick you up from the airport and you can self check-in by using a lock box to grab the keys to your car. This is perfect if your flight comes in at an hour their offices are closed but they are open 7am to 10pm so most likely you will fall into this window of time. Be mindful that it’s a bit more expensive if you pick up the car off hours.
Some random tips:
If you don’t’ follow this itinerary exactly I would at least follow these rules when planning a trip with young children. Give them days of downtime. Iceland is a lot of adventures and long car rides so if you can throw in a couple low key days so the kids are not overstimulated for the entire time, it really will help with their temperament. Kids are not wired to go go go so give them time to just play in the hotel room or relax and even to nap if they are still nappers.
Don’t jam pack your days. Kids are also not wired to move at the pace of adults, so to avoid any rushing I would recommend only one activity a day. You can get away with more activities if they are close by and quick but if you have a long ride, I would keep it to just that activity to not overwhelm them.
Start the first half of your trip with the adventures and end with the more chill parts. I find we all have more energy and are more excited to explore when we first go somewhere. Towards the end of a trip, we are more tired and perhaps ready to go home. So, get the adventures out of the way first. There are lots of relaxing things to do in Iceland and we saved them for the second half of the trip.
Ok now let’s get into this trip…
Because there were limited flights that time of year, we had to take a red eye (or pay millions of dollars). I do not recommend a short red eye flight with children but if you have to you can make it work like we did. Because I knew that red eye was going to take us out, I kept our first day in Iceland very light. No activities. Just chill at the hotel and get settled and go to bed early to catch up on sleep.
Day 1
Lava Car Rental
Hotel Selfoss
Food Court (dinner)
We arrived at 6am, grabbed to go breakfast at the airport, got our car and headed over to Hotel Selfoss. Because our red eye flight was less than 5 hours, we didn’t feed the kids right away since they also ate on the plane and just waited to give them food once we were settled in the hotel. Hotel Selfoss is 1.5 hours from Reykjavik so it’s a little of a drive but the drives in Iceland are so scenic, it really passes the time. Here’s the only kicker though, because we arrived early, we had to pay for the night before so we could check in early morning the next day, otherwise we would have had to wait until 3pm to check in which would have been chaos considering we were all operating on barely 2 hours of sleep. This option was still cheaper then flying on a non-red eye because I mentioned this time of year has limited flights and it would have been much more expensive to fly at a different time. Check in was a breeze and we went right up to our room.
The lobby is decorated cute with a little restaurant in the back but what really sold me was the neighborhood. Selfoss is the cutest quaint little town. I was completely obsessed. I love the little shops and little marketplace and cafés on the river. It’s so cute. I can’t believe I didn’t explore Selfoss on my first trip to Iceland because it really is so cute. If you end up having a different flight and can do the two nights in Selfoss I would recommend taking a day to just enjoy the neighborhood and shops while the littles get acclimated to the new time zone.
There’s not much to the hotel. It’s a very no-frills hotel you are going to have a nice clean comfortable place to sleep. Our room overlooked the river, which was so so gorgeous. The restaurant is only open for breakfast from 7-10 and dinner for a few hours so in between you have to find something to eat, but there is a food court right across the street that is so cute and has lots of dining options and there’s a lot of things in the area so it’s very easy to venture out. I walk across the street to get some food and it was easy, quick and delicious. We ate in the room and called it an early night to start our next day fresh and rested.
Day 2
Hotel Selfoss (Checkout)
Kerid Crater
Geysir
Gulfoss Waterfall
Hotel Ranga (check in)
After we got some sleep, we were ready to start our next adventure. We packed up our things in the car and check out of the hotel after we enjoyed their complimentary breakfast. We chose Hotel Selfoss because, one, it was not expensive so I didn’t feel bad just using it as a resting place and two, it was close to the activities we wanted to go to first. Our first stop was Kerid Crate which is only 15 minutes from the hotel. We had visited here before and I remember being in awe when we saw it. In December it was snowy all around but this day we visiting in Feb it was frozen over. We did get caught in the rain and it started to kill my vibe but then I remembered…. when in Iceland. We all had waterproof clothes on so we just braved it in the rain and it was still enjoyable despite getting wet. There is a parking lot right at the crater and you do have to pay a small fee to enter (kids are free) once you pay it’s a very short walk to the crater. You do have the option to climb down steps to the bottom of the crater for a different view or hike a bit up for an even higher view but the view at the level of the parking lot is just as gorgeous and I wouldn’t force venturing too far with little feet following behind especially if the weather is not great. Obviously keep an eye on your children. I wouldn’t let them run or paly here as they could easily fall into the crater, there is no real barrier from the edge.
The contrast of the red rocks and blue water is absolutely beautiful and a must visit especially because you can get the entire experience in 15 minutes.
Next, we ventured to the Geysir Geothermal Area. The Geysir is about 36 minutes from Kerid Crater. This area is set up for tourist, so there is a large parking lot and a visitors’ center with food, pastries, bathrooms, and seating areas, as well as a gift shop. It’s a good stop along the way to find something to snack on and warm up a bit. You do have to pay for parking at the machines in the front of the visitor center entrance. We actually didn’t notice it until after we left and didn’t pay for parking. Some places are like this in Iceland but there isn’t anyone directly policing it so we actually didn’t pay for parking a lot of places without realizing it. One of the places did find us and charge us after are trips so it’s best to just pay for parking beforehand and ask someone where to pay if you don’t see a pay station. For these stations you will need to know your license plate number so have that on hand. If you rent from Lava Car Rental, they put it right on your keychain so it’s super convenient.
From the parking lot you have to walk a trail to the geysers. It’s a paved walking trail with no incline so it’s an easy walk. There is one large geyser surround by smaller ones. The larger one goes off about every 10 minutes so you will be able to see it erupt multiple times if you like. There are walking trails past it where you can see smaller geysers and enjoy the views. The fact that everything is paved and an easy walk makes it perfect for the kids and they loved watching the geyser erupt. When we were done walking around, we got a little treat at the Visitor’s Center and some food, used the bathrooms, and hung out for a bit before going to the next spot.
After we left the geysers, we took a right out of the parking lot and stumbled across Icelandic horses just a little way up the road on our left. Icelandic horses are so unique and have their own look to them, they are definitely worth visiting. At this particular stop the owner had “horse candy” you could purchase and feed the horses. My youngest absolutely loved this! So much so she kept asking to go back and feed them again and so we did another day. If the owner is not there (which he wasn’t the second time around), he leaves the “candy” in a little booth in the parking lot and you pay with a QR code. It’s on an honors system as there is no one watching it, but everyone seemed to be respectful and paid for it. The horses are very friendly although they didn’t entire love being pet but the trick, we learned to feed them was to put one horse candy on your palm at a time and feed them with a flat upward palm
Gulfoss Waterfall was our last stop of the day. About 20 minutes from the geysers. The first time we came here there wasn’t a full parking lot and just a sting barricading you from the edge and the winds were crazy we were scared we would get pushed over and I remember saying to myself how couldn’t anyone bring their kid here without being afraid they would get blown away. This time around the winds were still bad, but not as bad. They have completely developed the area with a full parking lot and paved walkway to the waterfall and proper barricading from falling in. There is a visitors center with bathrooms and food as well as a gift shop. From the parking lot, it’s a paved walk to the waterfall. This waterfall is POWERFUL hence why the wins around it are so strong. It really is amazing to feel the power of nature. You will get mist on you from the waterfall (another reason for waterproof clothing). You can also walk down steps to a lower view point but I didn’t find it necessary with the kids. If you have older kids this may be fun for them to do, but seeing the waterfall from up top was marvelous.
After the waterfall, we drove to Hotel Ranga which was about a 1.5-hour drive. We checked into the hotel around 6pm and they were all booked up for dinner reservations until 8. They were nice enough to let us eat earlier in the lounge area upstairs because they saw we had little ones, but normally they do not serve the full menu up there so I would recommend making a dinner reservation your first night there if you want to eat early and plan on arriving in the evening like we did.
The location is perfect as it’s almost equidistance from Selfoss and Vik which are both locations with lots of attractions. This was our second time staying at this hotel and it did not disappoint once again. Our oldest kept saying it was her favorite hotel. From it’s cozy cabin feel, delicious food, great hospitality, and idyllic location it’s definitely a must stay if you’re visiting Iceland. It’s more of a luxury hotel for Iceland so the price reflects this, but you also get so much comfort and great customer service unlike the less luxurious hotels. They have hot tubs throughout the property, a game room, lounge area for drinks and a beautiful river that runs behind the property. It’s on an expansive beautiful lot with a beautiful view.
They offer complimentary breakfast every morning with an array of options, even vegan ones! And their lunch and dinner are great as well. For dinner I could tell the chef really put thought into the dishes and parings. He/she paired so many unique flavors together that complimented each other so well. The dessert was the same and also delicious. Dinner at Hotel Ranga also offers you the opportunity to try some authentic Icelandic dishes such as horse or reindeer but we opted for the fresh fish. The Cod and Salmon dishes were great. The dinner there is a bit pricy though so if you want to venture somewhere else to eat there are plenty of options along the road the hotel is on especially if you drive to the right out of the hotel towards Vik.
My favorite part about the hotel is that they have an Aurora wake-up call button on the phone in your room that will call you and wake you up if the northern lights come out. It’s amazing because you don’t have to guess and wake yourself up to see if the northern lights are out. You just press the button and it puts you on a list for a call. And guess what? Our first night there, we got the call at 2am! We walked out to see the most gorgeous Northern lights. I was so so happy I got to see them because they are hit or miss depending on the weather and last time we went to Iceland, we didn’t see them our whole visit. Also, because the property is away from the city and ambient light you really get to see all the stars and experience the full breath of the auroras. This made my whole night, and I wasn’t even mad they woke me up at 2am to see them haha.
Day 3
Relax and enjoy the hotel
We still really needed to catch up on sleep and rest so we took the next day to just enjoy the hotel and sleep in. We actually didn’t wake up until noon! It was totally worth it though. The girls needed the sleep. Luckily lunch was available at the hotel once got up so we had an early lunch while we enjoyed the view. Most people are out adventuring during lunch time in Iceland so we had the whole place to ourselves. They even had vegan options for lunch which was nice.
After lunch we took some time to walk around the property. It really is gorgeous. The girls loved throwing rocks in the river that flowed behind the hotel. (as always watch your kids as there are no barriers to the river)
We got back in the room and decided to hop in the hot tub. There are a few hot tubs spread out throughout the hotel but our room had one right outside our patio so it felt more private and make it super easy to just hop in and out with the kids. I think the girls’ favorite part was all the hot tubs in Iceland. It’s a big part of their culture and I love that tradition they have. There is something so enjoyable about relaxing in a hot tub while its cold outside. We stayed out there for a bit enjoying the view and each other’s company and went in the room to relax a bit before dinner.
We had a nice dinner and let the girls play in the game room for a bit. There is not much for little kids to do in the game room but kids will have fun doing anything. We took one of the Icelandic board games (we couldn’t read anything) and made up our own rules. They loved it!
Day 4
Black Sand Beach (Reynisfjara)
Dyrhólaey Lighthouse
Skogafoss Waterfall
Slijalandsfoss Waterfall
Day 4 was another adventure day. We woke up at 8am. Got our complimentary breakfast and headed out by 9am. Out first stop was the black sand beach in Vik which is about a little over an hour away from the hotel. When you arrive, there is parking and you pay at the pay station. They have a little café on site with bathrooms. The parking lot is right behind the beach so it’s a very short walk to get to it. We happened to come on high tide this day so we weren’t able to go to the rocks which really is the epic part of the beach. We had been before so I wasn’t as upset about it but just know everything is unpredictable in Iceland so don’t be discouraged if something doesn’t work out. Nevertheless, we were still able to catch the views and walk along the beach. The waves here are something to see. I’ve never seen waves so big and so strong. There is a rule here that you never turn you back to the beach because they have what they call “sneaker waves” that crash on the beach and can suck you in and then another wave comes in quickly before you have time to get your bearings so it’s very dangerous. I recommend for you and the kids to keep a safe distance from the shore. The rich blackness of the sand is also stunning. And regardless of high tide and getting rained on again, we enjoyed our time and we let the girls play in the sand (hence the waterproof gloves). Because we equipped the girls with the right clothing, it allowed them to play on location without us worrying about them getting cold so everyone got to enjoy their time.
When we left the beach, we ventured to the Dyrhólaey Lighthouse on the cliff which overlooks the black sand beach. The drive is about 14 minutes because you have to go around and then up the mountain. The view is spectacular and I loved getting this different point of view of the beach. The nice part about rain though was all the rainbows it created. We saw so many rainbows that day even double rainbows! It really made everything so much more beautiful. We took some time to venture around the light house. There are walking trails all around the cliff but we chose not to venture too far with the littles.
On your way to the Vik from Hotel Ranga you will find Skogafoss Waterfall and Slijalandsfoss Waterfall, the signs on the road are clear as day so you can’t miss them. We wanted to get to Vik early so we decided to visit the waterfalls on the way back. We were bit tired afterwards though and decided to only stop at Skogafoss Waterfall. There are two lots for this waterfall the first one is further away, if you want a shorter walk keep driving towards the back and you’ll see signs for the closer parking. The closer parking is free and parks right up to the waterfall. There’s a little creek that runs into the waterfall that the girls played in a bit. It’s a beautiful site to see and also a quick visit. You can walk all the way up to the top of the waterfall via steps but we decided not to with the littles (everything takes 10 years with those little feet lol)
Slijalandsfoss Waterfall is next when driving back and also has parking so if you have energy to visit I would. But remember not to force experiences with the kids. Waterfalls are beautiful but you don’t have to see ALL of them at the expense of tired hangry cranky kids.
We arrived back to the hotel late afternoon and relaxed a bit until dinner and call it an early night for our longest drive yet…
Day 5
Diamond Beach
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Þjóðvegur Rest Stop
On Day 5 We decided to go to Diamon Beach and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. They are right across from one another so you can easily see both in one trip. We were debating staying closer to these locations because they are a bit far out but we decided to do the trip from Hotel Ranga because it was better than dragging our butts to yet another hotel. From Hotel Ranga the trip was 3.5 hours one way. It is a long trip but it’s so worth it. The nice part about Iceland is it’s made for driving, so the drives never feel as long because the drive is so scenic, you’re not sitting in traffic, and there are plenty of rest stops along the way to stop, stretch your legs and take in the magnificent views. We made sure to pack some snacks along the way and drawing pads and tablets for the kids to keep them entertained. They basically slept the whole time on the way there though. The nice part about the sun not rising super early in February is that you don’t need to leave the house very early if you want to get an early start. Since the sun didn’t rise until about 9:30 am we left at 8:00 am arriving at Diamond Beach around 11:30 am. Once you arrive, you will see there is a parking lot right by the beach so parking is a breeze. From there you can just walk right up on the beach. It was so beautiful seeing all the pieces of glacier on the shore. We came on a Saturday so it was busier than I would like so if you can avoid coming here on a weekend that prob would be best. Even with the people though, it was easy to find little pockets for yourself. If you have older kids or traveling without kids, you can just walk further down the beach and it becomes clearer with less people.
Across the street from Diamond Beach is glacier lagoon. You can literally just walk under the overpass from the Diamond Beach parking lot to get to Glacier lagoon. If you want to park at Glacier lagoon, you can just drive your car over and park closer. At Glacier Lagoon you will find restrooms as well as food and little shops. To be honest I wasn’t even going to stop here but because I knew it was close to Diamond Beach and ended up being right across the street we decided to just go and boy am I glad we did! It is absolutely stunning! I was more taken aback by Glacier lagoon then Diamond Beach honestly. It looked like a literal painting. There are times when you can see large glaciers floating by and even though we only saw some pieces it did not change the experience for me. The nice part is despite barely being able to find parking, it was not crowded and for a moment we got to take in the lagoon with just us. I will never not be in awe of how beautiful Iceland is. Truly so magical.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Þjóðvegur Rest Stop. This rest stop also has a view point up some stairs but it was a bit crowded when we got there. (seriously avoid Saturday for this part of the trip if you can) This stop was beautiful to take in all the lava formations that spanned for miles. There is no restroom here so it really is just for viewing and resting your legs. There are plenty of signs for restrooms along the drive though which is very convenient. You never have to worry about finding a bathroom during the drive.
We ended day 5 with dinner at Hotel Ranga and a good night’s sleep.
Day 6:
Hotel Ranga (check out)
Secret Lagoon
Hild Fisherman’s Village
I saved most of our adventures for the first leg of the trip because I feel like that’s always when everyone is most excited and ready to see the sites and the stamina is up. I’m fully aware the longer you’re somewhere you start to tire out and I planned out the trip to account for this. The next leg of the trip is less sightseeing and more chill vibes. After we checked out of the hotel, we made our way to Secret Lagoon which was about an hour or so drive. There is always a debate on whether to visit Secret Lagoon or Blue Lagoon and would say you have to do Blue Lagoon but Secret Lagoon is honestly my favorite, its more chill vibes but you don’t get the blue water like Blue Lagoon. So, opt for both if you can haha. Secret Lagoon is tucked into a little neighborhood and even though the name may make it seem like it’s this hidden place it’s an established location with full amenities including a men’s and women’s locker room, small café and gift shop. I recommend booking your spot beforehand on their website to make sure it’s not booked up before you arrive. When you walk in, you watch a welcome video and then head to the lockers. There is no family locker so be mindful of this with your kids. I had to tackle both girls on my own since Danny couldn’t come into the locker room. I loved that they have floaties for kids which is actually a requirement, so we didn’t have to pack these for our trip. The lagoon is large and there’s not much to it but it so peaceful and nice to be in the warm water. I love the juxtaposition of the cold outside and warm water. The girls loved it so much we stayed 3 hours and they still didn’t want to leave. After we were done, we showered and dried up and put our clothes back on (they have bags for wet items), then we headed to grab some food. I also wanted to note that many lagoons are not kid friendly, meaning they have age limits, but Secret Lagoon and Blue Lagoon allow children of all ages.
There is a small café at Secret Lagoon serving drinks and sandwiches but it’s all cold meals and we wanted something heartier. We ended up stopping at the Geysir Geothermal area to grab some fish and chips but there are plenty of restaurants along the way including some right across the street from Secret Lagoon. Stopping at the Geysir area worked out for us because Lexi, our youngest, had been asking to feed the horses again so since it was right in that area we went to feed them again. Perks of a longer trip is there is no rush so you can sneak in these little moments.
We drove about an hour and forty-five minutes to our next hotel, Hild Fisherman Village, which is on a peninsula 15-20 minutes from Reykjavik. This is a much more affordable option then staying in Reykjavik if you don’t mind driving in, it’s a win. We loved this little gem of a place. It was super cozy, our room had its own sauna, and we even had a hot tub out back. Not all rooms have a private sauna like ours so I would book room 18 if you want your own sauna. The hotel also offers a rooftop hot tub and sauna for all guest. I would say this place is a mix between an airbnb and a hotel.
Day 7
Breakfast (Viking Hotel)
Relax at Hotel
Mossley
There are no amenities outside of the hot tub and sauna and there is not a restaurant on site or kitchenette to cook your own food. So the only downside was you had to venture out for food. If this is a dealbreaker for you then I would opt to stay in Reykjavik because even if your hotel doesn’t have a restaurant, there will definitely be something within walking distance. We didn’t mind venturing out for food and the hotel has a sister property, Viking Hotel which was a 10-minute drive away, where you can have their free breakfast in the mornings. It's not an extensive breakfast but they offered juices, coffees, waffles, cereals, breads and a deli section with fruit and pastries.
One night we had dinner at a place Mossley nearby and loved it. It’s a more casual local spot and it was nice to be more immersed in an Icelandic neighborhood and visit a place locals go. This however was one of the few restaurants in the 10-minute radius that we could find that the food looked good. Everywhere else was 20 minutes into the city which has basically any food you would want to eat, so keep that in mind. I would say for the price of this place though, and for what you get, it’s worth saving the money and driving into the city.
Both nights we stayed at Hild Fisherman’s village we enjoyed the hot tub and sauna. It was such a nice touch and a great place to relax after all our adventures.
Some local things you can do from this hotel is:
Day 8
Panorama Glass Lodge (west location)
After we checked out of Hild Fisherman’s Village, it was time to stay at a bucket list place, Panorama Glass Lodge. This place is an absolute splurge but totally worth it. I had the best experience of my life here and will never ever forget it. There are a few lodges on the property but they are spread out enough that you feel like you’re in your own private space and you don’t even notice your neighbors. There was one neighbor to our right (an actual house where someone lived, not a lodge) but we didn’t see anyone during our stay. It is a glass lodge so you do have to be ok with being seen a little lol. The lodges do encourage guest to not walk out in front of other lodges and they do a good job to maintain privacy as best they can with fences on either side of you. The lodges also have blinds if you want more privacy but to me this would defeat the purpose, I wanted the full experience of the glass house but this option is nice to have. Each lodge is slightly different but I loved the Frigg Lodge we stayed in because it had its own private hot tub, outdoor seating, and its own private sauna. Some of the lodges have to share saunas so it was nice to have our own. The sauna is also mostly glass so you can enjoy the view while you sweat. I really loved the outdoor daybed as well and it was fun to cozy up with the girls on it and take in this most magical place. The kitchen is stocked with just about everything you need from coffee, tea, pots and pans, seasoning, a fridge, toaster, cooking utensils, bowls cups, cutting boards, you name it. Also, I need to mention the floors are heated in the entire lodge! To the right of the kitchen is a full bathroom with a shower that has a waterfall spout and also a handheld spout (ideal for kids). It as handicap equipped with a fold down seat from the wall. I really loved all their design choices and functionalities. The coolest part about the bathroom was that there was a changing table that pulled down from the wall and inside it had shelves with diapers, cream, books, and a rattle. It was such a thoughtful touch for families traveling with small children. They also provided us with plenty of towels, robes and slippers. When you walk back out, to the left of the entrance is the second bedroom ideally for children. It has a double bed on the bottom bunk bed style with twin bed on top. This room had a large window out to the view but I loved that it had a covered roof so the kids could really sleep at night and not be distracted. The ceiling was adorned with tiny lights that emulated the stars which was a cute touch. Also, in the kids’ room were draws full of toys and books and board games. When my girls saw them, they literally jumped for joy. When I tell you they thought of everything, I mean EVERYTHING. We didn’t have to entertain the kids at all, they were LIVING. And there was nothing we lacked. The property is located about an hour north of Reykjavík in a more remote area so there is not much around besides nature and a few houses spread out every few miles. Because of this I would recommend either picking up food beforehand to warm up in the microwave or on the stove (there is no oven) or buying groceries to cook while you are there. We opted for the latter and I’m so glad we did. We headed to Kronan, a popular Icelandic grocery chain, and bought all the necessities for a veggie pasta dinner. It was nice to have a home cooked meal and it was so easy to cook in the kitchen considering it was fully stocked with everything we needed. We also bought food for breakfast including fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola and pastries. It would be easy to cook a full breakfast there but we opted for something simple since we only stayed one night. Eating dinner while looking out into the view was so lovely. It’s also a much cheaper option to buy groceries as Iceland is very expensive especially the restaurants. We ended our evening watching the sunset while we played board games in bed. By only staying one night, we were taking a gamble in seeing them in this location but by divine intervention it happened and they came out FULL FORCE. The most beautiful part of this moment is that they first came out earlier than normal, around 9pm, so the girls were able to see them right before they drifted off to sleep. Funny thing about my girls is that with all the beautiful places we had visited so far, they were not very fascinated. But when they saw the Northern lights, they freaked out in excitement. It was so cute to see. After that, some clouds rolled in and I thought my luck had run out but then they came back out around 11pm and then full force around 1:30am. Based on my experience, the best time to see the brightest most colorful northern lights is around 1-2am. This does vary so don’t quote me, but every day we were there they seemed to be the strongest around this time. I watched them for an hour dance across the sky in my cozy bed just feeling the entire presence of the universe around me. It was the most magical transcending experience I have ever been a part of. I didn’t even care if I didn’t get that much sleep that night. I drifted off to the northern lights and slept like a baby under the stars.
Day 9:
Panorama Glas Lodge (check out)
Reckjavik
Main Street (Laugavegur)
Hallgrimskirja Church
Funky Bhangra
After our epic stay, we checked out and headed to Reykjavik. Reykjavik, although a very lovely town, does not have much to it so I don’t recommend a ton of time here. We did some sight- seeing heading to Laugavegur, Iceland’s main and oldest street and then we visiting an iconic landmark, the Hallgrimskirja Church which really is a site to see in person. The architecture is marvelous. There are SO many amazing restaurants in Reykjavik so you really can’t go wrong. We stumbled upon a food court that had the most delicious restaurant, Funky Bhangra, which was Indian food with vegan options. We loved this place so much we came back twice.
After our adventures, we headed to Viking Village to end our trip. Of all the places we stayed, this would be the only one I wouldn’t recommend. It was nothing special but if you’re on a budget it is a great spot as it’s extremely affordable and clean but we were underwhelmed with it. We stayed in a cabin that was kind of cold and small and didn’t feel as cozy as we would like. For this this last leg of the trip I highly recommend you stay in Reykjavik so you can just walk around enjoy the sites and eat lots of yummy food.
Some hotels I recommend are:
Day 10:
Blue Lagoon
You can’t come to Iceland without visiting Blue Lagoon. This is one of the wonders of the world and yes, the water is really that blue piped in from volcanic waters deep underground. It also has healing powers as most seawater does. Blue Lagoon is a great option as well if you’re traveling with children under 12 as they not only allow children but a child’s ticket is absolutely free. If you go to both lagoons, you will quickly see that Blue Lagoon is a lot fancier than Secret Lagoon. It is a major tourist attraction so it definitely caters to it with multiple places to lounge, a large café and restaurant, and gift shops. Parking is easy and you walk along a path surrounded by water that leads right inside. We had the premium package which is the highest package you can get with children and it comes with towels, robes, 4 free face masks, and a free drink for each adult. I will note that the regular tickets come with towels and 1 free face mask so it’s not huge difference if you want to save money but having a robe was a nice touch, not gonna lie. When we visited here previously without kids, we did the SPA package (kids are not able to do this) and I highly recommend this if you are traveling without kids or older kids 12+. The spa has its own area of the lagoon that is just for spa patrons and you can get separate treatments and also your own locker area as a family or couple. You even have your own private section of the lagoon. It’s a much better experience in my opinion.
Either way, we enjoyed ourselves. The require floaties for all children and they provide them for free. The blue lagoon is VERY big with different areas. The water is not that deep though so you can walk throughout. They have an area where you can put on volcanic face mask. The only thing I didn’t like about this is you have to wash it off with fresh water which they provide but it’s SO COLD and a stark contrast to the warm water, it’s shocking on the face. They also have a bar area where you can get drinks including alcoholic drinks. They had a fresh green drink that was delicious. The have a full-service restaurant on site as well as a café with quick grabs. It’s somewhere you really can spend the whole day. The girls loved it and we equally enjoyed it our second time around.
After the lagoon we headed back to Reykjavik for our last night and enjoyed some yummy food. You can east at the restaurant on site (make sure to make a reservation) but the food is very pricey and wasn’t our favorite last time we ate here, so we opted to grab food in the city instead.
Day 11
Viking Hotel (check out)
Return Car
Flight
We had breakfast at the hotel and did a late check out. Retuning our car to lava car rental was a breeze, we just dropped it off and hopped on their free shuttle back to the airport. And just like that our trip was done.
I will say this was one of the most epic trips of my life. Everything I wanted to experience, I did and I am so grateful I was able to do this with my family. I hope this itinerary brings you the same joy it brought me and my family. If you have any questions about anywhere, we stayed or things we did please email me at hello@thebrownfamilytravel. Have a wonderful magical stay in Iceland.
Day 1
Lava Car Rental
Hotel Selfoss
Food Court (dinner)
Day 2
Hotel Selfoss (Checkout)
Kerid Crater
Geysir
Gulfoss Waterfall
Hotel Ranga (check in)
Day 3
Relax and enjoy the hotel
Day 4
Black Sand Beach (Reynisfjara)
Dyrhólaey Lighthouse
Skogafoss Waterfall
Slijalandsfoss Waterfall
Day 5
Diamond Beach
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Þjóðvegur Rest Stop
Day 6:
Hotel Ranga (check out)
Secret Lagoon
Hild Fisherman’s Village
Day 7
Breakfast (Viking Hotel)
Relax at Hotel
Mossley
Day 8
Panorama Glass Lodge (west location)
Day 9:
Panorama Glas Lodge (check out)
Reckjavik
Main Street (Laugavegur)
Hallgrimskirja Church
Funky Bhangra
Day 10:
Blue Lagoon
Reckjavik
Day 11
Viking Hotel (check out)
Return Car
Flight