Going to Iceland?
If you are headed to Iceland there are so many ways to see the tiny nation. I don’t think any way is the best way. On my trip we saw backpackers, and couples, people who rented cars and did self driving tours. Find what works for you but with tourism pretty new to this island nation I thought I’d offer up my family’s perspective. We are two parents, three kids (kids ages 15, 12, and 10), we stayed for a week and we had a blast.
Bucket list trip
Before we get to specifics I want to say this was an amazing trip. It exceeded my expectations and that of my skeptical family. We are not the most outdoorsy group. We often choose cities over camping but on more than one occasion on this trip we said “I can’t believe I am seeing this..this is once in a lifetime”
Big Picture notes
Iceland is small. – There are only about 330 thousand citizens in the entire nation and most live in the Reykjavik
Every part of the year offers something different. April was great for us because flights are cheaper, and if you go at the beginning you still have a chance to see the Northern Lights before it gets too light and the ice caves before they melt.
Reykjavik is a great home base but be prepared for long treks (2-3 hours of driving, 10-11 hours total tour times) out to see the must see sites.
That’s why some choose to do the 3-7 day long tours. We liked spreading the tours out on our trip and having a home base. With kids it is hard to live life on the road but singles and couples might find that a great adventure!
Stopover or destination?
When we first started looking at deals on WOW airlines it was because we were thinking about going to Europe and then just stopping over. IcelandAir and WOW both give you the option of stopping for no extra fee. But you only get a few days. If you want to just to see a couple of sites that’s fine but you will likely want to come back. I’ve talked to more than a few people who stopped over and who felt like they didn’t see enough and who want to go back to see more. We on the other hand felt like we saw the bulk of what we wanted on our weeklong trip.
Getting there
First off there are a lot of great deals. We got our flight on WOW airlines from SFO for 299 roundtrip in April. Hands down that’s a fantastic deal and it’s an 8 hour non stop flight. You can take a red-eye and it’s a pretty easy experience. But there are some things to remember. It is a basics kind of airline which isn’t a surprise but there are some extra fees to keep in mind. When we booked in January of 2017 you could still carry on bags for free but that changed literally days later. Now you will pay to reserve your seat, you will pay for a carry-on and the fees are each way and you will pay even for water on the plane (and you’ll pay a lot -3 bucks for water). But again at 299 roundtrip if you pack light and pack snacks you should still be pretty happy with your fare.
Sim Card
As we travel more we are understanding the benefits of grabbing a local sim card. We haven’t had the best experience of getting good rates on our US carrier and we always wonder if we are going over our allotted minutes/data. So we now go and buy a sim card, use a paperclip or earring to pop out our US sim card from our phone and then put a local one in. That allows you to get a local number, call tour groups, restaurants, use apps and data without being tied to wi-fi.
In some airports you grab it from a vending machine. At the Reykjavik airport you literally have to go to the Dunkin Donuts in the airport and ask a cashier because they keep them behind the counter.
Airport Transportation
There are lots of ways to get to Reykjavik (45 minutes away) if that’s where you are staying. Flybus by Reykjavik https://www.re.is/flybuswas a pretty easy choice for us because it had hourly departures and big buses. We booked our trip before we left and once you get there its just a short walk out to where the buses pick up.
There are private cars you can hire, taxis were pretty expensive, we thought the bus was pretty easy (It’s 25 bucks to the bus terminal or 30 dollars directly to your hotel)
You have 2 options. Go straight to Reykjavik or make a stop at the Blue Lagoon. We chose option 2 and we are sure glad we did. If you do that you can book your transfer when you buy your ticket
http://www.bluelagoon.com/blue-lagoon-spa/prices-and-packages/experience-packages/
Blue Lagoon
Book well in advance or you might not see it and in my opinion you should see it.
Make it your first stop.
The advice we got was to go to the Blue Lagoon right from the airport and that was great advice. The Blue Lagoon is halfway between the airport and the capital and so it’s like a 20 minute drive there. You can book your IFLY bus ticket to drop you off and then pick you up so it’s pretty easy. Our flight got in 1:45 and with time for customs (which was very fast especially compared to the U.S.) we were in the waters of the Blue Lagoon. You’ll pay about 5 bucks a bag to check them in and keep your swimsuit handy because that’s all you need.
Why go? Some criticism I’ve read are over cost and commercialization. Yes it costs money to go ( Iceland is not cheap…more on that later) and yes they’ve got the experience down to a science. . . but it is breathtaking. It’s in the middle of nowhere, the water is hot tub warm and post flight it’s like an oasis in a jet lagged desert. Icelanders are all about their geothermal waters (Reykjavik is powered by geothermal energy) and this is a great introduction There is nothing like it, and between the walk up bar and the mud masks and algae masks it was one of the highlights of the trip…and the kids loved it.
Entrance fees and tips
As I stated early you can book online before you go and pre-booking is required. Big tours come there so you can miss out on your chance to experience it. Prices change by time of day and by how far in advance you set it. That’s why I would suggest going on your way to the airport
There are several different ways to book entrance. http://www.bluelagoon.com/blue-lagoon-spa/prices-and-packages/. The cheapest is around 54 bucks but it just basically gets you in. We went with comfort which basically gives you a towel and free mud mask and adults get a drink. The towel is actually important because it’s cold and you will need it after the shower as well. That runs you 74 dollars. The next level up is 95 dollars and you get a bathrobe and slippers which can be nice if you are hanging ou all day but if you are just going to be there for a few hours they will probably just hang on a hook and won’t be worth the 20 extra dollars. Parents with kids under 14…they are free but they don’t get towels so be prepared to share yours or you will need to rent them. Oh yeah the water is apparently not great for your hair so girls/ladies if you douse it with conditioner and put it up in a ponytail you will protect it. This is not a place you are going to want to put your head under the water anyway.
Reykjavik
Okay so a few thoughts on this city. It’s not very big and it is walkable.
There are several museums that take you through the Viking history of the Icelanders and the nature of the island. They are not very big and with kids it’s hard to know how much time or interest they will have.
The City Card
This is a good option. They sell these for 24 hour time increments, so you can get one that will last you 24, 48 or 72 hours. The 24 hour version costs 35 bucks for adults 14 dollars for kids. That’s what we bought because it got us into all the museums, the city’s geothermal pools, the local zoo and the buses. We didn’t use the buses. Everything was pretty walk-able but depending on who you are traveling with, it’s not a bad option to have. Truth be told we kind of ran out of time and weren’t the most efficient. It was a rest day for us and I couldn’t get the family out of bed to get going. We ended up going to the zoo and a geothermal pool. We probably broke even, but you could easily hit several museums and a geothermal pool and get a lot for that money.
http://www.visitreykjavik.is/city/reykjavik-city-card
Accommodations
Hotels
There are a lot of hotels in the area but even more being built. We didn’t stay at a hotel so we can’t comment on them personally but I think its fair to say that they are only going to get better. There was construction everywhere.
Opal apartments
We stayed at this small apartment building. It was perfect and everyone in the family gave it two thumbs up.
For us, with a family of five regular hotel rooms don’t work that well and we need more space. This place was great. Clean updated and easy check-in. No managers were on site but they are easily reachable by phone. Easy to get to and right at the top of Laugavegur which is the start of the walk down towards the main shops and downtown.
It is also really great to have a kitchen because food is expensive. We like to start breakfast at the apartment. It makes things less hectic and is a cost save
Quick note: if you are taking tours Opal is too small for some of them to have it on their pick up lists but its a quick walk (2 minutes) to the nearby big hotels and you can just grab your tour from there.
Food
Yikes it is expensive. Think 30 dollar hamburgers. There are grocery stores but they are not all created equally.
Bonus is probably the best one to go to with the best prices and best selection. We did keep getting there after it closed because we are used to 24 hour and late night supermarkets so keep an eye on opening times.
You will almost always find the 10-11 open for business. But that is the most expensive too.
Gas stations are surprisingly a good option for pre-made cost efficient food. We don’t eat at gas stations in the U.S. but after a couple of tours stopped there we realized the food at Iceland gas stations is actually pretty good.
Transportation
Walking – we found that lots of stuff was within walking distance. I will say we lucked out with great weather. I may have a different take on that if it was pouring rain, although I’m not sure if I would want to drive in that either.
Rental car
Obviously if you want to drive around the island you need one. But if you don’t, you don’t need one.
Notes on driving. Outside Reykjavik everything kind of looks the same in terms of terrain surrounding roads. Our guides told us that the biggest danger to drivers both local and tourists though is the wind. It can kick up to dangerous speeds and literally send dozens of cars off the roads. It is not uncommon for tours to be canceled because of the winds.
Geothermal pools
For those who want to really experience Reykjavik you have to go to the city pools. I’ve already talked about the Blue Lagoon but that is more of a luxury spot. Local head to the geothermal pools for everyday therapy, there are 170 throughout the city. Pictures are not allowed so it’s hard to get an inside look. Think regular looking pools with very warm water.
The water is magic.
Unlike our pools that are filled with chlorine that dry your skin out these are considered healing and do the opposite . With the cold temperatures they are warm and like magic and make it seemingly reasonable to be in an outdoor pool in 32 degree weather. We went to the Laugardaslaug 50m outdoor pool, outdoor children’s pool and paddling pool, two water slides, numerous hot tubs, steam bath, gym and mini golf course. Admission is included in the city card. But if you go bring a towel. Otherwise you will have to rent one.
Leave your modesty at the door.
Because these pools aren’t overloaded with chlorine, getting in clean is pretty important. You are required to shower in group showers without your swimsuit first. And then you can put your swimsuit on and get in the pool. After you are required to shower off and dry off completely before heading back into the locker room. You get used to it.
We visited one of the city’s biggest. Laugardaslaug. It has a couple big pools, several hot tubs and a water slide. And you can walk to a lot of other sites after you leave.
http://www.visitreykjavik.is/laugardalslaug
http://www.visitreykjavik.is/swimming-reykjavik-0
Tours
We took tours. Four of them. With 3 kids on an unknown island. The idea of driving around with just a gps and a guide didn’t sound appealing but that’s because we decide we’d fight less if we were in public!. Tours will cost you but they take the stress out of everything, they pick you up outside your hotel and they get you right to the big spots .
Some of them fill up especially the ones for small groups tours. Book them in advance and you’ll also be able to pay them off before you go which takes some expense stress off.
We took four tours with 3 different companies because we didn’t want to put all our eggs in one tour company basket.
We really enjoyed all of them although I will say Arctic Adventures had the most dynamic guides and really went the extra mile for us.
You have some choices when booking, large group, small group and private tours. We checked out the first two and it does make a difference.
Northern Lights (Arctic Adventures – https://adventures.is/ )
This is a bucket list item for a lot of people and it did not disappoint. An amazing breathtaking experience.
Best advice: book this early on your trip. If you don’t see them (which happens a lot) most tour companies give you a second chance for free.
We took a small group tour with this group which I think made all the difference as did our very knowledgable guide Clemby. You can go on big buses, and even boats but I would recommend the type we took if possible.
The Northern Lights are not easy to see or find. Everyone just kind of crosses their fingers and hope for clear skies and mother natures cooperation.
We got picked up from a hotel and then drove to a location on the edge of the city where we climbed into this big vehicle with huge tires. We were told that would allow us to go anywhere we wanted to even off-road! (you can’t do those in big tour buses obviously)
We should mention that there are all these predictors. The Aurora predictor tries to give you an idea of your likelihood of seeing them. On a scale of 0-9, 9 being the best, we had a one that night. Clemby doesn’t believe in the predictor.
That night there was also only one patch of clear sky. We headed that way for an almost 2 hour drive.
The entire time Clemby was giving us a science lesson, a camera lesson on how to get a shot of the lights and was on the 2 way radio with other guides in following vehicles. It felt like an episode of storm chasers
We ended up in a dirt field with open sky. At first there was nothing. Then there was what looked simply like a wisp of smoke. Then within 20 minutes the skies opened up and there are no words that can describe the show mother nature put on. The Northern Lights actually don’t look green like in the pictures you see, it’s more white and in our case pink but it is stunning.
I didn’t have a good enough camera to take pictures so Clemby took them with his great camera. He was patient and just as excited as we were and even though we got back at 2:30 in the morning the pictures were in Dropbox when we woke up and I will treasure them always! Thanks Clemby!
Oh and they had hot chocolate for the kiddos and shots for the adults…..sometimes it’s the little things!
Snæfellsnes Peninsula ( http://www.nicetravel.is/)
We left a day open in case there was something we should see but didn’t plan for. We stopped by the Visit Iceland office (inside city hall) and the woman who helped us said it is not to be missed. So we signed up. It was beautiful but a warning these are long days… you start early and get back at 5 or 6 at night and so you are pretty exhausted.
This Peninsula is stunning. It can be done in a big bus if necessary. We had a small group though (about 12 of us) and loved it. Got more personal attention and more interaction with our guide.
This tour is on the Western coast about 2 hours from Reykjavik
Our tour stopped at the coast and saw seals and spectacular coast line, we ate lunch at a lovely family owned restaurant by the water, took a trip to the black rock beach, saw a big impressive waterfall, and icelandic horses and then got a trip to a tucked away waterfall.
If you didn’t want to eat at the restaurant you didn’t have to. All tours we went on stopped at gas station deli’s before we took off so that is an option. But the local food, fish soup and lamb was pretty tasty.
Our guide on this tour Tomas was so nice. He took some extra time with the kids which was nice because we were the only ones with kids on this tour.
Glacier Hike https://adventures.is/
This was one of my highlights. It was also a small group which I would recommend for this type of trip. I wanted to hike a glacier and it’s great to get the kids doing instead of just seeing.
This trip was another early start. You needed to drive to the South Coast. which is another few hours but we took a nap so it was all good.
We first went to the glacier put on cramp-ons and got a talk on science and global warming which was great. The hike is pretty easy and interesting and the guide was fantastic. If you are going with kids, the don’t let you bring anyone under 10. It wasn’t a hard hike but you need weight to get the cramp-ons into the ice and you do need to follow the rules to stay safe. The guide kept my daughter near him and was great about keeping an eye on her.
A lot of the hike is in a single file line and that’s why the small group is good. In a large group you likely won’t be able to hear the guide which I think would be a bummer.
A highlight for us was an ice cave we visited. In April most of those tours are canceled because it’s getting too warm so that was a surprise and great one. The view was spectacular and the water dripping from the cave’s roof wasn’t half bad.
After the hike we got to visit two very spectacular waterfalls and explore on our own which was great. One also offered the chance to hike under it but if you do that use cramp-ons because it was icy. Our guide provided them for anyone who wanted them but also recommend skipping it because it is pretty treacherous. We did skip it because we had just hiked the glacier and opted to enjoy the sun. But It was one of those things that we said “they’d never allow us to do this in the states!”
There are a lot of other options and they all looked pretty great but here was the link to ours.
The Golden Circle and the Secret Lagoon
We think this could also be small group or big bus.
The Golden Circle is well documented and one of those things that you should see.
It stops at the geysers where extremely hot water shoots in the air as the ground bubbles around you. Lunch is available at a cafeteria style restaurant but for once it wasn’t that expensive.
Thingvellir National Park
This is spectacular. When we visited it was so windy and cold we thought we were going to get knocked over but since this is considered the only place in the world where the effects of two major tectonic plates drifting apart can easily be observed above sea level, you need to see it. It s stunning.
We ended at the secret lagoon and we are so glad we did. Tours offer all sorts of extra stops on the Golden Circle tour and on these long cold days there is nothing better than stopping by this little oasis. The geothermal water is such a big part of Iceland and for the kids it’s a great way to get a little energy back and relax in the biggest hot tubs we’ve ever been in.
Final thoughts.
One of the biggest questions we get from skeptics is if there is enough to do? ..especially with kids. The answer is yes.
In fact we could have used one more day maybe in between tours. Those are long and can be exhausting but great
The high level of tourism is fairly new. Be patient. Enjoy the adventure… we did.
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