Iceland

June 2020’s family trip to Iceland was, of course, canceled, but two beautiful things emerged from the cancellation. First, everyone was in lockdown when I canceled the trip, and through my various email cancellation exchanges I made a new friend in Iceland who showed me photos of his two beautiful babies, and gave me travel advice for Japan (where his wife grew up). Second, we eventually rebooked our trip for August 2022, when a new accommodation had opened that was our favorite place we stayed in Iceland. Sadly, we had just dropped our daughter off for her freshman year of college, so she could not join us. But my husband, 15-year-old son, and I had an amazing six days in Iceland.

Before we left for Iceland, I wasn’t sure how many waterfalls I could really see and not grow bored. After Iceland, I still don’t know the answer because I never grew tired of them. Iceland’s waterfalls are extremely diverse, and we loved them all. I had planned four excursions during our trip to make sure our teenager had enough activity. Even though we enjoyed most of our excursions, we didn’t need them to enjoy Iceland. Just being in Iceland feels magical. Iceland reminded me of New Zealand, except it took about 20% of the time and effort to reach it.

Most of my friends who have visited Iceland have based themselves in Reykjavik and taken day trips from there, which is a perfectly acceptable plan. Reykjavik is adorable, and if you are sticking to the Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle, the drives are not terribly long. I wanted to stay out in nature, and so we booked hotels and guesthouses, spending a night or two here and there. (For June 2020, I had booked some reasonably-priced airbnbs, but since three of us could fit in a hotel room, I booked mainly hotels this time around.) We enjoyed all of our accommodations, the majority of our meals, and all of the sites. Note that outside of Reykjavik, we did not see any town worth staying in - although we did not travel around the entire country.

Iceland is so beautiful that you can’t go wrong - whether you for 3 or 6 or 9 days - whether you base yourself in one spot and take day trips or scatter your accommodations around the country - whether you go in February or June or September - you will always have sites to see. I imagine that if it had rained or been dark the whole trip, I would have felt like I had missed out. We had lots of light and pretty good weather in late August. I do recommend renting a car and seeing the country at your own pace instead of joining a bus trip. The roads are easy to drive (in daylight) and you will have much more flexibility. Our flight from Boston cost less than $400 per person, but land costs in Iceland tend to be high. I think people of all ages would be happy to vacation in Iceland, as you can be as active or as relaxed as you want. In a nutshell, go!

Our itinerary:

Day 1 - day flight from Boston to Reykjavik (I avoid red eyes when I can, especially for such a brief flight). Overnight at 360 Hotel.

Day 2 - drive to Faxi Waterfall and walk around; lunch at the Fridheimar tomato farm (book ahead); snorkel between the tectonic plates of two continents at Thingvellir National Park with Dive.is. Overnight at 360 Hotel.

Day 3 - drive to Hotel Hrifunes and make stop at these waterfalls along the way: Seljalondsfoss, Gljufrabui, Skogafoss, and Kvernufoss. Lunch at Mia’s Country Van Fish & Chips. ATV ride to the black sand beach and airplane wreckage near Vik with Icelandic Mountain Guides. Dinner and overnight at Hrifunes.

Day 4 - drive to Skaftafell to climb on the glacier with Icelandic Mountain Guides, then drive to Fjadrargljufur to hike to the trail along the rim of the canyon. Drive to Torfhús Retreat for dinner and overnight.

Day 5 - drive to Gulfoss for a snowmobile excursion on the glacier with Mountaineers of Iceland, then see Geyser, Gullfoss Waterfall, and hit the hot springs at Laugarvatn Fontana. Dinner and overnight at Torfhús.

Day 6 - drive to Reykjavik for lunch, shopping and a stroll, then continue on to The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon for in-water massages, dinner and overnight.

Day 7 - fly home

How to Get Around Iceland and What to Pack:

Iceland’s international airport is easy to navigate. We rented a car from the airport, but you can also book transport or take a bus into Reykjavik if you prefer, taking organized trips from Reykjavik. Iceland’s roads are easy to drive and there is not even a bit of traffic. I could see navigating the streets in the dark being tricky because the country roads have no guardrails or lights, and there are gentle drop-offs on the shoulders.

PACK RAINPANTS. Of course you will pack a rain jacket, but having waterproof rainpants will really help you stay dry both in the rain and at the waterfalls. I also recommend waterproof hiking boots or trailrunners.

Where to Stay in Iceland:

We liked all of our accommodations in Iceland well enough, with our favorite being our turf house with private hot springs at the Torfus Retreat. If your budget is lower, search for an airbnb or vrbo. Both the 360 Hotel and Torfus Retreat were in the Golden Circle area. We stayed a night in Hrifunes Guesthouse to be closer to Skafatell for our glacier climb. Our last night was by the airport at The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon, another splurge.

• 360 Hotel - the room here was comfortable, the food was nothing special, and the hot springs were ok. The service was not the friendliest I’ve ever encountered, but it was fine. I had expected a bit more from this hotel based on the price and the reviews, but we were happy enough here and I wouldn’t go out of my way to stay here or to avoid it.

• Hotel Hrifunes - this hotel feels more like a guest house, with meals served around a communal table. We really enjoyed talking with the other guests, who were a French family. Our room was comfortable (we had a deluxe room) and the setting was pretty. The food was not great. We chose this hotel for its location, and it served its purpose.

• Torfhús Retreat - we loved this property, which consists of traditional turf-roof cabins, each with its own natural hot springs, and a main house that served delicious meals. Our cozy, well-designed cabin had a living/dining/kitchen area, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. We loved returning here after our outings to relax in the hot springs.

• The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon - treat yourself and book a room at The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon. This full-service hotel offers a private entrance to the Blue Lagoon, skipping the turnstiles. Our room was right on the sky-blue pools, and best of all, a mini-spa experience was included with our stay. We put on our robes, and entered the spa where we were treated to different body scrubs. We also booked 30-minute in-water massages, where we each floated on a pad in the thermal waters of the Blue Lagoon while a therapist massaged our shoulders. It was heaven.

Where to Eat in Iceland:

Don’t come to Iceland for the food. It’s not bad, but it’s not an attraction. We had good meals here:

• Fridheimer - book well in advance to secure a table for lunch inside the massive greenhouse and dine among the tomato vines. We had tomato soup and bread, along with some pasta. It was not outstanding, but it was fresh, decent, and a fun dining experience.

• Mia’s Country Van Fish & Chips - we really liked the fish and chips here, and it’s a perfect lunch spot just before or after seeing nearby Skogafoss Waterfall.

• Fish Company - we enjoyed our lunch here in Reykjavik.

• Torfhús Retreat - all of our meals here were very good.

• Stofan Café and Sandholt Bakery are good spots in Reykjavik for coffee and a pastry.

• My friend Sonia and her sister recommend Kol and Apotek in Reykjavik.

What to Do in Iceland:

I loved our balance of planned adventure excursions and independent exploring. I am not a group tour kind of traveler, and Iceland is an easy place to explore independently, especially in summer when the roads are clear and there is lots of daylight.

• ATV on Vik’s black sand beach and explore airplane wreckage - we booked this two-hour excursion with Icelandic Mountain Guides for my teenage son, but it ended up being my favorite excursion of our trip. Our group size was not too big, and it was really fun driving the ATV off-road, along a beautiful river, and out to Reynisfjara, Vik’s black sand beach, where we explored the carcass of a U.S. Navy airplane that still sits on the beach from its crash in 1973.

• Ride Icelandic ponies on the same black sand beach - we had booked this excursion for our 2020 trip for my daughter, who loves horses. Although we had to cancel our 2020 trip and we never took this excursion, here are the contact details for Vik Horse Adventure if you want to explore this option.

• Snorkel in the clearest water you’ve ever seen while touching two continents at once! In Thingvellir National Park the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are separated by a river narrow enough to stretch your arms across in spots. The water is just above freezing, and it takes longer to get in the dry suit than it does to snorkel down the river. It was not the most comfortable experience, and my claustrophobic husband barely tolerated the confining suit and hood we had to wear to protect ourselves from the frigid waters. The visibility is incredible. I am really glad we did this experience. It was the kind of thing I would have regretted not doing. But it is also the kind of thing I only need to do once! We booked our trip with dive.is.

• Climb the Skaftafell Glacier - while my husband and I have climbed glaciers in New Zealand and Alaska, the Skaftafell Glacier was my son’s first glacier climb. Icelandic Mountain Guides outfitted us with crampons and ice axes, and our guide was good. However, it wasn’t my favorite glacier experience - partly due to the time of year and partly due to climate change. The glacier is melting, and while it was cool to walk on the glacier and the scenery was pretty, I far preferred our New Zealand glacier climb in 2000, where we got to slide through a blue ice tunnel! In short, I’d skip this experience, or research whether it is worthwhile to do during the colder months.

• Snowmobile on Langjökul Glacier - this was my least-favorite experience for two reasons. First, the group size was massive - about 50 guests. And second, the snow on the glacier was mostly melted. We were driving through puddles, dirt, and slush. I do not think this excursion should run in August. If I were there in March, I think it would be fun, but I’d find a company that goes in a much smaller group. Frankly, I couldn’t wait until it was over. My husband and son had fun wrestling in the snow when we stopped for a break up high on the glacier, but that was about it.

• Hike out to and along the top of Fjadrargljufur Canyon - the scenery is stunning and we felt like we were in The Hobbit. Park your car and walk across the fields until you reach the 330-foot-deep, mile-long moss-covered canyon. There is a trail that runs along the canyon’s rim. It is breathtaking and completely worth the detour!

• Seljalondsfoss Waterfall - maybe our favorite waterfall, because there is a path you can take to walk behind the waterfall, which gives you such a cool perspective. You will get wet! Put your raingear on before leaving the parking lot.

• Gljufrabui Waterfall - when you are facing Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, walk to your left a few minutes to find this pretty 131-foot waterfall, which is partly hidden.

• Skogafoss Waterfall - stand near (but not too near) the bottom of this powerful 200-foot waterfall, then hike up the steps to the top of it. We continued hiking up along the river feeding the waterfall. The scenery is gorgeous.

• Gullfoss Waterfall - Gullfoss is probably Iceland’s most famous waterfall, and for good reason. Gullfoss falls in two tiers into the canyon below, and the sheer volume of water being moved is awe-inspiring. Don’t miss it!

• Faxi Waterfall - You likely won’t see this waterfall on a list of major sites on the Golden Circle, which makes the site even more remarkable given the size of this waterfall. We liked having it all to ourselves.

• Geysir - Strokkur geyser is active every five to ten minutes, so it’s easy to stop here and see some action in a short period of time. There are dormant, but bubbling geysers around the geothermal fields, and it is well worth a quick stop to see.

• Hot springs options:

  • Blue Lagoon - the most famous hot springs in Iceland have mixed reviews due to the crowds. But it is spectacularly beautiful, the ethereal blue water against the black lava rock, not to mention warm and relaxing. To enjoy the experience in a more peaceful way, we splurged for a night at The Retreat, a hotel right on the Blue Lagoon, offering a spa, restaurants, and private access to the Blue Lagoon. You can also pay for a day pass here.

  • Secret Lagoon - we did not make it here, but it is not far from the tomato farm.

  • Laugarvatn Fontana - we spent a couple of hours here late one afternoon after sightseeing, and loved it. It feels a little bit less natural than the Blue Lagoon, and, I’m guessing, the Secret Lagoon, but it was convenient and fun.

• Shop in Reykjavik - we loved all of the outdoor gear shops, like 66 North. It’s fun to walk the pedestrian streets in Reykjavik, poke around the shops, grab a hot drink and snack, and think about where on the globe you are!

We did not make it to these spots, but they were on my list:

• Nauthúsagil Gorge and Waterfall - if you have good boots, hike 10-15 minutes inside the gorge to this hidden waterfall.

• Kvernufoss Waterfall, just a six-minute drive from Skogafoss and a short walk from the Skogar Museum, this waterfall is reputed to be off-the-beaten track. You can also walk behind this waterfall, just like Seljalandsfoss.

• Skogar Museum to see and learn about the turf houses (since we stayed in one at Torfhús Retreat, we figured we were all set). There are also exhibits on folk culture and transport.

• Snaefellsness Peninsula for whale watching.

• Jakulsarlon to see a lake of icebergs carved from a glacier.