I am utterly in love with Iceland. I almost hesitate to write this because my words will hardly do it justice. But I will give it a try.

Most folks who have a few days in Iceland stick to the Western coast, which has the highest concentration of big sights and hotels. Should you have longer and want a truly epic adventure, take 11 - 15 days to travel around the entire country by car. I adored every major site, impromptu stop along the way and honestly, even every second in the car soaking in the breathtaking landscapes. Everywhere you look you can just feel the history, and not like you see it on a cobblestone road in Europe, but rather on a rawer level, you see so clearly how nature reins and just how scary and magnificent it is. Our trip was quite moving for me, all 1337 miles of it.

I am working on outlining our itinerary along with some tips. But in the meantime, let me share some highlights for a quick trip focusing on Reykjavik and the South Western coast.

Reykjavik + Southwest Itinerary

Day 1

Reykjavik
We flew out of JFK in New York on a Thursday evening at 8:55pm and landed in Iceland about 5.5 hours later at 6:55am GMT. Because I knew it would still feel like the middle of the night for us, we booked our hotel room in Reykjavik starting Thursday night so we knew we could check in as soon as we got in. Which is what we did. We freshened up a little and then in an attempt to adjust went straight back out to explore. We kept it low key and just walked around.
Hotel: Apotek Hotel (one night)

Day 2

Westman Islands - Ferry over, Puffin & Volcano Tour, Lunch
We booked a 9:30am ferry to the Westman Islands in order to make an 11am Puffin & Volcano Tour so we left Reykjavik early.
Also important to note is logistically, it would have been more straightforward to do our Day 3 itinerary on Day 2 and vice versa. It would have saved some driving. But there was a festival happening on the Westman Islands on our Day 3 so there were no tours available.
Lava Exhibition
Hotel: Aurora Lodge (2 nights)
Hotel options were limited by the time we booked, if we had the choice, we would have stayed at Hotel Ranga.

Day 3

Golden Circle: Geysir, Gullfoss Falls
Southwestern waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss Waterfall, Skogafoss Waterfall
Hotel: Aurora Lodge

Day 4

Reynisfjara Beach, random stops, glacier views, Diamond Beach, Glacier Lagoon
Hotel: Milk Factory in Hofn
Simple but very cute and comfortable. There were horses next door which we could see out our room window!
Hofn is a cute town for a leisurely stroll. A few restaurants and a grocery store to stock up on road trip provisions.

Day 5

Went on an amazing Glacier Tour (must do!), drove to our next hotel with random stops along the way
Hotel: Hotel Hallormsstadur (one night)

Day 6 - Day 13 Coming Soon

Turfed house, Hverir, Godafoss, Husavik, Akureyi, Koluglijufur, Horse Back Riding, Blue Lagoon

Reykjavik + Southwest - In Depth Details

Reykjavik

There is so much to share I had to break it up into another post, which you can find here: Iceland - Reykjavik.

Geysir

The Geysir hot spring area, part of the Golden Circle, is home to Strokkur which regularly spouts water 100 feet in the air. It is quite dramatic and it happens often enough that you can probably see it at least twice if you hang around for a little bit. As you walk over from the parking lot you’ll also walk by numerous streams so warm that they water is steaming off of them. It is all very beautiful and a fun introduction to the geothermal power of Iceland.

There is a parking lot, along with a very nice visitor center consisting of a small food market where you can get drinks, coffee, sandwiches and snacks, a larger shopping area plus restrooms. There are also a couple restaurants to choose from. It is actually well done. However, I’ll warn you that I think the prices are a bit higher for things here so it may not be the best spot to shop for keepsakes. Though there is a large Fjallraven shop there with a nice selection. I didn’t see one like it anywhere else. My husband got a pair of utility pants there which were a good addition to have on the trip.

From there you’ll want to go to Gullfoss due to their proximity.

Gullfoss

A large and impressive waterfall, along the Hvita (White) river, which is fed by Iceland’s second biggest glacier, Langjokull. We were there in July and it was quite chilly and there is a lot of spray from the waterfall, so be sure to have a jacket with a hood, preferably waterproof. There are 2 main view points, one at the top, which I recommend starting with. Then another one that is a bit of a walk down and over. That second walk is not hard but is more challenging. We saw an older couple that had a bit of a hard time managing it.

There is a parking lot and a building which contains a small shop, restrooms and a quick service restaurant. When we were there around 11:30 am and it was packed! Much more so than when we were at Geysir. So I recommend going early and perhaps no planning on eating there as the line were long so it might not be that enjoyable.

We ended up stopping at a random spot on our way from Gullfoss to our hotel, the Kanslarinn Restaurant. It was a good find! There was a large selection and everything we had was tasty. Nothing fancy but all tasty!

Lava Volcano and Earthquake Center

We didn’t have this on our planned itinerary but decided to pop in anyway and I’m so glad we did. It is a small museum so you really only need about 45 minutes total. For such a small time commitment, you really get a lot. There are a number of interactive exhibits and a movie full of fascinating facts about Iceland and its volcanic nature.

Westman Islands (Puffins and volcanos!)

If you have a day to spend seeing puffins, learning about volcanos and the amazing history of the Westman Islands please do include this on your trip. My entire family loved it. So much so that I wrote it up under “Experiences”, you can read more about it there.

Seljalandsfoss

One of my 2 favorite waterfalls in Iceland. Not only is it impressive and beautiful but you can walk behind it! Such a fun experience. It was enhanced by the fact that there is also a cute food truck like stand offering up sandwiches, donuts and tea/coffee/hot cocoa. A donut and hot cocoa were the perfect ending to our time there.

It was chilly there even in July, so as for anywhere, bring layers, including hats and gloves. There was a lot of spray so have a raincoat and wear hiking boots to keep your feet dry and give you grip as you traverse behind the falls.

Skogafoss

Another impressive and breathtaking waterfall. In addition to viewing it from its base, you can climb the long set of stairs to check out the view from the top. I will warn you though, it is a hike. I didn’t count the steps but have read different accounts that have it ranging from 372 to 527 steps to get all the way up to the observation area.

There is a parking lot and some restrooms but not much else here.

ICELANDIC GOODIES TO ENJOY THERE AND TO BRING HOME

Sirius Chocolate has been making candy in Iceland since 1933 and there is a reason it is still around. It is so good! We picked up a couple bars of their Caramel chocolate, which is a chocolate bar with little bits of caramel in it. I have to admit I am so sad we didn’t bring more back. It is some of the tastiest chocolate I have ever had. The texture and taste, even how it melts in your mouth, is just heavenly. Stock up :-)

Omnom chocolate is sold in many spots. It is a newer chocolate company, reminiscent of Mast Brothers chocolates in New York. I tried their Tanzania 70% chocolate bar and it did not disappoint. Great flavor and texture. The bar is imprinted with various shapes like the ones their logo is made out of, which means pieces break off in those same interesting shapes making it a little bit more fun and perfect to break up and add to a dessert plate for company.

Pylsusinnep (Icelandic Hot Dog Mustard) is seen everywhere and is unique. I can’t say I like it but it is special to Iceland. We brought a bottle back and my husband has been enjoying it.

Maxi Popp popcorn is surprisingly tasty! It makes a great car snack. Our daughter loved it. Available at grocery stores and the airport. We grabbed a bag at the airport for the flight home.

GENERAL TRAVEL NOTES

Everyone speaks English and is very approachable.

Almost everywhere takes credit cards. But I feel no matter where, it is always good to have a bit of local currency on you.

Driving:

Generally, it is easy to drive around Iceland. If you have good cell service and an international plan Google Maps works well. I have AT&T and had cell service 95% of the time, my husband has Verizon and his connection was a little more hit or miss.
I recommend bringing something to mount your phone (if you are using your phone for directions) in the car to make things easier for you.
Single lane bridges are all over the place. Slow down as you approach, if you do not see another car, then proceed across the bridge. If you see another car there before you, then wait to let them pass first.

More to come…