Iceland might seem like it’s sitting all by its lonesome in the Atlantic Ocean---but the tectonic plates of Eurasian and North American come together here to form the North Atlantic Ridge. The plates are actually drifting apart (at an average rate of 2.5 cm per year) and the magma rises up, resulting in one of the most active volcanic regions in the world. As a bridge between continents, this island is a real grab-bag of wonderful natural sites to see, including volcanoes, geysers, geothermal pools, glaciers, rhyolite mountains, columnar basalt formations, lava fields, and lunar-like landscapes.
We were excited to take day trips from our home base in Reykjavik to explore as much as we could, in the limited daylight (4.5 hours per day!). To save money and explore on our own we opted for self-driving, in lieu of the bus tours that are so readily available. We rented an AWD Mazda5 and besides some really high winds that kept us grounded for a morning, we were able to easily handle the winter driving. See this Iceland planning blog for our itinerary.
Golden Circle
The Golden Circle tour is a classic day trip and is most readily accessible from Reykjavik. We opted to go counterclockwise on the loop tour with a first stop at the Kerið Crater. This unique blue pool of water was created from a volcanic eruption 6,500 years ago. We walked around the crater lake, admired the bright blue water and the red soil on the banks, held on to our hats as we got our first experience of the mean Icelandic winds.
Next up, was the highly recommended Friðheimar Greenhouse Restaurant. We’re lucky we got here early for lunch because we didn’t have a reservation (highly recommended) and the place was packed full when we left. This is one of the many geothermal powered greenhouses in Iceland and this particular one grows tomatoes. One part of the greenhouse has a bar and tables for the restaurant, so the setting was very unique. The limited menu is all about tomatoes, with the main thing being the fresh, warm tomato soup (which was delicious), with a fresh basil plant and scissors on each table to add basil to your soup. There was also a huge spread of freshly baked bread to enjoy with the soup.
The winds at the Gullfoss Waterfall were something fierce. The howling winds, along with the thunderous waterfall that drops into a narrow gorge were a fine display of the power of mother nature. We were happy viewing from a distance as it was drizzling rain already, so no need to get soaked up close. There is a nice gift shop by the parking lot, where we warmed up and bought some souvenirs.
We drove by the steaming Geyser Geothermal Field, as we have seen plenty of geysers in our travels, it was very crowded, and we knew we’d run out of light anyway.
Þingvellir National Park was our last stop on this tour and we ran out of daylight, so this stop was short. We did take a short hike to view the “great fissure”, where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are visible. In addition to this geological site, the park holds cultural significance. The “Assembly Plains” was the annual gathering spot for the chieftains from throughout Iceland, where they gathered to make important governing decisions.
South Coast
This day trip is a bit longer, with most of the key sites being 2.5 hours from Reykjavik and the route is out and back, rather than a loop. We left our Airbnb when it was quite dark, thinking we’d get a jump on the crowds, but alas, the crowds were at every sight on the South Coast in full force. Tour buses packed every parking lot. There’s really no way to avoid this with the limited daylight in the winter---but during the summer, you can visit these sites late at night (20 hours of daylight!) and have it more to yourself.
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall has a very impressive 210’ drop, with the advantage of being to walk behind the waterfall (if the path is open and thankfully, it was). You will get wet, but it’s very much worth experiencing the mossy backdrop and the views past the waterfall to the plains beyond.
Skógafoss Waterfall has steps to the top to be able to experience this waterfall from both the bottom and the top. This waterfall is on a river that is fed from Eyjafjallajökyll, a somewhat famous volcano that erupted in 2010 and disrupted travel around the world.
The next stop was the Sólheimajökull Glacier where we went on a short hike to the glacial lake where you can interact with the edge of the glacier. The atmosphere was eerily blue, as we got up close to the glacier. The glacier was surprisingly very black with dirt on some surfaces. There were options to “hike on the glacier” with special cleats, but for Minnesotans, it didn’t feel like this was worth the investment ($75/person for 2 hours) or the limited daylight time.
The Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach was our last stop. The sheer number of tour buses made us crabby and we didn’t even bother to try to get close to the basalt rock column formations that most Iceland visitors have their pictures taken on. We waited in an obscene line for some bad sandwiches and learned our lesson to pack lunch and food with us thereafter.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Our start to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula was delayed due to high winds. We left our Airbnb, noticed the crazy winds, stopped to fill on gas, and almost had the car door blow off so we headed back to our Airbnb to play cribbage and wait for the winds to calm. They eventually did, but it meant we got a late start on our trip.
We didn’t make it far enough to see any of the classic sites on this peninsula, but we did admire the rugged beauty of this area and quiet roads, which made us wish we had prioritized this day trip, in lieu of the more popular places. Our tip to visitors would be to avoid the crowds of the south coast and instead, head to the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.
Borganes is one of the larger towns in West Iceland. We stopped for views of the city and the Hafnarfjall Mountain. We had packed our lunch, so no need to stop for food, which was nice.
We drove back around the Hvalfjörður fjord (I realize that’s redundant because fjord is in the name….). This was a nice little drive through this area, which was home to one of the most important naval stations in the North Atlantic during WW2, which Iceland was occupied by the Allies after the Nazis conquered Denmark.
Rauðhólar Red Hills
This unique park is very close to Reykjavik and is known for its lunar landscapes. Except for some horseback riding tours, we had the place to ourselves to explore. The park contains remnants of a cluster of pseudocraters in the Elliðaárhraun lava fields. It’s not hard to understand why the US sent the Apollo astronauts to train in Iceland before they landed on the moon. Iceland is called the “most moon-like place on earth” and Rauðhólar Red Hills is one of those places where you feel like you’re on another planet.
Elliðaárdalur Valley
This park is a hidden gem right in Reykjavik. We explored the area along the Elliðaá River and enjoyed this tourist-less place without the kids, who needed a vacation from the vacation. It’s great to have older kids and let them have some control over the schedule and opt-out. We’ve found that when they do this, and we arrive back home, they are raring to go out and explore again.
Reykjanes Peninsula
Keflavik Airport is in the Reykjanes Peninsula, so this area is a great place to explore when you first arrive or are set to leave Iceland. The most famous Icelandic site is the Blue Lagoon, where folks go swimming, hang out, have a spa day, etc. We opted out. People either love it or think it’s a waste of money, and we figured we might fall into the latter group (cost would have been about $250 for our family). Instead, we explored the geothermal and other sites and had a fine old time. There are public swimming pools throughout Reykjavik frequented by locals at a far more affordable price than the Blue Lagoon.
Day Trips around Iceland from your own home
Feel like visiting Iceland from your couch? Check out some of these films from Iceland - available on Netflix or Amazon Prime right now!
Netflix
And Breathe Normally
Case
The Valhalla Murders
Amazon
Cruelty
Heartstone
Whale Valley
A White, White Day
Rift
örmagna
The Swan
The Oath