In July of 2022, my husband and I went on a trip to Iceland with some friends. So I’m sharing our 6 day itinerary and some things I learned. Maybe this can help serve as a reference to start making your own plans if you want to visit Iceland.

Why Iceland?

We went to Iceland simply because we were invited by some friends. We joined two other couples and one of the partners, Heidi, is from Iceland.

Typically, when it comes to travel, I am the researcher and travel planner. But for this trip, I didn’t plan a thing. Heidi planned everything for us and showed us around. It was so nice to just show up and roll with it. Now I see why people ask me to plan trips for them!

But First…Passports

Before I get into this itinerary, I must share a true story about our passports. 14 days before our trip, my husband just happened to check his passport and said, “Kel, my passport is expired.” I tried not to panic, but I was on the inside. Even if we expedited a renewal, we were told it would take 2-6 weeks.

But we learned there is a way to renew your passport when you are within 14 days of travel. Visit travel.state.gov and click “Urgent Travel.” You can only make an appointment over the phone (1-877-487-2776) and you must report to a passport agency (click here to view locations). For us, the closest locations are DC and Philadelphia. But there weren’t any available appointments in these locations so my husband made an appointment for Seattle.

But on the next business day we called back and something thankfully opened up in DC. I would suggest continuing to call to see if something opens up that works for you. Obviously, the earlier you catch this the better.

At the appointment, you will need to show proof of travel, and my husband took a passport picture, his application, and his old passport. There was a $60 processing fee on top of the renewal fee.

So long story short, as simple as it sounds, check those passports and renew well in advance of your trip.

General Tips for Travel to Iceland

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Here are something I learned in general about visiting Iceland that might be helpful to know ahead of time.

  • Cost– Our flights were reasonable and fairly cheap. But everything else can be pricey, like the rental car, food, and gas. Lodging was comparable to the United States.
  • Payment– I didn’t convert dollars to Iceland currency to take with me. I used my VISA card nearly everywhere without any issues and frequently used Apple Pay as well.
  • Dress– Dress warm. We visited in July and were mostly in pants and coats. You might get some warm weather, but the weather can change very quickly. There is a saying that Iceland should be called “Windland.” So dress in layers and always be prepared for wind and rain. If you don’t have some gear you need, there are two stores sprinkled around nearly everywhere that sell anything you can need Icewear and 66°North.
  • Driving– We rented a car. In Iceland, the driver is located on the right side of the car and cars drive on the right side of the road, just as in America.
  • Parking– It’s helpful to have an app called EasyPark downloaded on your phone for a more streamlined payment for parking.
  • Adapters– Don’t forget to pack some European adapters for your electronics to plug in.
  • Bugs and Wildlife– Having lived in Alaska for a year, I was on the lookout for bears and moose. But they don’t have wildlife like this which is kind of a relief when hiking. We mostly saw sheep, horses, and a fox. But there is a bug that comes out in the summer, I think it’s called lúsmý. They can bite and some people can have a reaction, so Heidi suggested packing Benadryl in addition to bug spray.
  • Cell Service– We didn’t have cell service out about on the roads. So we typically downloaded maps while on wi-fi ahead of time.
  • Information– If you are researching and planning your own trip, there is a really helpful blogger who can help you plan your trip to Iceland. Instagram – @kyanasue (www.kyanasuepowers.com). Also I found Guide To Iceland to be another helpful website.
  • Daylight– If you visit in the summer like we did, just a reminder it’s daylight nearly 24 hours. You probably won’t get a view of the Northern Lights, but I did see them on the airplane over Canada. With the red-eye flight and the long days, in general, we found ourselves going to be late and sleeping in in the morning. So we rarely got an early start to any day.
Light at 12:15am

Packing and Gear

My husband and I shared a checked suitcase and then we both took carry-on backpacks. Overall, we dressed pretty casual. I personally didn’t feel the need to pack anything fancy. Most people are getting out and exploring nature. So I felt very comfortable wearing my hiking gear out to dinner for example. The gear I have linked may not be exactly what I packed, but something similar.

Dress warm and prepare for wind and rain.
  • Packing Cubes– Sharing a suitcase with my husband is much easier and more organized with packing cubes where we can keep our items separate.
  • Backpacks– I love my REI Ruckpack. This is versatile for our family because it serves as our family diaper bag. But then it was perfect for me as a carry-on. It has tech space so I took my laptop, cords, etc. And then it transitions into a great hiking day pack which I can also insert a hydration pack. My husband packed his Osprey day pack for hiking too.
  • Footwear– I traveled in a pair of tennis shoes and wore them on day trips too. I also packed a pair of flip-flops (mostly for soaking in the lagoons), and my hiking boots. I packed my “shandals” (as I call them), but, honestly I don’t think I really needed these. It was too chilly for them and I mostly wanted socks on my feet. Speaking of socks, I packed my beloved Smartwool and Darn Tough hiking socks.
  • Bathing Suit– Soaking is a way of life in Iceland whether it’s the popular lagoons, hot springs in the outdoors, hot tubs or hot pots at homes, or the many outdoor public pools. So pack a bathing suit and be sure to add soaking to your itinerary.
  • Pants– We love our PrAna men’s and women’s pants. These are great for outdoor activities and casual wear. Plus I find them to be fairly water and wind-resistant.
  • Rain Gear– I packed a raincoat. I wish I would have packed my rain pants for when we explored waterfalls. My hiking boots keep my feet dry so I didn’t feel the need to pack rain boots.
  • Jackets– I packed my Patagonia Puff for a winter coat. I have a Patagonia Nano Puff which I love because it self-stores for space-saving packing. But I wish I would have packed my North Face Softshell jacket because I love the way it breaks the wind.
  • Layers– I packed some leggings, basic tees, vests, a zip-up, and a hoodie. I probably should have packed some wool base layers, a beanie, and gloves. I packed shorts, but never ended up wearing them.
  • Other Essentials– Naturally all the other essentials like toiletries, underwear, pajamas, etc. Just thought I’d share I love my Exofficio underwear and my new pajama tops and bottoms.
  • Hair Care– I did not get very dolled up, but I did my hair a few times. I used to pack a hair dryer, curling iron, and straightener. But I cut down on space by packing a hair dryer brush and the L’ange Le Duo which serves as a curling iron and straightener in one.
  • Towels– I love these space-saving towels which came in handy when we hiked to hot springs.
  • Water Bottle– On this trip specifically, my girlfriend turned me on to my favorite water bottle. Iceland is known for its fresh clean water which most everyone fills up water bottles from the tap.

Exploring Iceland

There are many ways to explore Iceland. I would say our trip felt like a very nice sample of Iceland by renting two Airbnbs, one in Reykjavik and a cabin in the country, and renting a car. We had a nice mix of exploring Iceland’s largest city Reykjavik, getting out into the country and in nature, shopping, eating, and of course, enjoying the lagoons. But we met other people exploring Iceland in other ways:

  • RV Rentals– We saw lots of RV rentals on the road such as Indie Campers and Happy Campers.
  • The Loop– Many people spent about 9 days driving the entire loop around the island, sometimes referred to as the ring road. We met one man who highly endorsed his guided tour of the entire island with Iceland X.
  • Cruises– We met a couple who was going to cruise around the entire island and another couple who was going to cruise from Iceland to other European countries.

The Food

The food deserves its own section here because it was definitely a major highlight of the trip. Everything we ate was fresh, delicious, and often unique. I’m hungry just thinking about it.

Our first sample of food came from The Reykjavik Food Walk. I highly recommend booking this. Not only did we get to sample a lot of delicious food, but we enjoyed a really nice introduction to Reykjavik and Iceland overall. Shoutout to our amazing tour guide “Day!” But if you don’t want to do the tour, here is where we went and what we ate:

  • Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur: Address: Tryggvagata 1 – Icelandic hot dog with Icelandic ketchup, Icelandic mustard, remoulade sauce, deep-fried onion, and raw onion
  • Messinn: Address: Lækjargata 6 – Arctic char baked in honey, butter and lemon with cherry tomatoes and almonds, Plokkfiskur: boiled cod mashed with potatoes, onion, garlic, celery, lime, white wine, cream, and butter, Icelandic rye bread with butter
  • Íslenski Barinn: Address: Ingólfsstræti 1a – Traditional Icelandic meat soup, fermented shark, einstök White Ale
  • Café Loki: Address: Lokastígur 28 – Kleina Icelandic Pastry & Coffee Rye bread ice cream with whipped cream and caramelized rhubarb syrup
  • Sjávargrillið: Address: Skólavörðustígur 14 – Langostine tacos with date puree, pickled red onion, lime, and parmesan

Other food suggestions from our tour guide in Reykjavik include:

One of my favorite things about Iceland was the Food Halls such as Mathöll Höfða and Mathöll Suðurlands. With 8 or so restaurants in one, everyone could go get something different and we can all enjoy samples. Hipstur was frequently located in the food halls and we absolutely loved their food!

Also, we loved getting ice cream from time to time at Kjörís.

Ok, if you are still with me, let’s get into the specifics of our itinerary.

Day 1

We dropped our kids off with family in the Midwest and took a direct red-eye flight from Chicago to Reykjavik (Keflavik Intl Airport) with Iceland Air.

I was so thrilled to have a window seat facing north because I was blessed with a two-hour Northern Lights Show, well worth the stiff neck and lack of sleep.

If you are chasing the Northern Lights, chances are you won’t see them in the summer in Iceland because it’s too bright out. But if you go other times of the year, there are apps where you can track activity such as My Aurora Forecast and Aurora Alerts.

We picked up a rental car at the airport from Iceland Car Rental and then we drove to meet our friends at an Airbnb in Reykjavik where we had a lovely and enjoyable stay.

Although we were very tired, we were running on adrenaline and immediately departed for the city for The Rekyakvik Food Walk. The tour ended across the street from an iconic church Hallgrimskirkja so we decided to stop in. We paid a fee to explore the top and take in some amazing views. FYI if you are up there when the bells go off…it’s loud!

We strolled the adorable city and did some shopping.

In my opinion, I also felt Iceland was very clean and we saw so little trash. We really enjoyed a visit to a recycling center, Endurvinnslan flöskumóttaka where Heidi was credited money directly to her account for items we turned in. I would love to see more places like this back home.

At this point we felt like we were hitting a wall, so we headed back to the Airbnb for a nap. After our nap, although it was getting late, but it was still bright out so we went for an evening hike.

We hiked Mount Ulfarsfell, about a 2.5-mile loop where we hiked up to an overlook with an outstanding view of Reykjavik. The trail was lined with gorgeous Lupine flowers which bloom from late June into August.

Day 2

After sleeping in, we spent the morning catching up with our group and cleaning and packing up to check out of our Airbnb. Then we had lunch at a food hall, Mathöll Höfða.

After lunch, we spent a large part of our day relaxing and soaking at Blue Lagoon. Then we had a delicious dinner in the restaurant at the resort after our soak.

We booked and enjoyed the Premium Package which included 3 face masks, a drink in the lagoon, and a drink of sparkling wine at dinner in the restaurant. As far as visiting the lagoon, I simply packed flip-flops and a bathing suit. The resort provided towels, soaps, shampoo/conditioner, and hair dryers.

After Blue Lagoon, we headed to the grocery store and then checked in to our Airbnb cabin out in the country.

Day 3

One of the highlights of the trip for me was a hike to a hot river that we soaked in in Reykjadalur Valley. We parked in the parking lot near the cafe where we were able to use the restrooms. The hike was about 2.5 miles (one way) easy to moderate climb up to the river. The hike passed hot springs, mud pools, and offered beautiful views of a large valley, waterfalls, and lots of sheep.

At the top is a boardwalk along the river where you can soak. Different spots in the river are warmer than others so you can find a place that is to your liking. There are also a few changing areas. Our space-saving towels came in handy for this activity when it was time to get out and change to hike back down.

For dinner afterward, we went to a food hall again because we loved them. Mathöll Suðurlands wasn’t too far from the trailhead and was once again delicious. We grabbed ice cream at a nearby Kjörís and spent the rest of the day and evening relaxing at the cabin.

Day 4

We began the day with a very enjoyable visit to Friðheimar or what we called “The Tomato Farm.” This greenhouse/restaurant combination provides a charming environment to catch a glimpse of how vegetables can be grown in Iceland year round, even with long dark winters.

We enjoyed strolling around the greenhouse and sitting among the plants for lunch. I’m not even a huge fan of tomatoes and everything we had was delicious, tomato soup with homemade bread, tomato ice cream, green tomato and apple pie, tomato beer (choice of green tomato or red tomato), and naturally Bloody Marys.

This place was very busy in the summer, so I recommend making a reservation and next time I would be interested in a guided tour of the greenhouse which is available.

Next, we set out to hit a couple of stops on a popular tourist route in the country known as the Golden Circle, starting with Þingvellir National Park.

I’m not exactly sure what trail we took, but we completed an out and back hike, walking through tectonic plates to Öxarárfoss waterfall. We continued on the trail for a little while past the waterfall, taking in some of the signage describing the history, geology, etc.

After the National Park, we completed explored Geysir. There was a short hike to a large geyser which went off every 5 minutes or so.

At this point, we were hungry, so we grabbed a bite at Skjol Campground to recharge for a bit. Then we headed to our last stop, Gullfoss Falls. A short trail led to a close viewing opportunity, which if you go up close, you will get wet! But it’s worth the view. This waterfall is powerful and viewing it was an exhilarating experience.

I was glad this was our last stop of the day because we were wet and freezing. We headed directly back to the cabin to hit up the hot tub and warm showers.

Day 5

On our last exploring day, we were feeling tired, but we decided to give it our best effort for a longer day. We drove to Vik, exploring stops along the way. I’m so glad we did. The drive was beautiful.

First, we visited Reynisfjara which featured a black sand beach, rocky stacks, and a beautiful coastline. We were warned this area can be dangerous due to sudden shifts in the tide and rip currents. Fatalities have happened so it’s best to keep a safe distance from the waves.

Then, we drove the short distance to the picturesque town of Vik where we enjoyed a delicious lunch with beautiful views at Suður-Vík.

We also stopped near the church in town to take in more views. I wish we had more time here. I would have loved to explore some hiking trails in the area and we learned later we also should have also stopped at Skool Beans. But all of us wanted one final soak at Sky Lagoon, so we kept moving.

On the way back, we first stopped first to view a glacier Sólheimajökull. There’s about a half mile hike to a viewing point. You can also book a guided tour to trek out onto the glacier.

Then we stopped to view Skógafoss Falls. We completed a short hike to the base of the falls. You can also take a trail to a lookout view on top, but we kept moving along.

Seljalandsfoss was our next stop. We completed about a .6-mile loop hike around and behind the falls, which is a pretty iconic stop in Iceland.

Then, we drove all the way back to Reykjavík to visit Sky Lagoon.

I just went with the basic pass, but they do offer a 7 step cleansing experience.

Compared to Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon has clear water versus silty water with an infinity pool looking over a harbor. Many people asked which lagoon we liked better. And honestly, I don’t want to pick. They were both lovely and were just different experiences.

This was the perfect end to our trip and a perfect way to say goodbye to Iceland. On Day 6 we simply enjoyed breakfast at the cabin and headed to the airport to fly home.

We made sure to stock up on our favorite snacks and candies before we left. The airport has a large selection of items in the duty-free store.

So that was our itinerary for an unforgettable trip to Iceland. I’m thankful to Heidi for planning a fantastic trip for us. If we had more time, here’s a list of other things we might have explored:

I hope you found this information and itinerary helpful. If you did, please leave a comment or tag me on Instagram @adventureswkelly. I’d love to hear about and see your adventures in Iceland! Skál (cheers)!