6 Days in Iceland with Kids: A Family Adventure

October 2-9, 2022

After the COVID lockdown lifted, we decided it was time for a real adventure. With Play Airlines now flying out of our regional airport, Iceland felt like the perfect destination for our family of four (kids aged 10 and 8). Since Jennifer didn’t feel like planning another elaborate trip and I admittedly don’t reach her level of trip-planning excellence, we discovered Hey Iceland—a company that plans your entire itinerary based on what you want to see and your timeframe. They book accommodations, provide a rental car, and give you a tablet with built-in navigation and activities. It’s like having a personal tour guide without the awkwardness of small talk.

The Comedy of Errors Begins: Airport Adventures

We landed at Keflavik International Airport at 4 AM—early, which should have been great. What wasn’t great was discovering that absolutely everything was closed, including our car rental desk, which didn’t open until 6 AM. Two hours in an empty airport with jet-lagged kids is basically purgatory with fluorescent lighting.

Eventually, a small convenience shop opened, and we could finally get coffee and snacks. Of course, we arrived right as they opened, missing out on the fresh morning pastries that “wouldn’t be ready until after 6.” The kids were thrilled.

When 6 AM finally rolled around, we queued up at the Hey Iceland booth only to find… it was still closed. A quick call to their emergency number revealed the attendant was running late. Pro tip: when you know a family’s flight arrival time, maybe mention potential delays beforehand?

The Great Manual Transmission Adventure

Our rental car became the trip’s running joke—a manual transmission small SUV with hand-crank windows and no backup camera. The kids immediately dubbed it “Mom’s bargain mobile,” convinced Jennifer had chosen the cheapest option available (she hadn’t, but the teasing was relentless). The slightly bald tires added an element of adventure we didn’t exactly ask for, but it turned out to be the same model most tourists were driving.

After Jennifer mastered the tablet navigation system and I reacquainted myself with clutch control, we headed out around 6:30 AM. The sun wouldn’t rise until 8 AM, so our first stop at the Bridge Between Continents was pitch black. We attempted a parking lot nap, but that was about as successful as you’d expect with excited kids. We tried to nap in the parking lot for a bit but that really didn’t work so we decided to brush our teeth since for some reason we didn’t do this in the over two hours at the airport. Maybe it was the delirium? We explored the bridge, all the locks on the bridge and the continental plates.

Day 1: Lava Flows and First Impressions

Our first real adventure took us to Brimketill, a small, naturally carved pool created by marine erosion at the lava shore edge west of Grindavík. We also stopped at the nearby thermal area on our way to the volcano that had erupted a few months before and still had fresh lava flows. It looks like this volcano (Kistufell?) is still erupting! This was really amazing to see and the kids enjoyed it even though they were sleep deprived and it was a good long uphill walk to get on the lava. Walking on still-warm lava that had been flowing just months earlier was surreal.

We stayed at Vatnsholt Farm Hotel about 10 minutes outside of Selfoss—comfortable and welcoming after our airport ordeal. Selfoss itself had a nice bakery and some other little places to eat. We had burgers at a burger shack that hit the spot.

Day 2: The Golden Circle

We started with Thingvellir National Park, the park at the continental divide. This was a beautiful walk between the tectonic plates on a wooded walkway, and there was Icelandic history here where the early settlers would come together for government meetings. At the entry there was a little snack shop where you could get food.

From the park we drove to Haukadalur Geothermal Field and Geysir, which everyone really loved. Geysir was a huge hit with the kids—they loved being scared by the sudden eruptions. Be patient with the geyser as it changes in intensity, and we had almost walked away before it erupted and startled everyone.

We then headed to the amazing Gullfoss waterfall—maybe it’s Iceland’s Niagara Falls? Be sure to walk down as it’s a two-tiered waterfall. There’s also a spectacular high-volume waterfall nearby that’s worth the stop.

We headed back to Vatnsholt Farm Hotel for dinner and some rest after our Golden Circle adventure.

Day 3: Waterfalls, Black Sand Beaches, and Dramatic Cliffs

The next day we headed out to Seljalandsfoss, and it didn’t disappoint. This is the famous waterfall you can walk behind, and while the path was muddy and the mist soaking, the kids thought it was magical. Just pack waterproof everything.

The next stop was the Skogar outdoor museum which had grass-roofed traditional homes. I was fascinated by one of the electrical panels in one of the homes. This museum was on the way to Skógafoss—a massive 60-meter waterfall that had the kids (and adults) staring in awe. There’s a staircase with about 100 steps to get to the top viewpoint, and it’s worth every breathless step for the vista.

We also went to the Secret Lagoon from one of our hotels, and it was quite an experience as different spots were hotter the closer to the thermal source you got. The water had a bunch of particles floating in it which I didn’t realize until after I put my head under. This was really nice with the chilly weather, but our kids were traumatized as they were supposed to shower naked in a common shower room and just did it with their bathing suits on, same thing when they got out. I think I would have preferred the Blue Lagoon even though it’s more touristy just because of the color of the water, but we didn’t make a reservation early enough and by the time we tried it was booked—and our kids breathed a sigh of relief.

The driving route took us along Iceland’s stunning south coast, and even jet-lagged and bleary-eyed, we were blown away by the landscape. It’s like Kauai, but more dramatic and stark.

Continuing our journey, we reached Dyrhólaey formations and views, which were amazing and extremely windy. The safety barriers are minimal (as our notes mention, “they believe in Darwinism”), so keep a tight grip on adventurous kids. We had a close call when our less-attentive child nearly got too close to the edge and was almost blown over by the wind.

Reynisfjara Beach near Vik was absolutely stunning with its basalt column formations, lava caves, black sand beaches, and large stone formations in the ocean. The kids and adults were fascinated by the geometric lava formations, but parents beware—this beach has dangerous sneaker waves.

Pro tip: There are two parking areas for this beach. Check out both sides and visit during low tide if possible.

We stayed at Sólheimahjáleiga Guesthouse for the night.

Day 4: Ice Caves and Northern Lights Magic

We booked the Katla Ice Cave tour from Vik, which involved those incredible super-jeeps with self-inflating tires that can handle both roads and off-road terrain. The vehicles alone were worth the price of admission.

However, here’s where we need some honesty: the “ice cave” is tiny due to climate change, and you spend maybe a minute inside it. The journey in the super tire vans and the glacier experience were still memorable, but there may be better ice tour options further east.

After we got back to Vik, we had amazing soup in bread bowls and then saw the Lava Show, which actually impressed even me the skeptic. It was amazing how hot the lava was just sitting near it. Highly recommend the bread soup bowl and the lava show.

We headed from Vik to the next hotel and had some beautiful scenery on the drive and another waterfall at Kirkjubaejarklaustur where we stopped for fuel. Though we had a booking mix-up that initially had us at a different hotel, even though we thought we had a room booked at Hótel Skaftafell, they found us a room, and this turned out to be incredibly lucky.

That evening at 9 PM, we got the call we’d hoped for: “Northern lights are visible!” We bundled up and stepped outside to witness one of nature’s most incredible shows. Fair warning—they move much more slowly than those time-lapse videos suggest, more like a slow fade, and the colors are different than they appear in photos. But standing there with our kids, watching the sky dance in green and purple, was absolutely magical.

Practical note: There’s an excellent gas station restaurant called Freysnes across from Hotel Skaftafell with good, reasonably priced food. We ate there twice.

Day 5: Diamond Beach Adventures

Diamond Beach was absolutely the highlight of our trip. Chunks of glacial ice scattered across black sand, sparkling like giant diamonds—hence the name. Our friend’s sister was absolutely right about not missing this. It’s surreal and beautiful in a way that photos can’t capture. Really amazing place.

On the way back we took a little hike to Magnusarfoss, which is a waterfall over the same formations and the black sand beach. I think part of this hike took us up a mountain where we had a nice vista and had a beautiful view of glaciers. This may or may not have been part of our Magnusarfoss waterfall hike, but they are right near each other in the same park area.

From this area we stayed at Hotel Laekur.

A Friend’s Invaluable Advice

Our friend’s sister had written a blog post about Iceland that we found too late, but she shared some wisdom that proved spot-on:

“Due to certain logistics my group met my dad a couple days after he had been there. He and his wife went to Diamond Beach which looked amazing. After I saw his pictures I immediately wished I had known about that as I would have changed our whole itinerary and skipped the upper west coast. I enjoyed the south coast more than the west coast. If you can get as far east as Diamond Beach I would definitely say don’t miss that.”

She was also honest about the ice cave tour: “We did the Katla Ice Cave tour. My kids did enjoy it. But myself and my husband felt it was misleading marketing. The ‘ice cave’ is teeny tiny and you spend about one second inside it. It was kind of expensive and I felt a little cheated. Climate change has eroded the Katla cave to near disappearance.”

Her advice about Diamond Beach was absolutely correct – it became the highlight of our trip.

Day 6: Reykjavik Exploration

We spent our final full day exploring Iceland’s capital city. After checking into Hotel Cabin in Reykjavik—and here’s where I need to issue a warning: DO NOT STAY HERE. The room was large but rundown, smelly (musty/smokey), street-level with constant noise, and the furniture was deteriorating. We were leaving early the next morning, so we figured we could tough it out.

Despite our accommodation horrors, we made the most of our day in Reykjavik. We walked around the old town, saw the presidential house, visited the harbor, and took an Uber to the open-air museum. The kids enjoyed seeing how people historically lived in this harsh environment with their turf-roofed houses.

We splurged on authentic Icelandic wool sweaters—not cheap, but we got the VAT tax back at the airport, and they would have cost double in the US. People still compliment us on them years later.

For dinner, we found a highly-rated burger place that the kids devoured. On the walk back to the hotel, we discovered Astarpungar (love balls) at a dessert shop—doughnuts covered in various toppings like powdered sugar and Nutella. Delicious, but letting each kid choose their own toppings was a tactical error that resulted in way too much sugar and corresponding behavior.

Hotel Cabin Calamity

Then came the night that will live in infamy.

Around 1 AM, one of our children (who shall remain nameless) felt sick and went to the bathroom. While sitting on the toilet, they proceeded to projectile vomit all over the entire bathroom—floor, walls, toilet, themselves. Why our kids take so long to recognize the warning signs of impending illness remains one of life’s great mysteries.

The room was handicap accessible with a walk-in shower and floor drain, so we thought cleanup would be straightforward. Wrong. The floor sloped the wrong way, sending vomit water flowing out into the bedroom toward our packed suitcases. What followed was a midnight cleanup operation involving towels as sandbags, hand-held shower heads, and some serious dry heaving from the cleanup crew (us). All with lights off to avoid waking the other child.

We left a generous tip for housekeeping and warned the front desk. Sometimes travel stories aren’t glamorous.

Day 7: Departure and Airport Relief

We had to be at the airport early since Jennifer was flying to Porto for work and our flight to Stewart was in the early afternoon. After our hotel nightmare, the clean bathrooms and good food options at Keflavik Airport felt like luxury. We spent the morning recovering from our adventure and preparing for the journey home.

Practical Tips for Families

What We’d Do Differently:

Book the Blue Lagoon well in advance (we missed out due to late booking)
Consider horseback riding at the Icelandic horse farm—we skipped it but regretted it
Maybe do a larger loop to see more
Pack more layers and waterproof gear
Book better accommodation in Reykjavik (seriously, anywhere but Hotel Cabin)

Don’t Miss:

The black sand beaches and formations (basically out to Diamond Beach and the Golden Circle)
Diamond Beach (absolute must-see – worth changing your whole itinerary for)
Northern lights wake-up call if offered at your hotel
The Geyser
All the waterfalls
Fresh Icelandic wool products (buy them in Iceland, not at home)
The Lava Show in Vik (impressive and educational, plus great soup!)

Maybe Skip:

Secret Lagoon (if you do Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon – floating particles in the water made it less appealing, plus the communal shower situation)
The earthquake town (no actual earthquakes, mediocre food, not particularly scenic)

Budget Reality Check: Everything is expensive in Iceland. Plan accordingly. Gas station food is often surprisingly good and more reasonably priced than restaurants.

Final Thoughts

Iceland delivered on its promise of dramatic natural beauty and unforgettable experiences. Yes, we dealt with manual transmissions, midnight vomit disasters, and communal shower trauma, but we also witnessed the Northern Lights, walked behind waterfalls, explored glacial lagoons, and created memories that our kids still talk about.

The stark landscapes, friendly people, and otherworldly experiences make Iceland perfect for families who want adventure. Just pack your sense of humor along with the waterproof gear—you’ll need both.

Our Accommodations: