For those considering taking your little ones to Iceland, I would say do it! I found a deal on WOW airlines (and I actually have no complaints about them!) for $99/each way from LAX. I took my 5-year-old and it was quite the experience. We had the opportunity to take a South Coast tour, go to the Blue Lagoon, check out a chocolate factory, explore Reykjavic, and try Icelandic hot dogs (okay, I had like 8 throughout the trip). Word of advice – it is expensive for food ($10-$15 for kid’s meals), but grocery shopping is the way to go to save. Kids are free for most of the tours and the Blue Lagoon, so take advantage of it.
We flew from Phoenix to Los Angeles and we boarded our flight to Reykjavic. It was long, however, since we do this thing where we don’t sleep the night before, my son and I slept pretty much the full 9 hours.
After we arrived, we took a bus directly from the airport to the Blue Lagoon. we got in at 4am there and couldn’t check into our accommodations until 3pm, so had to buy time. Kids are free, which is a bonus, and they had a bag check + lockers, so it was convenient. The Blue Lagoon was empty when we arrived, however, as we were leaving it was busier. Although it was a very ‘touristy’ thing, we enjoyed it – from the beautiful, warm water to the face masks. We relaxed there until around check in and took a bus to Reykjavik (you can book this transportation when booking tickets to the Blue Lagoon).
We rented a 2 bedroom apartment that was a block from the city area, so it was super convenient. Although it was a little difficult to maneuver with the street signs, mostly everyone spoke English, so it was helpful. Our apartment had cable, internet, a full kitchen, 2 bedrooms, and a bath. It was perfect for the stay and was walking distance from everything.
Day 2, we went on the South Coast Tour which was an 11-hour tour on a bus. We hiked Sólheimajökull glacier, watched the powerful Atlantic waves crashing on the black sands on Reynisfjara black sand beach, explored the coastal village of Vik, admired Skógafoss waterfall, and viewed Seljalandsfoss waterfall. It was amazing – and best part was that kids were free!
You will learn, Iceland is very expensive. We went grocery shopping to soften those costs, which allowed us to get Icelandic snacks and experience grocery stores there. We also walked everywhere – but just bundled up. It was a bit chilly!
Take note that the weather is unpredictable. The forecast said 45-50 degrees before we got there…it ended up being in the 30’s and 40’s and snowy most of the days (one of the days feeling like 23 degrees), so be prepared for anything!
Also, you may have heard about Icelandic hot dogs, and the truth is, I still crave them today. They consist of Icelandic lamb, pork and beef and they are in natural casing. It’s the toppings that are amazing, too! They put fried onions and onions on the bun, under the hot dog and then ketchup, a sweet brown mustard, and remoulade (sauce with mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs) on top. It was literally my go-to meal there.
Don’t forget to visit Omnom Chocolate for a tour! It will feel like you are in Willy Wonka’s factory…and you will get full on chocolate samples! Mostly, have fun and enjoy!
Hehe that’s a lot of hot dogs! I’ve only had a layover in Iceland, but was also struck by how expensive food was. That’s a good tip about grocery shopping being cheaper — will keep that in mind for when I go to Iceland properly. Looks like you guys had a blast!