Iceland isn’t just a destination - it’s another world, defined by powerful landscapes, unforgettable experiences, and once-in-a-lifetime moments.
Day 1 - Saturday
There aren’t many direct flights to Reykjavik from the states, so we flew out of Boston Saturday morning. Just five hours later—and four time zones ahead—we landed in Iceland around 9:30 PM. We were immediately welcomed by the Northern Lights watching the green glow dance across the sky—pure magic.
We grabbed our bags and rental car – highly recommend – and drove 40 minutes to Reykavik. We checked into our hotel – Þingholt by Center Hotels – and headed out into the city to explore the nightlife. It was fascinating to hear the native language and observing the Nordic culture. & so began our adventure!
Day 2 - Sunday
We woke up to a cold 25°F March morning in Iceland and bundled up to explore the colorful, quirky city of Reykjavik. Our first stop was breakfast at Deig Café, where the Swiss mocha and crème brûlée donut changed my world. We headed across the street to the Harbour, where we saw whale watching tours leaving and the iconic Harpa Concert Hall. We continued exploring the city and stumbled across a farmers market, where we met some vendors who could trace their Icelandic roots back 26 generations.
Next up was the infamous Skólavörðustígur Rainbow Street. At the top, Hallgrímskirkja stood like a literal pin point in the skyline, guiding our way. The magnititude of the church was astounding – as large as it looks on the outside, with huge, gorgeous organ pipes draping the back wall. We bought tickets to go up into the bell tower, and the view from the top was the first of many that would take my breath away.
We walked across the street to Cafe Loki, serving traditional Icelandic cuisine, and inspired by the story of Thor and Loki (which originated in Iceland!). This was our first real taste of Icelandic food, and boy did we dive in head first. We started with Hákarl, the Icelandic fermented shark, paired with a shot of Brevin. Would I try it again? No – but I recommend to any traveler of Iceland to fully immerse yourself! Next up was the Perlan.
The Perlan is an interactive and immersive nature museum that deep dives into all things Iceland. We walked through several exhibits – one featuring a real-life replica of an ice cave, before ending our visit at the observation deck, which offers 360° views of Reykjavik and beyond, along with a revolving restaurant and stunning dome roof. I highly recommend visiting this museum before exploring Iceland.
We set off East to start our roadtrip across Iceland. Our jaws dropped as soon as we drove inland. I never imagined this would be one of my most memorable parts of our trip, but driving along such surreal, otherworldly landscapes blew our minds. I was hesitant about driving at first, but it wasn’t too different from driving in the states – minus the waterfalls, glaciers, and volcanos…
If you’re planning to drive in Iceland, here are a few helpful tips to know ahead of time:
- You’ll be driving on the right side of the road
- Headlights are required to be on at all times, day or night
- Check road conditions regularly using the SafeTravel app
- Some roads are 4×4 only—look for “F” road designations
- There are plenty of scenic pull-offs for photos and quick stops
- The maximum speed limit is 90 km/h (56 mph)—which can feel slow if you’re used to U.S. highways
After winding our way around Þingvallavatn Lake—easily the iciest part of the drive—we arrived at ION Adventure Hotel, tucked into the heart of the Golden Circle. It’s the perfect home base for exploring the area. We visited the geothermal hot tub immediately, and then had dinner at Silfra Restaurant, and capped the night off with drinks at the Northern Lights Bar. Most hotels in Iceland will call your room when the Northern Lights are spotted, but we were not graced with their presence that night.
Day 3 - Monday
The jet lag finally caught up with us, and we overslept. Luckily, this turned out to be one of the most fun and unforgettable days of the trip: snowmobiling across a glacier. Our original plan was to visit Þingvellir National Park in the morning, but we headed straight to the meeting spot at Skjól Camping for our excursion with Arctic Adventures (which I’d highly recommend!). Pro tip: arrive at least 15 minutes early—they leave on time, and we cut it way too close.
We suited up and hopped into a bus with massive snow tires, then made our way up toward Iceland’s second largest glacier, Langjökull. It was unreal. White for as far as the eye could see. After a quick lesson on snowmobiles, we were off. Evan drove first, and I clung on for dear life as we zipped across this ice-covered wonderland. About 30 minutes in, we stopped near a peak to take in the views. It was eerily silent – snow absorbs sound – and almost blindingly bright. It was one of the most peaceful, surreal moments I’ve ever experienced. & then it was my turn to drive… and I zoooooomed. I went from pure serenity to pure adrenaline in seconds. Absolutely freaking rad.
After our literal arctic adventure, we completed half of the golden circle: Gullfoss Falls and the Great Geysir. At this point I didn’t know how I had any breath left, as these two places absolutely shook me. Gullfoss was absolutely thunderous. You can hear it before you even see it, and when it finally comes into view, it almost doesn’t feel real. The clear, blue falls crash in two tiers into a dramatic snow-covered canyon, creating this constant roar and mist that hangs in the air.
From there, we visited the haukadalur geothermal field, home to boiling mud pots and the famous Strokkur, which erupts every 5–10 minutes. Standing next to it, watching it errupt and spray, felt like witnessing the heartbeat of the earth.
Day 4 - Tuesday
We checked out of ION and loaded up the car to head toward the South Coast. But first, we had to complete the last half of the Golden Circle – Þingvellir National Park.
Few places in the world offer the kind of wonder that Þingvellir National Park does. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it’s both geologically and historically significant. We started our hike through the Almannagjá Gorge, where the North American and Eurasian plates meet, so we literally walked through two tectonic plates. Fun Fact – This is where the Bloody Gate in Game of Thrones was filmed!
In the distance, we spotted the Alþingi, the oldest surviving Parliament in history. Founded in 930 AD, it is the first National Parliament in the world, where Iceland leaders would gather. Continuing through the gorge, we took a left to visit Öxarárfoss Waterfall, a small but beautiful waterfall tucked inside the canyon.
At this point we were a mile in, so we turned around and drive to the Silfra Fissure instead of walking through the trails. My one regret of the trip? Not snorkeling here. With water so clear you can see up to 100 meters, Silfra is one of the top diving sites in the world – and it sits literally between the tectonic plates. We watched as tour groups in wetsuits and drysuits floated in the icy water. I asked a few people how it was—they all said it was incredible and that the cold wasn’t nearly as bad as they expected.
Next was our 2 & 1/2 hour drive to the town of Vík í Mýrdal. The snow was starting to melt in the mid-March sun, revealing rolling green hills and open fields. We saw native Icelandic Horses grazing, and waterfalls cascading down the cliffs.
Along the way, we went to Kerið Crater, a mere 6,500 years old volcanic crater. The size of this thing was HUGE – 180 feet deep, 558 feet wide, and nearly 900 feet across. It was safe to hike down now that the snow melted, (but still frozen over) so we climbed down one of the sloping walls to the bottom. During the summer, the lake at the bottom is a vibrant blue, but the lake was frozen, with graffiti on it. Tip: Don’t mark up a natural wonder. Not cool.
We grabbed lunch at Þrastalundur – which had stunning views of the river – and continued on Route 1. We came across the most gorgeous waterfall I have ever seen, and pulled over, like everyone else on the road, and drove up to Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. We walked right up to it, feeling its spray from a 197 foot drop all over us. It was a very powerful moment.
An hour later, we arrived at the Black Beach Suites in Vík. We had a full kitchen, so we cooked in that night. We drove into town as the sun was setting to go to the local grocery store, and it was simply stunning. The Black Sand Beach was right there, so we watched the sun set along the blue and black landscape before hitting the *everything in Icelandic* grocery store. We spent 30 minutes finding the 5 ingredients we needed for chicken fettuccine.
At around 10:30pm, we heard yelling outside. Could it be?! Yes! The Northern Lights had come to welcome us to Vík 💚 We all stood out there in awe as we watched waves of green dance across the night sky. ✨
Day 5 - Wednesday
We started the day with a 2-hour drive east to meet our group (with Arctic Adventure again) for a Glacier Hike and Ice Caving tour on Vatnajökull Glacier, the largest glacier in Europe. Fun Fact! The infamous “Hollywood Glacier” lives here, where Interstellar (Mann’s Planet), Batman Begins & more were filmed.
Our guide led us through a surreal ice-covered landscape, with crevasses, moulins, and thousands of years of ice. The Ice Cave we explored was a combination of translucent blue walls and layers of volcanic debris and molten lava frozen into the structure. We hiked up and through the crevasses, on and through the ice. At one point, I knelt down and scooped up some of the freshest, clearest water I’ve ever tasted—straight from the glacier’s surface.
After 2 to 3 hours of hiking and exploring this frozen world, we made the 2-hour drive back to Vík. We wrapped up the day with a quick dinner at a local pub and crashed hard – but not before the Northern Lights came to say hi again!
Day 6 - Thursday
This was our longest travel day, driving 4 hours from Vik to the Blue Lagoon. Before we left Vik, we made sure to hit the rest of the must visit spots: the iconic Skool Beans Cafe, a local cafe housed inside an American school bus, the Vík í Mýrdal Church, Reynisfjara black sand beach, and the dramatic Dyrhólaey cliffs. (Fun Fact: Star Wars was filmed on Reynisfjara!) We tried to ride the Icelandic horses on the beach, but high winds made it unsafe for the horses’ health—so instead, we visited them in the stables and got to spend some time up close.
Along our route West, we stopped at the radiant Skógafoss waterfall. We climbed the 450 stairs to the top, activating a fear of heights I didn’t know I had, but the view from above was absolutely unreal.
We finally arrived at the Silica Hotel, our base for the last two nights. It’s connected to the larger Blue Lagoon resort, but offers guests access to its own private lagoon. We enjoyed the lagoon at sunset with the complimentary face mask and a glass of champagne before settling down for our last day.
Day 7 - Friday
Our last day in Iceland was idyllic. We spent the day at the Retreat Spa at the Blue Lagoon, the ultimate experience in rest and relaxation. From the mineral-rich waters and steam rooms tucked into lava rock, blue lagoon skincare ritual and peaceful lounging areas, it was the perfect way to unwind and reflect on an unforgettable trip. We soaked in every last moment (literally), before winding down and packing up to head out the next morning.
