Traveling in Iceland with kids

Iceland with kids is quite the adventure. The climate is as wild and unpredictable as a toddler but the beauty that you experience is more than worth the cold and rain if that's what you're hit with.

Table of Contents

When to go

How to get around Iceland with kids

Camping in Iceland

Favorite Campgrounds

Clockwise or counterclockwise around the Ring Road?

What to bring to Iceland

Where you save money in Iceland

Food in Iceland

Books to read and shows to watch with your kids before an Iceland trip

What to do in Iceland with kids

Waterfalls

Fun for kids

Rad Places

I'll go through any weather to see waterfalls like this. Skogáfoss Waterfall

When to go

Iceland is a country far north, so in the summer you’re fortunate to get almost 24 hours of sunlight a day, giving you the ability to explore as long as your eyes can stay open. Beyond that, a huge plus for a summertime visits is that the weather is the nicest those months. And for those reasons, people flock to Iceland from end of May to August, making rentals and hotel rooms more expensive, bookings fill up faster, and not to mention crowds on crowds.

Getting the cons out of the way, a summer visit to Iceland means you have a very high likelihood of seeing whales if you go whale watching (I highly recommend doing it in Husavic if you make it that far north), and also PUFFINS. We just missed them on our trip as we went mid September, but it’s certainly the one that got away. Also, you have a much better chance of getting nice sunny weather.

We went to Iceland in September. Where are my shoulder season peeps at?!

I’m a big fan of the shoulder season in most places—but especially Iceland. In September, you get remnants of those nice summer days, but you don’t have to fight crowds as much. Another benefit—huge benefit—is that in September you have the opportunity to see the northern Lights. This was the absolute highlight of our trip—even for our 5 year old.

We had the fortune to see the Northern lights twice while in Iceland. It's a huge benefit of going in the fall/winter

How to get around Iceland with kids

Iceland is a country where you should absolutely have your own set of wheels. You can tell by the rental car lines when you arrive to the airport.

Renting a car and staying in hotels is a great way to see Iceland, stay dry, and enjoy some comforts. When booking hotels, we always use booking.com. For car rentals, we've heard a lot of people have good luck with Blue Car Rental.

Search for places to stay! Good hubs that have easy access to beautiful places are Reykjavík, Húsavik, and Vik

Instead of renting a car and finding hotels and airbnbs, we decided to rent a campervan—two birds, one stone! Solid decision.

The whole team in our home for 2.5 weeks.

Personally, I can’t imagine seeing Iceland any other way. We had the most epic camping views, woke up in nature every morning, and the best part was snuggling and eating ramen in our heated van at the end of the day.

Iceland also takes care of you when it comes to camping which made it very manageable to do, even with 3 kids. Let me explain how.

Camping in Iceland (and why I love it)

I am not one that can compete with people booking a campsite in Yosemite 9 months in advance. We’re not planners, and it’s always a stress leaving for a camping trip not knowing if we’ll get a first-come first-serve spot.

In Iceland, the stress is all taken away. We left each morning with no destination in mind, and when we felt like we were done for the day, we found the closest campsite and parked. During the high season, there may be a lot of campers and tents, but there will be room for you. No need to book in advance, no need to stress. It's GREAT.

The campsites vary in offerings, but they provide a mix of the following:

• CLEAN bathrooms

• HOT showers

• Entrance fee to the nearby national park or attraction

• Wifi

• Washer/dryer

• Kitchen and eating space

• VIEWS

• Charging station (sometimes, it was random plugs that you had to use in the bathrooms to charge stuff, but some had actual charging stations).

(Camping costs between 1000 to 2000 ISK per adult (kids are free) which is about $8-$15 at the time of writing.)

Not a shabby camp view. This is at the campground at Skógafoss. It's just a parking lot, but the view is wild.

But do I recommend roughing it and just bringing your tent along to save some dollars? Nope. Absolutely not.

I like adventure, I like doing epic things, but seeing people in tents at campsites just made me sad. It’s really cold at night and the wind can get pretty gnarly. I feel like the campervan was the perfect balance of epic and comfort.

Our favorite campgrounds that we went to are:

• Campground in Westfordlands on the ocean. It was the most beautiful sunset. If you have kids, I would also give Tálknafjörður Campsite a look because of the playground and swimming pool next door

• Camping 66.12° North outside Husavic. This is right on the Arctic Ocean and it's where we saw the Northern Lights.

• Campground at Skógafoss. It’s just a parking lot, but the views of the waterfall are gorgeous if you can get the prime spot.

• Skaftafell campground in Vatnajökull National Park. Also a parking lot, but it had a free industrial washer and dryer, and it also granted us access to the national park.

• Hellissandur Camping - This is on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It's super clean, has a playground, and it's in the middle of a lava field.

  
  

Clockwise or counterclockwise around the Ring Road?

We decided this the moment we drove out of Reykjavic because who has time to plan? So maybe I can help you here.

First, there’s no right answer. We were reading things like “you’re a total fool if you go around the ring road clockwise” which seems a little aggressive. It’s more nuanced than that.

It depends on:

1. Time of year. We went in September which means the weather is turning. For this, we went clockwise to hit up the northern part of Iceland first. If we had gone the other way around, we probably would have missed the Westfords because the roads get dicey as it got colder and snowier.

2. How much time do you have? If you just have a quick trip (less than a week), then I would suggest going counterclockwise and hitting the Southern part of Iceland first. There is SO much in the south that is worth seeing, so you want to make sure you get it all in before you explore more. (This also makes it way more touristy, so if you want to miss the crowds, maybe go clockwise).

3. Fagradalsfjall (the volcano actively erupting in Iceland). Check the live stream. If it’s erupting, make that your FIRST stop. It seems like the eruptions are occurring less frequently, so see it when you can. We gave ourselves a 4 day window to see it at the end of our trip and still missed it. Heartbreaker. Prioritize this one!This is Dynjandi in the Westfjords. It's such a cool and worth a visit.

What to bring to Iceland

The weather can get gnarly in Iceland. We went in September and it was very cold and very wet. You get nicer days in the summer, but you should still come prepared with good, warm, waterproof gear.

f you're traveling to Iceland with kids, here's what you should bring:

• Warm jacket. I love Cotopaxi's down jackets.

• A rain jacket (that fits over your warm jacket). I have the REI Co-op rain jacket which is great quality for the price, and my five year old used the kids version of this jacket

• Waterproof pants (for babies and toddlers) and for you

• Hat and gloves

• Waterproof hiking shoes for kids (I love these because they have a draw string). For myself, I brought my waterproof Merrell hiking shoes, which I liked because they were less bulky than other waterproof boots.

• At least one travel towel. We have Laek towels and love them.

• Hiking pants (Men's, Women's, Kids)

• A few pairs of merino wool warm socks (Men's, Women's, Kids)

• Baselayers (Men's, women's, kids)

  
  

Where you save money in Iceland

Iceland gets a bad rap for being really expensive. Is it true? Is Iceland really that pricey?

Yes. Yes it is.

Sorry to disappoint, but Iceland can get costly. BUT, here’s where you save some money:

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Kids are free for everything. We didn’t have to pay for entrance fees, bus tickets, or camping fees for the kids. We typically saw that under 12 is free, but many times under 18 was free.

You also don’t have to pay for many attractions.Iceland is all about the natural beauty, and we rarely had to pay to see a waterfall or beautiful beach. We’ve been to places where everything you do requires an entrance fee, so this was refreshing.

Food. While camping (which again, is a great way to see the country), we bought all our food at the supermarket . It’s not the fanciest of foods, but it’s cheap!

Food in Iceland

Many people fall back on meals that they ate in their college days when travevling in Iceland--especially when you're camping. It's quick, easy, and significantly cheaper than going out to eat. Here are a few tips about eating cheaply in Iceland:

1. We brought some food with us from the States. Things that we knew would be hard to get there, like peanut butter, certain canned vegetables and beans, protien and snack bars, fruit snacks, and dry soups. There is obviously a lot of food available in Iceland, but we decided to load up on things that we’re particular about.

2. The cheapest supermarket is Bonus, but they are only in the major towns and cities (which are few and far between, especially if you’re traveling in the north and off the ring road). Stock up enough to last at least a week.

3. There are N1 gas stations that have a lot of hot food. It seems like hot dogs are the cheapest thing to get there and quite popular—one was about $4.50. The other food we saw was over $10 (like a burger).

4. If you’re camping, a lot of the campgrounds have a warm place inside where you can cook, eat your food, and meet fellow travelers.

   
   

Books to read and shows to watch with your kids before an Iceland trip

It's always fun to learn about a place when you're visiting. We wanted to learn about the history, the culture, and the geological formations with the kids. We found two books that got them psyched about being in Iceland and interested in learning about it. And of course, The Magic School Bus comes through with awesome episodes that are either based in or about geological accurances in Iceland.

1. Magic Treehouse Narwahl on a Sunny Night

2. The Boxcar Children: Mystery of the Hidden Elves

3. Magic School Bus: The Battle for Rock Mountain (they take a field trip to Iceland and it’s all about rocks and volcanoes)

4. Magic School Bus: The Tales Glaciers Tell

5. This Iceland book and travel journal is a great activity for kids to complete as you travel

With this episode, we did an art project after where we made air bubbles in the glacier, but the tale it was telling was about our trip, so we drew different things we did and saw in the air bubbles (this will make a little more sense after you watch the episode).

What to do in Iceland with kids

Ok, let's just get to the good stuff, right?

Waterfalls

Ok, to be honest, I think my favorite waterfalls in Iceland were the thousands of waterfalls that we just saw on the side of the road while driving. They may be nameless (or not, I’m not sure), but they were plentiful and beautiful.

But if you want to be deliberate about your waterfall visits, our favorites were:

• Dynjandi

• Svartifoss

• Kirkjufellsfoss

• Skogafoss

• Hraunfossar

• Godafoss

• Dettifoss

• Seljalandsfoss

• Gljúfrabúi

  
  

  

  Dynjandi: a haul to get to in the Westfjordlands, but beautiful if you make it up there.

Fun for kids

• Erpsstadir Creamery--I would absolutely make this a stop on your Iceland with kids trip. They have a fun trampoline (like a big jumping pillow), animals roaming as it's an active dairy farm, and you can try their famous Skyr sweet treats!If your kids like these trampolines, there's actually a map of where they are all over Iceland!

• Eiríksstaðir - Viking Longhouse--This is replica of Eric the Red's house. They give a little tour and talk about the history of the Vikings which we found super interesting.

• Húsavik Whale Museum - this was a really cool museum in the cutest little town. If you have time to get up to northern Iceland, make your way to Húsavik (where Eurovision was filmed!)

• Whale Watching - Since you're already in Húsavik, definitely go whale watching! You could also see Puffins around Húsavik on a tour. If your kids are 8+, here is a whale watching/puffin tour you can take. If you're kids are younger, or if you want to take a traditional oak boat, here is the tour we did.

• Seeing the miniature horses in Stokknes

• Katla Ice Cave - This is an ice cave under a volcano (truly a fire and ice situation). This you will have to do through a tour. Check this one out here.

• Dyrhólaey - This beach is a landing spot for puffins in the summer. If you're lucky, you could see them!

• Sundlaugars - These are geothermal outdoor swimming pools dotted around Iceland. They are a favorite of locals and definitely a favorite for our kids--even in snowy and cold weather. Here's a helpful little map that shows you where they are all located: Please be respectful and follow all the rules (most importantly, shower before entering the pool. Locals take it very seriously).

Rad places

Namáfjall - Walking around this geothermal area with boiling mud pots and fumaroles. Wear a neck gater to put over your nose because it stanks.

Namáfjall from above

Vatnajokull National Park - Where Skaftafell glacier and the Svartifoss Waterfall is, just to name a few things

Jokulsárlon - This glacial lagoon was a highlight. We watched the sun set over the lagoon, watching seals catch fish. Pure magic.

Jokulsárlon is a must-see spot

Diamond Beach - This is a black sand beach with ice chunks on the shore for an incredible contrast. It's gorgeous.

Diamond beach is covered with these ice chunks, making for a stunning contrast

Glacier tour - There are a ton of glacier tours in Iceland. We didn't do any of them because traveling with a 2 month old meant that we didn't reach the minimum age requirement for any of them.

Stokksness - There is a campground right at the entrance to this park (basically a parking lot). Even though it's not anything glamorous, I recommend staying there and waking up for sunrise, driving to the beach, and taking in the sites. It's gorgeous.

Stokksness at sunrise

Fjaðrárgljúfur - one of the most gorgeous sites I've ever seen. Green rocky canyon with turquise water flowing through. It's breathtaking.

Múlagljúfur Canyon - Short hike with mind-blowing views (are you getting the gist of what Iceland is all about yet?)

Traveling with kids sometimes means that the only photo you get is a poorly timed selfie. This is at Múlagljúfur Canyon

Raudisandur--This is a RED sand beach and unique to Iceland. This is in the Westfjordlands, so it's only worth it if you're out there already.

Studlagil Canyon - This canyon of basalt columns with turquoise water (in the summer) flowing through is unbelievable. It's a 4 mile roundtrip walk total. If you are in Iceland in months outside of summer months, the water is brown and probably not worth the trek.

Reynisfjara - This black sand beach with black basalt columns is one of the most photographed spots in Iceland. Please be careful here as the waves are epic and unpredictable and randomly come all the way up to the basalt columns where people take photos.

Reynisfjara Beach. Pro tip: bring colorful rain jackets for a pop of color in your photos!

I hope you enjoy your time in Iceland! It's truly one of the most strikingly beautiful countries I've ever been to and a great place to explore with kids. Just dress appropriately!

Please let me know below if you have any questions!

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