ICELAND
Last September, I did an 8 day road trip around Iceland with one of my best friends!
It was one of the most beautiful and magical places i've ever been. I'd love to share with you guys my favorite sites and experiences I had on the trip! I'm also sharing some logistics tips for traveling in Iceland at the bottom. If this place isn't on your radar yet, put it at the top of your bucket list!!!
THE BUBBLE
We started our trip off with a BANG by spending the night in a literal BUBBLE! I’ve had The Five Million Star Hotel on my bucket list for a long time, and it was hands down my favorite night we spent in Iceland! The bubbles are far enough apart that you have privacy, but also close enough to each other for peace of mind that your friends aren’t far. The forest setting on top of a hill is absolutely magical, and the view of the night sky from your bubble is out of this world! We were even able to see a glimpse of the Northern Lights around midnight! I had lots of questions about the amenities here: just a short walk from the bubbles is a heated trailer-style bathroom with toilets and showers. The bubbles are climate-controlled, and they provide heated blankets as well. I was never cold at all! I slept in a t-shirt and was very comfortable.
HIKING TO Seljavallalaug SWIMMING POOL
The only thing there might be more of than horses in Iceland is random hot springs. There are several different swimming pools and natural hot springs that you can find! Some you have to hike to, which is super fun if you’re up for a little adventure, but others can be found just off the side of the road. We visited a few different ones, but The Seljavallalaug swimming pool was my favorite! It’s the oldest swimming pool in Iceland, and it’s set against the mountain with a natural hot spring running down into the pool to make it warm. There’s mountains on both sides of the pool with a beautiful river running through the middle.
Jökulsárlón GLACIER
This was one of my favorite days in Iceland! Whenever someone asks what activities I think are a MUST, I include a boat tour of the Jökulsárlón Glacier. Included in your ticket is this surprisingly very cool jumpsuit that is waterproof and insulated to keep you warm on the boat! We were able to cruise by massive beautiful icebergs floating in pure turquoise water, and they also point out some filming locations from Game of Thrones!
VESTRAHORN MOUNTAIN
I’m a mountain girl, so for me this site was one of the most beautiful places we stopped on our trip! We left Hofn VERY early to make it Vestrahorn by sunrise. The juxtaposition of the mountain hitting the ocean is otherworldly! And the way the light hits the shallow water at the base makes the coolest reflection in the sand.
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
Is there anything better than seeing beautiful horses roaming freely everywhere you go? I was in HEAVEN getting to see so many horses on my trip! They are literally everywhere, and they are the sweetest things in the world! We pulled over on our way to the western region of Iceland to love on these guys, and show them how yummy apples are!
The Snæfellsnes Peninsula is in the Western region of Iceland, and it doesn’t get explored by tourists anywhere near as much as the south and east. However, if you have the time, it was one of the most beautiful parts of the country and I highly recommend making the trek! It is very quiet and peaceful, with rocky shores and crashing waves all along the coast. We walked several miles on a footpath with stunning views of the ocean, which is where I stopped to take the picture below! Accommodation is scarce in this area, so we decided on camping in our van.
WATERFALLS
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Skógafoss Waterfall
Gullfoss Falls
There are sooooo many stunning waterfalls in Iceland! We spent our first couple of days seeing several that are close enough together in the southern region to see in one day. I think Gullfoss Falls was my favorite — we hiked down to the bottom viewing area (you can also view them from the top) and it was insanely cool to see the sheer size and power of the water from down below!
Seljalandsfoss
Gullfoss Falls
THE BLUE LAGOON
The Blue Lagoon is probably one of the most iconic sites for tourists in Iceland. We didn’t spend a ton of time here, but it’s close proximity to the airport makes it a great stop for spending a few hours either before your flight or right when you land. It’s tough to take a bad photo here! It really is a cool experience and a must do.
HOW TO GET AROUND
One of the most popular ways to see Iceland is by camper van, and i’m here to tell you it’s worth the hype!! Happy Campers has many different rental options, from small campers ideal for a solo traveller to big campers like the one above. Although we didn’t sleep in the camper every night, it was soon nice to have somewhere comfortable to hang when we stopped to enjoy the scenery. The campers come with kitchenware and a gas burner, which made it super easy to cook our own meals and make coffee while we were on the go! The one downside to Iceland is that food is expensive — so to save money, we stopped at a grocery store on day one and bought enough food to get us through our week long road trip!
WHERE TO STAY
On our last night in Iceland, after spending a week in the camper van, we decided to treat ourselves and stay at the beautiful Reykjavík Konsúlat Hotel. The rooms looked like they were straight out of magazine - I was drooling over the decor! My room had a spacious bedroom and separate living room as well as a luxurious master bathroom. The hotel spa was also to die for, and the hotel bar downstairs made us some delicious cocktails before we headed out to dinner. The best part is the hotel is walking distance to many sites and restaurants in the city of Reykjavik.
Icelandair Hotels has locations in every town on The Ring Road around Iceland! We stayed in their Vik, Hofn, Myvatn, and Akureyri locations.
Above is a photo from the lobby of Icelandair Hotel Myvatn and to the right is a shot outside of the Icelandair Hotel Vik.
WHAT TO PACK
Seyðisfjörður
No matter what time of year you visit Iceland, it’s COLD! I visited in September, so there were actually a few days of moderate weather while we were in the southern region. I recommend packing clothes you can layer! You’ll also want a good pair of waterproof boots (that are comfortable!) and a nice puffy insulated coat that you can throw on top of everything. Fleece layers are great for warmth, but Iceland is VERY windy! So make sure you have at least one layer that is windproof. Gloves and a hat are also clutch, and don’t forget to pack a swim suit for the hot springs and Blue Lagoon!
I also packed one nice pair of jeans and a couple of colorful sweaters to wear in Reykjavik as there are lots of restaurants and nightlife to explore!
Black Sand Beach
ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY RACHEL L’ANTIGUA
huge thanks to The North Face for all of the warm gear!!
Brandi Cyrus is a DJ and fashion influencer with a passion for travel and a love for animals.