Iceland

When we started planning this trip Justin and I decided to book Iceland first because it was one of the cheapest flights. Once I started looking at blogs and planning I realized this would be a cold and beautiful place to visit. Here is how we made it our own...

Embrace your jet lag

In Iceland during the summer the sun only sets for about 2-3 hours. Our first night I had this crazy idea that if we woke up at 3am we could drive the Golden Circle and avoid all the tour groups. Turns out it wasn't really a crazy idea because we were up for the 3am "sunrise" and on the road at 4am and had the sites all to ourselves.

Pack your lunch

Iceland is hella expensive...I'm talking we spent $60 on soup expensive. After our first meal we decided to pick up stuff at the grocery store near our Airbnb to make our breakfasts and pack our lunches for the drive. It worked out because when you're driving around at 3am nothing is open. We did try the frites at Reykjavik Chips and Reykjavik's famous soup spot. Don't forget to stop for some local craft brews at Mikkeller & Friends. All with 5 star food and service!

Book ahead

If you're planning to do tours, take a ferry, or visit the blue lagoon book in advance because things sell out quickly. We loved waking up early and getting to walk around beaches, waterfalls, and geysers all by ourselves, these places are 24 hours and you can come and go as you please. Some places you can't just show up to. The blue lagoon is one of those places. Buy tickets in advance, we did 9pm and we were able to stay in till 11:30. When booking online you can't get a basic entrance fee so it is extra but will include: entrance, a towel, 1 drink, and a mud mask. 

Rent a car

If you want to explore more than just the city, without booking a tour bus, you will need a car. We payed a lot because we booked when we arrived at the airport so book ahead. You can check out our route below to see some of the prettiest sites from the Golden Circle and the southern coast of Iceland. Our first day we used The Blonde Abroad map but had to cut some stops since we were driving around 3am. Our second day we pin pointed everything we wanted to see and made our own map.

Golden Circle Route: 3 Hour drive but make sure to stop and enjoy the scenery

Southern Iceland Route: 5 Hour drive 1 way (don't forget to add Puffins to this trip) 

Things we missed:

• Puffins. Unless you want to pay 75$ per person for a tour check out Westman island on the south coast. Book the ferry ahead of time because it sells out multiple days in advance. Depending on the time of year you go, you can even see baby Puffins very close. Remember to treat it like you were a nature photographer. Stay still and don't touch them.
• The North. We only had 2 full days to cram as much of Iceland in as possible. Up north there are some amazing towns, hikes, waterfalls, and glacial views.
• Whales. This just wasn't in our budget but is something we'd love to do the next time around. Check to make sure you're going around whale watching times and book ahead to save. Both puffins and whale tours take off from right near Reykjavik. 
• Pizza. Once again we hit a budget wall here. I know were traveling for pizza but 60$ for one is just too much to ask. Maybe we should change the name of the blog to will travel for wine because we definitely budgeted that over pizza