If you're looking for adventure and an excuse to wear that great new pair of hiking boots, book a trip to Iceland. I will start off by saying that Iceland is everything you've dreamed of, read about, seen photos of, and so much more. Yep, it's all that and a bag of lava salt chips. From the sprawling green pastures (we landed there on their first day of summer), to mountains that look like wizard hats off in the distance, there is no shortage of unusually gorgeous sites across this incredible country.

Stay

We stayed in Reykjavik for the entirety of our trip in an apartment near the city center, managed by Hotel Odinsve. Although it was a no-frills accommodation, it was pretty spacious and included a full kitchen, bathroom, two bedrooms, three beds, several closets, and a living room with Smart TV. Needless to say, it was exactly what we needed and I would recommend staying here if you are a group of friends or family with children.

Eat & Drink

Breakfast/Coffee

Joe & The Juice

I don’t often visit franchise restaurants on trips around the world, but Joe & the Juice was an exception to the rule. There are several locations including Reykjavík city center and the airport. The coffee was great and their muffins were delicious. It was also one of the only places opened early enough for us to grab a coffee and a bite before heading out for the day.

Mokka

There are cafes all over Reykjavík but we really loved Mokka. It was a few doors down from our apartment and the decor seemed modern-vintage. We learned the decor had not been touched since the 70’s which was extremely impressive and they whipped up some pretty awesome cappuccinos.

Lunch

Saegreiffinn

We were recommended by friends to stop into this local eatery. Saegreiffinn cooks up fresh seafood skewers all day and a killer lobster soup. We decided to take lobster soup cups to-go and eat on the pier outside. It was honestly the best lobster soup/bisque I'd ever had, and the scenery was pretty impressive as well.

Cafè Paris

We had been exploring Reykjavík for hours when we stumbled upon Cafè Paris exuding scents of sweet pastries into the street. We stopped in for lunch where we had sandwiches and shared a Belgian waffle. There was certainly a Parisian vibe to the diner and we really enjoyed our meal.

Dinner

Grillmarkadurinn (Grill Market)

We started off our first night with dinner at Grillmarkadurinn, "Grill Market," which is a high-end restaurant with warm, earthy decor, plush pillows and couches, birchwood walls and furniture, and tree branch chandeliers - all VERY much up my alley. We ordered the rack of lamb, pork ribs, and grilled puffin! Suffice it to say, that was the first and last time we had puffin. The cocktails were so outstanding that even at $28 a pop, I was willing to order a second. Our meal started off with complimentary warm bread, whipped butter and lava rock salt, and the appetizers rocked. Overall, the restaurant was a great choice.

Steikhúsið (Steak House)

This steak house is a chic, trendy restaurant on the waterfront. We were all feeling steak that night and opted for ribeyes with sweet potato fritters and cream of spinach to share. I had a gin and juniper cocktail that was light and delicious. They kept refilling our bread and whipped lava salt butter, which was great for my tastebuds but terrible for my waistline. This was agreeably our favorite meal throughout the trip. (Note: I’ve mentioned lava salt a few times because it is sourced in Iceland and served at almost every restaurant, and can also be purchased at gift shops and grocery stores around the island. Mighty tasty.)

Pylsuhúsið (Hotdog House)

Hot dogs are a popular fast food option in Iceland and there is a plethora of to-go windows all over the island. We found ourselves in Pylsuhusid a few times because it was located in the square nearest the nightlife and also open late-night. The classic Icelandic hotdogs are often served with onions, but there are a ton of topping options.

Bars

Den Danske Kro

Den Danske Kro was on a side street in the city center. We walked in because we could hear live music from blocks away and the band was playing some pretty awesome classic rock favorites. The bar was crowded with locals hanging out, and it seemed that mostly everyone knew each other. We went back two nights in a row because we knew we were guaranteed to have a great time.

Pablo Discobar

On our last night in Iceland, we wanted to hang out somewhere a little more chic, so we went to Pablo Discobar which had lines outside of it on Friday and Saturday. We went on a Sunday and there was less of a crowd, but the music selection was awesome, the pink flamingo decor really spoke to me, and the cocktails were great. I had a gin rose lemonade - two thumbs up.

Things to Do

Explore Reykjavik

The Icelandic capital is walkable, easy to navigate, and full of people - tourists and residents alike. On our first day, despite the extreme jet lag, we decided to explore the major sites, including the waterfront district, the Sun Voyager, the Capital Building, Hallgrímskirkja Church, and some local shops.

South of Iceland Tour

For our second day, we booked an all-day tour of the South of Iceland through Viator. The bus picked us up at a scheduled, nearby bus station at 8:00am and we drove southeast for about 2.5 hours toward the city of Vik. We stopped at several incredible sights along the way and back. This was truly a life changing experience for me. I’ve been to many different places around the world, but have never understood how magical nature could truly be.

***"It's moments like these that I travel for - the exhilarating feeling of life being breathed into my soul."***

Seljalandsfoss (Seller Falls) - one of the larger falls in Iceland and you can actually walk behind it.
Gljúfrabúi (Dweller in the Gorge) - This is a smaller waterfall behind the Gorge of Seljalandsfoss. We had to walk through a river and over a few boulders to reach. I had never felt so free as I did right then and there, on the boulder nearest the falls. It's moments like these that I travel for - the exhilarating feeling of life being breathed into my soul.
Skógafoss - this was pretty neat as we climbed an inset staircase on the side of the mountain to reach the top.
Sólheimajökull glacier - this glacier recently experienced a volcanic erruption so there is a tiedye/spiderweb look to it. Pretty cool sight.
Black-sand beaches of Reynisfjara - this beach is made up of black sand and insane black rock caves. It's been featured in a ton of shows and movies including Game of Thrones and Viking.

Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon is a full-service geothermal spa not too far from Reykjavik International Airport, so most travelers will stop there at the very start or end of their trip. We decided to book tickets for a nice relaxing Sunday at 11:00am. It's best to get there as early as possible, as the lagoon does get crowded. There are several ticket options, and we chose the middle of the road which included a robe, slippers, mud mask, beverage, and a bus ticket. The ride to and from is very easy and the buses circulate every 15 minutes to half hour. The Blue Lagoon, although a natural geothermal pool, is surrounded by a full spa, resort and amenities. It may seem like a bit of a tourist trap to some looking for a more "authentic" geothermal experience, but we loved every second of it. The water is incredibly hot, and in the cold temps you can see the steam rising off the top. There were two swim-up bars in the pool - one for drinks and the other for mud masks. Both the algae and the mud masks were fantastic, refreshing and rejuvenating. We stayed in the water for about four hours, which seemed a bit excessive, but it was just too good to leave. We had a late lunch at the on-premise cafe and took a bus back to Reykjavik.

Transportation

Thanks to a WOW Airlines promotion from Newark Airport and a Cyber Monday deal, my two friends and I were able to take off to the land of endless waterfalls for ~$300 roundtrip each, including baggage.