Road trip in Iceland with my daughter from May 6 to 13, 2023

May 6 - Departure This trip is a bit special because we're only two of us leaving… we’re so used to traveling as a group of five! I love taking off, and being at the airport stresses me out—but in a good way. I’m already on vacation! We’re flying from Brussels with Icelandair, and once again, no issues. This’ll be our third flight with them, including one to New York in 2018.

Once we land, I quickly pick up the car from BCR, which is right across from the airport. Super convenient—I have the car in just a few minutes without having to go through the counter. Of course, I take at least 1,000 photos to cover my bases. I’ll find a few "pocs" later (photos sent by email), but since I have all the insurance, no worries.

As soon as we arrive, we head to Bonus. It’s that yellow and pink supermarket, and just for that, I *have* to stop! Of course, even just doing groceries feels like an adventure. I get by in English, but there’s still a bit of a delay in my brain.

Car: check Food: check Now, off to Borgarnes where we’ll be staying for the night. Even though it’s spring, night falls "fast," and we’ve got about an hour and a half of driving to our first accommodation. I decided to keep things simple but still nice despite the prices, and for the first night, it’s a little "chalet" where we can park right in front. I grab the keys at reception, and boom—done. Everything’s really great, and it’s got everything we need to be self-sufficient, but if we want, there’s a restaurant and a hotspot. The area is super quiet, and we just soak in the beauty of the landscape.

Day 2 - May 7 My main goal is to visit the "west" and especially the Snæfellsnes peninsula. We’ll be staying at Fosshotel in Hellnar. We set off early in the morning, and as usual, don’t trust the travel time Google Maps gives you—everything is an excuse to stop. It’s absolutely stunning! All day, we drive along Route 54 toward Hellnar, with stops like the Gerðuberg Cliffs, though the wind was pretty strong there. Of course, we stop in Arnarstapi to see some seals and the church at Búðakirkja (Budir). Once there, we decide to explore the area and spontaneously visit some "caves" under the volcano. There weren’t many people, and we ended up with a really nice group of Californians. The day wraps up with a walk connecting Hellnar and Arnarstapi. For meals, we had pizza in Arnarstapi and ate in our room in the evening to save a little money.

Day 3 - May 8 After a good breakfast with a magnificent view, we head back onto Route 54 north—and a lot of driving ahead! Our evening accommodation is in Drangsnes, passing through Olafsvik. Four solid hours on the road, but from the junction to Stykkisholmur, it was just gravel with construction, making it impossible to drive at a good speed. Exhausting, but the landscapes were breathtaking! Along the way, we enjoyed views of the volcano and made several stops, including one at the Svörtuloft lighthouse, where the road gave me chills! We obviously passed the famous Kirkjufell, but the road waits for no one—so a quick stop at a local brewery, and off we go again! On top of that, plenty of stops, many of them to admire the horses! Completely wiped out, we finally arrived at our little cabin (where there was no one else). The “Hvammur Hrakholar” in Drangsnes. The accommodation of our dreams, and the only regret of the trip: we could’ve stayed there for days! The natural hot spot with water coming straight from the ground and an outdoor shower. Flawless lodging where, once again, everything was there for complete self-sufficiency.

Day 3 - May 8

More photos to come...

Day 4 - May 9

We're feeling a bit tired, but our next accommodation is for two nights. I realized it was important to take our time, and two nights will do us good. Especially since it's the horseback riding part, and settling in won't hurt! We pack our bags and leave with a heavy heart because this place was incredible... Straight north again with quite a bit of driving. Not to mention I decided to take route 711 and the Vatnsnes peninsula, where the roads had me sweating again! Our goal is to pass by Borgarvirki and Hvítserkur. So, we hit the road (again) with that famous detour via route 711. I wasn’t a huge fan of this detour—it was nice but still tiring. The gravel on the road is exhausting, and my daughter isn’t enjoying it 100%. Our accommodation is in a big shared house (with floors) that has a farm: Frostastadir Guesthouse. We’ll have an entire floor to ourselves with a kitchen and an amazing view of the landscape near Varmahlíð. I booked a horseback ride through Hestasport nearby for the next day. In the meantime, we explore the area, and I do some scouting for tomorrow.

Day 5 - May 10

May 10th was mainly dedicated to horseback riding. I booked a morning horse ride at Hestasport, not far from our accommodation. More precisely in Varmahlíð on Route 752. We were welcomed warmly—I ended up with some retired French folks, so we chatted a bit, which helped us feel more at ease. The practical part was done efficiently, but in English… not always easy! Luckily, my daughter rides horses, which really helped since at 9 years old, she was the youngest in the group. The ride lasted about 1h30, if I remember correctly. Despite my lack of experience, I have to say I had a fantastic time—it was really enjoyable. The supervision was very professional, and everything went smoothly. It was a great experience and a different way to discover these beautiful landscapes. The rest of the day was spent exploring the area, including a visit near Fosslaug, where you can enjoy a little hotspot by the waterfall (just our feet for us). We ended the day with a quick trip to Sauðárkrókur further north to pick up some groceries and, of course, stop by the gas station. It was a chance to check out a less touristy supermarket where the atmosphere was much colder than on Route 1 or in the "big" cities. Our accommodation had all the comforts we needed, plus an amazing view of the landscape. I also really loved this place—it was super nice.

Day 6 - May 11

On this May 11th, I’m both tired and happy/sad at the same time! Happy because we’ve just had some really beautiful days. Sad because we’re heading back south and leaving this amazing place in the north. Tired? We drive a lot, even if on Google Maps it looks like it’ll be fine. Between the stops, little unexpected things, and changing accommodation every day… But you can’t really complain when you’re on such an incredible trip! As usual, we don’t linger because we have to head back down to Laugarvatn—no small feat! 336 km and just over 4 hours of driving, retracing our steps. It took me a while to find the ideal route, making sure to consider my daughter’s time constraints, avoiding as many duplicates as possible, and keeping in mind that we’re here for fun and discovery! Personally, with a few more days and on my own, I would’ve gone back via the east. Heading "south" via Route 1 and passing through that tunnel again—it still has the same effect on us! Leaving early and taking a "familiar" route lets us speed up and get to the hotel pretty quickly. I take the opportunity to play tourist and revisit places where my daughter was only 1 year old at the time… so many emotions! We do our little "Golden Circle" quickly via Þingvellir, where we don’t stay long. Then, Geysir to see the geysers in action again, and Gullfoss, which I couldn’t see in 2016. This whole area feels duller to me. I’m not disappointed, but I feel much more like a "tourist" here than in the west and north. The landscapes impress me less, and the vibe isn’t great. We speed up (again!) and I can’t help but take the road toward Flúðir and the Secret Lagoon, which we visited in 2018. A natural pool that’s not highly rated online but that I really like! It’s small, peaceful, and super nice. I booked online just before going, and boom—we end up in a place that wasn’t in the plan, but wow, it feels good! Just a heads-up, guys—these aren’t the easiest places to navigate when you’re with your 9-year-old daughter. Everyone has to go to their own changing rooms/showers, and she had to handle it on her own. No problem, though—the place is family-friendly and my daughter had no issues. We have an amazing time, and it’s such a relief after all that driving! Of course, all that works up an appetite, and we end up in a slightly odd restaurant: a big room with just one Icelandic couple and their kids, and the TV on in the background. We calmly devour our pizzas and head back to the Laugarvatn hotel, which is simple, the room is small, and with the fog, there’s no desire to go out—but as always, it’s all about compromise!

Day 7 - May 12

The day before, we met a retired French couple I chatted with for a few minutes. I’m not here for that, but you’ve got to admit—when you hear French being spoken, you hit it off fast. The last day is finally here. Breakfast isn’t amazing; there’s no one in the dining room, and we don’t plan on staying any longer. This is the day we return. As usual, the advice is to get closer to the airport the day before—it’s just easier and more practical. No planned goals except to check out what’s happening near Fagradalsfjall. Since I’m with my daughter, I know I’ll have to skip some of my ideas. However, having really enjoyed the horseback ride, I go for it and book another one in Selfoss at Eldhestar. Before that, a quick stop at the Kerid crater, which is really cool to see. We meet up in the early afternoon and stop in Selfoss to wait. The place is easy to find—it’s huge. There’s a great vibe, and we’ll be with just one other person, who’s way more experienced than us. The setup is perfect, the guide is great, but the ride is way less fun than the last one. The scenery is beautiful, but it’s near the road. Still, my daughter is over the moon! After this unplanned activity (the kind of surprise you love!), the afternoon is already well underway: off to the airport with a planned stop at Fagradalsfjall and the Blue Lagoon—oh yes! We park in one of the lots where you mustn’t forget to pay. My daughter is tired, and I’m super excited by what I see. Unfortunately, she doesn’t quite realize where we are. A short walk (the shortest one), and we still see some steaming lava. The place feels otherworldly, but exhaustion is definitely setting in! Good timing, because we’ve got one last thing to do—the Blue Lagoon (around 5 PM). As the good tourists we are, we’d been there in 2016, but my daughter was only 1. Kids under 2 can’t go in the pool, so we had to take turns. I really wanted her to experience this famous spot, even if it’s a bit pricey. Great timing—it’s not too crowded. Once there, I quickly realize it’s going to be tricky because the changing rooms and showers are bigger. Everyone goes their own way, and I start feeling anxious, hoping a woman can help her. I even feel ashamed leaving my daughter alone—I’ll admit, those minutes felt *long*. Trying to find a solution by calling my daughter’s name near the changing rooms (without looking like a creep), I run into an employee who speaks French and takes control of the situation! With her help, we found my daughter, and she made sure she could join me safely. Same thing on the way back—I could count on her. A stressful, embarrassing experience for me, but I’m so glad we ran into that employee! The rest, you know—soaking in the warm water, and even if the Blue Lagoon isn’t always everyone’s favorite, it’s still a super nice spot, especially for kids! After about an hour, we head to the fanciest place we stayed: the Aurora Hotel. Just a 5-minute walk away, we settle into our gorgeous room (considering the price…), and I return the car to BCR, which is also nearby—couldn’t be more convenient! No issues with Blue Car Rental since I’d taken all the insurance. We wrap up the trip with two things:

Check in and drop off our bags early since our flight is at 7:40 AM and the airport is small—I *highly* recommend doing this the day before if you can. It gets chaotic fast! Eat at the hotel. One dish for two, which didn’t bother the waitress.

Then, don’t forget to set *plenty* of alarms to wake up on time. This hotel is pricey but so practical—the airport is less than a 5-minute walk away. No stress, and we take our return flight with Icelandair.

I really loved your travel journal! Iceland is a country I’d love to visit, but the right time or opportunity just never came up.

Thanks

Thanks for your feedback, it’s really nice to hear! [:)]

I’m heading back solo in summer 2025 to go a bit further on the hikes.

A must-do at least once in a lifetime!

What a well-documented story! Iceland is on my list... and with such a great account, the trip will soon become a reality. Thanks! And have a great next trip, France

Thanks for your feedback, especially if my story makes you want to go there! [;)]

Hi there,

Thanks for your travel journal. It’s a wonderful trip, and I think it’s amazing you got to share it with your daughter. I’m sure you’ll both keep some great memories of it.

We were in Iceland at the end of April 2024, doing a loop that included Snaefellsnes and the south as far as Jokulsarlon. I agree with you about the Golden Circle—it wasn’t our favorite spot either, except for Gullfoss, which is definitely worth it. We didn’t even go to Thingvellir; it didn’t appeal to me, and I’d rather have gone to Reykjadalur.

This first trip made us want to go back to explore the north and east. This country is incredible—even the drives are a treat! !

Hi there,

I went back to the south for my daughter, but during my next solo trip this summer 2025, I’ll only be passing through the south.

I plan to head straight up to the northeast and do a few F-roads. Then, I’ll head back down via the F35 to explore the Westfjords.