Iceland is open to tourists, making it the perfect post-pandemic vacation spot. While I went to Iceland in February, summer is the perfect time with longer days, open roads, and dozens of outdoor sites to see. I’ve put together a 5 day itinerary to help plan your Icelandic adventure.

Day 1: Most likely you land early in the morning and cannot check into your airbnb or hotel. (We did an airbnb for both times in Reykjavik) I’ve got you covered.

First, get your hotspot at the airport (I highly recommend Trawire) and rental car. Then head to the bridge between two continents, a quick 10 minute drive from the airport. GPS points: N63° 52' 5.558" W22° 40' 31.588".

Next, you’re going to need some caffeine and a snack (because its still very early) so head to Reykjavik Rost (currently opens at 9am, but check before you go) for some coffee and food.

A note on the Blue Lagoon: I know a lot of people go straight there from the airport, but after doing some research, I learned that the blue lagoon is man made, and also tends to be crowded. When I saw the hefty cost for a soak (if you go, you should get a reservation in advance), I opted to spend my time seeing the more natural sites. There are plenty of better (and natural) geothermal pools to visit. But hey, some people want that instagram picture. Just be warned: it’s crowded and very touristy and does not reflect the real beauty of Iceland.

If the weather isn’t cooperating, or you want an indoor activity (because there won’t be many) get acquainted with Iceland’s history at the National Museum of Iceland.

Day 2: Golden Circle Day! You have two options to enjoy this loop. Either stay in Reykjavik as your home base, or, make your way along the Southern coast and stay in Selfoss. Either way, you have a bunch of stops today…

There are even tomato desserts. I’m still dreaming about this meal to this day.

End your day with a stop at Laugavartn for a relaxing soak in geothermal springs. There are a few options: soak in a natural pool with a view, listen to the bubbling hot spring in the steam rooms, or jump off the dock and take a dip in the refreshing lake (pictured below)

Day 3: Waterfall Day! Depending on if you stayed in Reykjavik or Selfoss, you’ll have anywhere from a 1-2 hour drive to get to your first stop… We stayed in Selfoss to have an easier drive after the Golden Circle. Either way, its scenic, enjoyable, and fairly easy to drive along the coast as you chase some waterfalls and end up in Vik.

Vik: You’ve reached your destination for the evening! The small town of Vik has a few restaurants and lodging options. We ate at Sudur Vik and stayed in Hotel Katla for the night. If you stay at Hotel Katla, you can also enjoy the sauna and hot tub under the stars. I was not able to find many airbnb options this far away from a big town, but the hotel was modest, the location can’t be beat, and we had a wonderful breakfast the next morning.

Northern Lights: If you come to Iceland in the winter, Vik is a great area to spot the Northern Lights. We went to the black sand beach (picture below) near Vik and were able to see them! (in February).

It is an hour and a half drive to Skaftafell, which is the meeting point to hike the glacier in Vatnajokull National Park.

A highlight of my Iceland trip was the glacier hike and ice cave tour, which only happened because our snowmobile tour got canceled due to high winds. In hindsight, this was divine intervention because I still think about the glacier hike to this day, and heard that the snowmobile tour can be underwhelming after the initial thrill wears off.

The hikes can be anywhere from 3-4 hours when you add in any paperwork, getting fitted for shoes and equipment, and the actual hike, so this is a full day activity.

Stop 4: Once you walk back to the car from the plane, continue back towards Reykjavik for another 2 hours. We stayed in an airbnb for our last night in Iceland, and got dinner in Reykjavik which felt like home.

Day 5: Depending on the time of your flight, you can grab breakfast and lunch in town, or do any last minute shopping before heading back to the airport. We did both, and picked up souvenirs before leaving.