10 Days around Iceland's Ring Road

Icelands international airport is in Keflavik about 45 minutes from the capital city Reykjavik, that most people base themselves out of. In between the two is the world famous, Blue Lagoon and the Reykjanes peninsula that has been erupting with volcanoes consistently for the last few years. Consider spending some time in this area before checking into your hotel!

Reykjavik is a very efficient, modern, bustling city with all types of accommodations and some restaurants that compete on a global scale. Spend a day or two in the city mixed In with an excursion or two before heading around the country. Don't miss the most famous building in the country, Hallgrimskirkja church. They also have some very unique and fun museums like the Phallological Museum. For excursions I recommend doing one of the many Volcano tours or an Icelandic horse ride!

The most popular day trip from Reykjavik is the Golden Circle but I recommend getting an early start to beat the crowds at Thingvellir National Park to start to see the continental rift and the home of the oldest Parliament in the world! Then make your way to Geysir, to see a familiar sight to Yellowstone National Park. Close by is one of the largest waterfalls in Europe, Gullfoss. Stopping by Friõheimar tomato farm for lunch is a must! I recommend getting reservations months in advance but you can still get bar seating on short notice. After stopping at Kerid Crater, take a dip in one of the many hot springs options available. We chose Reykjadalur thermal river, a natural flowing river that requires a hike!

Vestmannaeyjar or the Westman Islands was arguably highlight of Iceland for me. Take a short 45 minute boat ride (multiple departures a day) to a small volcanic wonderland, home to 5k people and Icelands largest music festival. Take the short but worthwhile, Eyja Tour to get a feel for the island. You will see viral places like Elephant Rock and the "Loneliest house on earth." You will also see the worlds Largest Puffin Colony and loads of photogenic sheep. They have great dining options and accommodations or you can head back to the mainland.

There are so many options to choose around Vik, you will feel like you want to do spend an extra day (or 2) if your schedule allows. Right off the ring road you will see famous waterfalls one after the other. Seljalandsfoss you can walk behind and Skogafoss is incredibly scenic. You are also right next to a massive glacier and can visit Ice Caves year round. End your day at the Black Sand Beach (you may recognize from my logo) with the amazing basalt columns and thundering waves. There are so many more options, the hardest part will be choosing whats right for you!

As you continue east and start to make your way north, the fun continues. The crowds won't be as thick as you can choose to stop at any roadside wonders like Fjadragjufur Canyon, Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon or hike to Svartifoss, a basalt column waterfall. My favorite tour was the 1.5hr Kayaking tour in Jokulsarion. Right next to that is Diamond Beach, where large ice chunks get beached onto the sand. Base yourself around Hofn for the night as you begin your adventure into the East Fjords.

Hit the road when you get around in the morning or stop at another desktop screensaver beach, Stokksnes. The East Fjords were my favorite area to drive through in the country with more top notch sights like Hengifoss waterfall and the cruise port town of Seydisfjordur. Take a break at Vok Baths in Egilsstair before entering North Iceland and the remote, Studlagil Canyon

The south has the Golden Circle while the North has the Diamond. Your first stop will be in Dettifoss, Europes most powerful waterfall. From there, the town of Husavik, is most famous for whale watching (and Netflix's Fire Saga) but also has great hot springs, museums, and dining. You will end your day and start the next in Myvatn, one of the weirdest looking lakes you will ever see! I highly recommend eating at Vogafjos Farm Restaurant for some true farm to table meals. Myvatn has many scenic overlooks, pseudo craters, lava formations, and more.

On your way to Icelands second largest city, stop by Godafoss and explore the city at your own pace. They have their own famous church, with a great botanical garden, city center, dining scene, hot springs, as well as their version of the North Pole! The city is much smaller compared to Reykjavik so you should still have time to make the long drive down the ring road before your last day.

It’s so hard to leave some of these places when they deserve more time to be explored, but you only get so many days off right? Your last day before completing the Ring Road is another one of Icelands most popular day trips about 2.5 hours from Reykjavik. Besides the beautiful small coastal towns, this area also includes a National Park, a seal watching beach, more volcanoes, and the ultimate Iceland postcard spot, Kirkjufell. There is no time for boredom in Iceland because even your drives will be nonstop scenic and you get to relive your trip the entire way back to the airport.