Top 10 things to do in Iceland with kids
Iceland has so many unique elements – volcanos, black sand beaches, fault lines, glaciers, waterfalls galore. The entire country is nature’s best playground. If your kids love being outdoors, they will love Iceland.
The key to traveling with kids (especially young kids), we’ve found, is to provide them with plenty of hands-on experiences, room to move and things to explore. Waterfalls are well and good, but there are only so many the kids are willing to admire before they start digging in the dirt or skipping rocks across the river (pictured above). Hikes are awesome, but views are lost on kids – they want to climb, and hide, and race.
The one caveat we didn’t expect about Iceland, is they are (and rightly so) very protective about their natural spaces. Most places have paths marked out, and they prefer you stick to it. This is both for your own protection, but also to protect the nature that is so much more fragile in Iceland’s extreme climate. For example, the moss you can find in abundance over lava fields takes nearly 200 years to grow! Being told where they have to walk doesn’t always go over well with kids, but there are plenty of experiences the kids absolutely adored about Iceland. Read on for our top 10 things to do with kids!
*The one experience we wish we could have done was a glacier cave tour. Not only do we think the kids would have loved this, but I’m pining after those incredible photos. Unfortunately, glacier caves are unstable during Iceland’s summers, so most tours do not operate. (So perhaps consider this for a bonus 11!)
10. Seljalandsfoss (south Iceland)
Out of all of Iceland’s waterfalls we checked out, this is hands down the kids’ favourite. There is a hiking trail that not only goes around the falls, but *behind* it as well. You can also go right down to the water and the base of the falls. The noise is thunderous, you will get wet, and the kids loved being able to experience the power of the falls.
Just down a ways along a walking path is Gljufrabui, a hidden waterfall you need to wade through a narrow, stream-filled crevice to reach. Our kids were a little apprehensive, but they loved the challenge of hopping between the stones to reach the cave. Gljufrabui is not for all kids, but would be great for older or more adventurous children.
9. Kerid crater (Golden Circle)
Kerid crater is a small volcanic crater lake along the Golden Circle. I didn’t think the kids would be much interested in this, and we were initially planning to skip it. However, it turned out to be one of the kids’ favourite attractions. It’s a very colourful spot, with red volcanic rock and turquoise blue lake. The kids loved their walk around the lip of the volcano, and even requested to hike to the bottom. Playing with the loose volcanic rock was a huge hit.
8. Check out a lava cave
There are a number of lava cave tours in Iceland that will take you underground through old lava tubes. The kids loved wearing their hard hats and headlamps and trekking through the lava caves. The formation is so weird and wonderful the kids were fascinated. They also loved getting to experience the caves in the complete darkness when the guide had the group all turn off our headlamps.
Take note of any age limits for the tours. We joined a tour of the Raufarholshellir lava tunnel, which is just outside Reykjavik, and has a minimum age of 3 (the lowest of all the tours we checked out). Raufarholshellir is Iceland’s longest lava cave, and us adults appreciated the witty and humorous tour guides.
7. Diamond Beach (South Iceland)
It is safe to say beaches are always a hit with the kids, and Iceland’s beaches are no exception. We checked out a number of beaches in Iceland, including Reynisfjara, Iceland’s famous black sand beach, and Ytri Tunga beach (famous for seals), and the kids enjoyed them all. However, their favourite has got to be Diamond Beach, along Iceland’s south coast.
Diamond Beach is at the mouth of Iceland’s famous glacier lagoon, Jokulsarlon, where numerous icebergs break off from Vatnajokull, Iceland’s largest ice cap. (So you hit up two attractions in one go, really!) Diamond Beach is named for all the small ice chucks that wash back onto the shore, which litter the entire beach. Not only do the kids love playing in the sand, they are guaranteed to have a blast climbing and hiding behind all the ice chunks. An added bonus is there are frequently seals that swim in the area, so kids can seal-spot, too!
6. Bjarteyjarsandur farm (West Iceland)
Moving to the west side of Iceland now, about 1.5 hours north of Reykjavik is Bjarteyjarsandur farm. This is a *great* spot to camp if you have rented a camping vehicle. You can stop by to admire the animals and enjoy a coffee in the farmhouse if you’re in the area, but camping here overnight was truly a highlight for the kids.
Bjarteyjarsandur is a private, family-owned sheep farm. They also have horses, chickens, and the friendliest sheep dogs. The kids got to watch the owners call in their horses for the night, and they were able to pet them and even ride them. It was an encounter with the famous Icelandic horses we didn’t expect and the kids were all too happy to have. The dogs are happy to play any time you want to play, and the sheep wander about freely. There is also a large, fenced in playground and green space for the kids. Hands down Lil S’s favourite Iceland experience.
The farm does not have a website, but if you plan on staying the night, it’s a good idea to message them through their Facebook page to ensure there is space.
5. Erpsstadir creamery (West Iceland)
Speaking of farms, you can’t miss a stop at Erpsstadir creamery, located between Reykjavik and Akureyri, the gateway to Iceland’s north. It’s a good place to recharge if you’re driving around the Ring Road or even on your way to or from Snaefellsnes Peninsula. There is a Viking longhouse museum just 20 minutes away that was once the home of the great explorer Leif Erikson and his father Erik the Red.
Erpsstadir creamery is a working dairy farm, and makes their own ice cream and cheese. The ice cream is delicious, and there are a few flavours of the day to choose from. You can take a gander through the milking shed, and there is a massive play area for the kids, including a giant wrecking ball, bounce pillows, and a small petting zoo. The kids could have stayed here all day.
4. Check out a playground
While we’re on the topic of playgrounds, Iceland has some amazing ones. There is a famous “nature playground” at Malarrif lighthouse, at the tip of Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It is almost like a wooden obstacle course scattered through the area. The kids loved it (of course), but Iceland also has a public playground in nearly every town that are fantastic. The kids keep a look out for these every time we pass a town, and always beg to stop. The playgrounds normally have a large climbing structure, swings, and frequently have bounce pillows and zip lines. (This was a novelty and a *huge* hit with the kids.) Many also have soccer enclosures, and are attached to community centres where the pools are.
Our favourite playgrounds were the one in Vik, and the one in Seydisfjordur, on Iceland’s east coast. These both had fantastic playground elements (including Big S’s favourite bounce pillow), with fantastic views surrounded by fjords and ocean and mountains.
3. Check out a pool
The same way the kids’ eagle eyes pick out playgrounds, they also spot pools from a mile away. But not only were Iceland’s public pools a hit with the kids, they were a hit with the adults, too (always a win-win!) There is a pool complex in nearly every town. I say pool complex, because there is not just one pool, but pretty consistently a leisure pool, a lap pool, and a number of hot tubs at varying temperatures both indoors and outdoors. Many also have large waterslides, and the centres usually provide beach balls and pool floats for the kids.
It’s such a great way to unwind after a day of adventuring, not to mention a chance to take a shower if you’re camping! We enjoyed Iceland’s pools so much we have an entire post on it, which you can read here.
2. A date with Icelandic horses
Icelandic horses are a breed unique to Iceland. They are sturdy, gentle, and so darn fluffy you just want to stop by the side of the road every time you see them to give them a pat. (But don’t do this! Farmers, understandably, do not want a bunch of strangers always petting their animals. Plus, it’s dangerous to pull off by the side of the road in Iceland, where it’s usually just a single lane.)
Instead, visit a working farm, where many offer experiences with Icelandic horses, or book a horse riding tour. There are many companies that offer tours near Reykjavik and the south of Iceland, but Icelanders will say the best breeds of Icelandic horses are in the northwest, around Akureyri. Tours can be anywhere from a few hours to multi days for experienced riders. Most riding tours have an age limit, usually 7-8 years.
Because we traveled with young children, we booked a “date the Icelandic horse” experience through Hestasport (who also offer all kinds of riding tours). This was definitely a highlight with the kids. They got very individualized attention, and got to brush the horses, feed them, and go on a short ride.
1. Stokksnes (East Iceland)
Not many people venture out to east Iceland, but Stokksnes was probably the kids’ *most* favourite Iceland experience. It’s just 20 minutes away from the town of Hofn, which is as far as most people go, and less than an hour away from Jokulsarlon and Diamond Beach.
The peninsula is tucked away down a bumpy gravel road, and there is a small entrance fee. There is a beautiful black sand beach, and a stunning view of the Vestrahorn mountain. It is in our opinion the most dramatic view in Iceland, and that’s really saying something. There are pristine sand dunes all along the coast, perfect for running down, climbing up, and playing hide and seek. (Just remember to stay on the sand and off the dune grass.) I have never heard the kids shriek with so much glee. There is also a small viking village, and an (off-limits) NATO radar site.
To read more about our Iceland adventures, start with Part I of our Iceland Itinerary.
