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Iceland—a place I’d always heard about but never seriously considered visiting—until a spontaneous birthday weekend plan changed everything. Last year, a friend found an awesome flight deal on flights from Baltimore to Iceland- direct and super affordable- over her birthday weekend! She asked if I wanted to join and of course, I said YES. Soon, our significant others were on board too, and we were officially planning a trip to Iceland.

For this trip we were going to be spending 4 days in Iceland, flying out Wednesday night and arriving in Iceland Thursday morning around 6:40am. We had a full day ahead of us so sleeping on the plane was super important. I luckily had no one next to me so I thought I was going to be good and have a great sleep. Unfortunately I only slept for about 2 hours on and off. Thankfully, the excitement of landing in a new country kicked in as soon as we touched down.

First Impressions and Renting a Car

After grabbing our luggage and changing into warmer clothes (no way was I wearing thermals and fleece-lined leggings on the plane!), we headed to the rental car lot. It was cold and rainy—classic Icelandic welcome!

Read more about what I packed for Iceland

We were given a tiny Suzuki car that would quickly become our second home. When we arrived, there was a few minutes of worry that our luggage wasn’t going to fit in the car, 2 full suitcases, 2 carry-ons and backpacks were tight. After some maneuvering we managed to get all the suitcases in the back like a gig saw puzzle and all 4 our backpacks were squeezed in the middle of the 2 in the backseat. We were definitely snug in the car but it made for some good laughs.

Iceland was much Greener than I expected. Being that we were there in March’ which is still considered the winter season’ I expected there to be a lot more snow. The fields around the airport were all green and rocky!

Breakfast

We were all quite hungry so our first stop was to get breakfast. We drove into Reykjavik and headed to Reykjavik’s famous Braud & Co Bakery. This is a well-known bakery! The outside of the bakery is covered with street art and the inside is warm and cozy. We waited on a short line deciding what we wanted. I decided to get a cinnamon roll which is one of their signature items. It was not super creamy like we are used to in the us but the cream was rolled into the middle. Joe got a ham and cheese croissant which was also very delicious! This bakery is a must for breakfast while in Reykjavik.

Golden Circle

We headed back to the car and it was time to start our first adventure, the golden circle. We drove about 40 minutes from Reykjavik to our first stop, Thingvellier National Park. I recommend parking in P2 (parking cost about 7 dollars) and is close to the trailheads.

We quickly layered up and took the short path to the right to Oxararfoss, our first Icelandic waterfall. The path was an easy boardwalk and the signage in the national park was really helpful. This made exploring really straightforward. This was a beautiful first waterfall to see in Iceland!

We headed back the way we came and this time went to the left. We followed the path to the Silfra Fissure, where the North American and Eurasion tectonic plates are literally pulling apart— growing by 2 cm every year! It was so cool to see where the 2 plates are. We even saw people snorkeling and scuba diving between the continents! The landscape of Iceland is so different from what we are used to in the US. I almost felt like I was on another planet!

A 50 minute drive brought us to Geysir! After a quick stop at the visitor center for a bathroom break and some water, we headed out to see the famous geysers. There are many geysers around, but the Stokkur Geyser is the most active. It erupts about every 5-7 minutes, although I think it was closer to 3 minutes while we were there! We saw it erupt twice before we continued walking around to see the other geysers.

Many people recommend walking up the path on the hill behind Stokkur to get a view of the geothermal valley from above. We decided not to do this as we were getting quite hungry!

Just 10 minutes away was the next stop: Gullfoss Waterfall, located just behind the visitor center down a set of stairs. This powerful waterfall is stunning, but brace yourself—the wind and mist are no joke. You will get wet!

We grabbed lunch at the Gullfoss Visitor Center. I got a chicken burger with tomato, lettuce, and pickles- simple but satisfying.

Snowmobiling the Second-Largest Glacier in Iceland

This was one of the activities I was most excited about!! We decided to snowmobile on the Langjokull Glacier with Mountaineers of Iceland, and it absolutely lived up to the hype.

The meeting point for this activity was conveniently right in the parking lot of the Gullfoss visitor center. When we arrived, a massive mountain truck was waiting—not your average bus. It sat high off the ground and had giant tires made for rough terrain, which should’ve been our first hint at what was coming.

The first 15 minutes of the ride were smooth, following a regular paved road. But once we got further up, the real adventure began! Our guide warned us that the road conditions were rough (they had just gotten a lot of snow)— and he was not exaggerating. We were driving through feet of snow, rocking back and forth over the mounds of snow.. I’m not going to lie; it was a little nerve-wracking, but the driver seemed very calm and confident, which made all the difference.

After about 50 minutes, we arrived at base camp. The staff helped us gear up with full snowsuits, gloves and helmets (thankfully included in the tour), and then we headed outside!

Stepping onto the glacier felt like entering another world. The only thing you could see in any direction was snow and mountains stretching into the distance. It was quiet and absolutely magical—unlike anything I’d ever experienced.

The snowmobiles were doubles, so I hopped on the back of Joe’s snowmobile, and we were off. I’ll admit, I was a little scared but I soon felt comfortable. The seat was comfortable, and I felt very stable on the back. The views the whole way were unbeatable.

We followed our guide for about 25 minutes along a well-worn snow path. All of a sudden, he veered off the path, and we forged our own path through fresh, untouched snow! A few minutes later, we stopped at the base of a mountain for a phot break. The scenery here was breathtaking. The snow was nearly up to my knees—fluffy, bright white, and absolutely beautiful. We snapped some of my favorite photos from the entire trip here.

On the way back, I decided I wanted to be brave and try driving the snowmobile. Joe hopped on the back and we were off. Let me just say: I gave it a shot… but it was not my thing. As soon as I picked up speed, I panicked. I kept imagining us tipping over, and the more people passed us, the more anxious I got. Our guide eventually stopped the group to let everyone catch up, and I turned to Joe and said, “We need to switch—now.”

Joe drove the rest of the way back and took back my role as being the passenger passenger princess (much more my vibe)! Even though I was not a fan of driving, the overall experience was absolutely worth it—and one of the highlights of our entire Iceland trip.

The drive back down the mountain was just as bumpy as the ride up. We were driving on feet of snow and rocking back and forth while we waited for the weight of the bus to weigh the snow down. We even experienced another bus in front of us break down and had to help them out of the situation. Just another unexpected twist in an already epic day!

Frost and Fire Boutique Hotel

At this point, we were all exhausted! We slept for maybe 2-3 hours of the last 36 hours and did so much on day 1. We drove about 1 hour and 30 minutes to our hotel, Frost and Fire Boutique Hotel. From the moment we walked in, we felt welcomed.

Read my entire review of this property here

We quickly checked into our rooms and headed to the main building for dinner. We had dinner at the on-site restaurant Varma, which ended up being my favorite meal of the whole trip.

Before we even get to the food, the restaurant is in a greenhouse-style room along the river. We were seated by the windows and had a lovely view of the river and the geothermal area around it. To start, I ordered a spritz. It was a well-made spritz.

Standouts from the meal:

• Appetizers: Reindeer carpaccio (surprisingly my favorite!), scallops, and lamb licorice.
• Main: Arctic char with beetroot puree, potatoes, and brie—delicate, rich, and so fresh.
• Dessert: Hot spring baked chocolate cake and crème brûlée. Perfect ending.

Read an in depth review of everything we ate at Frost and Fire

The Geothermal Hot Tubs and Northern Lights Searching

Without waiting any time, we headed back to our rooms, changed into our bathing suits and headed for the hot tubs. These hot tubs are located along the river and are truly what makes this hotel so special. We quickly changed and headed to the riverside hot tubs. Despite the freezing temps, the 104°F water was perfect. Hats recommended—your head will be chilly! We hung out in the hot tubs for about 45 minutes, talking about our day and all that was still to come on this trip.

We were hoping for a Northern Lights sighting from the hot tubs but unfortunately, this did not happen. The sky did have a red glow to it that we think was the aurora behind many clouds. Around 11 p.m., we decided to head to bed for the night as we were exhausted from our first day in Iceland!

DAY 2

We woke up feeling refreshed for day 2 in Iceland! We headed to the hotel lobby for some breakfast. The breakfast is Buffett style and served in the main restaurant. The buffet did not disappoint! It had everything from scrambled eggs and bacon to smoked salmon, fresh fruit, and waffles.

I am a huge smoked salmon fan so I had bread with smoked salmon, some eggs and a bowl of yogurt with granola. Everything was delicious and set me up for a good day in Iceland.

As we sat and ate breakfast, it was beautifully sunny outside. Looking at the weather app showed the same thing— Sun for the day!

Skogafoss

Our first stop was the breathtaking Skogafoss waterfall, about an hour and 30 minutes from Frost and Fire Boutique hotel. About 45 minutes into our drive, the weather began to shift. What started as a few gentle flurries quickly escalated into a full-blown snowstorm. It was such a perfect reminder that in Iceland, the weather can change in an instant—no matter what the forecast says!

When we arrived at Skógafoss, the snow was coming down hard, so we quickly layered our snow pants over our leggings before heading out to explore.

One of the best things about Skógafoss is how accessible it is. The parking lot is just a short walk from the base of the waterfall, so you don’t need to hike far to enjoy the view. We walked along the edge of the water to get to a quiet spot, away from the crowd, where we could take pictures. The pictures from this waterfall truly look like they were taken out of a hallmark movie! And wow—the snowflakes were huge, the kind you see in movies, and they showed up beautifully in our pictures.

We decided to hike up to the top of the waterfall, which meant climbing 527steep steps. Let me tell you—it was a workout! I definitely had to pause for a few breaks on the way up, but the view at the top was so worth it. From there, we could see the waterfall from above and take in the incredible surrounding landscape blanketed in snow.

There’s an option to continue hiking further into the highlands from the top, but between the snow and the cold, we decided to call it there. After soaking in the views and snapping a few more photos, we made our way carefully back down to the car—cold, a little tired, but absolutely in awe.

Hotel Vik I Mydral

Our original plan had us stopping at a few more spots along the way to our hotel but due to the weather we decided to just head to Vik and we would hit those spots on the way back the next day.

About another 30 minutes took us to our hotel in Vik. We stayed at Hotel Vik I Mydral. This was a great hotel in town. We checked into our hotel a bit early but thankfully they had 1 of our rooms ready so we were able to drop off our stuff and get changed.

The guy at the front desk was so friendly and told us it hadn’t snowed in Vik in weeks! Of course we were there the one day it did. We asked the guy for a lunch recommendation and he recommended ‘Smidjan brugghus’.

I ordered the dirty fries which were French fries with pulled pork and cheese on top. They were delicious. I had also been told to try Somersby Cider while in Iceland. I finally found it at this place and it definitely lived up to the hype. It may be my new favorite hard cider.

Ice Cave Tour

Right down the road from where we had lunch was the meeting spot for our next adventure: The Katla Ice Cave Tour. We checked in with Troll Expeditions and got ourselves ready to head out.

We loaded into a small van with about 8 other people and headed to the cave. As we traveled, our guide filled us in on what to expect and gave us a mini history lesson. First, we followed Route 1, the main road that circles the country. Eventually, we turned off onto the original Route 1—a rugged, unpaved track that was used until the 1970s. Fun fact: the United States helped build the current paved Route 1 to improve transportation to their military base in Iceland. I thought that was such a cool piece of history!

After about 50 minutes we arrived to base camp. We unloaded and our guide walked us through putting crampons on our boots. These would be needed as we were going to be hiking on the glacier to get to the cave.

The hike itself was surreal. There was nothing but snow and mountains in sight, and the quiet, icy landscape made it feel like we were walking through a movie scene. The walk out to the cave was about 40 minutes, with our guide stopping at various points to explain the geology of the area and the history of Katla Volcano.

Katla is one of Iceland’s more active volcanoes, historically erupting every few decades. (It’s overdue now—yikes!) The real threat isn’t lava, though. It’s the massive flooding that would result from the glacier melting if Katla erupts. The church in Vík sits on the highest ground in the village and is considered the safest place in the event of a flood. Hearing all of this while standing on the very glacier that covers the volcano? Wild.

When we arrived at the ice cave we were given some information then given time to freely explore the cave. It was so cool to walk around and see all the crevices, glowing blue ice and ice formations up close. We spent about 20 minutes in the cave exploring and taking pictures.

On the hike back, we stopped at a small glacial waterfall and a few other spots. The entire hike away on snow and our crampons were definitely needed to help avoid slipping.

We loaded back into the van for the return to Vík, and along the way, our guide shared even more fascinating stories—like the legend of Katla, the woman behind the volcano’s name. (No spoilers, but it involves a cursed pair of pants!)

About 20 minutes into our drive, our van started making a strange noise. The guide pulled over to check it and unfortunately discovered something had broken from all the off road driving. He called for a backup vehicle and they quickly came to get us back safely.

Once we arrived in town, we jumped in our car and headed to Reynisfjara beach— Iceland’s famous black sand beach. It was absolutely stunning, with its dramatic cliffs and roaring waves, but oh my gosh… it was the windiest place I’ve ever been. We could barely walk straight, but the views were worth it

Dinner

We headed back to the hotel to get changed for dinner! We went to the Black Crust Pizzeria. This was right across from our hotel and is known for the black crust. Vegetable charcoal powder is added to the dough to make the crust black like the lava.

We split 3 pizzas and breadsticks. We got a a number 1 (langoustine, truffle infused cream cheese, red onion, arugula, rosemary, chili, balsamic glaze, parmesan), number 3 (pepperoni sausage, cream cheese, cherry tomato, homemade date pesto, fresh basil) and number 5 (our selection of Icelandic cheeses, red currant jelly, rose pepper, parmesan).

My favorite was the number 5. I never expected the combination to be my favorite, as jelly on pizza sounded kind of weird but it was delicious!!!

We headed to the grocery store next store to check it out and see what they had. We got a few snacks to bring back to the hotel to snack on while waiting for the northern lights.

Chasing the Northern Lights

The lobby of our hotel had a cozy area perfect for hanging out! We picked a table with couches, brought our snacks and some cards down, and spent the evening chatting until about 10 PM, when reports of northern lights sightings started coming in.

We headed to the car and drove up to the church — the highest point in town—hoping for a good view. Unfortunately, we couldn’t see anything, so we headed a bit out of the town. After a short drive, we found a quiet road to pull off and look for them. Through our phones, we caught faint hints of green and pink, but nothing visible with our naked eye. We spent about 40 minutes here before heading back to the hotel for some much needed rest

Day 2 in Iceland was full of adventures and unexpected snow!

Day 3

We kicked off day 3 with an early wake up call. Breakfast was another delicious buffet in the lobby featuring many options. I had a croissant, toast with smoked salmon and yogurt with granola— the perfect fuel for a day of adventure.

Solheimajokull Glacier

We had a lot on our schedule today as we pushed many things from yesterday to today. We started off with a 30 minute drive to Solheimajokull glacier. After a quick 10 minute walk, we reached the lookout point for the tongue of the glacier. It was incredible to see where the glacier ice met the water. We were the only people around so we enjoyed the moment for a bit before heading back to the car.

Waterfalls

Next up was a quick 10 minute drive to Kvernufoss— a lesser known waterfall. It is located right past the turn off for Skogafoss waterfall. We parked and took a short walk to the falls, where we were able to get down to the base and snap some amazing pictures. With fewer visitors compared to more popular sites, Kvernufoss felt like a hidden gem—definitely a spot I recommend adding to your itinerary.

Since we were nearby, we made a quick stop at Skogafoss to see it without the snowfall we’d experienced the day before. A few quick photos, and we were off again.

Our next stop was Seljalandsfoss, one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. The parking lot was quite crowded, but we were lucky to find a spot quickly! From there it was just a few steps to the waterfall. You can walk behind this waterfall, but after watching how saoked people were getting. we decided to skip it and instead waited in line for a photo at a scenic viewpoint.

There was also a little store on-site, where we browsed handmade wool sweaters and souvenirs—such a fun stop!

Selfoss

By now we were getting hungry, so we drove about 50 minutes to Selfoss, a charming little town. We parked and walked to The Old Dairy Food Hall, which had come highly recommended. With so many different options under one roof, it’s a perfect spot for a group.

After surveying the options, I decided to get chicken and shrimp tacos from Takko— they were delicious! Joe grabbed pizza from Flatey, which was also very tasty.

Next door, we found Grooves, an ice cream and donut shop. The bright, fun atmosphere was irresistable. We ordered the milkshake and mini-donut combo. The milkshake came with four donuts on the straw — fresh, fluffy and absolutely delicious.

After a bit more wandering around town, it was time to hit the road again.

The Edition Reykjavik

About 50 minutes later, we arrived in downtown Reykjavik to check into our final hotel: The Reykjavik Edition, a five-star hotel in the heart of the city.

We were warmly welcomed at check-in and given a quick overview of the hotel’s amenities. After valet parking the car, we headed up to our gorgeous room featuring floor-to-ceiling windows and a spacious bathroom.

Sky Lagoon

We quickly got changed and made our way to Sky Lagoon. Sky Lagoon, located about 15 minutes from the hotel, is a stunning alternative to the more famous (and often crowded) Blue Lagoon— and we couldn’t have been happier with our choice!

We checked in and headed off into the gendered locker rooms to get changed. (tip: private changing rooms are available if you prefer.) Lockers are secured with wristbands, so it’s easy to stow your belongings safely.

Walking through the cave-like entrance to the lagoon was a surreal experience. The warm waters, ocean views and stunning infinity-edge design were breathtaking. We explored and snapped some photos before heading over to the bar. We grabbed drinks and headed to the infinity edge to relax. Although it was busy, it never felt overcrowded.

We decided we wanted to just relax so we ran back to the locker room to put our phones away. This next hour was such a relaxing time with friends! We floated and talked and laughed!

The 7 Step Ritual at Sky Lagoon

Sky Lagoon is known for its 7-step ritual, designed to relax your mind, body and soul.

Step 1: Relax in the lagoon- Soak in the warm water and breath in the fresh ocean air.

Step 2: Cold plunge- cold therapy is a traditional step for Icelanders. There is a cold plunge pool right outside the spa house where the rest of the ritual takes place. You take a cold plunge in this pool to stimulate your immune system, decrease blood flow in the body and boost your happiness. They recommend 10 seconds. I found it so hard to do but really tried!

Step 3: Sauna- head to the sauna for 5-10 minutes. The sauna has a gorgeous view of the ocean. This is a time to sit and relax. The sauna is designed to open your pores and detox the skin.

Step 4: cold mist- Step through a cold mist to rejuvenate your skin. This was my favorite! I could have stayed in here for a long time!

Step 5: Body scrub- Apply Sky Lagoon’s signature sea salt body scrub all over yourself to exfoliate your skin.

Step 6: Steam room- Relax again to help your body absorb the scrub’s benefits. I will be honest, I have a hard time in steam rooms and was only able to stay in here for a minutes.

Step 7: Icelandic Elixer- After a quick rinse in the shower, enjoy a Crowberry juice shot, This was delicious and the prefect end the ritual.

Overall, the 7 step ritual was an amazing experience and highly recommend everyone who visits Sky Lagoon tries it! I left feeling refreshed and recharged.

The Northern Lights

After dinner, we headed up to the rooftop bar at The Reykjavik Edition.  The rooftop at this hotel is the perfect spot to hangout at night with a cozy atmosphere and panoramic city views!

Since it was our last night, we were determined to see the lights. We were taking quick peeks outside to see if we could catch a glimpse of the northern lights even though the apps weren’t giving us much hope. We were disappointed and started joking about having to plan a trip to Norway to try again. With not a recorded sighting and a low prediction of visibility we decided to head to bed around 11.

As we were getting ready for bed, we got a notification of an aurora posted—an aurora had been spotted two hours north. Suddenly, the ‘Hello Aurora’ app lit up with reports from all around Iceland. We quickly jumped in the car and drove to the Grotta Lighthouse, just 10 minutes outside of the city center—a popular viewing spot.

When I say we quick jumped in the car, I mean quick! Joe stayed in his pajama pants, Patrick was in flip flops! We left so quickly they didn’t even have time to think to change!

The place was packed! We parked quickly, and immediately noticed a faint green hue in the sky. It was a very faint hue but it was much more visible on the phones. We took a bunch of pictures and as the night progressed the lights got even brighter. They were vibrant and we were able to see them clearly with our bare eyes. The Northern Lights, we were seeing the Northern Lights!!

It was truly an unforgettable experience. We watched in awe as green hues danced across the sky. It was a surreal experience. We had some good laughs as it was freezing outside but the wonder of the moment made it all worth it. Jokes were made “now we don’t have to go to Norway” (don’t worry it’s still on my list).

We didn’t want to leave the area, but it was getting late and figured we should head back. The whole drive back we could not stop talking about how cool of an experience that was!

Day 4

Our final day in Iceland was a short one. We woke up around 9 AM, packed our bags, loaded them in the car and then walked over to the meeting spot for our Icelandic Food Tour. There, we met our tour guide, Siggy, and the rest of our group before setting off to visit five Icelandic restaurants to taste traditional Icelandic food. As we walked Siggy shared fun facts and insights about Icelandic culture and history.

Stop 1: Baka Baka

Our first stop was Baka Baka, the first ever public bakery in Iceland. Here, we tried Icelandic pancakes— similar to crepes with sugar rolled inside. We topped them with raspberry jam and homemade whipped cream. These were DELICIOUS!

Stop 2: Messinn Seafood

Messinn Seafood, named after the mess hall of a ship where the head chef started out and dreamed of opening his own restaurant. Here, we sampled Artic Char (very similar to Salmon) and Plokkfiskur (Fish Stew with cod, potatoes, onions, and cheese) served with Icelandic Rye bread. I grew to really love Artic char on this trip!

Stop 3: Baejarins Betzu Pylsur

No trip to Iceland is complete without a visit to Baejarins Betzu Pylsur hot dog stand. These Iconic hot dogs are made with lamb and topped with Icelandic Ketchup, Icelandic mustard, Remoulade sauce, deep fried onion and raw onions. I was a little nervous about all the toppings, but they were incredible—so much so that I grabbed another at the airport later!

Stop 4: Islenski Barrinn

The moment we had all been waiting for, trying Fermented Shark. I was very scared to try it as I had heard it was not good. After a brief tutorial on the traditional cheers, we were each given a small piece to try followed by a shot of Brennivin (an Icelandic Schnapps.) Honestly, the fermented shark wasn’t as terrible as I expected — but the shot after? Defineitley a struggle. We also enjoyed a bowl of Icelandic lamb soup, which was more up my alley.

Stop 5: Cafe Loki

Our final stop was Cafe Loki, where we enjoyed Rye bread Ice cream. We sat in a room upstairs and had a beautiful view of Hallgrimskirkja church while enjoying our ice cream. It was the perfect sweet ending to our food tour!

A food tour is a great way to chat with a local, sample a variety of traditional foods and explore more of Reykjavik! I highly recommend this food tour with Reykjavik Food Walk!

Time to Head Home

After our food tour, we walked back to the hotel stopping into a few shops on the way. Then it was time to hit the road for the airport.

Although we were so sad to leave, this trip will forever be one of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken! Iceland is a truly beautiful country, and we were able to experience so much in just a few days. I would love to come back and spend more time exploring this beautiful country and all it has to offer!

Thanks for following along with my Iceland travel story! Have you ever dreamed of visiting Iceland? Tell me in the comments — and if you’re ready to start planning your own trip, I’d love to help! [Inquire here.]