Iceland
with Kids
The ultimate family guide to the land of fire & ice
Why: Iceland genuinely rewires how you see the world. Glaciers, waterfalls, geysers, black sand beaches, and the Northern Lights — all packed into a country smaller than Ohio. Parents will be floored from Day 1. The honest knock for the kids: some of the drives are genuinely long, and a few days they were over it. The trip is incredible enough that we’d still happily do it again — just with the boys a few years older so we can tackle the full Ring Road.
Is Iceland Worth Visiting With Kids?
Iceland is wild — raw-energy-of-the-earth wild. One moment you’re standing in front of a thundering waterfall so close you can feel the mist in your bones, the next you’re soaking in a steamy lagoon while geysers explode just down the road.
That’s the thing most Iceland guides won’t tell you: you don’t need a packed itinerary to have an incredible trip. The scenery between stops is as jaw-dropping as the stops themselves. Build in slow days. Pull over whenever something catches your eye. Let Iceland surprise you.
The only real catch? It’s expensive. Flights from the US range from $300–600/person roundtrip depending on timing and how far out you book — we paid $471/person flying IcelandAir. Once you land, the meter starts running: car rental, gas, food, lodging, even gas station snacks add up fast. Budget realistically and we’ll show you where we cut corners and where we didn’t.
Plan smart, pace yourself, and embrace the splurge where it counts. Because when your kids are staring at a glacier lagoon full of floating icebergs or watching the Northern Lights dance overhead, you’ll realize Iceland doesn’t just wow — it rewires how you see the world.
⭐ Trip Highlights
Our 9-Day Iceland Family Itinerary
Heads up: almost every flight from North America to Iceland is a red-eye that lands somewhere between 6:00 AM and 8:30 AM. Plan accordingly — you’ll arrive tired, the rental car desk will be open, but most of the country won’t be. We grabbed our car at KEF and headed toward Reykjavik for a quick nap in the car while waiting for Costco to open (yes, really — even in Iceland, this is the move).
Once we’d stocked up on snacks, breakfast staples, and drinks, we cruised the Reykjavik highlights — Hallgrímskirkja (the iconic church), the Sun Voyager sculpture by the harbor, and Harpa Concert Hall. Honest take: we were too groggy to truly enjoy it. The trick that worked for us was checking in early-ish, getting dinner, and crashing by 8 PM. We woke up Day 2 actually refreshed and ready to take Iceland on. Don’t underestimate this — Day 1 is for survival, not sightseeing.
The Golden Circle is Iceland’s greatest hits in one easy loop. Start at Thingvellir National Park, where you can literally walk between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Then head to the Geysir Geothermal Area, where Strokkur erupts every 6–10 minutes shooting boiling water 100+ feet into the air. We watched it go four times in a row. Wrap with Gullfoss, a thunderous two-tiered waterfall so powerful you can feel the ground vibrate.
Optional add-on: Secret Lagoon for a steamy soak before driving back. And the Friðheimar tomato farm restaurant — yes, lunch inside an actual working greenhouse — is genuinely worth the detour. The tomato soup is iconic.
One of the most action-packed days of the trip. Started at Seljalandsfoss — the waterfall you can actually walk behind, which the kids absolutely lost their minds over (bring waterproof layers, you’ll get soaked). A short drive away is Skógafoss, a 200-foot wall of water so loud and powerful that we just stood there silent for a few minutes. Climb the staircase to the top for a completely different perspective.
Continue to Dyrhólaey to spot puffins nesting on the cliffs (binoculars help!) and finish at Reynisfjara, the most dramatic black sand beach we’ve ever seen. The basalt columns, the roaring surf, the towering sea stacks — it feels like another planet. Warning: the sneaker waves at Reynisfjara are genuinely dangerous. Stay well back from the water with kids.
This was the undisputed highlight of our entire trip. Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is unlike anything we’d ever seen — massive chunks of ancient blue ice floating silently across the water, seals bobbing between them, mountains in the background. The kids were speechless (which, if you have kids, you know is rare).
We did the Amphibian Boat Tour and it’s worth every dollar — you get right up close to the icebergs and the guide explains the scale of what you’re looking at. From there, walk five minutes to Diamond Beach where ice chunks wash up on black sand like scattered jewels. Surreal doesn’t begin to cover it.
Bonus that made the day unforgettable: we stayed at Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon that night, and they have a Northern Lights wake-up service. At 1 AM the front desk rang our room — green light dancing across the sky right outside our door. Worth setting an alarm clock for, every single time.
Stop at Skaftafell, part of Vatnajökull National Park, for a real glacier experience. Two options depending on your crew: book a guided glacier walk on Svínafellsjökull (kids typically need to be 8+), or do the Svartifoss hike — a moderate 90-minute round trip to a waterfall framed by jet-black basalt columns. We did Svartifoss and it was perfect for our kids.
From there, the drive back west toward Vík is pure Iceland — lava fields, distant glaciers, lonely farmhouses, occasional sheep. Stop in Vík for a quick pizza dinner (genuinely good and roughly half the price of fancier sit-down spots).
We loved having one flexible day. Top picks if you have the time and energy: Kerið Crater, a fiery red volcanic caldera with an aquamarine lake in the middle — short walk, big payoff. Seljavallalaug is a tucked-away geothermal pool reached by a 15-minute walk through a mossy valley (rustic, magical, free). Or do Laugarvatn Fontana Spa for a more polished soak experience with several thermal pools and a hot spring–steamed bread tour.
Honest take: don’t overpack this day. Iceland is exhausting in the best way, and a slower day mid-trip kept everyone’s batteries charged for Snaefellsnes.
A driving day that doesn’t feel like one. Head back through Reykjavik for a proper lunch stop — we hit a casual cafe and let the kids decompress. From there it’s about 90 minutes to Borgarnes, where we recommend an early check-in at your guesthouse to give the kids time to run around. The Borgarnes harbor walk is a relaxed wind-down, and the Krauma geothermal baths are nearby if you want one more soak in your day. Save your energy — tomorrow is one of the trip’s best days.
We did the full Snaefellsnes loop in a single day — and it’s very doable. Coastal walk from Arnarstapi to Hellnar (easy, beautiful, kid-friendly), volcanic craters, dramatic sea cliffs, and Kirkjufell — the iconic mountain you’ll recognize from every Iceland postcard. The peninsula packs a lot into a tight loop, which is exactly what you want with kids.
Note on the full Iceland Ring Road: We did NOT do the full island loop — that would have added several more days of driving, which just wasn’t right for our trip with young kids. If you have 12–14 days and teenagers, absolutely go for it. For us, the south coast + Snaefellsnes hit every highlight without grinding the kids down.
If your flight is in the afternoon, you have time for one final Icelandic experience: a geothermal swim. Sky Lagoon (closer to Reykjavik and KEF) has become the popular alternative to the famous Blue Lagoon — newer, less crowded, with a stunning infinity edge over the ocean. The Blue Lagoon is still iconic if you want the original. Either way, soaking in 100°F mineral water for an hour before a 7-hour flight is a genuinely smart move. Then it’s back to KEF for the journey home.
Where to Stay in Iceland With Kids
Pro tip: Book 6+ months out. Iceland accommodations sell fast and prices spike dramatically closer to travel dates.
Hotel Viking – Reykjavik
Cozy cabin-style rooms with an attic loft the kids claimed as their own hideout. Excellent free breakfast.
✓ Free BreakfastFarmhouse Lodge near Vík
Glamping tent in a gorgeous location. Rustic vibe, unique experience the kids will remember forever.
✓ Airbnb PickFosshotel Glacier Lagoon
A splurge, but worth every penny. Staff woke us for the Northern Lights — unforgettable moment.
★ Splurge PickBrú Guesthouse
Futuristic, super-clean cabins with big views. Confirm your booking matches your group size.
✓ Unique Stay🚐 Considering an RV?
Iceland’s ring roads are practically made for campervan travel. We rented a car but would love to try an RV next time. Top options: Campervan Iceland, KúKú Campers (budget-friendly), and Happy Campers (family-friendly touches).
Iceland With Kids: What It Actually Cost Us
Iceland is expensive — full stop. But it doesn’t have to be crazy expensive if you’re strategic. Here’s our real breakdown for a family of four over 9 days:
Total trip cost: ~$8,800 for 4 people, 9 days. That’s roughly $975/day or ~$244/person/day. Hotels averaged $268/night. We kept food costs down significantly by cooking and eating cheap — more on that below.
Flights
$471/person on IcelandAir. Round trip flights range from $300–600/person depending on your departure city and how far out you book. Add ~$100 each way per checked bag.
~$1,884 total + bagsHotels & Airbnbs
Mix of hotels, Airbnbs, and a glamping tent. Averaged $268/night across 8 nights. Fosshotel and Brú Guesthouse were the splurges — both worth it.
~$2,146 totalCar Rental + Gas
Full-size rental with Platinum insurance from Lotus Car Rental. Gas ran about $200 for the trip. Insurance is expensive but non-negotiable in Iceland.
~$1,617 totalFood
We were intentionally thrifty. Groceries for breakfast and lunches, KFC and Domino’s for easy family dinners, gas station food on long driving days. No lavish sit-down meals. Food quality in Iceland is actually great even eating cheap.
~$1,020 total (restaurants + groceries)Biggest money-saver: Treating food like a road trip, not a vacation. We bought eggs, bread, turkey, chips, and snacks at Costco on Day 1 and kept the cooler stocked throughout. Iceland’s restaurant prices are real — but you can eat well without eating expensively.
How to Get to Iceland
Almost everyone flying to Iceland lands at Keflavík International Airport (KEF), just outside Reykjavik — it’s the country’s main gateway.
Heads up on timing: most flights from North America are scheduled as red-eye overnight flights landing between 6:00 AM and 8:30 AM. That’s a great way to maximize trip days, but you’ll arrive tired. Plan a quiet Day 1 (see itinerary), sleep early, and Day 2 you’ll be ready to take Iceland on.
For tips on snagging the best deals, check out our Flight Booking Guide →
Car rental is essential unless you’re sticking to Reykjavik. We rented with Lotus Car Rental (local, reliable) and got the Platinum Insurance. Expensive but worth the peace of mind.
For help choosing the right vehicle size for your family, see our Car Rental Guide →
💳 Can you use points for Iceland? Honestly — it’s tough. Iceland has limited points redemption options and award availability is scarce. We paid cash for this trip. In hindsight, there are solid options if you plan ahead: the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica and Marriott Reykjavik are both bookable on points. If you have Hilton or Marriott status, book 6+ months out and it’s very doable. For everything else, see how we structure our points strategy for trips where redemptions actually work.