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Heading to Iceland with an infant

burlsube — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:06:05 GMT

My wife and I are thinking of heading to Iceland for our summer vacation. This year will be a little different as we will be traveling with our 14month old. Since are on the East Coast the flight to Iceland is reasonably quick and Iceland is quicker than some domestic locations We hope to rent a house in the south eastern part of Iceland in late May or early June. We will use the house as our base and do some small day trips from there. Our only goal for the vacation is to enjoy the scenery and see a few things. We are going to travel light and purchase most food and diapers there. Any hints, tips, and tricks traveling to Iceland with an infant. What can we expect in terms of availability of conventional baby foods and diapers? Anything else we should know?

Iceland For Foodies?

like_a_friend — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 19:13:09 GMT

I'm planning a trip to Iceland, probably for May, and a friend has expressed interest in coming along. I'm a bit worried ...

because said friend generally likes the following things:

sunlight
heat
beaches
fancy food
fancy booze
fancy hotels

...And since the first 3 are obviously Not in abundance in Reykjavik, early spring, I'm wondering what our odds are for the last three. Personally, I'm dying to visit, and will go solo if need be. But this friend is generally a blast to travel with, so if a convincing argument can be made, I'd like to make it.

I've done some googling, but my unfamiliarity with Icelandic cuisine means I can't really tell how fancy/excellent these menus really are. Personal recommendations would be WAY welcome.

Putting the 'ice' in Iceland?

eugenen — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 01:51:40 GMT

Touring Iceland in March: bad idea?

I have an opportunity to take a vacation in mid-March 2013. I've long wanted to see Iceland. I'd probably want to spend a few days in Reykjavik and take 8 or 9 days to drive the Ring Road, (safely) get off the beaten path a little bit (maybe venture into Westfjords), find some cool stuff to see. I'd most likely be traveling alone.

The question: Will I regret doing this in March? I don't mind the cold, and I don't mind darkness (though I understand the days aren't too short in March), but if much of what I'd want to see is inaccessible or closed, the roads muddy and hard to drive, etc., that would obviously be unfortunate.

I get the sense the interior would pretty much be off-limits. I'm not sure how bummed I should be about that.

Would appreciate thoughts from locals or anyone who's done something like this.

If you speak Icelandic, please read!

crapples — Sun, 12 Aug 2012 20:41:29 GMT

Do you speak icelandic? If so, you could really help us out!

We are leaving France for Iceland tomorrow morning. We have a son who is peanut allergic - potentially fatally so. While in France we have benefitted from carrying around a little card that says: "Our son has a very serious peanut allergy. Will you please make sure that no peanuts (including peanut oil or other ingredients) are in his food?" in French.

We have never been to Iceland before. We don't know if everyone speaks english or not - and if so if their level of fluency is high enough for us to be confident that they have understood the urgency of our message.

So, if you speak icelandic, would you please translate the above sentence into the language? I know this is short notice, but I can get this printed tomorrow morning before we leave if someone responds. Thank you!

What's the best way to move about in Iceland?

crapples — Fri, 13 Jul 2012 15:48:59 GMT

Iceland: Renting cars in Iceland is EXPENSIVE! My family is only going to be there for two days - five of us. What's the best way to get around?

We just want to see The Blue Lagoon, hang out in the city, eat some good food, and maybe see one or two of the things on a standard list like this.

Do we rent a car? Or is there a better, easier, cheaper way with a family of our size?

(Additional info: This is just a two day layover. We have a hotel in Reykjavik.)

Silfra diving

corn_bread — Sat, 02 Jun 2012 14:11:09 GMT

Road tripping around Iceland in August. I am very on the fence about booking a dive trip in the Silfra fissure. Would love to hear from people that did it.

I am a certified diver and am intrigued by the idea of diving in Silfra. If I had more time in Iceland, I would definitely do it; however, my husband and I are trying to drive around the entire ring road in 8 days. Diving would be expensive (my husband would need to also get certified before we go), and would cost us a day of driving. This is not to say it's not doable.

I am just curious to hear from people that have done it. How amazing was the experience? How did it compare to other dive experiences? Is it a must do for Iceland?

Impromptu Iceland

matthewr — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 23:08:11 GMT

Four days free next week in Reykjavik. What to see and do? Love to get out into the mountains and glaciers, but also city things. Catch: no car.

I'm in Reykjavik next week from Monday to Saturday. I have three free days at the beginning, and one free day at the end.

I'm looking at the various one-day hiking tours offered from Reykjavik — in Thingvellir/Eyjafjallojokull/Thorsmork etc. Any recommendations from experience would be brilliant!

Also, any recommendations of things to see / do / eat / drink in Reykjavik itself?

I'll probably be mostly staying in Reykjavik downtown youth hostel. I'll be travelling solo. No driving license, so I can't hire a car.

Thanks!

Visiting Iceland in October

amarynth — Tue, 22 May 2012 15:44:41 GMT

I've always wanted to see the Northern Lights, so my boyfriend and I booked a package through IcelandAir for the end of October*. We're spending two nights Reykjavik and two Akureyri. What might we need to know or want to do that a guide book might not mention? With what seems like so much to see in a short amount of time, what's not to be missed?

We know it will be cold, and that there will be around 8 hours of daylight. I don't drive and my boyfriend hates driving, so we won't be renting a car. We like nature, folk art, and eating.

The package includes a Northern Lights tour in Akureyri, but we weren't sure what else we should be looking at doing, given our timeframe:
Arriving in Reykjavik from DC in the morning and spending the first night in Reykjavik, flying to Akureyri the next morning and spending two nights there, then back to Reykjavik in the morning for the last night, then catching an evening flight back to DC.

I was surprised that whale watching and horseback riding tours run year round. In late October, is that just asking for misery?

We love hot springs and baths, and I know that they're all over. I've been to the Blue Lagoon before (best layover ever!), and know that it's touristy, but am thinking of heading there on our last day just to relax and decompress before getting on the plane again.

I'm looking at some of the tours to get inspiration, but we're fine taking a bus or other public transportation if it's available. Would there be limited availability during the off-season, or other compelling reasons to stick with a tour instead of trying to find our own way?

I'd be interested in the Museum of Small Things and the Icelandic Folk and Outsider Art Museum, but it looks as though they might be closed in the off-season. Also, we wouldn't have enough time in Reykjavik for what seems like a typical Golden Circle tour (most of them seem to last 8-10 hours), so what should our priorities be for a mini-tour?

My boyfriend is hesitant to take one of the Lake Myvatn tours from Akureyri due to the length (8-9 hours). Are they worth it in October, or would it be possible and more advisable to try to break it up over the two days that we're there and prioritize a couple of the stops (They seem to all stop at some combination of Waterfall Goðafoss, Skútustaðagígar, Dimmuborgir, Grjótagjá, Hverir, Mt. Námafjall, Mt. Krafla, Víti, and the Mývatn nature baths)?

*I know that we have plenty of time to plan, and I have some guide books on hold at the library, but I'm very excited!

Summer travel to Iceland

corn_bread — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 23:18:32 GMT

Planning on going to Iceland this July. I'm looking for advice on must-see/do thing during this time of year in Iceland. Also, suggestions for incredibly amazing/maybe even life-changing music and art festivals during the summer there?

Feel free to share any and all Icelandic experiences/advice with me! I love hearing stories. :)

Let the planning continue!!

slide — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 00:32:07 GMT

I asked this question a week ago and thanks to the wonderful answers I'm taking my girlfriend to Iceland for her birthday from February 10-15! We're both excited, but I'd love some more suggestions as to how best to fill our time in Iceland...

We get in at 7:00 am the morning of Saturday, February 11 and leave around 5:30 pm on Wednesday, February 15. Let me lay out my tentative thoughts below and I would love any suggestions as to restaurants, particular travel/expedition companies, places to see, etc. If you think the entire itinerary should be shaken up, I'd love to hear that as well.

Saturday, February 11: Stay in Reykjavik all day - explore the city, rest up a bit, go to some thermal baths in the city, have a wonderful dinner out, go out for some drinks, etc. Questions: Any can't miss sights in Reykjavik? Any recommendations for restaurants? For Reykjavik hotels? For particular thermal baths? We'll read the guidebooks but would love any tips.

Sunday/Monday, February 12-13: It would be great to work in trips outside of Reykjavik these two days, ideally ones that incorporate dog sledding, ATVs, super jeeps, etc. While I don't want to go too crazy, I can spend a significant amount of money if it's worth it. Note we're going to do the Golden Circle tour on Tuesday, February 14, so I'd love suggestions of other places to go for Sunday and Monday. If you have any recommendations for particular companies that can arrange personalized tours, ATVs, dog sledding, etc., I'd love to hear the recommendations. I'd even be willing to fly or stay somewhere else on Sunday night if that makes sense, though given our limited time I'm guessing staying in Reykjavik all four nights makes more sense.

Tuesday, February 14: Golden Circle tour during the day, followed by a good Valentine's day dinner. Any recommendations for a good romantic dinner spot at which I can get a table? Then some drinking - good bar recommendations always welcomed. I love great cocktails and energetic non-club environments.

Wednesday, February 15: I'm thinking maybe we'll do the Blue Lagoon during the day before flying out, though perhaps we can do that another day better - even the night of February 14.

Sorry for all the detail - it just got me such great responses last time around and I'm hoping for more.

tl;dr - Will be in Iceland with gf from morning of Feb 10-evening Feb 15. Recommendations as to hotels, restaurants, bars, sights in Reykjavik? Recommendations as to ATV/dog-sledding/super jeep outings to take over Sunday and Monday? Recommendations for particular guide companies? Thanks!

Meeting people at/for Iceland Airwaves

Mr C — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 23:13:32 GMT

I'll be heading to Iceland Airwaves next month in Reykjavik. I've never been to the country or festival before, and would love to know/meet a few kindly people to enjoy my time with. Where would you suggest meeting them, either during or in advance of my trip? Other tips for Icelandic tourism are welcome as well.

Mig langar að fljúga.

EmpressCallipygos — Sun, 22 May 2011 13:34:53 GMT

What are the odds that yesterday's volcano eruption in Reykyavik has nixed my Iceland Air flight 6 days from now?

I've got a ticket on Iceland Air from NYC to London, leaving 9 pm on Friday the 27th (the return is on American). I must leave at this approximate time; I have a ticket to a play in London on the evening of Saturday the 28th.

The Iceland Air web site is stating that they'll have service disruptions today (the 22nd) and tomorrow (the 23rd), but they say nothing about flights on the 27th. Should I hang in there, or cancel now and get another flight?

5 hours in Iceland. Is this madness?

genmonster — Thu, 19 May 2011 15:04:57 GMT

ICELAND!! is five hours enough time to get out of the airport, especially to the Blue Lagoon?

So in the search for budget airfare, we ended up with a 5 hour layover in Reykjavik. Is this enough time to get to the Blue Lagoon (supposedly 20 min. from the airport)? Or, factoring in check in and customs, will we miss our next flight? I know very similar questions have been asked before, but we need to know the absolute minimum time that would make out-of-airport forays possible.

Lodging in Reykjavik, Iceland

Man with Lantern — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:49:32 GMT

Icelandlodgingfilter: My wife an I will be in Iceland for a week in late May and are looking for lodging. We're out of the demographic for loud noises and partying but like to get a feel of places that we visit.

I've seen questions on what to do in Iceland but nothing current for what I'm looking for. A combination of private facilities, good reviews, fairly quiet, and walking distance to the center of Reykjavik. Any recent experience would be helpful - or any mefites that run a place that might be attractive to a crowd that's not looking for a party.

a week in Reykjavik

captainscared — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 19:55:41 GMT

I'm about to leave for Reykjavik for a week. Any great restaurants or shops I have to check out?