Iceland w/my in-laws
Feb 14, 2019, 7:34 pm
#1
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,095
Iceland w/my in-laws
Mr. Kipper, my in-laws, and I are going to Iceland later this year. I need to pack as much stuff into the 6 day trip as I possibly can! Suggestions, ideas, must-sees? I want to keep moving from the time we land to the time we leave! My in-laws are always on the go, so I need this trip to be packed!
Last edited by kipper; Feb 14, 2019 at 7:56 pm
Feb 15, 2019, 10:53 am
#2
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 331
One important hint: since Iceland has became such a popular destination, plan your schedule in advance as then you can ensure that you will have accomodation in suitable places enroute.
Feb 15, 2019, 5:22 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,954
I am assuming this trip is being taken in "not winter", aka "May to September". If not, all bets are off.
If you are flying in from the US, it's likely an overnight flight, so day 1 should keep driving to a minimum. Land, pick up your rental car, go to the Blue Lagoon, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula if you feel like exploring, or just go to Reykjavik and check into your hotel and walk around a bit.
When you pick up the rental car, THOROUGHLY Photograph and/or video every surface you can, inside and out, to make sure you don't get scammed into paying for dents/scratches that are already there. Make sure they know you are doing this so they won't even try. They get folks for tiny dings in the windshield and even the undercarriage, so be thorough. Book only with a reputable company. Avoid any company with "Cheap" or "Sad" or similar in the name. Do not assume that because you see a company name you recognize from home and you're "Platinum" with them that this matters at all, it does not. Read your insurance options carefully and take the appropriate ones. Sand/Ash/Gravel is important in the south as there are dust/sand storms there every summer. If you have great Credit card coverage you can probably ignore most insurances. CDW is required in Iceland, you can't waive it, and your CC won't care that you didn't "waive all insurances".
Day 2: Head east thru Hvergardi to the Golden Circle sites, finish up in Selfoss or Hella for the night.
Day 3: Head east and do the two big waterfalls in the south, Solheimjokul (drive up glacier). Take a glacier hike if that's your thing, book in advance. Check out the cliffs in Vik. End up at Vik or at Kirkjubjarklaustur
Day 4: Head east and check out Skaftafell and Svinafelljokull and Fjallsrln and Jokulsarlon. Book a boat tour well in advance in one of them. End up in Hofn where you will have a lobster dinner.
Day 5: Head back west and catch whatever you missed heading east. Finish up no further east than Vik, but Hella would be better. You don't want to have a long drive heading back to the airport on Day 6
Day 6: Get to the rental car depot 3 hours prior to your flight, especially if you need to be shuttled to the airport. Rephotograph/video the car again so they don't send you a picture a month later with a new dent on it and say you did it. Let them know you are doing this so they know not to even try anything. If you have time on this day, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula, which is where KEF and the Blue Lagoon are located. The astronauts practiced there for moon landings as the surface is other-worldly.
In general:
Drive down any road that looks like it might be interesting. It will be.
Talk to locals. They are friendly and fun to talk to. They probably won't initiate conversation, but will converse
Take at least one tour so you are sure to meet at least a local person guiding you and you will learn so much more about Iceland than you can learn on your own. Golden Circle is a great place for a guided tour.
Book your lodging ASAP as options are disappearing. We are going back in September and booked 2 months ago and had to take 2nd and 3rd choices
Book lodging with breakfast or self-cater. Get lunches from grocery stores or bakeries. Iceland has the most amazing breads. Restaurants are crazy expensive, so not eating out every meal makes sense
If you plan on drinking, buy booze at Duty Free, as liquor stores in Iceland are few and far between, with limited operating hours and very high prices.
Have fun!
If you are flying in from the US, it's likely an overnight flight, so day 1 should keep driving to a minimum. Land, pick up your rental car, go to the Blue Lagoon, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula if you feel like exploring, or just go to Reykjavik and check into your hotel and walk around a bit.
When you pick up the rental car, THOROUGHLY Photograph and/or video every surface you can, inside and out, to make sure you don't get scammed into paying for dents/scratches that are already there. Make sure they know you are doing this so they won't even try. They get folks for tiny dings in the windshield and even the undercarriage, so be thorough. Book only with a reputable company. Avoid any company with "Cheap" or "Sad" or similar in the name. Do not assume that because you see a company name you recognize from home and you're "Platinum" with them that this matters at all, it does not. Read your insurance options carefully and take the appropriate ones. Sand/Ash/Gravel is important in the south as there are dust/sand storms there every summer. If you have great Credit card coverage you can probably ignore most insurances. CDW is required in Iceland, you can't waive it, and your CC won't care that you didn't "waive all insurances".
Day 2: Head east thru Hvergardi to the Golden Circle sites, finish up in Selfoss or Hella for the night.
Day 3: Head east and do the two big waterfalls in the south, Solheimjokul (drive up glacier). Take a glacier hike if that's your thing, book in advance. Check out the cliffs in Vik. End up at Vik or at Kirkjubjarklaustur
Day 4: Head east and check out Skaftafell and Svinafelljokull and Fjallsrln and Jokulsarlon. Book a boat tour well in advance in one of them. End up in Hofn where you will have a lobster dinner.
Day 5: Head back west and catch whatever you missed heading east. Finish up no further east than Vik, but Hella would be better. You don't want to have a long drive heading back to the airport on Day 6
Day 6: Get to the rental car depot 3 hours prior to your flight, especially if you need to be shuttled to the airport. Rephotograph/video the car again so they don't send you a picture a month later with a new dent on it and say you did it. Let them know you are doing this so they know not to even try anything. If you have time on this day, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula, which is where KEF and the Blue Lagoon are located. The astronauts practiced there for moon landings as the surface is other-worldly.
In general:
Drive down any road that looks like it might be interesting. It will be.
Talk to locals. They are friendly and fun to talk to. They probably won't initiate conversation, but will converse
Take at least one tour so you are sure to meet at least a local person guiding you and you will learn so much more about Iceland than you can learn on your own. Golden Circle is a great place for a guided tour.
Book your lodging ASAP as options are disappearing. We are going back in September and booked 2 months ago and had to take 2nd and 3rd choices
Book lodging with breakfast or self-cater. Get lunches from grocery stores or bakeries. Iceland has the most amazing breads. Restaurants are crazy expensive, so not eating out every meal makes sense
If you plan on drinking, buy booze at Duty Free, as liquor stores in Iceland are few and far between, with limited operating hours and very high prices.
Have fun!
Feb 15, 2019, 7:29 pm
#4
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,095
I am assuming this trip is being taken in "not winter", aka "May to September". If not, all bets are off.
If you are flying in from the US, it's likely an overnight flight, so day 1 should keep driving to a minimum. Land, pick up your rental car, go to the Blue Lagoon, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula if you feel like exploring, or just go to Reykjavik and check into your hotel and walk around a bit.
When you pick up the rental car, THOROUGHLY Photograph and/or video every surface you can, inside and out, to make sure you don't get scammed into paying for dents/scratches that are already there. Make sure they know you are doing this so they won't even try. They get folks for tiny dings in the windshield and even the undercarriage, so be thorough. Book only with a reputable company. Avoid any company with "Cheap" or "Sad" or similar in the name. Do not assume that because you see a company name you recognize from home and you're "Platinum" with them that this matters at all, it does not. Read your insurance options carefully and take the appropriate ones. Sand/Ash/Gravel is important in the south as there are dust/sand storms there every summer. If you have great Credit card coverage you can probably ignore most insurances. CDW is required in Iceland, you can't waive it, and your CC won't care that you didn't "waive all insurances".
Day 2: Head east thru Hvergardi to the Golden Circle sites, finish up in Selfoss or Hella for the night.
Day 3: Head east and do the two big waterfalls in the south, Solheimjokul (drive up glacier). Take a glacier hike if that's your thing, book in advance. Check out the cliffs in Vik. End up at Vik or at Kirkjubjarklaustur
Day 4: Head east and check out Skaftafell and Svinafelljokull and Fjallsrln and Jokulsarlon. Book a boat tour well in advance in one of them. End up in Hofn where you will have a lobster dinner.
Day 5: Head back west and catch whatever you missed heading east. Finish up no further east than Vik, but Hella would be better. You don't want to have a long drive heading back to the airport on Day 6
Day 6: Get to the rental car depot 3 hours prior to your flight, especially if you need to be shuttled to the airport. Rephotograph/video the car again so they don't send you a picture a month later with a new dent on it and say you did it. Let them know you are doing this so they know not to even try anything. If you have time on this day, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula, which is where KEF and the Blue Lagoon are located. The astronauts practiced there for moon landings as the surface is other-worldly.
In general:
Drive down any road that looks like it might be interesting. It will be.
Talk to locals. They are friendly and fun to talk to. They probably won't initiate conversation, but will converse
Take at least one tour so you are sure to meet at least a local person guiding you and you will learn so much more about Iceland than you can learn on your own. Golden Circle is a great place for a guided tour.
Book your lodging ASAP as options are disappearing. We are going back in September and booked 2 months ago and had to take 2nd and 3rd choices
Book lodging with breakfast or self-cater. Get lunches from grocery stores or bakeries. Iceland has the most amazing breads. Restaurants are crazy expensive, so not eating out every meal makes sense
If you plan on drinking, buy booze at Duty Free, as liquor stores in Iceland are few and far between, with limited operating hours and very high prices.
Have fun!
If you are flying in from the US, it's likely an overnight flight, so day 1 should keep driving to a minimum. Land, pick up your rental car, go to the Blue Lagoon, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula if you feel like exploring, or just go to Reykjavik and check into your hotel and walk around a bit.
When you pick up the rental car, THOROUGHLY Photograph and/or video every surface you can, inside and out, to make sure you don't get scammed into paying for dents/scratches that are already there. Make sure they know you are doing this so they won't even try. They get folks for tiny dings in the windshield and even the undercarriage, so be thorough. Book only with a reputable company. Avoid any company with "Cheap" or "Sad" or similar in the name. Do not assume that because you see a company name you recognize from home and you're "Platinum" with them that this matters at all, it does not. Read your insurance options carefully and take the appropriate ones. Sand/Ash/Gravel is important in the south as there are dust/sand storms there every summer. If you have great Credit card coverage you can probably ignore most insurances. CDW is required in Iceland, you can't waive it, and your CC won't care that you didn't "waive all insurances".
Day 2: Head east thru Hvergardi to the Golden Circle sites, finish up in Selfoss or Hella for the night.
Day 3: Head east and do the two big waterfalls in the south, Solheimjokul (drive up glacier). Take a glacier hike if that's your thing, book in advance. Check out the cliffs in Vik. End up at Vik or at Kirkjubjarklaustur
Day 4: Head east and check out Skaftafell and Svinafelljokull and Fjallsrln and Jokulsarlon. Book a boat tour well in advance in one of them. End up in Hofn where you will have a lobster dinner.
Day 5: Head back west and catch whatever you missed heading east. Finish up no further east than Vik, but Hella would be better. You don't want to have a long drive heading back to the airport on Day 6
Day 6: Get to the rental car depot 3 hours prior to your flight, especially if you need to be shuttled to the airport. Rephotograph/video the car again so they don't send you a picture a month later with a new dent on it and say you did it. Let them know you are doing this so they know not to even try anything. If you have time on this day, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula, which is where KEF and the Blue Lagoon are located. The astronauts practiced there for moon landings as the surface is other-worldly.
In general:
Drive down any road that looks like it might be interesting. It will be.
Talk to locals. They are friendly and fun to talk to. They probably won't initiate conversation, but will converse
Take at least one tour so you are sure to meet at least a local person guiding you and you will learn so much more about Iceland than you can learn on your own. Golden Circle is a great place for a guided tour.
Book your lodging ASAP as options are disappearing. We are going back in September and booked 2 months ago and had to take 2nd and 3rd choices
Book lodging with breakfast or self-cater. Get lunches from grocery stores or bakeries. Iceland has the most amazing breads. Restaurants are crazy expensive, so not eating out every meal makes sense
If you plan on drinking, buy booze at Duty Free, as liquor stores in Iceland are few and far between, with limited operating hours and very high prices.
Have fun!
Feb 18, 2019, 1:05 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,954
I wouldn't plan to self drive in December. You will only have about 5 hours of daylight/day, and the roads are very winding and narrow, and the winds are strong. We drove once in a storm in March and it was the most scared we've ever been in a car.
Feb 19, 2019, 4:34 am
#6
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,095
We were pondering renting a car because the costs for the four of us to get to/from the airport are fairly expensive.
Feb 19, 2019, 8:25 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: It's hot here
Posts: 4,294
Are you used to driving in snow and ice? We self drove in December and had no issues at all. Tons of other visitors doing the same. Learn to read the signs about wind speed and know when to say no to going out. There was one evening that we started over the pass and were like nope, not this time. Visibility was pretty much nothing. We checked the weather often before going out or going from one location to the other. The weather did change our plans from day to day. It changes quickly and you can look at one location and it's awful and another and it's fine. We didn't have a set schedule, we mixed it up depending on conditions. Like the day we were heading up to Gulfoss, temps started dropping fast and by the time we were at the falls that are before those, the ground was solid ice and it was sleeting like crazy. Not a good day to walk to falls so we just went elsewhere.
I found the roads to be really good. My idea of winding and narrow is far from what I saw in Iceland in the parts where I was, but I'm really used to driving in the mountains and I'm a very confident driver. There definitely were some people who should not have been on the roads as they were very nervous and obviously not regular drivers but you just have to be honest with yourself and not try something you aren't okay with. There are more tour companies than you can shake a stick at so plenty of options. For example, my southern mother who has literally never driven in snow would not have even attempted. She would freak out, for real. For us, no big deal.
The most useful advice that I got on here before my trip was how to read the road condition signs and to check the weather often. You just have to be prepared switch it up and pay attention to what is going on at your destination.
I found the roads to be really good. My idea of winding and narrow is far from what I saw in Iceland in the parts where I was, but I'm really used to driving in the mountains and I'm a very confident driver. There definitely were some people who should not have been on the roads as they were very nervous and obviously not regular drivers but you just have to be honest with yourself and not try something you aren't okay with. There are more tour companies than you can shake a stick at so plenty of options. For example, my southern mother who has literally never driven in snow would not have even attempted. She would freak out, for real. For us, no big deal.
The most useful advice that I got on here before my trip was how to read the road condition signs and to check the weather often. You just have to be prepared switch it up and pay attention to what is going on at your destination.
Last edited by MissJ; Feb 19, 2019 at 9:58 am
Feb 19, 2019, 12:13 pm
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,095
Are you used to driving in snow and ice? We self drove in December and had no issues at all. Tons of other visitors doing the same. Learn to read the signs about wind speed and know when to say no to going out. There was one evening that we started over the pass and were like nope, not this time. Visibility was pretty much nothing. We checked the weather often before going out or going from one location to the other. The weather did change our plans from day to day. It changes quickly and you can look at one location and it's awful and another and it's fine. We didn't have a set schedule, we mixed it up depending on conditions. Like the day we were heading up to Gulfoss, temps started dropping fast and by the time we were at the falls that are before those, the ground was solid ice and it was sleeting like crazy. Not a good day to walk to falls so we just went elsewhere.
I found the roads to be really good. My idea of winding and narrow is far from what I saw in Iceland in the parts where I was, but I'm really used to driving in the mountains and I'm a very confident driver. There definitely were some people who should not have been on the roads as they were very nervous and obviously not regular drivers but you just have to be honest with yourself and not try something you aren't okay with. There are more tour companies than you can shake a stick at so plenty of options. For example, my southern mother who has literally never driven in snow would not have even attempted. She would freak out, for real. For us, no big deal.
The most useful advice that I got on here before my trip was how to read the road condition signs and to check the weather often. You just have to be prepared switch it up and pay attention to what is going on at your destination.
I found the roads to be really good. My idea of winding and narrow is far from what I saw in Iceland in the parts where I was, but I'm really used to driving in the mountains and I'm a very confident driver. There definitely were some people who should not have been on the roads as they were very nervous and obviously not regular drivers but you just have to be honest with yourself and not try something you aren't okay with. There are more tour companies than you can shake a stick at so plenty of options. For example, my southern mother who has literally never driven in snow would not have even attempted. She would freak out, for real. For us, no big deal.
The most useful advice that I got on here before my trip was how to read the road condition signs and to check the weather often. You just have to be prepared switch it up and pay attention to what is going on at your destination.
Feb 19, 2019, 4:08 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,954
Fewer than 6 tourists have died on the roads in Iceland due to wintery conditions so far this year!
A taxi from the airport to the city is a good option. So is Time Tours, when you have 4 people.
A taxi from the airport to the city is a good option. So is Time Tours, when you have 4 people.
Feb 21, 2019, 8:27 am
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 51,095
Feb 23, 2019, 4:37 am
#11
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Formerly Box 350, Boston Mass, Oh two one three four. Now near Beverly Hills 90210
Programs: Loyal Order of Water Buffalos
Posts: 3,954