It only feels like yesterday that we got home from Iceland and I refuse to believe it’s already been a few weeks since visiting this magical land and checking off as many things to do in Iceland that we could!

We booked our trip to Iceland to attend our friends’ destination wedding and everything about the getaway was perfect. It was the most unique wedding I think we’ll ever attend and I simply cannot wait to go through their wedding album when they post it online.

Congrats, you two!

Anywho, we had some free time before and after the festivities to visit other areas of the island and since it was a short trip, about four and a half days, we made sure to maximize our time there.

As soon as we got our rental car at 6:30 a.m., we were off on our Iceland adventure to pack it all in – and we did! From the Golden Circle to the south coast, we made sure to see as much of Iceland as we could in a short time.

If you’re planning a trip there and looking for the best things to do in Iceland, here are our top picks for what to add to your travel plans!

Best things to do in Iceland

1. Tour Reykjavik

As the capital city, you have to add a visit to Reykjavik to your Iceland itinerary. The history of Iceland is fascinating, its people are welcoming, and the city is quite fun to explore. Reykjavik is very walkable and easy to see by foot so we just wandered away from our hotel and went wherever we felt like going.

Not gonna lie, we did go to the Icelandic Phallological Museum! And it was worth every Icelandic Krona we spent on it. Do not pass on the audio guide, the museum founder’s stoic voice telling you about his penis collection is worth it alone!

We did do a food tour while in Reykjavik as they’re one of our favorite things to do while traveling and tried some regional specialties, like fermented shark, lamb, and the hot dog. Our tour guide was great, we visited some cool restaurants, and of course, tried some amazing food.

2. See the Northern Lights

With its remote location and small amount of light pollution, Iceland is one of the best places to see the Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis. You can see them from Rekykjavik, but even a 20-minute drive out of the city and into the darkness helps brighten up the dazzling display.

September through March are your best bets for catching the dancing waves of light, though the seemingly magical show could be seen for about eight months of the year. Peak visibility is during the winter, so December to February. For the full experience, you may want to go out into the wilderness with a tour company, who will have telescopes, transportation, and maybe even warm beverages included in the tour. They’ll know exactly where and when to go.

3. Take a dip in the Blue Lagoon

This was one of my favorite parts of the trip! We met the bride and groom and wedding party at the Blue Lagoon the day before the wedding for some socializing and relaxation. We did the Comfort level entry, which is the basic package. We got our wristband, changed, showered, and went into the springs.

Your first drink is complimentary and you don’t need to bring any cash or cards with you as they charge it to your wristband and you pay before leaving. Like everything in Iceland, the drinks are a bit pricey, but the Gull beer was good, the sparkling wine was delicious, and the smoothies looked amazing. The line at the in-pool bar always moved quickly too, which was nice.

The milky blue waters in the lagoon were warm but not overly hot and the place is gigantic. We easily had space between us and the next group of people and it was easy to make our way through the lagoon to find new places to hang out in. The silica mask was a neat experience; I couldn’t stop rubbing my face after washing it off as it felt so smooth!

I know the Blue Lagoon can be touristy but I absolutely loved it. You definitely want to buy your tickets in advance online to guarantee entry and get a good time slot.

Pro tip: Rick’s flip flops were stolen 😐 So, I’d recommend doing the higher tier ticket and getting their included shoes and robe or simply leaving your shoes in your locker.

4. Hike a glacier

After saying their “I dos” our friends took us on a wild ride through Iceland and one of the post-wedding activities included hiking a glacier, that was on top of a volcano. Our guides took us into ice caves and  water and wind tunnels that were making their way through the glacier and telling us about how the glaciers are formed and sadly, how fast they’re disappearing.

It was a cool experience – literally – and wasn’t too stressful of a hike. If you normally stick to easy trails, you can hike a glacier. They provided the helmets and crampons, so just dress warm and prepared for the cold conditions.

If you’re going to western Iceland, try Snæfellsjökull for your glacier and volcano combo experience.

5. Walk the black sand beaches

Head on over to Iceland’s South Coast for amazing sightseeing opportunities – including black sand beaches! Luckily, our hotel in Vik was less than a 15-minute drive from the the popular volcanic black sand beach of Reynisfjara, and it was incredible.

It reminded me of the black sand beaches in Hawaii… just a wee bit colder and home to different rock formations. This area is also recognizable with its rock formation, Reynisdrangar. It goes that these haunting pillars are trolls that have been frozen thanks to the light of the morning sun. Another cool natural formation to check out while on the beach is the sea arch of Dyrhólaey.

It’s so neat to realize you’re standing on the remnants of lava. The black sand is technically little stones that are created when the lava met the ocean. If you can catch a sunset here, it’s a photographer’s dream as the fading light twinkles on the black beach.

6. Go wildlife watching

The waters off of the island are home to many species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, making Iceland a great destination for whale watching. You can even find tours right in Reykjavik!

Many travelers head to Husavik for whale watching tours as it’s affectionately called the whale watching capital of Europe. On your tour, keep a lookout for humpback whales, orcas, blue whales, and fin whales.

Check out our blog on tips for whale watching!

Prefer to do your watching on land instead of scanning the ocean’s surface? Why not book a puffin tour while visiting Iceland? Summer is their nesting season and the adorable little puffin colonies come together. If staying in Reykjavik, head to the islands of Akurey and Lundey for your best chance to see the puffin population in their natural habitat.

Even if you don’t see one in the wild, you’re sure to see a stuffed one in a window shop or many puffin-themed souvenirs before you leave the island.

7. Go on a Golden Circle tour

This was one of the first things we did after arriving in Iceland and it was easy enough to do a self-guided tour of the Golden Circle. This route is perfect for a sightseeing tour of Iceland as it has many of the must-sees and they’re pretty close in proximity.

We didn’t do the whole circle but the sights we saw were worth the drive and stops along the way.

We stopped for about 30 to 40 minutes in Thingvellir National Park, snapped some pics of the landscape, and walked the trail out to the waterfall, Oxarafoss. The giant stones, green landscapes, and cascading falls were beautiful.

We also stopped to see the Stokkur Geyser (geysir) erupt a couple times and get our fill of sulphur/bad eggs smell.

The whole route can take about half a day to travel, including stops. If you want to see some of the highlights of Iceland’s natural formations, definitely add some time to your itinerary for it. We did it ourselves but saw many advertisements for guided tours if you want someone else to handle the driving and telling you more about the sights you’re seeing.

The only thing I wish we had allotted more time for would have been to see Gullfoss, but we were hungry and tired and didn’t want to risk the drive and potentially falling asleep behind the wheel.

8. Explore Asbyrgi canyon

According to legends, this horseshoe-shaped canyon was formed by the hoof of Odin’s eight-legged horse and is said to be the origination point for the Hidden People of Iceland. Many visit to go to the cliff in the middle of the canyon for epic views across both sides.

The canyon floor is home to a forest of fir, pine, and birch trees. It’s very much like the rest of Iceland – an interesting blend of rocky facades and vibrant green nature poking through. It actually reminds me of the oasis from The Mummy Returns (nerd alert!) as it’s just this lively forest tucked away in an area it doesn’t look like it should belong in.

9. Visit the thundering waterfalls

Iceland reminded me of Switzerland with the vibrant green land and many, many waterfalls. It felt like everywhere we looked there was a waterfall – minus in Reykjavik!

On our way back to Reykjavik from Vik we made sure to schedule some time to stop at some stunning falls.

• Skogafoss: About two hours from Keflavik Airport, this popular waterfall is a must-see – especially since you can take a staircase to the top of it for fun, panoramic views.
• Seljalandsfoss: Another one between Reykjavik and the south coast, but this one is neat as there’s a trail behind the falls you can walk, and there are a few smaller falls near it.

10. Go horseback riding

If you drive along the coast, you’ll see thousands of horses! Seriously, there are about 80,000 horses on the island compared to the 300,000 human inhabitants. Though these cute guys are a little bit smaller than the ones Rick and I are used to out in the West.

These little fellas were bred to be small, yet have a smooth gait, making them ideal for riding. In fact, we’d classify their horses as ponies and since their bloodlines are so pure the Icelandic Parliament forbade the importation of any horses into Iceland in 982 and if you take a horse off the island, it cannot come back to Iceland.

With a horseback tour, you’ll feel like a Viking as you cross this majestic land. Many tours with horseback riding are combo tours, making it super easy to knock two must-do Iceland activities off your list at the same time. Popular tour options include a horseback ride with a glacier hike, paired with a whale watching trip, caving, snorkeling, and even visiting the hot springs!

What was your favorite thing to do in Iceland? Tell us in the comments below or on Twitter!