Why Iceland is the Perfect Family Travel Destination

Table of Contents:

Tips for Traveling to Iceland with Kids

Golden Circle

South Coast

Blue Lagoon

Reykjavik

Tips for flights

Tips for accommodations

When it comes to unforgettable family adventures, Iceland is certainly near the top of the list. With its otherworldly landscapes, family-friendly amenities, and endless opportunities for exploration, it’s a destination that will leave every member of the family in awe. Here’s why Iceland is the ultimate spot for your next family getaway and how you can make the most of your trip.

Unique Landscapes

Iceland’s landscapes are unlike anything else in the world. From lava fields and black sand beaches to glaciers and volcanic craters, every turn offers a new surprise. Kids will love exploring these natural wonders that look like they belong in a sci-fi movie. Traveling as a family is all about creating memories, and Iceland provides endless opportunities to do just that. Whether you’re hiking behind waterfalls, soaking in geothermal pools, or simply marveling at the landscapes, every moment feels special. It’s an adventure that will spark curiosity and wonder in your kids while giving you the chance to reconnect as a family. The best part is, you are constantly seeing something new, and kids have space to roam, so it is an ideal mix of beauty and adventure for adults and kids to explore together!

Short Flight, Big Adventure

For families traveling from the East Coast of the United States, Iceland is surprisingly accessible. A short flight will transport you to a destination that feels like another planet. It’s the perfect mix of convenience and adventure, making it an ideal choice for families with limited vacation time.

If you live in the mid-west or west coast, you could first fly to a larger city on the East Coast, like Boston, New York City, or Washington, DC. Spend a night or two in that city on the front or back end of your trip (or both!) and hit 2 destinations in 1 trip! Check out tips for flights in this section below.

Endless Adventure Opportunities

Iceland offers countless adventure opportunities. From simply renting a car and heading out to explore on your own, to joining organized tours, hiking glaciers, relaxing in a lagoon, or chasing the northern lights, there is definitely an adventure the entire family will enjoy. One moment you are in a fully developed city and an hour later, you are watching a geyser erupt. Truly the memories will last forever!

We opted for self-driving and checking out the sights on our own. We were there in August and the weather was clear most days with some rain/clouds. We were honestly shocked at how good the roads in Iceland are despite the incredible harsh weather they experience there. We definitely think the USA needs to get some road building advice from Iceland because potholes were pretty absent!

If you are more of a group tour family, then there will certainly be a group tour for you! Something like the tours below might be perfect for families looking for a group tour. (Please note these are affiliate links and while it will never cost you extra, affiliate links help support this blog.)

Tips for Traveling in Iceland with Kids

To make your trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible, here are some practical tips:

1. Rent a Car: Iceland’s attractions are spread out, and having a car gives you the flexibility to explore at your own pace. Roads are well-maintained and easy to navigate. We rented via Avis.

2. Stay in Family-Friendly Accommodations: Iceland offers a variety of family-friendly Airbnbs and guesthouses. Many come equipped with kitchens, which is a bonus for preparing meals and saving on dining out.

   • See this section below for more tips on accommodations

3. Pack Layers: Iceland’s weather can be unpredictable, so pack layers to keep everyone comfortable. Waterproof jackets and sturdy shoes are a must.

   • We all wore comfortable sneakers, athletic wear for all the walking/hiking/rock climbing, and always had at least one sweatshirt and a rain jacket with us. Be sure to check the weather for the time of year you are going and be prepared!

4. Plan for meals and snacks: While Iceland has plenty of restaurants (although some areas you explore won't have anything nearby), they can be expensive.

   • Our best tip to save some money on food in Iceland is to go to the grocery store when you get there and as needed throughout your trip. Stock up on snacks and easy-to-pack meals for your day trips. We shopped at Bonus and also stopped in a Kronan during our stay.

   • Shopping at local grocery stores and eating simple meals, like sandwiches, is a great way to save money while keeping everyone satisfied. We ate PB&J and yogurt almost entirely for the 3 days we were exploring on our own before boarding our cruise ship. We only had coffee in a restaurant and didn't eat a single meal out. This allowed us to save time and money!

5. Travel Off-Peak: Consider visiting in late spring or early fall to avoid crowds and enjoy milder weather. Bonus: You may catch the Northern Lights!

   • If you can travel off peak, you will get better prices. We were there in August and that is still considered peak season. Prices were high for accommodations. When we go back, we will try to go off peak.

Iceland is packed with experiences that can amaze kids and adults alike. Here are some of our favorite destinations that we think you shouldn't miss:

The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is a must-see and a great introduction to Iceland’s natural wonders. You can easily travel the Golden Circle in 1-2 days (of course you won't see everything, but you can hit most of the highlights!) This is perfect if you only have a short amount of time in Iceland.

This is the order we did the Golden Circle and the places we stopped. We didn't have time to stop at every single place, but we hit the highlights. Additionally, the scenery along the way is absolutely stunning and so unique, so we stopped a lot for photos and to honestly just gawk at the scenery! The fact that the sunset was around 10pm while we were there really helped us maximize the days and pack in as much as we could!

Highlights of the Golden Circle:

• Thingvellir National Park: Walk between tectonic plates at this UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s a geography lesson come to life and the scenery is stunning!

  • There is a path you can walk along and it's very scenic and there are hidden gems as you walk along--waterfalls, rock formations, etc. We walked along the path to Oxararfoss, a waterfall, and then back due to time constraints. We were there for about an hour or so and it was definitely worth the stop.

  • If you have time, explore more of the park!

• Geysir Hot Springs: Watch geysers erupt and steam rise from the earth—this is a sight that will captivate kids and adults alike.

  • The geyser erupts every few minutes so it's really easy to experience the eruption multiple times and get some cool photos!

• Gullfoss Waterfall: Marvel at the sheer power and beauty of this iconic waterfall.

• Kerid Crater: Scenic Lake occupying a volcanic crater formed thousands of years ago

  • This is a really neat place to visit where once again, you feel like you've been transported to outer space!

South Coast

The south coast is not too far from Reykjavik so it can be added onto the Golden circle with just an extra day. It is stunning and totally worth the drive! The black sand beaches and incredible rock formations will leave you speechless and the kids will love climbing on the rocks and looking for treasures in the sand! Additionally, there are 3 incredible waterfalls and a glacier along the way!

Here are the highlights we hit on the South Coast:

• Urrioafoss: Another stunning waterfall

• Seljalandsfoss: This was one of our favorite waterfalls! It's 200 feet tall and you can walk behind it. Something about this waterfall and the scenery around it is just captivating.

  • This was probably the most crowded place we went during our time there and you do have to pay to park.

  • Be prepared with rain jackets because you will get wet when you walk up closer to it!

• Skogafoss: Another one of our favorite waterfalls--this one has about a million steps to climb if you want to see it from the top

  • Do it! It was good exercise from being in the car all day and the views were stunning!

• Sólheimajökull: Another incredibly beautiful area with a glacier viewpoint you can walk to

• Dryholaey: Beautiful peninsula with stunning views of the ocean, black sand beaches, and a large arch of volcanic rock in the sea

• Reynisfjara Beach: Black sand beaches, basalt formations, and jagged rocks jutting out of the sea

The Blue Lagoon

End your adventure with a soak in the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa with milky blue waters that are as relaxing as they are picturesque. It’s the perfect way to unwind after days of exploration and a fun experience for the whole family. My husband and I were skeptical as we thought it would be too touristy and not worth the cost, but in the end, we were 100% glad that we took the time to do it and the experience truly was unique and magical. The memories we made with our kids there will last a lifetime. There are other lagoons to try, but if you aren't sure where to go and want the Instagram lagoon experience, Blue Lagoon will definitely be a memorable add on to your trip!

Tips:

• Children must be at least 2 years old to enter the Blue Lagoon. Kids ages 2-13 are FREE with a paying adult--this cut our cost in half!

• Book your tickets in advance as it can sell out!

  • Choose an early morning or evening time slot for less crowds

  • We chose the earliest time slot (7am) and the crowds were very manageable

  • We booked the premium package which included a total of 3 masks, a drink, and a bathrobe to use while there. The kids only got 1 mask, but again, they were free. It depends on your preference if the extra masks are worth it. ND and I enjoyed taking photos in the different masks and it was a fun experience overall.

• When you check in, you'll get a wristband--this serves as your ticket, locker key, and contactless payment while in the lagoon

• We packed light: swimsuits, a hairbrush, deodorant, and wore flip flops.

  • We changed into our swimsuits on arrival, locked our clothes in the locker, then lathered our hair in conditioner (complimentary conditioner is provided by the lagoon). We wore flip flops because you leave them down by the lagoon entrance and wanted something easy to take on and off.

• Be sure to use the bathroom prior to entering the lagoon!

• Venture farther out in the lagoon towards the back--you can get photos without other people in them and it's peaceful there!

• Do the masks! Our kids enjoyed putting the masks on and taking silly photos. They didn't want to leave it on, and they only wanted/needed to do the one complimentary mask, but it was a fun and memorable experience.

• Explore the lagoon together! Check out the back side, the bridges, and the drink station.

• Check in with how your kids are feeling frequently. Kids can be more sensitive to the temperature in the lagoon, and you should be sure to keep them hydrated. Overall, we were in the lagoon for about 90 minutes total. We explored the entire lagoon, applied our masks, took a million photos and videos, had our drinks in the lagoon, and just enjoyed. By the time 90 minutes passed, we were all feeling ready to leave.

• After you are finished, you can shower (complimentary shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel are provided) in the locker rooms and change back into your clothes. They also have hair dryers and swimsuit dryers in the locker rooms. The locker rooms are spacious with adequate bathroom and shower facilities.

Reykjavik

If you have time left over, you should explore Reykjavik on the front or back end of the trip! We only had a couple of hours so we checked off the Hallgrimskirkja and then looked around at some shops. The boys and ND each got a unique Iceland hat as their souvenir and I got some lava rock earrings. We don't always buy souvenirs when we visit, but we all wanted something that we would use that would remind us of our amazing time in Iceland!

A few highlights you might want to consider:

• Hallgrimskirkja: The iconic cathedral you've seen in photos!

• Sun Voyager: Check out this unique sculpture

• Perlan: Natural history museum

• National Museum of Iceland: Objects from the settlement age to present

• Explore the small shops and cafes

Tips for Booking Flights:

• Book cash flights when prices are low

  • Search for and set up Google Flight alerts to find cheaper cash flights

    • Round trip flights from Boston on Iceland's budget airline, PLAY, are around $365 for August 2025.

    • We flew Play from CDG-KEF and had zero complaints. It's a budget airline so pay attention to baggage limits and add on your bags prior to your flight. If you're just going for a 5-day trip, try to fly carry on only!

    • If you have the flexibility to travel in the shoulder season, like September, you can save a couple hundred dollars on flights

• Book award flights

  • You could book award flights from several large cities in the US for 22,500-50,000 points per person plus taxes and fees each way. This doesn't appear to be the best deal. For instance, if you were to book EWR-KEF round trip for a family of 4, you'd pay 180,000 miles and $1284.44 in taxes and fees via Alaska (points could be transferred from American Express Membership Rewards to Hawaiian Airlines to Alaska Airlines as Hawaiin and Alaska are now partners) See some photos below of searches I did.

  • Personally, I wouldn't do this as the taxes and fees are high and that is a lot of points. Instead, I'd opt for one of the options below

• What I would personally do to book flights to Iceland

  • If I had the budget to book cash flights and was able to get a good cash price deal (maybe through a sale, google flight alerts, or by traveling off peak) I'd buy the flights using a card that earns 5x points on flights (like the American Express Platinum Card).

  • If I didn't have the budget to book cash flights, I'd book using my Capital One Venture X and then pay myself back using my Capital One Venture X miles for a statement credit (you can use your Capital One miles to cover any travel cost at 1 cent per point--see this blog post for details).

    • Example:

      • Book Round trip flights for August 2025 on Play from BOS-KEF

        • Cost is $365/person or 36,500 Capital One Miles/miles

        • If you and your spouse signed up for the Capital One Venture X at the current welcome offer, you would earn a total of at least 176,000 capital one miles (enough to cover that cost for a family of 4).

        • Additionally, if you have a Capital One Venture X card, you get a $300 annual travel credit (part of the benefits of the card that helps offset the $395 annual fee). You could book one person's flight using this travel credit. You book through the Capital One portal to use the credit, and it will be an option to use it when you check out.

Tips for Booking Hotels/Accommodations:

• Lodging in Reykjavik and in Iceland are expensive--there's no way around it. You do need to be prepared for the cost, but there are ways to mitigate it! We didn't spend any nights in Reykjavik. We arrived in Iceland midafternoon and hit the ground running. We got our car rental and headed out to the Golden Circle. Here are some suggestions for where to stay without breaking the bank too much!

  • Airbnb: This would be the ideal option for families in our opinion. Staying outside Reykjavik is also a way to save a little bit.

    • We stayed 2 nights at this Airbnb in Selfoss and used it as our home base to explore the Golden Circle and the South Coast. We arrived there around 10pm the first night and checked in easily with the instructions in the app. The host was responsive, and we had zero issues. The place was as described on the website. We paid almost $500 for 2 nights.

      • Our trip to Iceland was part of a 7-week trip to 9 countries. We were boarding the last leg of our trip from Reykjavik--a cruise of northern Europe. We arrived 3 days early to explore some of the amazing country and were lucky to have 2 additional days in Akureyri, Iceland to the north of the country to get to explore more.

      • During our time in Akureyri, our hotel was our cruise ship! A northern Europe cruise to Iceland, Norway, and more is truly an incredible way to see Iceland and other stunning places. We LOVED our cruise on the NCL Prima. But that's another post.

    • You could use Capital One Miles to erase the Airbnb costs or look for other deals. I used an Amex deal linked to my Amex Platinum card and ended up getting $80 off a $200 Airbnb gift card. I'm always on the lookout for deals like this that I could use to hack future travel. Doctor of credit is one of my favorite sources for deals!

  • A cruise ship--amazing choice, 100% recommend the 10-day Northern Europe Cruise on the NCL Prima!

  • Hotels

    • Hotels are expensive and as is the case in most of Europe, rooms rarely accommodate a family of 4, another reason we opted for Airbnb. There are some hotels you could book on points, especially if you book far enough in advance.

    • One points example:

      • The best points hotel I found for a family in Reykjavik is this Hyatt Kvosin Hotel (pictured below) for 47K points/night. It would accommodate a family of 4.

      • I'd definitely recommend searching your favorite loyalty program for points hotel availability or use a tool like rooms.aero or Daily Drop Pro to find award availability.

      • There are Marriott properties and Hilton properties as well that can be booked on points, but you'd likely need 2 rooms for a family of 4. Getting 2 rooms could cost a lot of points.

Start Planning Your Family Adventure

Iceland is a destination that proves travel with kids doesn’t have to be complicated. With its unique blend of accessibility, safety, and jaw-dropping scenery, it’s the perfect place to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Have you visited Iceland with your family? Let us know your favorite moments and tips in the comments below!