DAY TWO
What to do?
The Golden Circle is a famed, one-day drive just outside Reykjavik that takes you pass several geothermal features plus one impressive waterfall. If you’re in Iceland for more than three days, yes, do the drive. However, if you have limited time, skip it and move to Day 3 and 4 of this itinerary.
Driving in Iceland is easy during the summer. (Winter weather can make it more challenging.) Roads are well-maintained, and Icelanders drive on the same side as Americans. You could do this drive on your own, but many tour companies do offer the Golden Circle as a day trip. Whatever you do, don’t go with one of the operators that carts 50+ people around in a huge tour bus. With that number of people, the tours are far too slow-moving for families with kids.
We opted to do the 163-mile drive with Hidden Iceland, a boutique tour company that specializes in small groups (no more than 12 people) and is a member of the Family Travel Association. Having just come off a 10-day, self-driving tour of Ireland, I was happy to leave the driving to someone else. Plus, my son and I always learn more on a tour than we do reading information placards on our own. Our guide on this day was Auður, a mother and native of Reykjavík (who happens to speak five languages!). There’s no question about Iceland that Auður couldn’t answer with the insight of a local.
The tour starts around 9 a.m. with passenger pick-ups at various hotels. Then you head straight to the Secret Lagoon, Iceland’s oldest natural swimming pool. That’s right, you skip the more well-known Blue Lagoon in favor of this hot springs. We were so glad that we did! The Secret Lagoon is far less crowded and commercialized than the Blue Lagoon. Surrounded by trees and walking paths, the swimming hole is just feet from the springs themselves. You soak in mineral-laden waters that are thought to have beneficial health properties. It was the perfect temperature for me – about 100°F. My son thought it was a bit hot but floated around on his swim noodle anyway. The stay here is about an hour.
KidTripster Tip: Icelanders are not modest. Regardless of what hot springs pool that you visit, you’ll be required to strip down and rinse in a communal shower prior to entering the water. I’ll admit to cheating and showering with my swimsuit on, but the locals certainly don’t.
KidTripster Tip: Remember to bring your own towel. If you don’t have one, you can rent one for about $6.
Where to eat?
Our next stop is an early lunch at Friðheimar, a family-owned, tomato greenhouse farm. This experience was my favorite of the entire day! Friðheimar produces over a ton of tomatoes daily. They’re picked and then eaten locally, not exported. As part of your lunch, you’re given a introduction to the complex operation that includes a computerized system to control the windows, lamps, and irrigation (glacial water) – all from the owners’ phones. Of course, the real workers here are the bees, imported from the Netherlands.
The setting for your lunch is truly unique. You’re seated amongst all the tomato plants in various stages of ripeness, so the colors – green, yellow, and red – pop all around you. And of course, the menu is tomato-driven – tomato soup, fresh ravioli with a tomato and pesto sauce or grilled tortilla pizza. There’s also some more unusual menu items like a tomato latte, tomato beer, and even tomato-flavored ice cream served in a miniature flower pot. The cost of lunch – minus specialty drinks and dessert – is included in the tour.
KidTripster Tip: After lunch, make sure to stop by the corral to visit the resident Icelandic horses.
What to do?
Iceland boasts more than 10,000 waterfalls. Gullfoss, or Golden Falls, is one of the most powerful and a must-see on the Golden Circle. Follow the path around the waterfalls to the top and then make sure to climb the path up to get a bird’s-eye view. That’s when you’ll realize that the falls is actually shaped like a slice! of pizza! If the sun is shining, be on the lookout for rainbows in the mist – so many rainbows!
From the waterfalls, it’s just a short drive to Geysir, a geothermal area with a shooting geyser, steam vents, boiling mud pits, and several thermal pools. I’ll be honest, it’s not as impressive as the Old Faithful area at Yellowstone National Park, but then again, few things are. The Strokkur Geyser spouts water into the air about 100 feet every few minutes. We must have had our backs turned, because my son and I somehow missed it!
KidTripster Tip: There’s a path that you can hike to an overlook of the entire area. Frankly, it’s not worth the effort. Instead, go stand by Strokkur so that you catch the show.
The last stop of the day is Þingvellir National Park. Historically-speaking, this park is the site of the first known parliament in the world. However, it also has a geological significance as the rift valley that separates the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Know that there’s no single place where you can stand on both plates for a photo op. While it’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we found the park to be underwhelming, so if you’re short on time (and not on a tour), you can skip it without tons of guilt.
KidTripster Tip: If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, know that Þingvellir featured in the television show as the entrance to the Eyrie.
The tour returns to Reykjavik around 6 p.m., just in time for dinner. Cost of day tour: Youth (8-14) about $143; Adult about $159, depending on exchange rate. Minimum age for this tour is 8 years old. If you have younger children, you can inquire about a private tour with Hidden Iceland.
Seen enough? A stunningly beautiful glacier still awaits. Click below to see where Day 3 takes us.
