On our recent trip to Iceland, we had three days to explore before our cruise left Reykjavik. We dedicated our first day to the Golden Circle, and after doing some research, we were interested in seeing Southern Iceland on our second day. We quickly discovered that some of the most beautiful sights are in the southeastern region, a five-hour drive from Reykjavik. Being the savvy but stubborn travelers that we are, did the distance deter us? Admittedly, we hesitated. We knew we would still be jet lagged. We weren’t sure how the kids would cope with the time change and long travel time. But ultimately, we decided to push our limits and make the drive.
And it was 100% worth it. This area quickly became our favorite of all the places we visited in Iceland. In one day, we saw two black sand beaches, a waterfall, a canyon, a glacier, and icebergs. In between stops, we drove along the southern section of Iceland’s Ring Road and soaked up the wild ruggedness of the changing terrain. So, keep scrolling to get a glimpse of breathtaking Southern Iceland and check out the details of our itinerary and tips below.
What to See in Southern Iceland
Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Located near the town of Vik, around a 2.5-hour drive from Reykjavik, Reynisfjara is a popular destination for a day trip from the capital. While many visitors come to see the black sand formed from eroded lava, the beach’s basalt columns also make for a stunning scene with the crashing waves of the Atlantic in the background. Visitors should be cautious on this beach as the waves can be dangerous. Signs around the beach warn of sneaker waves that can reach further up the beach than expected. This warning is no joke. 6 people have died between 2013 and 2024 from these unpredictable waves.
We recommend being extra cautious when visiting this beach. If, like us, you are bringing young kids to Reynisfjara, be hyper vigilant. Pay attention to the colored warning signs at the beach entrance. Yellow indicates that only half of the beach is open. If the sign is red, the danger level is high, and you should not risk visiting the beach. Even on a good day, you should keep your eyes on the waves and never turn your back to the beach. Keep your distance and do not get close to the waves.
We held our kids while walking to the basalt column cave because the waves were nearest there. We didn’t have any issues, but we were very cautious. With the safety caveat in mind, we would still recommend visiting this beach. However, for those who have already seen Diamond Beach or another black sand beach, this may be less of a must-see destination.
Parking
You can pay for parking on the Parka app or on their website. We did have some trouble using both the app and website to complete our payment. We tried credit cards initially and could not get them to work, but eventually we tried debit cards, and that seemed to work. So if you have trouble paying with credit, try a debit card. At the time of our visit, a car with 5 seats or less was 1000 kronas, around $7 with the conversion.
Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
Although its volcanoes and glaciers might provide the biggest draw for tourists, Iceland has even more natural beauty to offer those willing to seek it. Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon is one of those sights. The canyon is about 3.5 hours by car from Reykjavik. It is easily accessible from the Ring Road. In recent years, this canyon has become increasingly popular amongst tourists (due to a 2015 music video by Justin Bieber that was filmed in the location). The boom in visitors has caused enough damage to the area that the canyon has been closed to visitors multiple times to allow the vegetation to recover.
We were fortunate that the canyon was open on the summer we visited. While the area was busy and a tour bus did arrive while we were there, it was not as packed as, say, Grand Canyon or Yellowstone in the summertime. That being said, if Fjaðrárgljúfur is on your list, we recommend checking for updates on its status on a site like Guide to Iceland.
Parking
There are two parking lots for the canyon trail. The lower parking lot leads to an uphill trail (around 0.5 mile). The upper parking lot is a shorter (approximately 0.2 mile) walk. The upper parking lot was not clearly marked, so we could not figure out where it was. But it turned out that we had passed a right-hand turn that would have taken us to the upper lot. If you end up in the lower lot (you will see that the path is all uphill) and want the upper one, then turn around (it will be the first road on your left if you are coming from the lower lot).
We took our oldest son partway up the path from the lower parking lot to the first viewing platform. Then he and his aunt went back to the parking lot to wait while J and I trekked the rest of the path to the waterfall viewing area. We enjoyed this area, but the travel time may not be worth the effort for some.
Like Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, you pay for parking on the Parka app or on their website. See our comments above on the parking at Reynisfjara for more details.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon is 230 miles and 5 hours east of Reykjavik by car on the Ring Road. The lagoon is a breathtaking sight: floating icebergs dot the surface and Breiðamerkurjökull glacier stretches down the mountain beyond. Breiðamerkurjökull glacier is a branch of the Vatnajökull ice cap, the largest in Iceland. The icebergs that break away from the glacier eventually make their way to the ocean (a process that we got to see in person during our visit!).
Amphibian Boat Tour
If you are interested in exploring Jökulsárlón or Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, there are a few options to consider. If you have a baby or young kids, the best option for experiencing the glacier is taking an amphibian boat tour of the lagoon. This tour runs from May to mid-November, before the lagoon freezes over.
There are no age restrictions, and the tour is a brief 35 minutes. We did this tour with a 3 and 5-year-old, and it was a great way to get out on the water with kids their age. At the time of our visit, the tour was around $50 for an adult, $25 for kids 6 and up, and free for kids 0-5. The price point was a little steep for adults considering the brevity of the tour, but since our kids were free and it was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience, we decided it was worth the cost. See the Glacier Lagoon site for updated costs and info.
Zodiac Boat Tour
If you have older kids and want more time or a closer encounter with the icebergs and the glacier, we recommend checking out the Zodiac Tours. Passengers must be 10 or older and at least 130 cm tall. This tour lasts a little over 1 hour, and at the time of writing, it cost about $115 per adult (13+) and kids 10-12 were $57.
Ice Cave Tour
For those looking for a more adventurous option, there are some tours available of ice caves in the nearby glaciers. These tours are at least 3-4 hours long, and participants must be at least 7 years old. If our kids had been older during our visit, we would have done this in a heartbeat. Check out their website for more details.
Diamond Beach
Just across the Ring Road from the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon parking lot is another spot worth adding to your itinerary: Diamond Beach. The melting icebergs from the lagoon float out to the ocean, but some of the ice gets washed ashore on this black sand beach. As a result, the beach gets covered with chunks of ice and sometimes even bigger icebergs, giving it the appearance of glittering diamonds. This was a fun place for our kids to get out some energy and play with the sand and ice before another long stretch of driving. We recommend allotting around 30 minutes here.
Southern Iceland Itinerary
We were able to see all the above destinations in a single day trip from our Airbnb in Hvolsvöllur, about an hour-and-a-half-drive east of Reykjavik. It was a long day, but it was possible to see everything and still have reasonable stop times for each sight as well as lunch and dinner. It would have been harder to get to Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach (and still see the other two destinations) if we had been staying in Reykjavik.
Stop 1: Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach
We organized our day so that we would drive the longest stretch first to get to the furthest point and then work our way back from there. From Hvolsvöllur, it took us around 3 hours and 45 minutes to get to Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach. We scheduled our amphibian boat tour for around noon to give us enough time to get there. After our boat tour, we ate lunch at the food trucks by the lagoon and went across the road to Diamond Beach for about a half hour.
Stop 2: Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon
We headed to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon next, stopping for gas at one of two stations in between. The drive from Jökulsárlón Lagoon to Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon took us a little over an hour and a half.
Trail Tip: Research gas station locations on your route if you are driving in Iceland. Outside of Reykjavik and other major towns, gas stations are few and far between. Make sure you plan in advance to make stops and fill up so that you don’t end up stranded in the wilderness.
Stop 3: Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach
Our final stop was Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach. We stopped in Vik for dinner first, then headed to the beach for about 30 minutes to see the basalt formations and take some pictures. The drive between Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon and Reynisfjara Beach was around 1 hour. We then had another 1-hour-drive back to our Airbnb in Hvolsvöllur.
This itinerary could be reversed, or if the amount of stops and overall timing of the trip will not work for your situation, you could always cut a stop(s) to make it work for you.
Where to Eat in Southern Iceland
Vik
Strondin Pub
We made an impromptu decision to eat dinner at this pub before heading to Reynisfjara Beach. We were fortunate that we came just before the rush on a Saturday evening, and we were seated and served quickly. There were a variety of foods on the menu here from Arctic Char and traditional Icelandic stew to a cheeseburger or pasta. We enjoyed everything we had here.
Restaurant Suður-Vík
Another restaurant in Vik that was towards the top of our list, Restaurant Suður-Vík, also offered a variety of options (pizza, burgers, lamb, seafood soup, etc.). We decided to go with Strondin Pub over this restaurant simply because we were looking for a few more local specialties, and there were fewer Icelandic options here. However, the reviews are overwhelming positive, so this may be a great alternative.
Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
There were 3 food trucks to choose from near the lagoon parking lot at the time of our visit. The first truck, Heimahumar, had lobster soup, lobster rolls, and hot dogs. Fancy Sheep had lamb and beef burgers. And the final truck had fish and chips. We had a hard time choosing between the options here, but ultimately tried something from each truck. The kids enjoyed their hot dogs, and the adults loved the lamb burgers and fish and chips. A few picnic tables were available between the trucks and parking lot, but there were not enough seats for all the tourists there on our visit, so we had to wait for a table. The Lagoon also has a tiny indoor café that specializes in sandwiches and seafood soup.
Where to Stay in Southern Iceland
It may be physically possible to drive to Jökulsárlón from Reykjavik (5 hours), but we do not recommend it, especially if you want time for any other stops. Instead, we recommend looking for lodging at least an hour east of Reykjavik to save some travel time to the glacier lagoon. There are a few locally-run hotels near Vik, but options in Southern Iceland are slim. We went with a house rental on Airbnb near Hvolsvöllur (an hour and a half east of Reykjavik).
We highly recommend booking lodging as far in advance as possible. Accommodations are not cheap in Iceland, so be aware that you may need to spend more per night than you might for a moderate hotel or vacation rental in the US (depending on the location of course). Also, if you visit in the summer, note that supply is low but demand is high. Booking early (especially if you have a large family) is the best way to secure a place that will fit your needs.
Our Review: Southern Iceland with Kids
We aren’t going to sugar-coat it. None of the destinations on this Southern Iceland itinerary are especially kid-friendly. Some of them could be outright dangerous for small kids (especially those sneaker waves at Reynisfjara). However, these destinations may be some of the most stunning places to visit in Iceland.
Being aware and prepared for the challenges of each site is half the battle. We knew what we were getting into with this itinerary, so even though we were jet lagged and dragging, we still enjoyed this day trip. Although Jökulsárlón Lagoon was the hardest location for us to get to, it turned out to be our favorite place that we visited in Iceland.
We hope that this post gives you some ideas and helpful tips if you are traveling to Iceland in the future. Please leave us a comment if you have questions or thoughts on this itinerary. If you are looking for more travel ideas for Iceland, check out our post on The Golden Circle. Happy travels!
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