The Family Driving Tour

Day 0
Leave the US from Boston, Baltimore, JFK, Minneapolis, San Francisco or Orlando. Go to sleep - as it’s a short night flight!

Day 1
Arrive to Iceland. Grab your bags, and your car, then hit the road. If time allows, explore the Reykjanes Peninsula. and after 9 AM, you can soak in the Blue Lagoon. Head into Reykjavik, where you’ll spend the night in one of the Fosshotels, or similar.

Day 2
Enjoy Icelands capital city, Reykjavík, a comfortable small city of 110,000. Stroll through the city center, feed the ducks and swans in the Tjorn, the pond by the City Hall, visit the Family Park and Farm Animal Zoo and then go to the outdoor swimming pool in nearby Laugardalur. It’s fun to go to the Pearl, which revolves atop large water tanks - and has good ice cream! If it’s warm, visit Nauthólsvík, a small beach where the cool ocean is fed by hot sprngs. Then drive north west to Borgarfjörður, the Saga Valley where you’ll spend 3 nights in Fosshótel Reykholt or similar.

Day 3
Snæfellsnes Peninsula is a great place to spend a day. Explore the seal colony at Ytri-Tunga, the bird cliffs at Arnastapi. Visit the pretty fishing village of Stykkishólmur, known for its many wooden houses. From here you can take a boat tour on Breiðafjörður fjord, where you may see seals, birds and possibly whales. There’s also a Blue Whale cruise from Olafsvik.

Day 4
Bifröst is set amongt a vast unique lava landscape, where you can stroll past some interesting sights - the Glanni waterfall, Grábrók volcano and Hreðavatn lake.

Day 5
Go a bit further west to explore Hraunfossar waterfall from under the lava, and Húsafell where you can go swimming, horseback riding, and play minigolf. There’s even a nearby glacier - Langjokull, for exploration. Then drive along Uxahryggir road #52. (look for the viewing circle by the road side!) south to Thingvellir. The Visitors Center has some good information on the historical action which took place at Þingvellir National Park where the first Viking parliament was held - over 1000 years ago! Spend the next 3 nights at Fosshótel Mosfell in Hella or Fosshótel Nesbúð in Nesjavellir.

Day 6
A day to explore the Golden Circle - some of Icelands most important sights. Visit Gullfoss waterfall, Geysir hot springs, (which has an interesting small museum and good little spot for lunch.) and Kerið volcanic crater. As you drive on Rt 35 to Laugaras you’ll see the Slakki Family Park and Farm Animal Zoo at Laugarás, which can be a lot of fun. Plenty of pretty spots for a picnics, too.

Day 7
The south coast has lots of neat things along it. You can walk behind the waterfall Seljalandsfoss. The folk museum at Skógar and the nearby waterfall Skógarfoss are fascinating. Visit the puffins at Cape Dyrhólaey and stroll along the “endless” beach of black sand in Reynishverfi where families like to collect shells and beautiful stones. Drive to the lovely village of Vík and visit Seljavellir to enjoy one of the most remote outdoor swimming pools surrounded by high cliffs and the glacier Mýrdalsjökull.

Day 8
A long morning to relax, or go into Reykjavik to visit some shops, try the waterslide at Laugardalur one more time, before heading back to the airport in the late afternoon. Drop off the car and get on the plane!

There's a PDF with The Family Tour outline itinerary

Price includes international flights from US, car, 7 nights in double rooms with free accommodations and breakfast for 2 kids under 14, children’s road map and a childrens’ book in English. NOT included are US Departure taxes (usually $85), gas, tolls, guidebooks, lunch or dinner. Additional airline fuel charges added after March 1 '08 wiill also be extra.