Iceland: Waterfalls, Hot Springs & the Roads Between Them

Soak in the Blue Lagoon

A world-renowned, man-made geothermal spa in Iceland. We used it as a bookend to start the trip after a long flight. Great food, drinks, and relaxation.

Snorkel the Silfra Fissure

This is the only place on Earth where you can snorkel or dive directly between two tectonic plates, in water so clear it feels like swimming through glass. The cold is real, but the visibility and the feeling of floating between continents make it worth every second.

Mr. Iceland horseback farm experience

This isn't a quick photo-op horse ride—it's an evening built around it: a guided ride across the farm, a home-cooked dinner with food from the owner's own sheep farm, and Icelandic storytelling around the table afterward. If you want one experience on this trip that feels like you stepped into someone else's world for a night, this is it.

Soak at Hvammsvík Hot Springs

After a hike in elevation, we landed at a string of natural hot pools right on the edge of a fjord, where you can move between hot water and cold sea swims as the tide allows. It felt like a local secret, even though it's easy to get to.

Walk across the Bridge Between Continents

A small, easy stop on the Reykjanes Peninsula that lets you literally stand on the line between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. It's quick, but it's a great first "wow" moment to kick off the trip.

Hallgrímskirkja Church

This towering, rocket-ship-shaped church is Reykjavik's most recognizable landmark, and the view from the top of its tower is the best way to get your bearings on the city before heading out to explore. It's right in the middle of the colorful Skólavörðustígur Street (Rainbow Street), so it's an easy first stop before breakfast or coffee.

Hike to Glymur Waterfall

One of Iceland's tallest waterfalls, reached by a moderate hike that includes a cable-assisted river crossing—it feels like a real adventure, not just a viewpoint. We had far fewer crowds than at the big-name falls, which made the payoff even better.

Black sand beach at Reynisfjara

The basalt sea stacks and pounding North Atlantic surf here are dramatic in a way photos don't fully capture. We went for the scenery but kept well back from the water—this coastline is powerful, not a place to get close to the edge.

Hike Stórhöfði on Heimaey (Westman Islands)

We took the ferry out to the Westman Islands and did this loop for sweeping coastal views and puffin sightings on the cliffs. The islands felt completely different from the mainland.

Black Church (Búðakirkja)

This tiny black wooden church sits almost alone on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, framed by lava fields and the coastline behind it—one of the most photographed (and most quietly beautiful) spots on the whole peninsula. It's a five-minute stop, but it's the kind of detour that ends up being someone's favorite photo from the whole trip.

Moss Restaurant

Tucked inside The Retreat hotel at the Blue Lagoon, Moss is the rare Michelin-starred meal that actually fits into an Iceland road trip—a multi-course tasting menu built around Icelandic seafood, lamb, and produce from the surrounding lava fields. It's worth booking well in advance and pairing with your Blue Lagoon visit on day one, since it sets an unforgettable tone for the whole trip.

Vínstofa Friðheima

This wine bar sits inside a working tomato greenhouse on the Golden Circle, and the tomato soup alone is worth the stop—rich, simple, and made from tomatoes grown a few feet from your table. Pair it with a glass from their genuinely excellent wine list, and you've got one of the most memorable lunch stops on the entire route. (We went back on a different day.)

Brauð & Co

This tiny, colorful bakery in Reykjavik makes the best cinnamon rolls and cardamom buns in the city, fresh out of the oven and often still warm when you grab one off the tray. Go early—they sell out, and locals know it.

Reykjavik Roasters

A cozy, no-frills coffee shop that takes its espresso seriously—and local cats waiting patiently for a pic. It's a great low-key spot to start a morning before a full day of sightseeing.

A roadside hot dog stand

A classic Icelandic pylsur is a rite of passage—order it "with everything" and you'll understand the local obsession immediately. It's the perfect cheap, fast bite between long stretches of driving.

Skál! Restaurant & Bar

Tucked inside the Hlemmur Mathöll food hall, this is a small, no-reservations spot serving creative, locally sourced Icelandic small plates with a great natural wine list. It felt like the kind of place a local would tip us off to, not something we'd stumble into.

Skálakot Farm dining

Staying at Skálakot put us near excellent, quiet farm-to-table dining that fit the South Coast leg perfectly after a day of glacier and canyon hikes—hearty, warming, and with great cocktails.