Day 1: 

Golden Circle: A 300km loop starting near Reykjavik, the Golden Circle is a picturesque route that covers incredible landmarks and otherworldly terrain. Driving the golden circle from Reykjavik by ourselves instead of with a tour was a great choice so we could make stops along the way and explore side roads at our own pace. How else could we spend an hour petting adorable Icelandic horses? 

We chose to drive the Golden Circle clockwise and begin with a stop at Thingvellir National Park. The National Park is the location of Iceland’s first parliament, started in 930 AD. This is also where the North American and Euroasian tectonic plates meet, creating terrain that looks nothing short of Martian-like.

Our next stop was at Geysir. We followed the crowds and looked out to the bubbling springs waiting for the eruption, only to miss it because it was directly behind us.

We then drove to Gullfoss, a breathtaking glacial waterfall cascading over icy terrain into a deep canyon.

Day 2

Blue Lagoon: One of the most popular destinations in Iceland, the Blue Lagoon is a swirling milky blue geothermal pool of fog and mist set to a backdrop  of snowcapped mountains. We planned to soak in the lagoon for two hours, which quickly turned into six. I inevitably felt like an astronaut landed back on earth as I attempted to adjust my pruney self to the strain of gravity when stepping out of the pool.

Things to note:

-Make sure to reserve your ticket online in advance since they allow a limited number of visitors each day.

-Drench your hair in conditioner before you enter the pool! The natural silica will turn your hair into a crackly, brittle, tangled mess.

-Stay hydrated! The swim-up bar has an awesome selection of alcoholic beverages and fresh fruit smoothies.

Northern Lights: Seeing the Northern Lights has been a lifelong dream and bucket list item. With only 3 days in Iceland right after a major storm, our chances of seeing them were slim to none. While you can drive off and attempt to see them on your own, it is definitely worth joining a tour as the guides know the best places to potentially spot them, and they use giant Super Jeeps to traverse roads that are forbidden for standard vehicles.

We booked through Super Jeep IS, and our guide drove us about 40 minutes outside of Reykjavik to Thingvellir National Park. They have a two year rebooking if you don’t see the lights while on the tour, and serve you hot chocolate and vodka as you shiver in knee deep snow. To our incredible luck, within minutes we started to see the most dazzling display of green and red lights dancing across the sky. Another bonus of the tour is they have DSLR cameras to capture you and the lights. 

Day 3

We spent our last full day in Iceland on an amazing tour of glaciers, waterfalls, and black sand beaches. Our guide was incredibly entertaining and knowledgeable, and  our stops very well planned. While I wish I had more than 3 days to spend in Iceland, this itinerary allowed us to see just enough to know we will definitely be going back!