One amazing thing about Iceland driving around the circle is that at some point the roads pattern is the same. Half curve left then straight then half curve right and so on for hours. At some point you go into a daze since it’s the same over and over. But like every 30 minutes the scenery changes. It’s like your in a video game. On the right and left is farm country. Then on the right is still farm but on the left is ocean… Huh… Then on the right is like Mars craters but on the left is an iceburg… Huh? It’s the most strange but beautiful scenery. I think we went to some glaciers at like 2:00 am yes am and it was so much fun and strange and weird and wonderful.
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I had visions of a scene from the movie RV. 
Glad you made it! Great story to be able to tell for the rest of your life now, but yeah, doubt many want to repeat it just in case the ending is different. I suspect some could come across snow drifts at the top!
We went for 6 days back in 2018 and LOVED it. Favorites:
In Reykjavík, take a City Walks tour. We had a great guide and learned a lot. Get a hot dog from Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur. Go to Harpa, the opera house. Simply gorgeous.
We drove a lot once out of Reykjavik. Great rates from Lotus Car Rental. No shoulders. Stayed at a horse farm (AirBNB: Anna Dora - host) in Grundarfjordur (Snaefellsnes Peninsula). Would like to go during Northern Lights, but so pretty in the summer too.
Ate lunch at a tomato greenhouse that was wonderful. Friðheimar Restaurant & Greenhouse tel: (+354 486 8894). Golden circle area. Also there: Strokkur Geysir, Gullfoss waterfall, and Kerio Crater.
We took a ferry to Vestmannaeyjar and did “glamping” in the most adorable hobbit houses. Glamping & Camping, Herjólfsdalur, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland.
The puffin and volcano tours there were so much fun and informative.
Took a Lava tunnel tour. Raufarholshellir.
My itinerary was ambitious, and we skipped parts of it. I would totally go back.
General: DON’T: 10-11 Shops – go to Bonus, Netto or Kronan instead. We LOVED Bonus and got food for snacks, a few breakfasts and lunches there. Restaurants are pricey, so nice to mix it up.
DON’T: Puffin Gift shops
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We have a canvas of us in front of the sun voyager statue, and it is one of my favorites.
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It’s been several years since we were there, so you are getting more up to date information from others here, but reading 5is makes me really want to go back!
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Agree with rec for the Fridheimar Tomato Greenhouses. Bread and soup there was unbelievable. Check, because reservations for lunch may be necessary. They also have about 100 Icelandic horses, and offer riding and an exhibition of what the horses can do, along with lots of info. Located on the Golden Circle, so if you are doing Thingvellir, Geysur, etc., it’s on the loop. Their use of geothermal energy and other technology is very cool for the nerd within.
A very big thumbs up for Thingvellir National Park. Walking between the continental plates between NA and Europe is one of the coolist things we’ve ever done!
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If you have the time (or make the time), snorkeling between the plates is even cooler than walking between them!
The dry suits really do work in keeping you warm.
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Wow, you all rock! Had no idea I would get this much feedback. Clearly it’s a fabulous place to visit - we are penciling it in for June 2022 and I now have some great tips to start the planning - thanks everyone!!
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A former co-worker went in July. Days were LOOOONG. Darkness was very short and sleeping was difficult, along with the desire to “keep on going” to make use of the daylight. They burned out and had to take an “off day” to re-charge their internal batteries.
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We went in July. Most places have black-out shades, but eye masks can help. I woke up at 3 one night, and it was wild that it looked like 8 am outside.
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We went in the summer and it was light until nearly midnight. Someone gave us the hint to take along a couple of small binder clips to clip the blackout curtains together so light doesn’t sneak in the gap. Works well until you leave them behind on the curtains!
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Hahahaha! That’s exactly what happened to us! We toured nonstop, seemingly round the clock, doing so many hikes. We collapsed in Akureyri. Found an airbnb, got some food, and just SLEPT for 24 hrs. Then continued on at the same frenetic pace.
Boy would I love to go back there…
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Bringing this thread back to life because we are going to Iceland May 20-27. We have a set itinerary with lodgings already arranged. First night Reykjavik, second and third nights Husafell (will tour Snaefellsness Peninsula one of those days);fourth night Selfoss (Golden Circle); fifth and sixth night Kirkjubaejarklaustur; last night Reykjavik. We have rented a 4WD in the hope that Kaldidalur (an F road between Husafell and Thingvellir and the traditional highland route to the Icelandic Thing or parliament) may be open. It’s hit or miss. We are not completely inexperienced with off-roading and the F roads are unpaved.
We have specific reservations for a Reykjavik walking tour our first day (I always do this to avoid falling asleep and to force myself to adjust to the time difference); Husafell Canyon Baths; Frithheimar Restaurant (tomato greenhouse); Jokullsarlon Zodiac boat tour; Blue Lagoon (our last day-I know it’s super touristy but we are tourists, so what); Dill Restaurant in Reykjavik (one of two Michelin-starred restaurants in Iceland).
I’ve got many things that we plan on doing beyond this (i.e. walk between Arnarstapi and Hellnar; hike to Reykjadalur hot river, etc. We will go by a Bonus store on our way out of Reykjavik and buy snacks. Any recommendations are appreciated.
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Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon in the south was one of our favorite spots in Iceland. Absolutely beautiful! Seljalandsfoss is along the way to the Canyon from Reykjavik as is Vic.
If you have time, horseback riding in the lava fields is fabulous as is snorkeling in the tectonic divide.
Enjoy!
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OP here, thanks @NJSue for reviving this thread! We have not yet made it to Iceland and not sure if we will in near future. These posts have been so informative! Our original plan was to go for 4 or 5 days with friends of ours. My girlfriend and I would totally be up for long days/late night touring/hiking/active adventures, but not sure about our hubbies. And her H owns a business that prevents him from being away more than a few days. Still on my bucket list, but have to think about who best to travel there with, for how long and how active we can be!
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My thoughts are yours; there are certain trips I want to take before I have to see the world through a window. Iceland is one of them. Also, it seems you can see quite a bit in 7 days. I don’t have the stamina to take long weekends in timezones that are 3+ hours different from mine, sadly. We also chose May in part because it is a shoulder season that hopefully will be less crowded than peak season and because with my job, I can’t travel in Sep/Oct. Another thing about Iceland is that the speed limit is 95 km/hr which is barely over 55 mph, so you can’t bomb down the highways to gain time and get to your destination. You’re forced to go slow, which I kind of like. Apparently the Iceland police make you pay speeding tickets with a credit card on the spot:)
The speeding ticket payment is true! Firsthand experience. Well, H. Very nice cop.
Have a wonderful trip! Do not miss the “hot river!” Bring a bathing suit and towel and change behind the semiprivate screens (using the towel for privacy). Highlight of our trip and free! Also, so what if Blue lagoon is touristy. It is fun 
And if you go horseback riding bring a ziplock to seal up your clothes which will smell like horses and be rendered unusable for the remainder of the trip!
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We got back from Iceland four weeks ago. The weather was epically terrible but we had rain gear, rain pants, waterproof gloves, and waterproof hiking boots so we were okay. All the things they tell you about weather are true. You have to be prepared for any eventuality. We could not get to Reykjadalur unfortunately because the whole country was under a yellow storm warning. However, we were able to get tickets to the rye breadbaking exhibition at Laugervatn Fontana in the hot sands and we went to the spa afterwards. A wonderful experience and I would recommend 10/10. Another highlight of our trip was Fjallsarlon, not far from Jokulsarlon in the east. We did a Zodiac boat tour at Jokulsarlon and it was a great experience but very DYI; the litigation culture does not exist in Iceland and you grab on to the ropes and hope you do not fall in. There was a woman wearing black leather fashion-type boots with no tread who could not get in or out of the Zodiac boat. They had no interest in helping her. The parking lots at all the attractions off the ring road are rock and stone. No ADA accommodations anywhere (just FYI). You have to wear hiking shoes/boots; sneakers will not cut it. Recommend the canyon baths at Husafell and the lava cave there. We went to Dill, one of two Michelin starred restaurants in Iceland. It was an experience and they were not stinting on the wine, but it’s food as art. If you want a hearty satisfying meal in Reykjavik, we really enjoyed Old Iceland. Go early because they do not take reservations. As we drove around the adjective we kept bandying around was “otherworldly.” Very beautiful. But the wind was tremendous. The scenery, amazing. Foodwise, another place we enjoyed is Hlemmur Matholl, a food hall in Reykjavik.
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We were in Iceland 5/25-27 as the first leg of a European cruise. Weather terrible also on our trip, our stops in the northern fjords were cancelled due to bad weather. We had an extra full day in Reykjavik, so hired a driver to take us on a day tour and visited a lava field, a geyser, a crater lake, and an awesome waterfall. I have no idea of their names as we basically jumped in a taxi, and asked the driver if he could take us to see some interesting things. It was very wet, windy, and cold but we had a great day. Some pictures attached.
Last photo is of a wrestling statue. Apparently, wrestling is a big deal in Iceland.
We moved on to Norway, and thankfully the weather was great at 2/3 of our stops there, and for the rest of the cruise.
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