Icelandic Horses 
Dyrhólaey 
Kirkjufellsfoss
WOW! <—-Yes Iceland deserves all those capital letters because it literally blew me away! I first convinced Chris to head to Iceland because I found some cheap ($300) round trip tickets from Minneapolis! Little did we know that Iceland is actually pretty pricey once you get there, but we still had an amazing trip traveling on both the Golden Circle and Iceland’s famous Ring Road!
We decided we wanted to road trip the island in 7 days and in my research I came across another FABULOUS blogger named Jeannie. If you are planning a trip to Iceland I would highly recommend checking out her blog called Iceland With A View. I even bought a few of her Ring Road Guide Ebook to help plan for this trip and it was 100% worth it!
Here’s my suggested itinerary:
Day 1: Chances are if you’re traveling from the USA, you will probably arrive sometime early morning to the town of Keflavik. After landing and getting through the airport, grab a rental car or shuttle to pick up your camper van! I would highly recommend the camper van option! We rented ours from Happy Camper, but there are lots of companies to choose from so do some research for the best fit for you!
Once you’re ready to go, grab some groceries from the local Bonus (this store is the cheapest on the island!) and start driving to the Golden Circle! Pingvellir National Park should be your first stop and let me tell you it is gorgeous! Take your time and explore Öxarárfoss waterfall, Flosagja Fissure or dive between two tectonic plates at Silfra! Next up swing by Gullfoss, Kerid Crater and the famous Geysir. Grab some ice cream at Efstidalur Dairy to finish out your day. Enjoy a good night’s sleep in Hella to get ready for an action packed day of fun.
Day 2:
This day will take you through some of the most beautiful sites in Iceland. Begin your day at the gorgeous Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Get there early before the tourist buses arrive. This waterfall is sooo neat because you can walk behind it! Swing by the waterfall right next to it called Gljufurafoss. ←Bethany’s fav!
Drive on to Skogafoss and if you’re able, hike up the stairs to the right of the waterfall! It’s definitely a climb, but there’s another neat waterfall at the top!
We then went to Seljavellir hot pot (we had to go down this tiny gravel road and then hike about a mile to find this hot pot.) If you choose to visit this one (and you should because the scenery is gorgeous!) change into your suit in the car. The bath houses were nasty!
Continue onto Dyrholaey and Reynisfjara beach. Be sure to check out the basalt columns, gorgeous black sand and rock formations! This is truly one of the highlights of Iceland’s southern coastline.
As you continue along the Ring Road, make sure to swing by Fjadragljufur Canyon <—- Chris’ fav! It’s a tiny little road sign so don’t miss it! Continue onto Jokulsarlon Iceberg Lagoon. Spend night in Hofn.
Day 3: Wake up to another beautiful day in Iceland! Drive from Hofn to Stokksnes and continue on a beautiful (but extremely curvy!) road to the picturesque town of Seydisfjordur. Seydisfjordur is a neat little harbor town that we ate lunch at. It’s a little bit off the beaten path, but it was scenic and has many fun colorful buildings that will make your Instagram soar. 😉
After spending a few hours in Seydisfjordur drive to Dettifoss (use the bathroom before you get there if you can! There were only some nasty port-a-potties available). Next up we went to Namafjall Hverir and Myvatn Nature Baths (A great Blue Lagoon alternative). We loved ending the day with a nice little soak in the baths! I would highly recommend it. Spend night in Reykjahlid or a neighboring town.
Day 4: Hellooo northern Iceland! I really enjoyed this day of our trip and I think you will too! We started by driving to a neat geological site called Dimmuborgir (a Game of Thrones filming site!). We got here early in the morning and really enjoyed walking around the lava fields all by ourselves! We then continued on to a gorgeous waterfall called Godafoss. The water was a pure cerulean blue (my photo above does not do it justice). Don’t miss this one!
Take a pit stop for lunch in Akureyri (eat at Blaa Kannan Cafe on Hafnarstraeti, it was wonderful!). After filling your belly, walk downtown and explore some of the shops, stroll around the waterfront area or even take a whale watching tour!
Then drive onto the Snaefellsness Peninsula. Visit Kirkjufellsfoss, Grundarfoss. Spend night in Grundarfjordur and get ready for another exciting day!
Day 5: Good morning! Today you will visit an extremely scenic peninsula in Iceland! Start by heading to Snaefellsjokull National Park. We took an adventurous detour to Ondverdanes Lighthouse and loved exploring the area.
After you’ve had your fill of beautiful beach and rock photos, travel forward to Saxholl Crater (an active volcano that you can climb up!) Get ready for your thighs to burn if you choose to hike up all those steps! The view on the top is definitely worth it though! Hellnar and Arnarstapi were some of our favorite stops along this southern part of the peninsula. Again, the rock formations are worth seeing.
Depending on how much time you have, check out the Budhahraun lava fields or hike up to Glymur waterfall (2 hour hike). Stop at Bjarteyjarsander Sheep Farm if you want a good meal or a fun farm tour. We loved visiting this farm and escaping the rainy weather. Spend night near Glymur or head back to Reykjavik for a well deserved rest.
Day 6: Wake up for Reykjavik Day! Start the morning with a free City Walk Tour to acclimate yourself to Reykjavik’s layout! Our guide told us lots of history and some neat Icelandic facts (like about how they utilize their geothermal heat) that we would’ve never known unless we took the time to visit with a local. After your morning tour, grab some lobster soup at The Sea Baron (Saegreifinn) near the “Old Harbor” and then enjoy ice cream at Valdis! You’re on vacation right? You need the ice cream 😉
On your way back into the heart of the city swing by Kolaportið the local flea market full of foods and goods. Maybe you can find a neat Icelandic wool sweater to take home in memory of your trip! Then check out the Harpa Concert Hall for a neat view and take the elevator to the top floor for a free view of Reykjavik. The famous Sun Voyageur sculpture isn’t far away if you need a quick photo!
Next, hike uphill to Hallgrimskikja the most famous church in Iceland. You can opt to take an elevator to the top for about $10 USD. The road up to Hallgrimskikja has great little shops and restaurants that are perfect for perusing.
Hallgrimskikja 
Sun Voyager 
Harpa Concert Hall 
If you find yourself with more time, check out one of Reykjavik’s many museums. There’s a little bit of everything here including an Icelandic Punk Museum and the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Yep, like I said. A little bit of everything!
As you finish out your day, make sure to enjoy one of Iceland’s famous hotdogs from a stand downtown! Iceland is known for their hotdogs because they are made mostly of lamb meat and let me tell you they are fantastic!
Day 7: Wake up early and head to the airport! Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and your journey to Iceland has ended. But, I’m sure you enjoyed your trip to this beautiful island and made some lasting memories.
Extra Tips:
Here’s a list of some of the places we stopped in Iceland on Google Maps. Check out Hotpot Iceland for a list of all the public hotpots. Bonus grocery stores are the best/cheapest, so make sure to look for those. N1 Gas Stations we found to be the cleanest and most convenient around the island. I believe all of the ones we went to had free bathrooms.
I hope you have an amazing trip to Iceland! It’s a gorgeous country worth seeing! If you have any questions or comments, be sure to let me know in the comment section below! Happy traveling!