My Top 5 Tips When Visiting Iceland

Iceland, the land of fire and ice. It's beautiful, clean and full of all sorts of nature experiences like the iconic Blue Lagoon. But how is the best way to explore this island? and can you use points and miles? I just returned and I'm going to share my top five tips when visiting Iceland. 

You can go to Iceland and spend a million dollars, but that's not how I like to travel. So I'm going to share the way I like to travel and you can use some of my tips or all of my tips, whatever fits your travel style. 

I will share with you that 99% of the people we met on our visit to Iceland were using these same tips. Before we get started, points and miles are not easy to use in Iceland. Outside of Reykajavik, there are no hotel chains. But you can always erase travel with the Capital One Venture X card. You can see how to do that here. You can also use Capital One or Chase Ultimate Reward points to book guest houses. If you can't use points to book, you may be able to maximize the points you earn by booking through the travel portal. 

Now that we got points and miles out of the way, let's get to the fun part! 

Tip #5

Book everything early! The summer months are busy in Iceland so if you are planning to visit during this time, book early. Not only book your tours early, but book your car rental and accommodations. There are only 370,000 people living in all of Iceland AND 300,000 of them live in Reykajavik so that means there are only so many options once you get outside the city. Also make sure you use the right credit card to book your car rental so you are insured. The weather is real in Iceland so are the dirt and gravel roads. 

Tip #4

Check out guesthouses with shared bathrooms and breakfast. These are super cute bed and breakfast type accommodations. I preferred these over Airbnb because they included breakfast and wonderful local hosts. Now if you are travelling with a group, Airbnb may be more cost effective. 

Tip #3 

Bring waterproof everything! Pants, jackets, hoods, shoes or an extra pair of shoes. An umbrella is nice, but the wind is also strong in Iceland so waterproof clothing is better. This is the land of the foss or waterfall plus it rains a lot! If you can't bring it with you, head to a thrift store in Reykajavik and buy it all there. Then maybe you could even sell it back to the store when you leave. 

Tip #2

Buy staples at Costco, gas stations and grocery stores - Food in Iceland is expensive and not very good. So it's a better option to just cook for yourself. There is a Costco outside of Reykajavik. And it sells most of the familiar items including peanut butter and almond butter. So it's a great place to load up on snacks, sandwich makings, muffins and other items you can eat in the car or in the Airbnb. You can also stop at Bonus to pick up groceries. And believe it or not, the gas stations in Iceland are a great place for breakfast, sandwiches and souvenirs. 

Tip #1 

Budget Airline - It used to be WOW Air and now it's called Play. It's a budget airline that flies a few times a week from Boston, Washington DC and Baltimore to Reykajavik. My round trip ticket cost approximately $350 round trip. I used my Southwest points and companion pass to get us to Baltimore. It's a budget airline so seats, drinks, snacks and baggage cost extra so plan accordingly. The airline also doesn't fly everyday. But if it works with your schedule and travel style, it's a great way to cross the Atlantic. 

So there you go, my top 5 tips when visiting Iceland. I'll leave you with one more. If you have one week, don't try to see the entire Ring Road instead spend some time on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and maybe check out the Lava Cave in Husafell and then stick to the Southern Ring Road. If you have two weeks, then travel the entire Ring Road. 

Enjoy! 

 

Iceland In A Week Off The Beaten Path

 

Okay, I promised off the beaten path and we will get there. But first, most flights from the US arrive into Reykjavik early in the morning. Customs takes about 5-10 minutes to pass through and the question is now what?

Day 1, Three recommendations for you:

Iceland In A Week Off The Beaten Path 

1. Before you enter the duty free area in the airport on your way out to the car rental shuttle, you will pass through a food court. This is actually for departing passengers, but they will serve you. I suggest grabbing some breakfast here. They have a variety of items hot and cold, well priced and you can eat up a little time before you head to the next stop. 

Restaurants in the Reykjavik Airport 

2. Make a reservation for the Blue Lagoon or Sky Lagoon. You can check out endless posts debating the pros and cons of these spas. I chose the Blue Lagoon, it's iconic. But you can't go wrong with either one. And after a red eye flight, it's a dream. The Blue Lagoon has a luggage hold, but you will probably have a rental car anyway. You can make a reservation for 9am or 10am and they are fine if you arrive early. Plan to spend a few hours here. 

Iceland In A Week Off The Beaten Path 

3. If you are heading to Iceland between May and August, then you definitely want to see a Puffin while there. You can try scheduling a stop in the south to the Westman Islands, but plan for a whole day or if you have more than a week, there are a few popular spots in the north. OR you can book a ticket on the Puffin Express out of Reykjavik. It's a one hour express boat to a small island popular with Puffins. It's a sure thing. I booked it because we needed to stay awake and I figured that way we didn't need to chase spots during the trip or be disappointed when we didn't get to see them. You can book online through Viator.  

Okay, if you still have time, you can buy some groceries at Costco and/or Bonus Grocery store or pick up dinner at a gas station and then get a good night's sleep and be ready to hit the off the beaten path road. 

Hot dogs, pastries and more at the gas station 

Day 2: You can read all about the Golden Circle and Ring Road everywhere. But if you want to go off the beaten path where the tour buses aren't, you might want to spend a few days on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula in the small town of Grundarfjordur. It has population 900 and is located in the shadow of Kirkjufell Mountain, made famous by Game of Thrones. 

We chose to go kayaking in the bay with Vestur Adventures, but you can also hike or fish. After dressing up in warm dry suits, we paddled across the bay, checked out a waterfall and tried some Icelandic seaweed. Apparently it's a delicacy. When we returned to the dock, the guides served hot chocolate. Beautiful experience. 

Iceland In A Week Off The Beaten Path 

There are also plenty of hikes in the area including this one on the left of the road just before you enter the town. Watch for the gravel parking lot. 

Gravel parking lot for the waterfall hike 

Then you walk to the gate and enter through a small door in the fence. Once you cross the field, you walk along the fence to the river and walk along the river towards the fall. Depending on the time of the year and waterflow, you will see how close the fall you can get. 

There is a hostel in this town that has shared bathrooms and a kitchen. We cooked up a delicious pasta dinner. 

Day 3 - We drove west around the peninsula to the town of Olafsvik. This is the only place in Iceland where you have a chance of seeing Orcas in the wild. We booked a whale watching tour with Laki Tours. Again dressed in warm dry suits, we headed out for a 3 hour tour with fingers crossed. 

Day 3 - From Olasvik, we drove several hours to the Highlands. The main town is called Husafell and it's where you can find the largest Lava Cave in the world, glacier, hikes and a Natural Canyon Bath. You can book the tours through the Hotel Husafell. There is one hotel in this town, one guesthouse, one gas station and a small convenience store so come prepared. 

Standing in front of the Lava Cave

Inside the Lava Cave

We spent two nights and a full day in Husafell. It was nice to relax before hitting the road again. 

Day 4 - On our way to the Southern Ring Road, we stopped at the hot river in Reykjadalur Valley. To get to the river, you park in the lot where there is small store, cafe and bathrooms. You will pay to park when you leave. Then set off to hike about 1.5 hours mostly up hill. But once you reach the geothermal and hot river, it's worth it. The changing rooms are rustic so be prepared. But laying in the river with the mountains of Iceland surrounding you is amazing!

Day 5-7 - We explored the Southern Ring Road which is a must do though it is definitely NOT off the beaten path. There are several popular waterfalls and of course, Glacier Lagoon and Diamond Beach which I highly recommend. To explore this area and feel like you are off the beaten path, you might want to stay in guesthouses instead of hotels. You can book through hostel world or Chase or Capital One travel portals. 

Guesthouse near Vik on the Southern Ring Road

Most have shared kitchens and include breakfast. Don't be afraid of shared bathrooms either. The guesthouses are not your typical hostel. 

Breakfast includes meats, cheese, yogurt, bread and oatmeal. Very filling! 

Day 7 - Drive back to Reykjavik and perhaps make a quick stop at the place where the European and Asian tectonic plates meet. The Bridge is an alternative off the beaten path to going into the national park. 

Remember to use the right credit cards so you either earn points or can erase your travel purchases. That's how we do it at AlmostFREEfamilytravel. 

 

Why You Should Book A Solar Eclipse Expedition Cruise Now

Seeing a Solar Eclipse is a bucket list item for sure. It only comes around a few times and is usually only visible from certain countries and even cities in the world. 

The last Solar Eclipse in April 2024 was visible from Mexico to New York and millions of people traveled to be in the path of the eclipse. The idea is to put yourself in the path of totality, a path in the center where you can experience the total eclipse. 

A Solar Eclipse is when the earth passes between the moon and the sun blocking the sun's light and casting a shadow on the earth. Totality is when the moon completely blocks the sun's light causing the sky to get dark.

I watched the Solar Eclipse 2023 from the middle of the Indian Ocean aboard the Coral Geographer small ship. It was spectacular! 

Leading up to the Solar Eclipse, University of Berkeley Professor Alex Filipenko lectured several times about how Solar Eclipse happen and why, what we could expect on the day of the eclipse and then we reflected afterwards about what we saw. Small ships tend to host an expert about the topic on board. 

The total solar eclipse itself lasted a few minutes so we had time to create shadows with a saltine cracker and a collander.   

And then afterwards, we all celebrated with a bottle of Corona, of course. 

The next total solar eclipse is expected to happen on August 12th 2026 and will be visible in Spain, Greenland, Russia, Iceland and a small portion of Portugal. I plan to be off the coast of Iceland on another small expedition ship. If you would like to  join me, let me know. 

You can plan travel to one of the countries in the path OR you can book a cruise. But you need to make these plans asap! 

The pro to a cruise is that the ship can change course if there is cloud cover or just to get the best view. 

If you want to book a Solar Eclipse 2026 cruise, you will need to make that reservation right away. There is still availability, but the ships are filling up quickly. 

Here are some of our small ship favorites:

Quark Expeditions -  is planning an Artic Solar Eclipse Cruise in 2026. There will be two experts on board the ship, the 199 passenger Ultramarine. The itinerary starts in Reykavik and visits Greenland National Park, the world's largest. There are only a few cabins left with a starting price of $16,095 per person so email me right away if this interests you. I can also include a $250 shipboard credit. 

Atlas Ocean Voyages - is offering two cruises, one in the Arctic sailing near Iceland and one in the Mediteranean sailing from Barcelona to Monte Carlo. Fares for the 7 day Mediterranean itinerary start from $5,499 per person and for the nine night Arctic cruise fares start at $8,899 per person. I can get you a $200 onboard ship credit. 

Windstar Cruises - will offer a 7 night itinerary around Iceland aboard a 312 passenger ship. The cruise will feature solar eclipse programming including guest lecturers. Fares start at $7173 per person. I can get you a $150 onboard ship credit. 

HX (Hurtigruten Expeditions) - is offering a 16 night expedition from Norway to Iceland. Prices start at $19,906 per person. I can get you a $100 onboard ship credit. 

Though I prefer the small expedition ships, there are some large ships that may offer more affordable solar eclipse cruises like Royal Caribbean or you can plan to stay on land in the eclipse path. I am a registered travel advisor, but my specialty is helping you use points and miles to make travel affordable. 

Contact me if you are interested and we can see what type of deal we can get you. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my new Ebook or custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Reykjavik, Iceland: Hotspot for Bakeries, Food Halls and Ice Cream

When I was in Iceland three years ago, there were no Starbucks or food halls, and the dining options were pretty limited. That's changed fast. Reykjavik now has a serious lineup of bakeries, food halls, and ice cream spots — and on this trip, I made it my mission to try as much as possible so I could bring you a list.

I asked locals for their favorites, and one recommendation came up again and again: start at Valdis.

🍦 Ice Cream

Valdis is known for its ever-changing menu of unusual flavors, and the locals insisted I try the weirdest one on the board that day: Rye Bread. Not something I'd normally order, but I trusted the recommendation — and it was genuinely good. (I stuck to a small taste rather than a full cup, but no regrets.)

Other ice cream spots to try:

• Gaeto Gelato
• Skubb

Most of these are along Laugavegur, the main pedestrian shopping street, so it's easy to hop between them.

🍜 Food Halls

Reykjavik now has four food halls, each packed with stalls serving food from around the world. We went for Vietnamese and pizza, and most halls have outdoor seating too. Food halls are one of the few places in Iceland where you'll find real variety at prices that won't make you wince.

• Pósthús is often called the best of the bunch
• Hlemmur Mathöll was our pick — just a few blocks from our hotel
• Grandi Mathöll and Borg 29 Mathöll are also worth a visit

A few people on our trip did a food tour and loved it — check it out here.

Reykjavik has quite the dining scene as well. 

Try Hofnin at the waterfront for traditional Icelandic food, but make a reservation.

If you venture south to the Ring Road, be sure to stop at the famous tomato restaurant Fridheimar and Black Crust Pizza in Vik. 

🥐 Bakeries

Reykjavik has a bakery on nearly every corner, and it's hard to walk past one without stopping. I tried Hugge, which has several locations — the apple turnover was excellent, the coffee was even better, and the bread was some of the best I've had. Good news: most hotels serve it at breakfast, so you'll get your fill either way.

Other bakeries worth seeking out:

• Brauð & Co
• Sandholt
• Brikk

🎟️ Things to Do

Reykjavik's activity list has grown just as much as its food scene:

• Perlan Museum — glaciers, volcanoes, and a real ice cave
• Whale Museum — an up-close look at the largest mammals in the ocean
• Viking Museum — a solid history lesson, though a bit intense for younger kids
• Fly Over Iceland — genuinely fun
• Puffin Tour — a great option if you're not driving south to see them yourself
• Lava Show — I didn't make it this time, but I've heard great things

🛏️ Where to Stay

Right in the harbor area:

• The Reykjavik Edition
• Alda Hotel Reykjavik

A bit further out (and easier on the budget), near bus stop 13:

• Hotel Foss Lind
• Hotel Foss Raudara

Both areas are still walking distance to the food halls and Laugavegur. Bonus: the Flybus leaves from bus stop 13 every hour for the airport, so it's an easy trip out. Just book your tickets in advance — it runs about $30 per person, each way.

🚗 Getting Around

Planning to explore beyond Reykjavik? You'll want a car. I recommend Blue Car Rental — it's a local company with a downtown office, so you can drop off your car there instead of making an extra trip to the airport.

Do you want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. 

Or you can pay a travel planning fee and we will find all the best points and miles deals for your trip! 

Or you can book a consulting call with us for just $100. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

***In honor of every new paid client, we will make a donation of 10% to one of our favorite charities.

Woohoo! Another Client Success Story!

 

I love using points and miles to save on travel, but what I love even more is to help others save on travel. 

So far, dozens of people have joined my Travel Coaching Program and saved thousands! You read about the honeymoon couple who used points to score FREE flights to Italy. 

Now we have another client success story! 

This time, our client saved $3,200 on a month long trip to Iceland and Italy. 

The client spent 4 days in Iceland and 3 weeks in Italy. 

Here is how she used points to save:

Capital One Venture X Card

• $395 (charge $ 4,000 3 months)
• $300 Travel Credit (so card cost $99 but we split the charge)
• $100 Credit towards Global Entry (got entry card coming back from Venice @ LAX)
• 75,000 bonus miles
• Priority Lounge Access (used in Seattle and Venice)

American Express Delta

• Used points to buy a $500 gc (they were giving a 10% discount on gc) used GC towards plane ticket home. Plus miles I had so my ticket was FREE.

• Used points towards upgrade 2 passengers to Premium Plus coming home from Italy flew Delta Home

If you want to learn how to use points and miles to travel for FREE, consider joining my Travel Coaching Program. You get five short videos explaining the basics, a personal tracker and then 1:1 with me where we talk travel goals and set a plan in action. Then you can join our monthly live coaching session forever for FREE!

We look forward to helping you plan your next trip! 

WOW Air offers great Spring Break Flights

WOW Air, the discounted Iceland airline, is offering amazing deals right now through April. If you are thinking about a European vacation over Spring Break 2017, this may be your ticket. And if you buy the tickets with your Barclay Arrival Plus credit card, you can get 5% back or use your $500 travel credit.

Some sample fares include:

$99 from Los Angeles to Reyjavik, Iceland
$129 from Los Angeles to Berlin, Germany

and lots more! I have seen reports of fares as low as $69, but I could not find those. The lowest I found was $99 one way.

Now WOW Air is a discounted airline so be careful because they will nickel and dime you for everything including printing your boarding pass, seat reservation, baggage etc. So read the fine print!

But for a family wanting a vacation, you could fly for almost FREE!

How You Can Visit Two Countries For The Price Of One

Want to spend the day or a week in Iceland on your way to Europe? Several airlines will allow you to add a stopover for FREE to your flight. Yes, you can add the stop over even if you are flying on points. Woohoo! 

The airlines that offer this option are:

• Turkish Airlines
• Qatar Airways 
• Etihad Airways
• Icelandair
• TAP Air Portugal
• Iberia
• Copa 
• Air Canada
• Air China
•  Ethiopian Airlines
•  Singapore Airlines

Some of the airlines allow the stop over for up to 2 weeks, others allow the stopover for 8-24 hours and provide tours or hotel accommodations. 

For example: Ethiopian Airlines provides free pickup and drop off from the airport, a hotel room and a meal. 

• Layover Duration: 8 to 24 hours. 
• Hotel: Ethiopian Skylight Hotel. 
• Includes: Free hotel stay, airport transfers, complimentary breakfast. 
• Eligibility: You must have a connecting flight through Addis Ababa and a valid transit visa or be eligible for a visa on arrival. 
• How to book: You can book this service when booking your Ethiopian Airlines flight or through their website, according to Ethiopian Airlines. 
• Additional benefits: Kids under 12 stay and dine for free, all-day pool access, and 30% off massages. 

Several airlines offer layover tours and/or discounted/free hotel stays during long layovers. Some popular examples include Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Icelandair, and TAP Air Portugal. 

Here's a more detailed look at some of these programs:

1. Turkish Airlines: Offers "Touristanbul," a free guided tour of Istanbul for passengers with layovers of 6-24 hours at Istanbul Airport. They also offer free hotel stays or discounts on hotels in Istanbul during layovers. 

2. Qatar Airways: Provides discounted or free hotel stays in Doha for passengers with layovers of 12 hours or more. They also offer free visas for those who need them. 

3. Etihad Airways: Offers "Abu Dhabi Stopover," providing free hotel stays for up to two nights in Abu Dhabi for passengers with layovers. 

4. Icelandair: Allows stopovers in Iceland for passengers flying transatlantic, offering a chance to explore the country for a few days or even a week at no extra airfare cost. 

5. TAP Air Portugal: Offers stopover programs in Lisbon and Porto, allowing passengers to stay for up to 10 days in either city. 

6. Iberia: Offers a "Hola Madrid" program with a free stopover in Madrid for up to seven days, including discounts on experiences and accommodations. 

7. Copa Airlines: Offers a special stopover program in Panama. 

8. Other Airlines: Air Canada, Air China, Ethiopian Airlines, and Singapore Airlines also offer stopover programs or discounted hotel stays in certain cities. 

As always, if you need more guidance, please join our Travel Coaching Program, you can find out more about our personal coaching here. Use FREETRAVEL for $50 off the cost. Or you can book a 30 minute consult for just $100. We would love to help you!