Iceland: Off the Beaten Path!

So you’re heading to Iceland? You likely know the touristy hot spots—the blue lagoon, a northern lights tour, the golden circle, and the southern shore—all “touristy” for good reason and places you definitely don’t want to miss, but perhaps, like us, you are looking to get off the beaten path just a little more while in Iceland. If you want to get a better feel for this rugged and beautiful country, here are a few suggestions for fun things to do that will get you off the beaten path, and into the real and rugged heart of Iceland.

#5 – Stykkishólmur

If time allows (scratch that… make time for this one), make sure you take a leisurely drive up to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. It’s less touristed, and every bit as rugged and wild as other more “famous” parts of Iceland. Make a stop in the charming seaside town of Stykkishólmur just 172 kms from Reykjavik—boasting a population of only 1150. The colorful fishing boats and adorable, bright houses make it really unique, not to mention picturesque. Take the time to hike up to the lighthouse and enjoy a breathtaking panorama of this quaint village and the wild seaside below. Stykkishólmur’s beauty comes not only from its scenery, but from its environmentally-friendly approach. It comes as no surprise that this town has won the European Destination of Excellence Award (EDEN) since 2011, making it a must see on your Icelandic bucket list.

#4 – Faxi Waterfall

If you are already headed on a Golden Circle tour, this is an easy add-on. This lesser known waterfall should  be at the top of your bucket list. It is reminiscent of its big sister, Gullfoss, a mere 20 kms away, but is arguably the prettier of the two. It stands at approximately 23 feet high and 260 feet wide, but visitors can walk right up to the base if they so choose. An extra perk of this waterfall, besides its beauty, is the total lack of tourists. You can enjoy this waterfall from above or below without waiting in line for a good photo op, or worrying about digitally removing tourists later. Another cute gem about this waterfall is the salmon ladder to its left. There, lucky visitors can watch wild Icelandic salmon swim upriver, making this an extra special stop that shouldn’t be missed.

#3 – Black Sand Beach of Djúpalónssandur

This beach is a must! Iceland is known for its black sand beaches, such as the famous Reynisfjara with its iconic rock islands and basalt columns. Lesser-known, and arguably just as cool is the lovely Djúpalónssandur on Iceland’s Northwest Snaefellsnes Peninsula. This gorgeous beach is lined with black volcanic pebbles (back massage anyone?), and it boasts the ramparts of a rusty ship wreck—pieces of which are scattered all along the beach. This coastline is less visited, has just as much beauty as it’s more famous counterparts, and is all yours! One extra cool little tidbit about this beach is that it stands at the base of Snæfellsjökull, a 700,000 year old glacier-capped volcano.

#2 – Smokin’ Puffin

Don’t let the “Puffin” in the name deceive you, this is no tourist trap. This hidden gem is an ordinary-looking little pub in the heart of Reykjavik, but definitely one of the coolest spots in town. The pub is owned and operated by a group of bartenders and bar managers--who hop from one side of the bar to the other as soon as they clock out. If you ask me, it says a lot when the employees of an establishment hang around long after they’re being paid to do so. The bar is a cozy dive featuring local brews and live local artists each night. Extra cool points for the foosball table in the back corner. This is a great place to come and chat with locals and get a glimpse into real Reykjavik nightlife—not the glitzy, puffin-stuffed tourist traps that abound in much of the city.

#1 – Dinner with the Icelanders

This one wasn’t an easy find, but by far the coolest thing to do in Reykjavik. We connected with locals through a cool tour site called “Iceland Unwrapped.” Owner Helga, connects travelers with local families who open their doors to visiting guests who want a glimpse of actual Icelandic culture. Our hosts were Albert, a world-class chef, and his partner Bergthor, a famous Icelandic opera singer. To say they rolled out the red carpet for us was an understatement. We feasted on roasted lamb and potatoes, the best Icelandic chocolate cake money can buy, and we were treated with a private concert by Bergthor, along with a viewing of his home-woven traditional Icelandic handicrafts. We cannot recommend this enough! Come ready to eat, learn, and laugh until your sides hurt. Dinner with the Icelanders is a MUST! You can check out this and many more of Helga’s unique Iceland Unwrapped experiences by clicking here. You’re welcome in advance.

Ice, Ice, Baby... Iceland, that is!

Why Iceland, you're asking yourself? Well….

It all started with a bet. Jordan said more people were interested in going to Iceland than Israel. I disagreed. I may have even guffawed. He couldn’t believe someone that traveled as much as I do could be so unaware of the cultural goldmine that is Iceland. I couldn’t believe that anyone within a stones throw of the Bible belt could ignore the fact that Christians essentially exit the womb with a burgeoning desire to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. So like the logical people we are, naturally, we took to our Facebook page to settle the debate. We created a poll with several hot destinations including Iceland and the Holy Land and attempted to unbiasedly manipulate our friends and family into voting on where the most appealing travel destination was. Maybe you even innocently participated in it.

As much as it pains me to admit defeat, Iceland won out by a landslide. I was shocked with the results, but I’d be lying if I said that this was the first time Iceland had piqued my interest.

A couple years earlier my friend and fellow travel enthusiast, Ashley, had visited the good ole Land of Fire and Ice and his pictures left me speechless. Whale watching, the blue lagoon, volcanoes! How had I so mistakenly assumed that this beautiful country was nothing more than a big floating Iceberg?! It turns out, that was the point.

Legend tells that the earliest settlers, the Vikings, literally named it “ice-land” to trick their enemies into thinking they hadn’t stumbled onto the natural treasure trove that they in fact had, and using the ole grass-is-greener switcheroo, insisted they instead head to “green-land,” which is in fact, an actual floating iceberg. Genius move. (I also read that this is a bogus account of how this island got its name, but since I moonlight as a literature teacher, I’ll wink at its historical inaccuracy since it makes for a good story).

Now that Iceland was back on my radar I started to see it everywhere. More and more friends were visiting and sharing their pictures, I would read articles about it in magazines and on Facebook, heck even the Real Housewives of Orange County went there, not to mention its repeated appearances on Game of Thrones. It was after overhearing a couple of students gush about Iceland that I decided I was sick of being a bystander. I wanted to see this mythical land for myself.

It took me a few months of nonstop research to decide where exactly in Iceland we should go, what time of year would be best suited for our purposes (prime northern lights viewing times, for example), and how long to make the trip, but I finally did it. Since starting Land + See one of my favorite things is diving head first into a new destination and learning its nuances—hand picking each little nook and cranny of the tour and trying to uncover all the hidden gems along the way. I’m a little obsessed with not feeling like a tourist. Authenticity is always my focus.

I hope you like what I planned. I put my heart and soul into this tour, and while I’m generally a pretty cold-natured person, I couldn’t be more excited about this “hot” destination.

Be on the lookout as I’ll be updating you with day-by-day details periodically in my blog, but for now, here’s a little taste of how our Iceland tour came to be. You can check out the full itinerary by clicking HERE. Iceland here we come!!