Iceland with Kids – Top 10 Winter & Summer Activities

This is a country for adventure and wonder. Our action-packed Iceland in Winter escape offers an incredible array of options, from swimming in thermal pools and snapping geysers to glacier hikes and exploring ice caves.

In spring and summer, the landscapes are breathtaking in a different way, and you can do almost exactly the same things as in winter on our Iceland in Summer itinerary, with the added benefit of lots of extra daylight to squeeze in some other hidden gems.

Our Top 10 Iceland with Kids top ten activities

Whilst most people visiting Iceland with kids make a beeline for the famous Blue Lagoon, some will find the crowds a little off-putting. If you prefer something a bit quieter, we can recommend less well-known hot springs where you can warm your bones. Or better still, we can book you into a remote countryside retreat with your very own private hot tub – perfect for some chill-out time under the midnight sun or the northern lights, after a busy day of exploring.

Whilst most people visiting Iceland with kids make a beeline for the famous Blue Lagoon, some will find the crowds a little off-putting. If you prefer something a bit quieter, we can recommend less well-known hot springs where you can warm your bones. Or better still, we can book you into a remote countryside retreat with your very own private hot tub – perfect for some chill-out time under the midnight sun or the northern lights, after a busy day of exploring.

While the famous Strokkur Geyser is impressive (if stinky!), it’s always full of crowds of day-trippers from Reykjavik. In spring and summer, think about signing up for a hike in a valley not far away instead, with its own geysers to behold as well as hot springs, where you can not only soak your limbs but even cook eggs!

Eggs cooked out in nature aside, Icelanders are justifiably proud of their varied and delicious cuisine. Children with an adventurous palate love the seafood, cooked in inventive ways, but even those who find this more of a challenge will relish the opportunity to sample a black-crust pizza, coloured and flavoured with charcoal and very yummy! In Reykjavik, don’t miss the iconic hot-dog stand B.

Moving along the south coast of Iceland, Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon is one of Iceland’s stand-out scenic sites. Here a vast glacier that has snaked slowly down out of the mountains arrives into the lagoon, calving icebergs into the water. You can either explore in a RIB or a kayak, heading out across the water to see the icebergs up close. If you are really lucky, you might see a seal perched on top of the ice as you pass. Find out other areas to visit in our Places to Visit in Iceland.

A firm favourite with Stubborn Mule families arriving in Iceland with kids, FlyOver Iceland in the compact but lively capital Reykjavik offers a great start to a summer or winter trip. Basically, you strap yourselves in to fly in a simulator over Iceland’s most sensational scenery, with mist puffing in your face as you swoop over rivers and glaciers and jet past waterfalls. Have a peek at the FlyOver Iceland video on YouTube (although nothing beats the real experience), and check out our Iceland customer reviews.

More than 5,000 years ago, a nearby volcanic eruption carved out a lava tube through the mountains near the Eyrabakki coast, and today – in both summer and winter – you can don a hard hat and crampons and walk through it. As you do, you’ll be dazzled by the light reflecting off thousands of crystal-clear ice stalactites and stalagmites. More adventurous families (minimum age 12) can do the adventure route, heading deeper into the mountain on a three-hour journey.

Often spotted on clear nights from October to April, the bewitching Aurora Borealis is most likely and best seen while spending a night or two out in the countryside, away from the city’s light pollution (although you can book a Northern Lights tour from Reykjavik). Many hotels offer a wake-up service, with staff calling you if they spot anything in the sky.

Tip: Your phone camera is much more sensitive to the aurora than the naked eye, so scan the sky with it to spot any telltale green or pink streaks in the sky.

If you are travelling to Iceland in summer, you won’t see the Aurora but you will experience the magic of the midnight sun or polar day. This is when the sun barely dips below the horizon, and the few hours of ‘night’ are as bright as early twilight.

Undoubtedly one of the top 10 things to do in Iceland with the kids, even in summer, going up on the Mýrdals Glacier brings you to mountains that go for miles – layer after layer of frothy white peaks covered in snow. You venture high up by Superjeep before hopping aboard snowmobiles to carve a route deeper into the mountains. Kids ride pillion with an adult, with everyone whooping as you go up and down steep hills before stopping to soak up the view.

The famous Gulfoss Falls are undoubtedly breathtaking, as are the popular waterfalls along the south coast. However in peak holiday periods, crowds can detract from the beauty of the landscape. We recommend a couple of much less well-known waterfalls, where the absence of other people hugely enhances the experience and makes them a favourite thing to do in Iceland with kids.

The landscapes of Iceland’s south coast with their rugged mountains and tumbling waterfalls are simply staggering. One of our favourite spots is the lighthouse at Dyrholaey Cape with its gob-smacking views back towards the beach and, in the other direction, the Mýrdals Glacier. The coast here is wild, with massive crashing waves and rock stacks that are home to colonies of puffins. There is a gorgeous coastal walk here, suitable even in winter, with thrilling views all the way.

Iceland with Kids next steps 

Whether you want to see Iceland in Summer or visit Iceland in Winter, get in touch by ringing us on 01728 752751 or using our website contact form.

We can plan a holiday in Iceland with kids that’s exactly right for each family member, with the ideal balance of exciting activities and relaxing in nature.