Why an Iceland Trip is an Easy and Amazing Family Adventure
Short flights, affordable airfare, and more perks make an Iceland Trip an amazing (and easy)family vacation.
Stops like crater hikes make the trip around the Golden Circle fun for the whole family.
I love quotes and one of my favorites is Ralph Waldo Emerson’s “Life is a journey, not a destination.”
I’m sure Emerson meant those words in a very existential, meaningful way. I’m sure he was talking about the proverbial journey of life, the goals that we set for ourselves as the “destination”.
But...
Sometimes when you’re traveling as a family, it quite literally is about the actual journey, the process of getting from A to B. Between exorbitant prices on flights and the challenge of taking kids on long hauls, the thought of “journeying” internationally can be daunting for families.
But travel to and around one European country may be easier than you think. Iceland, the land of fire and ice, is an incredible destination that’s becoming more and more popular. It has so much to offer and it’s an especially great place to take kids because of all there is learn about and see.
Here are five other reasons it makes a great family vacation:
1 - Iceland is not as far as you might think.
Several airlines service Keflavik International Airport, the main Icelandic hub. Delta, Lufthansa, United, and AirCanada are among those offering service to Iceland while IcelandAir provides the most U.S. based nonstop flights. Especially for East Coasters, the flight might be shorter than you expect. For example, Chicago O’Hare to Keflavik? A 6 hour and 5 minute flight. Washington Dulles? That route takes 5 hours and 50 minutes. New York’s JFK to Keflavik? Expect to be on the plane an even 5 hours. The travel time is similar to what you would expect flying from one U.S. coast to another. If you’re originating from a city farther west, you’ll tack on additional time but the trip might be much more doable with kids in tow than you guessed.
Beautiful scenery awaits, like this view of Greenland, even before you land in Iceland.
2. The price for Iceland airline tickets is often right.
You may be surprised to find flights to Iceland are more reasonable than you expect for an international destination. With a little searching you can often find roundtrip airfare to Iceland priced around $300 from some cities. Those prices are valid even if you plan to travel during the busier summer months. Although you’ll see some variation in price, there’s usually no need to travel on off days of the week either. Deals on airfare can be found throughout the week and throughout the year.
Prefer an upgraded flight experience? Icelandair’s Saga Class is usually priced far less than other airlines business or first class options as well.
Is Icelandair’s Saga Class worth it for families?
Check out our list of the best and worst things about Saga Class.
Flying to and from the land of Fire and Ice is easier for families than you might expect.
3. One of Iceland’s best must-do’s is also a perfect arrival day activity.
Like many flights to Europe from the U.S., routes to Iceland are nighttime flights so they arrive in the morning, Icelandic time. It can be challenging to figure out what to do with exhausted kids on arrival day after an overnight flight. Luckily, the Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland’s most popular attractions, is only about a 40 minute drive from the airport. The road to get there is lined with volcanic rock fields, making for some awesome sights along the way. And once you’re there, beautiful warm blue water is the perfect remedy for jet lagged bones. Instead of dragging kids to sights in the city or the surrounding area while you’re waiting for hotel check-in time, everyone can relax AND begin their Iceland family vacation adventure with something truly unique to the country.
Is the Blue Lagoon on your list of “must dos”? Check out:
The Blue Lagoon is a perfect arrival day activity on an Iceland family vacation.
4. Sightseeing in Iceland doesn’t require as much car time as you might expect.
When we were planning our Icelandic adventure I was worried there would be a huge amount of time spent in car or on a tour bus. I knew there was so much to do there but it seemed like it would take a long time to drive from one point of interest to another. And nothing can put the kibosh on good family time quite like the grumpiness that can go with too much time in the car. (Can I get an amen here, mamas?)
The good news is there’s plenty to see that doesn’t require spending most of your day getting there. While there are more remote sections of the country that you might want to explore if you have great car travelers, we found that we got a fantastic tour of the country even without doing lengthy car trips. We were never in the car for more than an hour and half without making a stop to see something awesome.
The aqua waters of the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.
5. Iceland makes a great layover on the way to another European country.
Even though Iceland is an incredible family vacation spot in itself, it’s also a perfect stop on your way to and from another European country. Icelandair allows travelers to buy one roundtrip ticket that includes a multi-day layover in Iceland at no extra cost. It’s the perfect way to save money on airfare while seeing multiple destinations. Although we opted to stick to Iceland for our trip, the layover option is a popular choice. Many people we met were taking advantage of the ability to piggyback Iceland onto travel to another country for the price of one ticket. Don’t you just love to have options?
Iceland makes a great layover on a family vacation to another destination.
