The Ultimate 4-day Iceland Road Trip

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Iceland holds a special place in my heart. Aside from the breathtaking waterfalls, the unique and ever-changing landscape, and the majestic Northern Lights, this was the trip that created “Team Travel”, as we now call ourselves. 

Team Travel

I was itching to travel and noticed a mutual friend of mine had been traveling quite a bit. One day, while admiring his Instagram photos, I sent him a message letting him know that if he ever needed a travel buddy, I was interested. Assuming nothing would come of it, it was to my surprise when he responded with, “A friend and I are thinking of going to Iceland during Thanksgiving break, if you’d like to join!”. I hesitated for a few reasons. The first being that I didn’t want to miss the holiday with my family, the second being that he and I had never travelled together and barely knew each other, and lastly, Iceland wasn’t on the top of my travel list at the time (I can’t believe I’m admitting this). I’m SO glad I didn’t let those uncertainties hold me back because Iceland quickly moved to the top of my list of places I’ve been and would recommend. PLUS, I gained two great friends and forever travel companions from it.

Planning a November trip to Iceland was tricky due to the lack of daylight. We had about 5 hours of sun at most each day. Luckily for us, our travel styles were completely in sync and we wanted to fit in as much as we possibly could during our short stay. Here, I will help you plan the Ultimate 4-day road trip through the South Coast of Iceland.

Day one we arrived in Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik, ready to explore. We’d be spending our first and last night in Reykjavik and wanted to ensure we hit all the spots on our list. After quickly dropping our bags at the hotel, we set out around the city. Our first stop was the “Solfar Sun Voyager” sculpture. This unique piece of art resembles a Viking ship and symbolizes the promise of undiscovered territory. It's located on the coastline with gorgeous mountains in the background. We arrived shortly after sunrise, making the view even more spectacular. 

Sun Voyager Sculpture

Hallgrimskirkja Church

We then walked over to the Hallgrímskirkja Church for a tour. Built in 1945, the church took 41 years to complete and is the tallest church in Iceland. Its iconic architecture was unlike anything we’d seen before and the view from the tower overlooked the entire coastal city.

​Hungry from our morning of touring, we strolled down Rainbow Street to a lunch spot recommended to us by a local called, Íslenski Barinn.

We were instructed to get the Lamb “dog” and we did just that. It was a hot dog bun, filled with slow-cooked shredded lamb, topped with béarnaise sauce, pickled cucumbers, fried onions, and chives. The flavors blended perfectly together and we savored every juicy bite.

​One Icelandic tradition that was less pleasant in flavor and more for bragging rights, was trying Hakarl. Hakarl, or fermented shark, is a national dish and definitely an acquired taste. Once you get past the ammonia smell and chewy texture, it makes for a hilarious experience. Don’t forget to wash it down with Brennivin, or Black Death, which is a caraway flavored schnapps. Trust me, you’ll need the shot. 

Rainbow Street

Lamb Dog & Waffle Fries

Our next stop was more of a tourist hotspot but one we were told we couldn’t miss, Lebowski Bar. If you’re a fan of the 1998 film, The Big Lebowski, this is the place for you. Bowling alley themed walls and White Russians galore, "The Dude" would approve of the 25 different ways to drink a White Russian.

White Russian at Lebowski Bar

Slightly delirious from being awake for over 24 hours, it was time for our first night’s activity, the Northern Lights Tour. The upside to visiting Iceland in November is, although the days are shorter, it’s within the peak season to see the Northern Lights. Our bus took us outside the city to a couple of remote locations they predicted would have the best views of the lights. It’s not guaranteed that you’ll see the lights, in which case they’ll give you a voucher for another night. This is why we chose this tour for our first night rather than waiting until later in the week.

​Luckily for us, the sky did not disappoint. We had a night filled with blues, purples, and greens that were enchanting. I would recommend a camera with a tripod as it’s the best way to capture the lights in photos. It was a windy night and therefore made photographing them tricky. After some warm apple cider to defrost our hands, it was time to conclude our first day in Iceland. Book your tour here.

Northern Lights

Northern Lights

​The next morning, we picked up our rental car and drove 50 minutes to Iceland’s iconic Blue Lagoon. To avoid mobs of tourists, we made our reservations in advance and chose the first timeslot of the day. Upon arrival, the sun was just starting to rise at about 9am. There are several different packages you can purchase while visiting the lagoon. We chose the most basic package which included a towel, a mud mask, and a cocktail. While we waded around the lagoon, the warm, mineral-filled water surrounded us. It was such a nice and relaxing way to start our day after the action-packed day before. We spent a couple of hours watching the sun rise before heading to our next stop.

Blue Lagoon at Sunrise

About two hours from the Blue Lagoon was Seljalandsfoss Waterfall. Right off of the main road, at first glance, it didn’t look like much. It wasn’t until we got closer that we saw the true beauty of this waterfall.

​The best part was the pathway that wrapped around, allowing you to walk behind the 200 ft. falls. Be prepared to get wet from the mist. We were so captivated by the experience that we didn’t realize how soaked we were until we were back at the car. 

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

Skogafoss Waterfall

Our next stop was a quick 30-minute drive to Skogafoss Waterfall. Thankfully, we made it as the sun was just about to set, still allowing us to admire one of Iceland’s biggest waterfalls. You can walk right up to the waterfall or climb the tall staircase next to it for a better look.

Another 30 minutes later, we arrived at our destination for the night, a small fishing village called Vik. Starving, we walked from our Airbnb to a local brewpub, Smidjan Brugghus. I would HIGHLY recommend stopping here while in Vik. The staff was friendly, the atmosphere was welcoming and cozy, and the beer and food was looked delightful. It was hard to choose from the delicious selection of food but I chose the full rack of slow cooked BBQ spare ribs. I ate every single bite and completed my meal with a flight from their tasty craft beer menu.

Beer Flight at Smidjan Brugghus

While Vik is a remote town, it’s home to several well-known landmarks in Iceland. The next morning, we went to explore one of those landmarks by horseback on Reynisfjara or Black Sand Beach. Before our tour began, we walked the slightly frosted beach during sunrise. Being from coastal New England, I’ve seen my fair share of beaches but none quite struck me the way this one did. The black sand and orange glow from the sun was other worldly. Our riding tour was relaxing and full of interesting facts about Vik and I would highly suggest adding this to your list. For tour information, click here.

Black Sand Beach at Sunrise

Horseback Riding on Black Sand Beach

Before saying goodbye to our sleepy village, we drove to the top of the hill to admire Reyniskirkja Church. With its saturated red roof and trim and its stark white exterior, this church overlooked the Black Sand Beach and the Atlantic Ocean.

Reyniskirkja Church

Although some areas of Iceland’s South Coast are quite remote, the drive is so scenic and constantly changing that you never want it to end. Our next stop was the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon, about 2.5 hours from Vik. Right off the highway, we stopped at Lómagnúpur Mountain, a subglacial mound formed over one million years ago, to snap a couple photos and break up the drive.

Upon arrival at the Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon we were immediately in awe. The lagoon consisted of icebergs created from glacier break off. While it’s unfortunate that this is the result of climate change and warming, it was a breathtaking sight. The still water and the ice blue colors created a sense of calm that washed over us. They offer boat trips and tours of the lagoon but the sun was beginning to set and we wanted to get to our next location, which is known to be best during sunset.

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon

Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon at Sunset

Across the street was Diamond Beach. We quickly walked over to see black sand, speckled with different sized icebergs that had washed ashore from the lagoon. These chunks of ice glistened in the sunset, creating the look of giant diamonds, giving it its well-deserved name.

Diamond Beach at Sunset

Due to the remoteness of these destinations, hotel and dining options are very limited. We chose a hotel about 25 minutes from Diamond Beach and it did not disappoint. They had a cozy lounge area for pre and post dinner cocktails, complete with board games and fireplaces.

​Their restaurant offered a wide variety of food and drink options and everything was delicious. I think we consumed a least three loaves of Iceland’s famous warm rye bread and had to stop ourselves from requesting more. Traditionally, Icelandic rye bread is baked or steamed underground by the heat of a geyser. 

The best part of this hotel was that, when we walked outside at night, we saw the Northern Lights! It was even more spectacular than we had seen a few days earlier. We were in such a secluded area which really made the lights and stars pop. It was so magical that we stood outside on the rather brisk night and watched for hours. Book this hotel here.

Northern Lights from hotel

The next morning, it was time for an activity that I was most excited for; our glacier hike in Skaftafell National Park. There are many different options to choose from depending on how much time you have. We chose the 5-hour hike on Falljokull, which is a glacier outlet from Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest glacier. We grabbed our gear provided by the tour company and after a short shuttle ride, we were ready to begin our hike. 

Vatnajökull Glacier

I can confidently say that this was one of the coolest (pun intended) experiences of my LIFE. We started as the sun was rising, making our way slowly up the glacier. We crossed over ice formations and through crevasses, which are deep vertical shafts in the ice formed by melting water. We were fortunate enough to have a beautiful day. It was clear and relatively warm considering we were hiking a glacier in late November. Our guide was fantastic and told us everything we needed to know about this natural wonder. About halfway through, we stopped to eat lunch and gaze at our surroundings. We even got to feed a raven couple that lived on the glacier.

We made our way back down the glacier as the sun was setting, enhancing the magic of the day. For tour information, click here.

Glacier Hike at Sunset

It was time to make our 4-hour drive back to Reykjavik for our last night in Iceland. After a shower, a quick rest, and some wine, we were ready to push through our exhaustion and head out for the night. After dinner, we did some bar hopping. Reykjavik is known for their nightlife and typically, people don’t even start their weekend nights until around 11pm. Bars are open until 5am and stay relatively full until then. 

Reykjavik Murals

The next morning, we walked around the city one last time before going to the airport. We were sad to see our trip come to an end but looked forward to reflecting on the fantastic time we had. For this trip's full itinerary, click here.

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Enjoy!

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