I’ve been dreaming of Iceland since I saw a photo of the Northern Lights in National Geographic—maybe 10 years ago. But life got in the way: work, money, a pandemic. Finally, last week, I booked a flight and spent 8 days driving the Ring Road. I had high expectations. Ridiculously high. And somehow, Iceland exceeded them. But not in the way I expected.
Let me start with the tourist traps, because there are a lot of them.
The Blue Lagoon Is Overpriced (Go to Sky Lagoon Instead)
Everyone told me the Blue Lagoon was a must-do. I went, and it was fine. The water is milky blue, the silica mud masks are fun, and the setting is otherworldly. But it costs $100 for entry, it’s packed with influencers taking selfies, and the water isn’t as warm as I’d hoped. The changing rooms are chaotic. I felt like I was in a theme park, not a natural wonder.
Two days later, I went to the Sky Lagoon in Kópavogur. It’s newer, cheaper ($60), and has an infinity edge that looks out over the Atlantic. The seven-step ritual—cold plunge, sauna, cold mist, etc.—was genuinely relaxing. And it wasn’t crowded. I spent three hours there and left feeling reborn. Skip the Blue Lagoon. Sky Lagoon is the better choice.
The Golden Circle Is Beautiful But Repetitive
The Golden Circle—Thingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss—is the classic Iceland day trip. Thingvellir National Park is stunning, a rift valley where you can see the tectonic plates pulling apart. Geysir erupts every few minutes, and Gullfoss is a massive waterfall that will soak you if you get too close. But by the third waterfall, I started feeling a bit “waterfalled out.” Iceland has hundreds of waterfalls, and they all start to blur. My advice: do the Golden Circle, but spend more time at Thingvellir and less at the falls. Hike the trails. Don’t just take a photo and leave.
The Ring Road Is a Marathon, Not a Sprint
I drove the Ring Road in 7 days, and it was exhausting. The drive from Reykjavik to Akureyri is about 5 hours, but with stops for waterfalls, glaciers, and sheep crossings, it takes all day. The landscape changes constantly—green valleys, black sand deserts, moss-covered lava fields. But the driving is intense. One-lane bridges, gravel roads, and sudden fog. I almost hit a sheep on day three. If I could do it again, I’d take 10-12 days and spend more time in the Westfjords and the Eastfjords, which I had to skip. Slow down. The journey is the point, not the destination.
The Food Is Surprisingly Good (And Expensive)
I expected to survive on gas station hot dogs (which are actually delicious, by the way). But Iceland has a legit food scene. In Reykjavik, I had a lamb dish at Dill that was Michelin-starred and incredible—the lamb was slow-cooked for 12 hours and served with fermented berries. In Akureyri, I found a bakery that made cinnamon rolls the size of my face. But prices are brutal. A burger and a beer cost $40. A coffee is $8. I spent more on food than on my rental car. Pack snacks from home. You’ll need them.
The Nature Really Is Unreal
Okay, I complained a lot, but let me be clear: Iceland is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been. The glaciers at Jökulsárlón are electric blue. The black sand beaches at Vik look like another planet. The hot springs in the middle of nowhere, where I sat in steaming water while snow fell on my head—that’s a memory I’ll never forget. The Northern Lights didn’t show (too much daylight in June), but I saw the midnight sun, which is its own kind of magic.
Iceland isn’t a vacation. It’s an adventure. It’s expensive, exhausting, and at times uncomfortable. But it’s also transformative. If you’re thinking of going, just do it. But plan well, bring layers, and don’t try to see everything. The best moments are the ones you don’t plan—like pulling over because you saw a rainbow over a waterfall and just sitting there, alone, for 20 minutes.
