We did it.  We took this circus on a European tour.  Yes, it was a lot of work.  Yes, it was a lot of planning.  And yes, it was worth every penny and every ounce of sweat we poured into this epic family adventure.  Family travel is never easy, and never EVER an actual “vacation” in the sense of relaxation and getting away from stress.  It’s basically taking all of your stress, packing it in bags, putting it on an airplane, and piling on some extra stress onto your back once you arrive.  Also, there’s jet lag.  Although we travel a lot as a family of five, it feels foolish for me to offer any advice, since drama seems to inevitably find us wherever we might go (like on our trip to Colorado when the first hour at the airport involved a mass exodus via Philadelphia for the Super Bowl and the first hour of the flight involved my husband having to put an IV in a fellow passenger who lost consciousness, setting the tone for the entire week!?!), but the three things I find to be most helpful are 1. Pack smart 2. Be flexible 3. Always ALWAYS have more snacks than you’ll ever need.

We didn’t get to travel quite as much as we had wished before having kids, so we made a pact to see and explore as much of this beautiful planet as possible with our kids while raising them.    And honestly, on days earlier this summer when all four of the males with whom I share a home were driving me insane, I’d think I’ll love them more when we’re in another country.  It sounds a little crazy, and maybe not totally true, but I’d much rather do laundry and parenting and meals in a different location, on an adventure, having fun.  Even though the responsibility and work travels with you, there’s just something amazing about experiencing a place, it’s beauty, and it’s culture together as a family.

I married a man with a 50% Polish family tree and I also have an incredible friend who was born and raised in Poland who offered to help us plan, so we’ve been talking about this trip for the better part of five years.  When we decided that this was the year, we looked at all of our options for the best way to explore the country and finally landed at the conclusion that for us, the best way would be to fly into Berlin, Germany and drive in a circuitous route through Poland, flying back home from Berlin.  And when we looked at airlines, we decided to add one more country: Iceland.  

Dave and I spent our 10 year anniversary in Iceland back in 2015, and I fell so HARD for this place, a wanderlust obsession that I still feel tugging at my soul.  I freaking love Iceland and everything about it.  So I nearly exploded with joy at the thought of returning with our sons, literally a dream come true.  Two major upsides to traveling through Iceland on a stopover are the cost savings through Icelandair and a chance for us to adjust to the time difference on the way to mainland Europe.  

After we returned, I was flooded with messages from people asking about Iceland and whether or not it would fit their family’s needs and budget.  While I would never, ever deter someone from going, here are some logistical truths: 1.  It can be expensive.  The cost of gas and car rentals is a lot higher than other places, as well as the cost of food.  We used a grocery store and had a kitchen, but for three days and simple groceries, it was at least 2-3 times what we spend at home.  2.  It can be physically challenging.  Being prepared can definitely make this part easier (rain and wind gear, especially) and if you’re expecting the varying weather patterns and rocky/slippery hiking trails, maybe it’s not so difficult.  But for little ones (especially 5 and under), getting to those hidden away places is definitely going to be a challenge.  3. The tourist boom is changing the country.  It’s harder and harder to find accommodations and we encountered way more visitors this time than our previous trip.  Planning ahead is absolutely necessary to get what you need/want and planning activities to avoid the busiest times are the way to go to have a better experience. 

Things to consider and read before you go:

I read two books by Alda Sigmundsdóttir, one called Little Book of Tourists in Iceland and one called Icelandic Folk Legends.  The land where we stayed had been farmed since the year 847 (yes, you read that correctly, 847) and was the location of the famous Icelandic saga, Njáls saga.  It’s pretty incredible to be standing on the soil of such history and our kids loved learning about it, and we actually kept the Icelandic Folk Legends book with us on our hikes and read it in the car while traveling from spot to spot.  A great book to read with kids, though less focused on Iceland in particular, the D’Aulaires’ Book of Nordic Myths is a beautifully illustrated children’s book that teaches Norse mythology and the legends that shaped Norse culture.

All of the natural sights in Iceland are free to visit and some are located on private property.  I get it that we all want amazing photos and experiences, but it’s best to be respectful of the rules and the landowners who graciously allow visitors.  We saw a lot of people doing dumb, disrespectful stuff, all in the name of the ‘Gram.  Be a nice tourist, follow the rules, leave only footprints, but leave them in the right places.  The land is so fragile and changing everyday as a result of a warming planet, which is all the more reason to visit but also to travel ethically.  

Here is our itinerary for three days in Iceland:

DAY 1

06:30 Land in Keflavik.  

07:30 Blue Lagoon.  The Blue Lagoon is awesome.  It feels a little like the Disney World of Iceland, as there are only tourists and it’s nothing like the traditional pools the Icelanders use (head to the public pools in downtown Reykjavík for an authentic experience), but it’s still a beautiful, fun place.  And, by far, the best place to burn off jet lag.  Tip for photographs: I went to get my camera after swimming with my family for a while, but I wasn’t allowed back near the pool once I had my clothing back on.  If given the option to do it over, I would have grabbed my camera and gone back in the water (carefully) with it.  I was able to get some shots from the cafe area, but my images would have been better from the entrance area.

Drive to downtown Reykjavík.

11:30 Pastries at Brauð & Co., Reykjavík.  Omg, I’m still thinking about them.  They are without a doubt one of the best things I ate in all three weeks.  Worth the calories!

12:00  Hallgrímskirkja Church, Reykjavík.  This is the famous church in Reykjavík whose bell tower looks down on the city’s colorful roof tops all the way to the bay.  We visited while the organist was playing, truly an experience to behold.  

13:00 Sæmundur Gastro Pub at Kex Hostel.  This place is so perfectly eclectic and charming and the food is amazing.  We grabbed drinks here on our first visit to Iceland, so it seemed appropriate to revisit . . . with kids during the day.  

15:00  Check into Airbnb in Hvolsvöllur.  You guys.  This was the most AMAZING place I could possibly imagine.  Close to all the beautiful wonders in South Iceland, on a freaking HORSE FARM, black sand beaches just a few miles down the country road, horses and sheep in the back yard, two adorable cats who became our pets during the visit, fields for kids to roam, and the Westman Islands in the distance.  We pulled up and moved our bags in and it was a “pinch me, is this actually real??” moment in my life.  I’d like to point out that the cost of accommodations is much less than you’d expect, especially for three bedrooms, a full kitchen, and laundry facilities.  

17:00 Check out black sand beaches.  Two kids slept off jet lag in the Airbnb while we ventured down to the beach.  And quite honestly, this is the beauty of Iceland.  When I contacted our host about a question I had, he told me that they only put a lock on the door when they started renting out the house, as it’s a requirement for Airbnb (one for which I’m grateful, but also, it says a lot about the crime rates in Iceland).  Icelanders are extremely polite, helpful, wonderful people who have always treated us with kindness as visitors.  

By the end of the day, I was so ready to flop into a comfy bed (and quiet honestly, these were the comfiest Airbnb beds on the gosh darn planet) but our napping boys awoke and so we rallied for some card games before bed, add that to the 11pm sun, and this seemed like the longest day in the history of days.  But it was amazing.  Stay tuned for Part 2!