Iceland has always been on my bucket list and when my cousin asked me if I wanted to go with her I responded with a... YESSS. Iceland was even more magical than I could have ever imagined. I honestly felt like I was on another planet and just couldn't believe what my eyes were seeing. We went to Iceland from February 26-March 4th and I was very happy with that time of year. It's still winter but the days are longer and you still get to see the Northern Lights.

Where I Stayed

FOSSHOTEL NÚPAR

We stayed at this hotel when we explored the southern part of Iceland. I absolutely loved this hotel because it is in the middle of nowhere with some of the most beautiful views. There is a restaurant and a bar in the hotel, which is perfect because there aren't really any other options for food unless you want to drive a ways. I HIGHLY recommend this hotel of you want to stay on the southern part of Iceland.

AIRBNB

Unfortunately the airbnb we stayed in is no longer listed on the site, but there are sooo many airbnbs to choose from. We stayed in one on the water in Reykjavik and loved it.

What I Did

BLUE LAGOON

We landed around 5 a.m. and immediately got our rental car (SADcars) and drove to the Blue Lagoon. We wanted to come first thing in the morning because we knew this place was very popular and gets busy. We went right at opening and got to watch the sunrise from the lagoon. It’s a bit pricey ($90 pp) but totally worth it!

SELJALANDSFOSS

This was the first waterfall we visited and it is so beautiful! This waterfall is located on the southern coast of Iceland, and is easy to get to right off the main road. This waterfall is really cool because you can walk behind the falls.

BLACK SAND BEACH

We stopped at the black sand beach later in the day so it was a bit crowded with people. Even though it was crowded, it was still really fun and beautiful to see the sand and rock formations. Be careful though, because the waves can get pretty dangerous.

GLACIER HIKING

We went glacier hiking at Skaftafellsjökull which is located on the southeast part of Iceland. We booked through Troll Expeditions and I highly recommend them. This was one of my favorite things to do in Iceland and it was one of the most beautiful landscapes I have ever seen!

JÖKULSÁRLÓN

This glacial lagoon is filled with icebergs and some of the bluest water I’ve seen. It’s located on the southeast part of Iceland and not too far from where we went on our glacier hike. There is a main entrance that we checked out but it was very crowded, so I recommend parking at one of the smaller lots right off the main road.

DIAMOND BEACH

The diamond beach is right across the street from Jökulsárlón and is a must see if you’re in that area. The beach is covered in big blocks of ice giving it the name “Diamond Beach”.

SKOGAFOSS

This was the second waterfall we visited and I highly recommend coming here and walking up the stairs to the top of the falls. Make sure you wear a poncho or rain jacket because you get quite wet since you can get pretty close to the waterfall.

REYKJADALUR HOT SPRING

This hot spring is a bit of a hike to get to (2.4 miles) but soooo worth it. The hike is absolutely beautiful and the hot spring is so nice to relax in after walking. I wore my bathing suit under my winter clothes, and brought a towel and water shoes/flip flops which I highly recommend. This was one of my favorite experiences in Iceland!

KERID CRATER LAKE

This is located on the Golden Circle, and I think it’s a must see! This is believed to be a volcano that was depleted of it’s magma, and collapsed which created this lake. The water is bright blue and is surrounded by red volcanic rock. We didn’t spend a lot of time here, but I definitely think it’s worth seeing.

GULLFOSS WATERFALL

This waterfall is huge and incredibly beautiful! Gullfoss is very well known and located right off the Golden Circle, so I recommend going earlier in the day to avoid huge crowds. We went later in the day and there were A LOT of people.

Iceland was one of the most beautiful places I have EVER visited. I loved the time of year I went since it was still winter and we could see the northern lights, but it wasn’t too cold and we had more daylight. I would love to visit again, but definitely want to see Iceland in the summertime. Comment down below if you have ever been to Iceland!