This area has some sights that are less popular in Iceland but if you have time, still worth a visit. Find out which ones are a hit and which are a miss from my teenagers.
We landed in Reykjavik at 6 am and needed to stay awake for the day. Our hotel was close to the airport so we wanted to see nature and perhaps go to the Blue Lagoon. Driving this way is an alternate way to get to the Blue Lagoon due to the volcanic eruptions.
Hafnarberg Sea Cliffs
It is a LONG walk to the Ocean at Hafnarberg Sea Cliffs. 1.5 miles each way.
The path is very sandy and if wet, very muddy. You can walk on the side of the path but it is rocky and slows your pace down. It was a mixed bag for my family. If we had known it would take so long, we probably wouldn’t have done it, especially right after our flight.
View: was underwhelming but there is a beautiful cliff with a lot of Seagulls flying around.
FAMILY VERDICT: MISS! The view at the end does NOT make up for the long walk. My 16yo didn’t mind but the 12yo was complaining nearly the whole way. Save yourself a few hours, a possible headache and choose something else. I did think the view of endless volcanic rocks is pretty cool.
Bridge Between Continents
The Bridge between Continents is a footbridge in the Reykjanes Peninsula spanning a rift between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.
I thought it was cooler than my kids did to be standing between 2 continents and to walk from Europe to North America in less than 30 seconds. They were NOT interested in taking the picture of “holding up the bridge”.
We were here for about 10 minutes.
FAMILY VERDICT: Great filler stop on your journey
Gunnuhver Hot Springs
Gunnuhver Hot Springs was one of our favorites because we couldn’t stop laughing at being attached by clouds of rotten eggs!
There is such a strong sulfur smell and the kids will have a big, funny reaction to this!
It’s cool to watch it come out in massive waves and you feel like you’re getting attacked by the sulfur.
Good to know: Our clothes didn’t smell afterwards.
It’s a good way to smell sulfur for the first time because any sulfur smell you come across later will NOT be as strong or bad and the kids will just go with it.
FAMILY VERDICT: HIT! must see! (for the laughs)
Reykjanesviti Lighthouse
The lighthouse sits atop a hill and is a cool to drive over and take a look.
We did not walk up to the Reykjanesviti Lighthouse.
In Summer 2024 they were building a café at the bottom of the hill so it would be a good time to grab a snack or restroom break.
Verdict? Mixed bag. Kids loved seeing the lighthouse from the Geyser and trying to find it. Then they say it and that was that. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a look.
Brimketill lava rock pool
A cool stop to walk on some black rocks and to see the lava pool.
We loved the contrast between the black rock and the blue ocean.
There isn’t a minimum time – you park and quickly walk in and out. My preteen enjoyed jumping the black lava rocks with me, discovering plants growing out of rocks and noticing how the rocks were shaped. Very interesting!
FAMILY VERDICT: HIT! It is also a good way to get out energy and let your kids climb a bit.