Iceland

Reykjavik

Perlan's glacier exhibition and ice cave work well as a rainy-day anchor, and Laugardalslaug's geothermal outdoor pool is the kind of experience that makes a cold afternoon feel like an adventure. The Golden Circle, combining Gullfoss waterfall, the Geysir hot spring area, and Thingvellir National Park, is one of the most satisfying single-day excursions in Europe. FamiVentura's Reykjavik guides cover the city's family attractions, geothermal pools, and the dramatic natural excursions that make Iceland's capital so memorable.

7 activities3 free 10 food spots3 free 7 excursions3 free 7 hidden gems3 free 1 Itinerarie0 free

Day Trips & Excursions

Worth-it trips within easy reach

Thingvellir National Park & Tectonic Rift Walk

The Almannagjá rift walk at Thingvellir works for all ages: a canyon with the continental plates on either side, a well-maintained path, and real geological scale that doesn't require any prior knowledge to appreciate. Teens benefit most from the visitor center geology exhibit before walking. The longer Lögberg trail has the historically significant Law Rock where the Viking Althing met; kids find the canyon itself sufficient. Combine Thingvellir with Geysir and Gullfoss for the full Golden Circle, or spend the whole day hiking the quieter trails.

Address: Thingvellir National Park, 50km east of Reykjavik
Hours: Open year-round; visitor center 09:00-17:00
Price: Free entry (parking ISK 750)
Duration: 3-6 hours depending on hike length
Booking required: No

Tips

Split by fitness level: kids cover the main Almannagjá rift walk (1-2 hours, easy path with one steep section); teens add the Lögberg trail to the Law Rock and the quieter trails east; meet at the visitor center
Visitor center geology exhibit first for everyone: the 15-20 minute walkthrough explains the continental plates and Viking history in terms that make the walk much more interesting than without the context
Parking ISK 750, park entry free: allow 2-3 hours minimum for both the main rift path and the Lögberg trail; the 527-stair Skógafoss climb and the South Coast waterfalls are 1.5 hours east and combine well for a full day

GeologyHistoryHikingOutdoor

Snorkeling or Diving in Silfra Rift

Silfra is a geological fracture between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, filled with glacial meltwater filtered through the lava of Langjökull for up to a century before it reaches the rift. The visibility exceeds 100 meters — the water is effectively liquid air — and it stays 2-4°C year-round. The underwater route passes through named sections: the Cathedral, the Hall, and the Lagoon. You can drink the water while you're snorkeling in it. Floating between two continents in the clearest water on earth, in a geological fracture that's still actively widening, is a specific kind of experience that doesn't have an equivalent.

Address: Silfra Rift, Thingvellir National Park
Hours: Multiple daily departures from 09:00
Price: ISK 16,000-20,000 per person
Duration: 4-5 hours including transport
Booking required: Yes

Tips

Minimum age is typically 12 and minimum height around 155cm; scuba diving requires PADI Open Water certification or equivalent; snorkeling has no certification requirement beyond the age and height minimums
The dry suit is provided and thoroughly fitted before you enter: thin liner gloves make a significant temperature difference for the hands, which are most exposed during the snorkel; ask specifically about liner gloves when booking
Book weeks in advance in summer: this fills out faster than most Iceland activities and same-day bookings are almost never available; the Silfra access is inside Thingvellir National Park, allowing a combination with the tectonic rift walk on the same day

SnorkelingDivingGeologyAdventure

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South Coast Waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss & Skógafoss

The South Coast waterfall pair covers both ends of the experience: Seljalandsfoss is the one you walk behind (narrow path, full soak, requires a waterproof jacket), Skógafoss is the one you climb (527 stairs, clifftop trail continuing east). Teens who want more than the main viewing platform should continue along the clifftop trail past Skógafoss — most day visitors stop at the stairs, so 20 minutes east is considerably less crowded. Kids and less energetic adults can wait at the bottom while others climb.

Address: Route 1, south coast of Iceland, approx 1.5 hours from Reykjavik
Hours: Open year-round; Seljalandsfoss path behind falls closed November-April
Price: Free (parking ISK 800 each)
Duration: Half day (3-4 hours for both sites)
Booking required: No

Tips

Waterproof layer for everyone for Seljalandsfoss: the behind-the-falls walk soaks through anything less than proper waterproofs; the path is closed November-April
Split at Skógafoss if needed: teens do the full 527 stairs and continue along the clifftop trail (20-30 minutes east for better views, far fewer people); kids can explore the base and the Skógar Folk Museum while waiting
Both sites together take 3-4 hours at a reasonable pace: drive time from Reykjavik is 1.5 hours; combine with a Thingvellir rift walk on the same day by starting early

WaterfallHikingAdventureOutdoor

Day Trips & Excursions

Worth-it trips within easy reach

Thingvellir National Park & Tectonic Rift Walk

Address: Thingvellir National Park, 50km east of Reykjavik
Hours: Open year-round; visitor center 09:00-17:00
Price: Free entry (parking ISK 750)
Duration: 3-6 hours depending on hike length
Booking required: No

Tips

Split by fitness level: kids cover the main Almannagjá rift walk (1-2 hours, easy path with one steep section); teens add the Lögberg trail to the Law Rock and the quieter trails east; meet at the visitor center
Visitor center geology exhibit first for everyone: the 15-20 minute walkthrough explains the continental plates and Viking history in terms that make the walk much more interesting than without the context
Parking ISK 750, park entry free: allow 2-3 hours minimum for both the main rift path and the Lögberg trail; the 527-stair Skógafoss climb and the South Coast waterfalls are 1.5 hours east and combine well for a full day

GeologyHistoryHikingOutdoor

Snorkeling or Diving in Silfra Rift

Address: Silfra Rift, Thingvellir National Park
Hours: Multiple daily departures from 09:00
Price: ISK 16,000-20,000 per person
Duration: 4-5 hours including transport
Booking required: Yes

Tips

Minimum age is typically 12 and minimum height around 155cm; scuba diving requires PADI Open Water certification or equivalent; snorkeling has no certification requirement beyond the age and height minimums
The dry suit is provided and thoroughly fitted before you enter: thin liner gloves make a significant temperature difference for the hands, which are most exposed during the snorkel; ask specifically about liner gloves when booking
Book weeks in advance in summer: this fills out faster than most Iceland activities and same-day bookings are almost never available; the Silfra access is inside Thingvellir National Park, allowing a combination with the tectonic rift walk on the same day

SnorkelingDivingGeologyAdventure

Find the best picks for your family

Select your children's ages and we'll personalize Reykjavik for you

Tap an age group, then select your children's ages

South Coast Waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss & Skógafoss

Address: Route 1, south coast of Iceland, approx 1.5 hours from Reykjavik
Hours: Open year-round; Seljalandsfoss path behind falls closed November-April
Price: Free (parking ISK 800 each)
Duration: Half day (3-4 hours for both sites)
Booking required: No

Tips

Waterproof layer for everyone for Seljalandsfoss: the behind-the-falls walk soaks through anything less than proper waterproofs; the path is closed November-April
Split at Skógafoss if needed: teens do the full 527 stairs and continue along the clifftop trail (20-30 minutes east for better views, far fewer people); kids can explore the base and the Skógar Folk Museum while waiting
Both sites together take 3-4 hours at a reasonable pace: drive time from Reykjavik is 1.5 hours; combine with a Thingvellir rift walk on the same day by starting early

WaterfallHikingAdventureOutdoor