Top 35 Things to do in Iceland with Kids

We love Iceland so much, we have visited Iceland with kids twice now. The first trip was a week in the Golden Circle, the Snaefellsnes Peninsula and the Reykjavik area, while the second was a more extensive three week camping trip along the Ring Road. Like many of our family trips, we looked for the best things to do in Iceland with kids.

We love visiting Iceland with kids and we’re excited to share with you the most amazing things to do on your family trip to Iceland.

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Top 35 Things to do in Iceland with Kids

Here are the top 35 things to do with kids in Iceland. We tried to list them in order, starting with our most favorite things to do in Iceland with kids. Everything on this list is worth doing with your kids on your family trip to Iceland – we left out the stuff we did that wasn’t worth it.

1. Blue Lagoon

Without question, our kids’ favorite thing to do in Iceland was the Blue Lagoon. This iconic Icelandic experience has stood the test of time – even now, well after our Iceland family vacation, our kids talk about how much they loved the Blue Lagoon. They loved it so much, we came back again on our second family trip to Iceland.

Visiting the Blue Lagoon was our favorite thing to do in Iceland with kids. It’s not cheap to visit to the Blue Lagoon from Reykjavik, but chances are good that the family memories will last a lifetime. If you are traveling to Iceland with young children, you’ll be happy to know that admission to the Blue Lagoon is free for kids under 13.

The Blue Lagoon is 45 minutes outside of Reykjavik, so the easiest way to visit the Blue Lagoon with kids is with a rental car or to buy Blue Lagoon tickets with transportation from Reykjavik.

As you’d expect with such a popular thing to do in Iceland with kids, there is a wide variety of day tours to the Blue Lagoon from Reykjavik. There’s sure to be a family-friendly Blue Lagoon tour that’s a perfect fit for your Iceland family vacation.

2. Gullfoss Waterfall

We have been to Angel Falls, Iguazu Falls and Victoria Falls, and we believe that the Gullfoss waterfall in Iceland’s Golden Circle is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world. Measured by volume, the Gullfoss is the largest waterfall in Europe, but the beautiful two-tier cascade waterfall is what makes Gullfoss special.

It’s not just the sheer size and magnitude of the Gullfoss waterfall that makes it one of the best things to do with kids in Iceland. There’s a good chance (depending on wind) that your family will get soaked from the waterfall spray on your way to the Gullfoss lower falls viewpoint.

Getting soaked is such a fun experience for kids and you’ll laugh all the way down the trail. The laughs will turn to gasps as you enjoy a close-up view of the incredible power of this iconic Golden Circle waterfall.

Families who visit the Gullfoss waterfall with kids can also enjoy a stop at the visitor center and some short hiking trails.

By getting up early at our Golden Circle vacation home rental and driving our rental car, we managed to beat the tour bus crowds to Gullfoss waterfall. We had the Gullfoss waterfall to ourselves – a special experience on our family trip to Iceland!

3. Skogafoss Waterfall

The Skogafoss waterfall is one of the best things to do with kids in Southwest Iceland. With its incredible power, beauty and a prominent role in the Ben Stiller movie, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Skogafoss is one Iceland’s most famous waterfalls.

Similar to the Gullfoss waterfall, the 200’ tall Skogafoss waterfall offers kids a fun chance to get soaked. There is a large rocky beach just below the Skogafoss waterfall which gets surprisingly close to the base of this magnificent Iceland waterfall. Get too close and you’ll get soaked!

No visit to the Skogafoss waterfall with kids would be complete without a visit to the lookout platform above the falls. If you have time, we recommend the kid-friendly Fimmvörðuháls Trail Hike which begins at the upper platform (see below for more info)

4. Fimmvörðuháls Trail Hike

Blessed with an incredible landscape, hiking is one of the best things to do in Iceland with kids. If you visit the Skogafoss waterfall on your family vacation to Iceland, you may be interested to know that there’s also an excellent kid-friendly hike just upstream of the Skogafoss waterfall.

The kid-friendly Fimmvörðuháls Trail follows the Skógá River for approximately 6 – 7km (3.7 – 4.3 miles). Along this highly scenic Iceland hiking trail you’ll pass over 20 beautiful waterfalls, including some that are truly breathtaking.

We hike everywhere we go in the world with our kids, and the Fimmvörðuháls hike is among the most beautiful kid-friendly hikes I’ve done anywhere. We highly recommend the Fimmvörðuháls Trail Hike on your family trip to Iceland, especially if you are planning a visit to the Skogafoss waterfall.

5. Skalafellsjökull Glacier Snowmobile Tour

As you’ll see on this list, most of the best things to do in Iceland with kids are free, but sometimes, if you want to do something really special, it’s worth it to shell out a few bucks for an adventure. One such opportunity is to go on a kid-friendly snowmobiling tour on the Skalafellsjökull Glacier – one of the largest glaciers in the world.

Your kids will love the awesome 4×4 truck ride to the glacier, while you’ll love the scenery along the way. Getting there is really half the fun!

Once on the glacier, your family will have a thrilling snowmobile ride to several scenic viewpoints, including what I feel is one of the the most scenic spots in all of Iceland.

6. Puffin Lookout

As puffins are easily one of the cutest birds alive, the gift shops in Iceland are full of puffin stuffed animal (soft toy) souvenirs. Given Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see puffins in the wild, why not give your child a real-life puffin encounter to go along with their stuffy?

By far, the best place to see puffins in Iceland is Puffin Lookout on Heimaey Island (not far from Reykjavik in the Westman Islands). With an estimated 1 million puffins nesting here, you will never forget this experience!

7. Arnarstapi to Hellnar Hike

Another of our favorite kid-friendly hikes in Iceland is the Arnarstapi to Hellnar hike on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. Kids and adults alike will love this beautiful coastal hike through a massive lava field from the nearby Snaefellsjokull volcano.

The Arnarstapi to Hellnar hiking trail is reasonably flat and well maintained with many viewing platforms to showcase the stunning Icelandic scenery.

A fun stop for your kids along the Arnarstapi to Hellnar hike is the towering statue of Bardur Snaefellsas. Kids love running around (and through) this half-man, half-troll statue for whom the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is named.

As fun as Bardur Snaefellsas is, what makes the Arnarstapi to Hellnar hike one of the best things to do in Iceland with kids is the massive lava field.

Kids of all ages will love the surreal walk through a field of mossy volcanic rocks. A walk through this amazingly unique landscape is the type of experience many are looking for on their family trip to Iceland.

8. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

The Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is the third waterfall in our top 10 things to do with kids in Iceland. Seljalandsfoss Waterfall is not as famous of Gullfoss or Skogafoss, so you may be tempted to skip it, but we think it’s a really unique & fun thing to do in Iceland for kids.

Located just minutes away from the Skogafoss waterfall, the Seljalandsfoss waterfall is a really fun thing to do in Iceland with kids due to the opportunity to go behind the waterfall. Taking your kids behind this majestic, powerful waterfall will be a lasting memory on your family trip to Iceland.

9. Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River Hike

By now, you’re probably wondering if we did anything in Iceland with our kids besides hiking and waterfalls. Hang in there, we did lots of other amazing things in Iceland with kids, but the waterfalls and unique kid-friendly hikes are truly some of the best things to do in Iceland with kids.

The Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River Hike makes our list of the best things to do in Iceland with kids as it showcases the geothermal wonders of Iceland. This kid-friendly hike to some hot springs winds through some amazing mountain landscapes with many steam vents and boiling water ponds.

As you hike past the boiling water ponds, you can actually smell the sulphur and feel their warmth. Watch your kids closely! The surreal effect of hiking through Icelandic geothermal activity is exactly what many dream of when visiting Iceland with kids.

The Reykjadalur Hot Springs are a little natural creek with wooden boardwalks, open air change rooms and little stairs leading down to the hot springs water.

We rolled up our pants and waded into the Reykjadalur hot springs, but many people get right in the creek. Our kids thought this was one of the most fun things to do in Iceland.

If you love hiking with kids, the Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River hike is a fun & unique thing to do on your Iceland family vacation.

10. Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall

The image of the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in front of the majestic Kirkjufell Mountain is one of the most iconic images of the incredible Iceland landscape.

A visit to the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula is a fun thing to do in Iceland with kids. There are kid-friendly walking trails which lead to a fun little bridge over the Kirkjufellsfoss waterfall. Watch your toddlers carefully as the safety ropes are not effective.

11. White Water Rafting

If you are looking for some adventure on your family vacation to Iceland, check out this kid-friendly white water rafting tour in North Iceland.

This white water rafting tour is perfect for families and first-timers. The rapids on the river are classified as Class I – II+, meaning they are just big enough to be exciting, but not so bad that anyone is in any real danger of falling out of the boat.

In addition to the thrill of white water rafting, this tour offers epic Icelandic scenery, a chance to try hot chocolate made from a natural hot spring and even jumping off a cliff into the icy waters!

12. Thingvellir National Park

One of the top attractions in the Golden Circle, Thingvellir National Park is of great cultural importance to Iceland. We like to expose our kids to a bit of culture, but to be honest, we came to see the rift valley created by the diverging Eurasian and North American tectonic plates.

The Thingvellir National Park rift valley can be easily enjoyed via an easy walking trail which follows along the bottom of a dramatic cliff – which is actually the very edge of North America! It’s amazing to think that this cliff is slowly drifting away from Europe (at the other edge of Thingvellir National Park) at a pace of 2 – 3 cm (~1″) per year.

If you’d like to sneak in something educational without your kids even noticing, a visit to Thingvellir National Park is a great place to visit on your family trip to Iceland !

13. Whale Watching Tour

If your Iceland family adventure takes you north to Húsavík, you’re lucky as it is also known as the Whale Watching Capital of Iceland! Take your family out on a traditional oak boat to seek out playful humpback whales in the nearby waters of Skjálfandi Bay.

14. Dynjandi Falls

If your Iceland vacation takes you all the way up to the Westfjords, do not miss Dunjandi Falls. We saw a ton of waterfalls in Iceland, but this one actually made us say “Wow!”.

The seven-tiered Dynjandi Falls is a truly special waterfall and easily deserves a spot in the list of Iceland’s best waterfalls. The entire waterfall is amazing, but it’s the upper tier that really sets Dynjandi Falls apart.

15. The Secret Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon may be the most famous geothermal pool in the country, but did you know The Secret Lagoon is the oldest geothermal pool in Iceland? Convieneintly located in the Golden Circle region of Iceland, the Secret Lagoon is one of the most kid-friendly geothermal pools in Iceland.

16. Látrabjarg Cliffs

Tucked away in a very remote corner of the Westfjords, the Látrabjarg Cliffs are one of the most impressive natural attractions in Iceland. The cliffs here are so high and so long, they are reminiscent of the world-famous Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.

The scenery alone is worth a visit, but the Látrabjarg Cliffs are also considered the most populated bird cliffs in the world, with millions of seabirds calling it home. Most of the birds are gulls, but it’s also an excellent puffin viewing location as well.

17. Berserkjahraun Lava Fields

Exploring the Berserkjahraun Lava Fields is a super fun thing to do in Iceland with kids. Your kids will love climbing on the large lava rocks, running around them, hiding behind them, etc.

What makes the Berserkjahraun Lava Fields a really fun thing to do in Iceland for kids is the spongy moss which is growing everywhere – it’s like walking on a giant bed of marshmallows!

Our visit to the Berserkjahraun Lava Fields in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula was one of our favorite things to do in Iceland with kids.

18. Dettifoss Waterfall

As you’ve seen, there’s a lot of waterfalls on my list of things to do in Iceland with kids. So, why should you visit the Dettifoss waterfall? Well, for starters, its considered the most powerful waterfall in all of Europe. Secondly, it’s a beautiful and visually interesting waterfall, with multiple viewpoints to enjoy and experience the power of these falls.

19. Krysuvik Geothermal Field

When many parents dream of a family trip to Iceland, they imagine exploring otherworldly landscapes, with large towers of steam rising from oddly colored rocks. This dream-like Icelandic landscape exists at the Krysuvik Geothermal Field, just minutes from Reykjavik!

Located within the Reykjanesfolkvangur Nature Preserve, the Krysuvik geothermal field is home to many steaming streams and ponds of boiling mud and water, surrounded by yellow, green and red soil. The steam coming off the bubbling ponds gave the Krysuvik geothermal field an almost spooky ambiance.

A short family walk through the Krysuvik geothermal field is a great thing to do in Iceland with kids. Krysuvik has wooden boardwalks and groomed, easy walking trails winding the way through the otherworldly terrain.

20. Horseback Riding

Iceland is home to some of the most beautiful horses in the world. If, like me, you have kids who love horses, going on a kid-friendly horseback riding tour is the perfect way to spend some quality time with Icelandic horses, while enjoying some amazing scenery.

We took a 2-hour horseback riding tour in a remote location in northeast Iceland, but this is a very popular activity throughout Iceland.

21. Vök Baths

A truly unique geothermal pool in Iceland, the Vök Baths feature two floating infinity pools within the icy cold water of Urriðavatn Lake. Your family will love relaxing in these luxurious warm waters, soaking in the serene lakeside scenery all around. Or, if you want more of a thrill, you can try jumping into the icy-cold lake waters, before warming back up in the geothermal waters!

22. Kerid Crater Hike

The massive Kerid Crater Lake is a really fun & unique thing to do in Iceland with kids. It doesn’t look like much from the side of the highway, but the size of the Kerid Crater is surprisingly big once you get up to the edge of the crater.

If you are visiting Iceland with kids to teach them about nature, the Kerid Crater hike offers families an easy way to get a full volcano crater experience without needing to hike up a mountain.

There are two hikes at the Kerid Crater to choose from. You can walk down into the volcano to hike around the shores of the crater lake and/or you can hike around the outer rim of the Kerid crater.

The kid-friendly hiking at the Kerid crater lake in the Golden Circle is a unique and highly enjoyable thing to do in Iceland with kids.

23. Háifoss Waterfall

The Háifoss Waterfall is the third highest waterfall in Iceland! There’s actually 6 extremely tall waterfalls in the area, each falling into the same deep ravine as Háifoss. There’s a fun (optional) hike which takes you into the ravine for a closer look.

24. Abandoned Farmhouse Hike

We kept passing a photogenic abandoned farmhouse when driving from our vacation rental in Arnarstapi to the Snaefellsjoekull National Park. Then we noticed on our favorite hiking app that there was a short walk from the abandoned farmhouse to the coast, so we decided to check it out. It turned out to be a highly enjoyable kid-friendly hike in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

The highly photogenic abandoned farmhouse really stands out against the Snaefellsnes Peninsula backdrop. The hiking trail was an easy walk to the edge of the oceanfront cliff. The views of the powerful North Atlantic waves crashing onto the cliffs was spectacular, but without the crowds at the Londrangar Cliffs.

Our family enjoyed a special moment just sitting on the grass, watching the North Atlantic waves.

Abandoned Farm House Location

25. Djupalonssandur Beach

A visit to see the black sand Djupalonssandur Beach is a really fun thing to do on your family trip to Iceland. Located in the Snaefellsjoekull National Park in the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, the Djupalonssandur Beach has a ton of stuff kids will enjoy.

The first thing kids will love is the kid-friendly hiking trail to Djupalonssandur Beach which descends through a little canyon with lots of fun rock formations for your kids to climb on.

Once you reach the black sand on Djupalonssandur Beach, have some family fun with the lifting rocks. Sailors used to compete to see who could lift the heaviest lifting rock – see who is the strongest in your family!

The next fun thing for kids to do at the Djupalonssandur Beach is finding the rusty ship parts from a 60-year-old shipwreck. The parts of the shipwreck are scattered all around the black sand beach.

The part our kids loved most about visiting Djupalonssandur Beach was the massive crashing waves. The power of nature put on a show for our family during our visit to Djupalonssandur Beach!

26. Saxholl Crater – Snaefellsjokull National Park

The second volcano crater in our top things to do in Iceland with kids, the Saxholl crater is a popular family friendly experience in the Snaefellsjokull National Park. Visitors to this popular volcano crater in Iceland are able to climb an easy set of stairs which wind their way around the edge of the Saxholl volcano all the way to the top.

This may sound like a lot of work, but the stairs to the top of the Saxholl volcano only rise ~20 m (65 feet), so most visitors in reasonable shape should be able to see the crater.

Our kids could have easily summited the Saxholl crater, but the strong Icelandic winds in mid-May made it unsafe to bring our kids to the top of the volcano. We wish they could have seen the impressive caldera, but their safety was more important.

We hope that when you visit the Snaefellsnes Peninsula with kids, the weather is more agreeable on your visit to the Saxholl crater.

27. Geysir

In a region jam-packed with natural wonders, Geysir is the most popular geothermal attraction in Iceland’s Golden Circle.

Your kids may be interested to know that the word geysir comes from the Icelandic phrase “to gush“. There are very few places in the world to see an active geyser, so a visit to the Golden Circle Geysir attraction should be a must-do on your Iceland family trip.

The original Great Geysir of Iceland (after which all other geysers in the world are named), is no longer reliably active. Thankfully for families visiting Iceland with kids, the nearby Strokkur geyser erupts every 6-10 minutes shooting water 15 – 30 m (50 – 100 feet) in the air.

To be honest, based on how much we’ve enjoyed seeing geysers erupt elsewhere in the world, I expect we would have ranked Geysir much higher in list of things to do in Iceland with kids, had we actually seen Strokkur erupt.

The wind was blowing so hard the rain was hurting our faces. We walked around Geysir with our kids for 15-20 minutes with no Strokkur eruption. As much as we’d have liked our kids to see Strokkur erupt, it just didn’t seem right to keep them out in that storm.

That’s the way it goes with nature. Sometimes you win, sometimes you don’t… It makes you appreciate the times that things work out even more!

28. Londrangar Cliffs

There are many fun reasons to visit the Londrangar Cliffs with kids in the Snaefellsjoekull National Park. The first are the views of the massive Londrangar basalt rocks. These majestic rock formations, the remnants of an eroded crater, dominate the Snaefellsnes Peninsula skyline for miles around.

The main reason the Londrangar Cliffs are a fun thing to do in Iceland with kids is the chance to walk on black lava rocks. As you near the shores of the North Atlantic, the ground turns into an incredible volcanic landscape which your kids will love to run around and explore. At the shoreline, stop and enjoy the power of the waves crashing onto the beautiful oceanside cliffs.

29. Vatnshellir Cave Tour

We first became aware of this cave tour on our first visit to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, but our kids were too young at the time. Thankfully, on our second visit to this amazing region of Iceland, our kids were old enough to join the tour!

This short, but exciting tour visits 3 separate chambers within a massive lava tunnel, reaching depths of 35m / 115 feet below the surface.

30. GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths

With a stunning oceanfront location, you’ll be truly amazed at how beautiful the GeoSea Geothermal Sea Baths are. Located in Húsavík in North Iceland, you can soak your bones after a fun morning of looking for humpback whales in the Whale Watching Capital of Iceland.

31. Gunnuhver Geothermal Area

Our visits to the many geothermal areas were definite highlights of our family vacation to Iceland. If you visit the Blue Lagoon with your kids, try to sneak in a visit to the nearby Gunnuhver Geothermal Area afterwards.

This fun geothermal area near Reykjavik features an easy walk along wooden walkways to a viewing platform for the single dominant steam vent in the area.

The Gunnuhver geothermal steam vent was easily the biggest we had seen during our 7 days in Iceland with kids. Our kids loved how you could see the violently boiling water underneath the steam vent. The magma pool must be really close to the surface!

Our kids really enjoyed seeing the power of nature on our family trip to Iceland. If your kids enjoy nature, then the Gunnuhver Geothermal Area is a really fun thing to do with kids near Reykjavik.

32. Dyrhólaey Rock Arch

Visitors to the Vik area are treated to a rare chance to see a triple rock arch. In addition to the rare rock arch, you’ll also enjoy excellent aerial views of the famous Vik black sand beach, as well as some nesting puffins.

33. Downtown Reykjavik

Chances are good that if you are planning an Iceland family vacation that your family loves the outdoors. In a country as incredible as Iceland, it’s hard to justify spending time in a city, but it’s worth dedicating a half-day of your trip to Iceland with kids to exploring Reykjavik.

After a short drive from our Reykjavik vacation home rental, we randomly exploring the charming streets of downtown Reykjavik, slowly making our way to the Lutheran church Hallgrimskirkja. With its distinctive 74 m (240 foot) tall spire, the Hallgrimskirkja church is the most famous building in Reykjavik.

Inspired by elements of Iceland’s landscape, Hallgrimskirkja has a simple, yet elegant interior. We think it’s one of the most beautiful church interiors anywhere in the world.

Ok, to be fair, kids will likely find the elegant interior of the Hallgrimskirkja church pretty boring, but you can make it up to them with a trip to the observation deck at the top of the church tower.

End your day of exploring Reykjavik with kids with an Icelandic hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur, which was featured on the Netflix travel show, Ainsley Eats the Streets.

All kids love hot dogs, but did you know that many believe that hot dogs in Iceland are superior to American hot dogs? Icelandic hot dogs are made from lamb, pork and beef and served on a steamed bun with raw onions, crispy white onions, ketchup, pylsusinnep (a sweet brown mustard) and remoulade (a sauce made with mayonnaise, mustard, capers and herbs).

I think a hot dog at Wrigley Field would still win, but our hot dog at Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur was a fun & tasty treat for the kids.

34. Bjarnafoss Waterfall

If you are looking for a quick, enjoyable visit to a waterfall on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, try the Bjarnafoss waterfall. This striking Iceland waterfall starts with a long freefall from the top of a cliff, then becomes a long cascade down the second half of the mountain. There’s a short, kid-friendly walking path towards the Bjarnafoss waterfall allowing your family to get up-close to the waterfall.

35. Midlina

After visiting the Blue Lagoon and the Gunnuhver Geothermal Area on the final morning of our Iceland family vacation, we had to rush to the Reykjavik airport for our flight home. We didn’t have time to stop, but we were happy to have a chance to drive by and see Midlina, The Bridge between Continents.

Similar to the tectonic activity featured in Thingvellir National Park in Iceland’s Golden Circle, the rift valley at Midlina is being continually created as North America slowly separates from Europe.

We hope that you enjoyed seeing our list of the activities we loved most during our family trip to Iceland. No matter which of these amazing family friendly Iceland activities you choose, we are confident you will love them!