The Best Road Trip - 15 nights in Iceland - Cost, Advice, and Itinerary

Godafoss Waterfall, Iceland

Hard to say something is the best, right?  I mean, I've been on some pretty awesome road trips - Newfoundland, California, Colorado, Michigan, Pacific Northwest, Southwest National Parks, Ireland....the list goes on and on.  But I can say - Iceland trumps them all.  The natural beauty is incomparable - it's AMAZING! Combined with the ease of foreign currency (all you need is a credit card), the delicious food, and the tourist-friendly attitude, makes this island THE BEST place to visit.  Yes, it's cold.  Yes, it's rural. No, there are no beaches to lay out in a bikini.  It's not that kind of vacation.  If you are looking for a natural wonderland and long roads where the only traffic is the sheep and horses on the side of road, then go here.  Below you'll get a review of our 15-night itinerary as well as some tips and tricks for your trip.  Happy Travels!

Dynjandi Waterfall, Iceland

THE BEST ROAD TRIP - 15 Nights in Iceland 

Outside of Reykjavik 

This trip wasn't cheap...but it was cheaper than I expected.  With a day job as a middle school science teacher, I don't have a huge slush fund for travel.  However, by saving $100 from each paycheck for three years (money that should have probably gone into some sort of Roth IRA retirement account), I saved $5,000 - my expected cost.  As it turned out, the trip cost - for everything - about $4,000 a person (3 person trip).  This included...

$760 - Round-trip Direct Flight from Boston
$1,936 - Payment to Iceland Unlimited (2 week budget car rental, 15 night budget accommodations, Ferry to Westfjords, Whale Watch Trip, Blue Lagoon Entrance, and Travel Agent Services [24-hour contact, map, meeting, cell phone, gps])
$421 - Expenses - 1/3rd of the gas, snacks, souvenirs, snacks
$569 - Food and Drink (Lunches and Dinners only. Breakfast was always included by guesthouses.  We often only went out for one large meal a day to save money)
$300 - Extra Excursions (Horseback Riding, Silfra Snorkel, Glacial Bay Boat Tour)
$160 - Third of cost for broken windshield (cracked along trip and had to replace)
______
TOTAL: $4,146

And it was worth EVERY PENNY!  I'm starting to save for a return trip (the Roth IRA can wait...)

5 Things I didn't know until I went to Iceland...

Hraunfossar waterfall

1.  There are waterfalls EVERYWHERE. - Yes.  I knew there were waterfalls there.  I had done my photography research on Godafoss, Gullfoss, and all the other "fosses".  What I didn't realize is that you can't throw a puffin in this country without hitting ten waterfalls.  Driving along fjords all day, we'd see literally hundreds of falls coming off the mountains and draining into the fjord.  It was amazing and beautiful.  Perhaps next time I go, I'll try to stop more often for the "little ones" (they aren't little by US standards) and spend less time at tourists favorites.

Lupines Everywhere!

2. In July, the country is covered in lupine flowers, sheep, and horses. - Oh my goodness! The beauty!  It's hard to describe, but we would drive for a full day through what looked like one massive field of purple lupines.  It's memorizing.  Icelanders also have large herds of sheep and horses that roam freely through the island.  Every glance is picture-perfect.


3.  Everyone speaks English. - Well, ok...I DID meet one woman who didn't at a rural gas station in North Iceland, but everyone else in the gas station did.  Since there are so many European tourists, English has become the "tourist language" and most menus, products, and signs were in English - even in rural areas.

Walking on ice - bring a jacket

4. The food is good. - I had expected food choice would be limited due to the remote and isolated location.  We found that restaurants served excellent and diverse menus.  Portion size was fair and so was cost.  Remember, you don't tip your servers in Iceland and tax is included in the cost of the food, so a $30 meal isn't that bad when you consider it includes tax and gratuity.  Oh...we also noticed there are a lot of pizza places.

5.  It's chilly. - I mean, I knew this I guess.  The summer prior, I had kept pretty close tabs on the daily weather in Reykjavik, but it was still surprising to be mid-July with a high of 55 F.  Bring lots of layered clothing and sunscreen.  The harsh northern sun will get you. Don't forget your swimsuit too - Hot tubs everywhere!

And now for the itinerary ... Click on the day and follow the link to the write up about that day.  

15 Nights in Iceland (in July)

Day 1 (July 8) - Blue Lagoon and Reykjavik Introduction - Arrive in Iceland at 6:30 am. Take Flybus to Blue Lagoon for opening at 8:30 am.  From Blue Lagoon, take Flybus to Reykjavik.  Check into Guesthouse Aurora and explore local spots.

Day 2 (July 9) - West Iceland - Lupines, Waterfalls, Hot Springs, and Craters - Get rental car from Enterprise and drive west.  Explore Hvakfjordur fjord and the Glymur waterfall. See other sights along the road. Stay at Hotel Borganes.

Day 3 - Snaefellsnes Peninsula

Day 3 (July 10) - Snæfellsnes Peninsula - Beaches, Churches, and Mountains -  Explore the Snaefellsnes peninsula and glacier.  Stay at Guesthouse Kast.

Day 4 (July 11) - The Wild Westfjords - Winding Roads, Mountains, Puffins, and a Ferry-  Take 9 am ferry  in Stykkisholmur alon Breidafjordur bay.  See Latrabjarg cliff and puffins!  Stay at Radagerdi hostel in Patreksfjordur.

Day 5 (July 12) - Westfjords Waterfalls and Coastal Villages  - Explore more of the Westfjords including Patreksfjordur, Talknafjordur, and Bildudalur.  Visit the Dynjandi waterfall and Isafjordur.  Stay at Hotel Edda Isafjordur.

Day 6 (July 13) - Westfjords Continued - Hot Tubs, Waterfalls, and Sorcery -  Explore the capital of sorcery and witchcraft while exploring more fjords and beauty.  Stay at Guesthouse Laugarholl.

Day 7 (July 14) - Northwest Iceland - Black Beaches, Driftwood and Icelandic Horses- Drive by fertile farmland and barren mountains roads.  Take an afternoon tour on Icelandic horses.  Stay at Guesthouse Holar. 

Day 8 (July 15) - Akureyri - Shopping, Food, and Drink - Drive to the capital of the north.  Explore the town and stay at Guesthouse Gula Villan.

Day 6 - Drangsnes Hot Tubs

Day 9 (July 16) - North Iceland - Whales, Waterfalls, and Nature Baths - Head for Lake Myvatan.  On the way stop and see Godafoss waterfall.  Go on 3 hour whale watching tour in Husavik.  Stay at Guesthouse Stong.

Day 10 (July 17) - Myvatn - Craters, Sulfur Pots, and Steam Vents - Drive to Eastern Iceland.  Stop to see Dettifoss - Europes most powerful waterfall.  Stay at Icelandair Hotel Herad.

Day 11 (July 18) - East Iceland - Hot Tubs, Lobster, and (more) Waterfalls - Drive through East Fjords and fishing villages.  Stay at Guesthouse Arnanes. 

Day 12 (July 19) - Southeast Iceland - Icebergs and Glaciers - See glacial lagoon through a boat tour.  Explore Vatnajokull National Park, Svartifoss Waterfall, and Vik.  Stay at Hotel Edda in Skogar.

Day 13 (July 20) - The South Coast - Waterfalls, Waterfalls, and Snorkeling - Drive the south coast and stop to see many waterfalls including Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui. Snorkel Silfa in Thingvellir National Park. Spend the night at Guesthouse Lambastadir. 

Day 14 (July 21) - The Golden Circle - þingvellir National Park, Geysers, and Gullfoss - Visit Thingvellir National Park.  See geysers and Gullfoss waterfall.  Return rental car and stay at Reykavik Hostel Village.

Day 15 (July 22) - Reykjavik- Hot Dogs, Happy Hour, and Sunshine City- Enjoy the last day in Iceland by exploring Reykjavik on foot. 

Day 16 (July 23) - Fly home - Morning flight back to Boston.

Day 12 - Glacial Lagoon

In conclusion, this trip might have been a "once in a lifetime adventure", but I can't accept that.  I HAVE to go back!  Who needs a retirement plan anyhow?

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Westfjords Selfie

Day 15 & 16 - Reykjavik- Hot Dogs, Happy Hour, and Sunshine City

Laugavegur Street, Reykjavik

The weather gods smiled upon us on our last full day in Iceland.  Sunshine and warmth (well...60 F) made the city come even more alive.  We had a few things left on our Iceland bucket list including eating a hot dog from a food cart, some last minute shopping, and a splurge of a dinner.  Here is how we accomplished this...

Day 15 & 16 - Reykjavik- Hot Dogs, Happy Hour, and Sunshine City

Hot Dogs at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur.  Notice the line behind them.

Our day began with breakfast at our hostel followed by a walk around town.  We were fortunate that our hostel was located right at the start of the popular shopping street Laugavegur.  This street has gift shops, boutiques, cafes, bars, and many parts is for pedestrian traffic only.  Our goal was to work down Laugavegur towards a popular hot dog cart - Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur.  The place is known as good bite, and consistently has a line of 5-25 people.  I ordered two dogs with "the works".  This included ketchup, mustard, friend and raw onion, and remoulade (sweet mayo dressing).   They were delicious!

Enjoying the sunshine and a mocha at Uno

After the dogs, we went to Uno for coffee.  We stopped here because it was a warm, sunny day (I was down to only one long sleeve layer!) and they had patio seating.  We enjoyed people watching and sipping our hot drinks.

From there, we took a long, out-of-the-way walk back to the hostel.  I wanted to walk through Hljómskálagarður - a town park and small lake within the city.  It was such a beautiful day that walking outside was a perfect way to explore and get some Vitamin D.

Back at the hostel, we researched restaurants for our last Icelandic dinner.  We settled on seeking out Snaps - rated by one magazine as "The Best Goddamn Restaurant".  We also researched happy hour spots and found out that Apotek- a swanky restaurant and bar - had 1/2 off cocktails during happy hour.  Sold!

Dinner at Snaps

Another 10 minute walk and we reached Apotek where we enjoyed gourmet cocktails in their comfortable and stylish lounge.  Afterwards, we walked 5 minutes to Snaps.  Word of caution - make reservations for Snaps.  We hadn't thought of this, but we were informed they were entirely booked.  Fortunately, there was room at the bar, so we all enjoyed a meal there after all.  I felt the menu had a French influence and I enjoyed my mussels, fries, and house red wine.

After dinner it was time to return to the hostel and pack up.  The next morning, we took an early FlyBus from our hostel to the airport.  It was time to go home.

Walking through Hljómskálagarður park.

What a trip!  It was great to have one extra day in Reykjavik to unwind and explore.  I feel extremely grateful and humbled that I was able to travel 15 nights through Iceland with two wonderful women.  Thank you Leanne and Ali for being the most fun, relaxed, and easy companions.  It's so much better to go to an amazing place and have someone to share experiences with.  I'm also grateful for the work done by Linda at Iceland Unlimited.  She gave great advice, was accessible and easy to communicate with, and found us budget accommodations near amazing locations.

The map we got from Iceland Unlimited with our highlighted route (pink) and interesting sites hand written in blue and green.  What a help!  Thanks Linda!!!

On most of my annual girls trips I know that, realistically, I will not be back to that location. Even though this trip cost three years of savings, I REFUSE to accept that I will not return.  Iceland will haunt my travel dreams for the rest of my life and I will continue to plan a return.  Until next time... "Kveðja".

Farewell, Iceland.  Thanks for the memories and magic!  ~ Lindsey, Leanne, and Ali

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Portland, Oregon - Biking, Beer, and Baristas

Downtown Portland, Oregon Sign

This week, I have returned to my hometown as a tourist...visiting my family and showing Matt (a New England native) a taste of Oregon.   Our first full day in the great state was spent in the city of Portland. Portland is a unique and thriving city - I was eager to show Matt the place that I called home for so long.  Our tour guides were my sister, Kelly, and her boyfriend, Chris.  They did a great job of showing us a glimpse of Portland that included traveling by bicycle, trying local beers, and trying coffees and foods in the city.   In one day, we got an excellent taste of this funky and passionate town.

 Here is how to recreate this adventure...

Biking:

Kelly and Matt lock up our bikes at our first stop.

Portland, Oregon has an AMAZING bike culture.  It is celebrated, supported, and possibly expected that you are a bicycle enthusiast.  As a result, there are excellent bike lanes, bike "boulevards", special stop light signals, and bike parking all over the city.

Matt, Kelly, Chris, and I left their house in the "Cully Neighborhood" and cycled via a bike boulevard (a through-way street that are heavily trafficked by bikes and has a slower speed limit) to Northeast Alberta Street.

In this area, we visited the Community Cycling Center - a nonprofit that provides bike programs, workshops, camps, and a full service bike shop for the community. Our biking continued throughout the day making it to Voodoo Donuts, the Portland Waterfront, the Pearl District and back to Cully.  It was refreshing to tour a city without the constant fights in traffic, search for parking, and navigating busy streets.  By bike, we were able to slow down, take our time, and wander - how true travel should be.  See the google map at the bottom of this post to trace our +17 miles around the city.

Community Cycling Center Non Profit and Bike Shop

Beer:

Upright Tasting Room

Craft beer and microbrews take on a new meaning in Oregon.  Everywhere you look there are new beers being designed and shared.  We only got a chance to visit two of the +30 breweries in the town.  The first brewery stop was the Upright Brewery.  Upright is a small operation.  A friend had told us about it- saying we would have to go into a cafe, take the elevator to the basement, and at the end of a hall is the brewery/tasting room.  He was right.  This small, one room brewery had a number of beers to try.  I enjoyed "four" - their wheat beer.

Rogue Ale 

We also enjoyed our time at the large (and well known) Rogue Brewery.  Their substantial restaurant in the Pearl District was crowded and bustling.  Kelly, Matt, and I tried some awesome beers and also enjoyed their food.  Oregon Craft Beer Month was conveniently underway which gave us some discounts and new brews to try.

During the day, we had a few other food and drink stops including The Bye and Bye - a vegan restaurant (very Portland) that had a great beer selection on tap.  If you love craft beer and breweries, Portland, Oregon is a must see travel destination.

Vegan Kraut Dog at The Bye and Bye Restaurant 

Barista:

Portlanders LOVE coffee.  For many, it's more than a morning wake-me-up - it is a hobby.  In the same way Portlanders take their beer seriously, you can find many coffee shops with knowledgeable baristas who are well versed in the subtle flavors, history, and fine art in a good cup of Joe.  Kelly took us to the shop "Barista" in Northeast Portland.

Coffee is King

The Barista website claims they serve "Exceptional coffees from the world's finest roasters, prepared by the most skilled baristas in Portland, Oregon."  That said, we had to try a cup.  Before entering, Kelly advised, "Ask open ended questions about their coffee.  They know a lot about it and love to share."  She entered and asked the hipster-looking barista what he could tell her about that day's house blend.  The gentleman was extremely knowledgeable about his product and truth be told - it was an awesome cup of coffee.

Voodoo Doughnut

What goes best with coffee?  Doughnuts of course!  After coffee, we biked over to the Voodoo Too doughnut shop where you can get strange donuts such as: "Bacon Maple Bar", "Cock and Balls", or a "Fruit Loop" Doughnut.  I stuck with the store's traditional "Voodoo Doughnut" which was delicious and humorously filled with red jelly.

Our guide, Kelly, takes us over the
Broadway Bridge by bike,

Our day of biking around with Chris and Kelly allowed us to experience life as a Portlander for the day.  Even though I spent my childhood just outside the city, I got to experience new (and more adult) adventures in the City of Roses.  I recommend a trip to Portland - especially if you like Beer, Bikes, and Baristas.

What you might realize is - whether it's bikes, beer, or coffee - Portlanders are a group of passionate, knowledgeable people.  They take something - like bike commuting, a morning beverage, or a afternoon bar tab - and turn it into a work of art.  THAT is one reason why Portland is so special.

Map of our Route - Courtesy of Google Maps

Please leave comments and questions below.