Destination Iceland: Stone Cold Magic
A wise man once said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
So San Diegans, we have a question for you: Are you staying warm and cozy in the zone or are you ready to step out into the cold and catch some magic?!
Adventure seekers, experience chasers, aspiring photographers, and lovers of nature… grab your parka and meet Iceland. And now you can, with one low-cost flight, straight from Los Angeles.
Why Iceland?
Iceland is a magical Nordic Island in the Northern sea and is defined by its dramatic landscape of the elements; hot springs, geysers, glaciers, lava tubes and fields, and volcanoes.
It’s a beautiful spot for lovers and lovers of life, and it’s quickly becoming a “must visit” destination of 2017, made easy by the availability of inexpensive direct flights.
Blue Lagoon: Reykjavik, Iceland
Getting There
Check out WOW Air, Iceland’s exceptional low cost airline with direct flights from Los Angeles and other destinations straight to its capital city, Reykjavik. While flights as low as $200 may sound to good to be true… small fees will upgrade your needs for food and comfort.
Like any low cost airline, you can skip the traditional flight perks and simply tack on fees for only the services that you want!
Even with the little fees here and there, you’ll still get away with paying less than you would on other airlines.
Blue Lagoon
Iceland’s amazing beauty and culture will warm your heart and blow up your Instagram posts with its unique, one-of-a-kind experiences – first stop, The Blue Lagoon. There’s nothing comparable to this azure blue breathtaking gem.
Brave the cold and soak up the silica in this hot & relaxing geothermal spa.
Traveler tip: Book this in advance (it’s a popular stop and fills up). However, keeping a limit on the number of visitors guarantees a casual, less crowded experience. Grab one of the luxury spa packages and enjoy a warm robe and a free cocktail at the swim up bar. It doesn’t get much better than that!
You can swim up to the spa “mask bar,” and enjoy a skin softening silica treatment. If you really want to treat yourself, opt in for the follow up algae mask… you won’t regret it.
Snowmobiling the Langjökull Glacier
Snowmobiling
Another stunningly unique experience while you’re in Reykjavik is the Golden Circle & Glacier Snowmobiling Tour. Experience the breathtaking Gullfoss Waterfalls, find yourself lost between the tectonic plates, and watch the spouting geysers shoot steaming water out of their deep mysterious portals.
After popping into a local spot to warm up with fresh soup and bread, you’ll be shuttled in a veteran army tanker to the next leg of your exploration… the glacier for your snowmobiling adventure!
You’ll have a blast gliding over expansive fresh, white powder in the beautiful land of ice and blue skies. (PS – Snowsuits are provided so your new zone is cozy warm).
Geysirs on the Golden Circle Tour
Reykjavik
Yet the Iceland adventure isn’t complete without immersing yourself in the warm and friendly Icelandic culture found in Reykjavik.
Check out the famous Harpa Building, an architectural masterpiece and Iceland’s most unique concert hall. Ride the elevator to the top so you can enjoy the beauty walking the 5 floors down. Each unique turn gives you another view of the harbor and the artistic mirroring of the building. It’s beautiful from the inside out.
Looking to turn it up with some nightlife in Reykjavik? Then be ready for a late and rowdy one because the Icelandic people are storming the bars and clubs after midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
Travel tip: Staying in the city center is crucial if you’re looking to avoid cabs and hit all the nightlife spots with ease. The Icelandic people know how to party (bars are open until the early hours of 5 am) so you’ll definitely have a good time.
Reykjavik’s Harpa Building
Road Trip
While renting a car might seem intimidating, it’s the best way to experience and see some of Iceland’s most hidden treasures.
Take a drive on the Ring Road from Reykjavik and experience mesmerizing waterfalls, black sand beaches, and local fishing towns. You can even visit the fuselage remnants of a crashed airplane out on the tundra.
Travel tip: Get an early start because when the sun goes down, it’s just you, the road and the moonlit Icelandic sky.
Skógafoss Waterfall
Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
Sólheimasandur’s Black Sand Beach & Plane Crash
The Northern Lights
Speaking of Icelandic sky, let’s talk about the incredible Northern Lights.
Now while seeing the Northern Lights is an integral part of your Iceland experience, it’s absolutely not a guarantee. The peak season to see these magical lights is late August to mid-April.
Travel tip: Book your excursion with a tour guide to chase the lights near the beginning of your trip. The weather in Iceland is constantly changing and completely unpredictable, and booking it in the beginning leaves wiggle room for weather cancellations.
Northern Lights
The guide companies provide return vouchers if weather prevents the lights and an expert knows the terrain at night. We experienced two weather cancellations, and on the final night, after chasing the Northern Lights for a good 3 hours, they eluded us.
Feeling defeated, we all loaded into the tour bus where the guide offered us vouchers to try again another time.
As we started driving back to Reykjavik, our guide quickly pulled over giving us another glimmer of hope that we would actually see them. As we all unloaded the bus, we bundled together and were lucky enough to see the green light starting to glow from one side of the sky to the other.
From there the illuminating green light continued to build and we watched the magical lights dancing across the arctic skies. It was truly an unforgettable moment and we can’t express the feelings that come over you when you see this phenomenon in real life!
So what are you waiting for?
While everyone’s Iceland experience will be different, it will always be stone cold magic. The land of elements holds of a lifetime of magical memories, magnificent beauty and exciting adventures.
Step out of that comfort zone – Iceland is calling!
