Iceland : A Road Trip Dream

I’m a pretty big fan of road trips, and I’ve done a number of them in my travels. Back in 2010, my friend Joel and I drove down the Great Ocean Road in a camper van to see the Twelve Apostles. In 2012 my mom and I drove through beautiful New Hampshire. And in 2013 my aunt, mom and I took a road trip to Newfoundland on one of the greatest and most challenging road trips of our lives.

While there are quite a few similar adventures on my shortlist, there is one road trip in particular that I need to experience pronto!

Iceland!

For a country that I didn’t really take notice of in the start of my travels, lately I can’t get it off my mind. It seems like every time I turn around someone I know is sharing a photo or video of their visit to the Atlantic Ocean island. Iceland road trips are where it’s at.

And here’s the thing. These photos, aren’t just pretty. They are some of the most outrageously beautiful and captivating sceneries and landscapes I have ever seen.

When I get there, here are a few things I would love to check out:

Reykjavik

As the capital is most likely where we would fly into, it’s naturally the best place to kick off the adventure. The buildings of Reykjavik have such an array of colours and I’m a sucker for a city on a lake with mountains in the distance. Zurich is another favourite.

Vik

My friend’s Captain and Clark stopped in this cute village on their own road trip through Iceland and their photos had me instantly sold. The setting of the little white and red church with the massive cliffs on the water is truly breathtaking. Vik, like so many other villages I’ve seen photos of, is absolutely postcard perfect.

The Ring Road

One of the most popular road trip routes, it is also known as Route 1 or Iceland Circle. Waterfalls, beaches, fjords, forests. The Ring Road is the most popular route and brings you to so much of what makes Iceland one the best places on the planet.

The Blue Lagoon

Relaxing in the geothermal water of the lagoon has a lot of benefits for the body, not to mention the setting is like everything else in Iceland, gorgeous. A lot of people stop there on the way from the airport, on the way back to the airport or if they have a short layover. I’m thinking all three sounds about right.

I’m confident that no matter how I plan out my adventure to Iceland, it will be a blast. The hardest part will likely be deciding which of my many travel pals I will take along with me. No doubt my mom and aunt will be vying for this road trip and after 50 hours of driving through the wilderness of Labrador, I know we can handle multiple days of Icelandic nature.

I’m also quite torn as to whether to visit in the summer or winter. While the summer boasts warm weather and long days of sunlight, the winter brings snowy vistas and a chance to see the northern lights.

Have you been to Iceland? Is it on your list of places you’d like to visit? Whether you’ve been or want to someday, I would love for you to share your ideas and suggestions in the comments below.

 

Photo Credits: 1, 2, 3, 4