We visited Iceland during the season of 24/7 sunlight. This trip was planned for five days. It was our first visit to Iceland, mainly to visit the Blue Lagoon. To our surprise, we were able to see other things. During the 24/7 sunlight time, you will not see the Northern Lights. The best time to see the Northern Lights is from late September to late March.

Originally, we were booked on WOW Airlines, but the company went out of business in March 2019, so we found another flight on Icelandair. The flight was about 5 1/2 hours nonstop from Dulles airport (IAD) to Keflavik International Airport. We enjoyed good Icelandic food on the plane along with a bottle of Icelandic water, which was refreshing. Adults were also served complimentary wine with our meal. Kids were given a cool bag filled with fun activities such as coloring books and fun entertainment. Upon landing, instead of walking onto a jetway, we walked outside on the attached stairs and were able to enjoy a nice cool breeze. Surprisingly it wasn’t too cold! From the airport, we took a shuttle pick-up to our rental car at Green Motion car rental. We opted to rent an SUV due to the amount of luggage we had and we also like to have plenty of space in the vehicle.

Our lodging was about 45 minutes from the rental car company. Driving around Iceland was a breeze. I highly recommend obtaining an international driving permit when you plan to drive in another country. We stayed at the Blue Mountain Apartments. We selected this place because it was nice and spacious. Upon checking in we were given a coupon book that come in handy at some of the restaurants in the area. The lobby had a back room with washers and dryers and a pantry. You could help yourself to anything in the pantry for free and add items to the pantry as well. Our room was very spacious. There was a wall to separate the bedroom and that provided privacy. The room was equipped with a fridge, coffee maker, and a small counter area. The bed was very comfortable. It was perfect for us.

The Blue Lagoon was absolutely amazing! We reserved our tickets in advance directly through Blue Lagoon’s website ( https://www.bluelagoon.com/ ). The premium package was perfect for us. It included the following:

  Entrance to the Blue Lagoon

  Silica mud mask

  Use of towel

  1st drink of your choice

  Second mask of choice

  Slippers

  Use of bathrobe

  Table reservation at Lava Restaurant

  1 glass of sparkling wine if dining at Lava restaurant

It was easy to navigate to find things. After we changed and showered, we headed straight for the lagoon. Kids are required to wear orange arm floating devices for safety reasons. There is a ramp to gradually walk down in the water. The water felt so warm and relaxing. The silica mud mask station was located in the middle of the lagoon. Of course, we got some because it was included in our package! I honestly didn’t feel any different using the mud but it was fun to do it. There was a waterfall nearby and many people flocked there to rinse the mud off. On the opposite side of the mud, the station was a drink station. We got some cool beverages, also included in our package, and continued to enjoy the rest of the lagoon.

The one thing I really loved about the visit was the in-water massage. That was the best massaged I’ve ever received in my life. The in-water massage is located toward the back of the lagoon. You wait at the ropes until your massage therapist comes to get you. The massage therapist puts you up on a floating device and covers your body with a warm towel. It feels like you are floating on air. Throughout the massage, the towel is dipped in the water to keep it warm. It’s done in a way that you will not fall off the floating device. Afterwards, you will feel so relaxed and relieved. It’s definitely a must-do! You also have to make reservations for this service prior to your visit.

There is a restaurant onsite, Lava Restaurant. After being at the lagoon for a couple of hours, you work up an appetite. The restaurant has a nice setup, definitely classy, with a great view of the lagoon. A glass of sparkling wine was given to us as a part of the premium package. That was some of the best wine I’ve ever had. The food we ordered was different but delicious. The restaurant was accommodating to our son’s needs and offered coloring books and toys to keep him occupied. If we ever go back to the Blue Lagoon, I would definitely visit this restaurant again. The service was outstanding!

There is more to Iceland than the Blue Lagoon. We also visited Hallgrimskirkja, which is a Lutheran Parrish church. It is considered to be the largest church in Iceland and the tallest structure in the country. It was amazing to see it up-close and in person. There is a parking lot next to the building so we parked there without any issues. There are stores and food places around the church. There was also a playground across the street. The weather was nice so we decided to walk around and explore the area.

Reykjavík Park and Zoo is a great place for small children to visit. Our son loved it! There were so many things for small kids to see and do. Our son’s favorite was being able to play in the dirt…. a typical boy! There were also open play areas for kids to just run wild. There were not a lot of animals there but it was perfect for us.  It is located in the Laugardalur valley where you will also find the botanical gardens of Reykjavik, which are also taken care of by the city. The zoo has all the Icelandic farm animals, reindeer, harbor seals, and arctic foxes. It also has a selection of birds, such as hens and pigeons, and a small exhibition of foreign reptiles. In the recreation park, you will find a string of attractions such as a carousel, a train, boats on the water, segways, and other fun things to do with children as well as family barbecue facilities and resting areas. There is also a coffee house and kiosk that sells souvenirs and a selection of beverages and soft ice.

Overall, we would visit Iceland again. It was probably one of the best vacations ever! We definitely enjoyed visiting during the 24/7 sunlight period because it never felt like it was getting late. Visit Iceland and see all it has to offer!