Iceland is the BEST Place to Rent a Car
More than any other day on the Disney Cruise, this was the one we looked forward to most. Sherpa Momma rented a car, and mapped out a full-day itinerary to explore the area around Reykjavik known as the Golden Circle. Blessed with warm weather, sun-filled skies, and no traffic (really, once out of Reykjavik we saw neither cars or even stop lights), this day was a highlight of our Disney cruise.
Stop 1. Thingvellar National Park
It took a bit of time to get the car. About a 20-minute walk from the shuttle drop off to the rental desk at the bus station, and another 45 minutes or so to get the car and deal with a faulty GPS unit, but then we were on our way. Momma’s first experience driving in another country (I was the navigator). Our first stop was Thingvellir National Park. Awesome! After some confusion using the automated kiosks to pay for parking, we spent a bit over two hours there, but could have spent a whole day exploring the numerous hiking trails.
Stop 2. Strokkur Geyser
Our second stop was exhilarating. We pulled off the road in Geysir, and followed a tour group across the street. As we approached, we could see steam rising from vents and indentations in the ground. One was marked ‘Lil Strokkur. Further up, a crowd had gathered around the main attraction: the Strokkur Geysir. With camera at the ready, we waited. After about 6-7 minutes, it blew, with tremendous force, about 60m in the air. Even though we were expecting it, we were still taken aback. And even more surprised, when it did a double take just a few seconds after the first subsided, causing the girls to jump back. We watched several more times before heading back across the street for lunch at the Kantina (we don’t recommend eating there: it was unclear what type of meat was in the burgers).
Stop 3. Gulfoss Falls
We found our third destination just a few kilometers from Strokkur. Gulfoss Falls is every bit as impressive as Niagara Falls, perhaps even more so. We were fortunate and visited on a sunny day, when rainbows and double rainbows arched across the falls. There’s a trail that runs above the falls, offering several vantage points from which to admire the full breadth and splendor of the falls’ multiple drops. Do that first, then don a raincoat and descend to the lower trail to get up close and personal. You’ll get wet, but you’ll also get some great photos of those rainbows; and a full appreciation for the sheer force of these falls.
Stop 4. Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is famous the world over, and it was just what we needed at the end of an exhausting day of touring. We fell behind schedule early in the day (though to be fair, the ability to fall behind is one of the great benefits for renting your own car in the first place); so we didn’t arrive until nearly 8pm. Our beautiful day had turned gray by the time we neared the lagoon, cresting a surreal landscape as we drove the massive lava fields around Grindavik. We weren’t sure how the kids would react to relaxing in the geothermal waters, but it was a non-issue. We applied silica to our skin to maximize the therapeutic benefits of the geothermal waters, we explored caves, rinsed under waterfalls, and explored each hidden cove (and finally finding the swim-up bar to enjoy age appropriate beverages like Gull Beer and fruit smoothies)
Master organizer of this grand adventure, and father to this raucous bunch of kids. Armed with camera and a tablet, I aim to capture the memorable moments that will allow this trip to live on forever.
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Looks amazing!