3 nights Geysir, 3 nights reykjavik and 2 nights...where?

Reykjavik is worth at least 1/2 a day. From Reykjavik you can do Snaefellsness peninsula in one LONG day. There is a lot to stop and see and walk around and it is gorgeous. I would stay in the South, from Vik to the east, so you are able to get to Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, diamond beach and the Dyrholaey peninsula. Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon are options from Reykjavik too. Enjoy!

so you have a total of 8 days, including your arrival and departure days?

Can you clarify where you are staying in Geysir? I'm unfamiliar with a town by that name.

Personally, I would totally rearrange the trip. Spending three nights in Reykjavik and taking day trips out and back means that you'll be doing a lot of backtracking. Most of us spend our arrival day in Reykjavik, and perhaps you could do the Golden Circle on your first full day. After that, I'd head down to the south coast for three days, then head back to Snaefellsnes Peninsula and stay somewhere out there. We did Snaefellsnes as a day trip from Reykjavik in the summer, and it was a 10 hour day with all the stops, so I wouldn't recommend it. We haven't been to Westman Islands, but hopefully some of the other posters here can give you input on visiting there.

I agree with naalehuretiree. With 8 days you can maximize your time with that itinerary. That is actually the same one basically that we did last September. A night on Snaefellsness makes more sense than trying to do just a day trip there. Westmann Island is a place we have enjoyed but the puffins will be gone by then.

Are you interested in any hot springs? There are quite a few in these areas. Our favorite is Hvammsvik which is about 45 minority of Reykjavik and is great for on the way to pr from Snaefellsness. We were just there again yesterday :) In the Golden Circle there was d Fontana, secret lagoon, Laugaras(brand new opening in about a week), and rustic ones as well. Then the usual Blue Lagoon fairly close to the airport or Sky which is in Reykjavik. Don’t forget about the local pools in the towns as well.

Thank you all for repying. Let me give you a little more information. Day 1 will be in flight. We will arrive in the morning on day 2 and go to the Blue Lagoon. We will then transfer to Geysir. We will stay around Geysir within the Golden Circle for Day 2, 3 and 4 where we will see Gullfoss and Langjokull Glacier and whatever else is around that area. Day 5 We will transfer back to Reykjavik via Pingvellir NP and the Kerid volcanic crater. Day 6 and 7 we are at leisure to do whatever we want within Reykjavik or within the scope of a daytrip. On the morning of Day 8 we would like to go somewhere else-maybe down towards Vik or the Wesmann Islands or maybe north to the Snaefellsnes. We would have 2 nights to spend in this location and so would head back to Reykjavik on the morning of Day 10 to go to the airport in the afternoon. We like adventure and nature more than city sights but don't mind spending a day or two in the city. We are not afraid to get off the beaten path and away from the masses of tourists in most tourist destinations. We are partially going for work so that first week's locations are not negotiable to change. I am most interested in extended options of places to visit in those areas that most people don't get to on your typical day trip as well as where we might best spend those last two nights when we do have more flexibility. Again, I appreciate your help very much!

I know you said the first days are set in stone, but seriously rethink the day of arrival. That is far too much driving for arrival day. After the BL you will be even sleepier, and then you still have 2 hours to go to get to Geysir. One hour drive time total is typically recommended. We pushed it on one trip to two hours, and shared the driving and that was a huge mistake! Please rethink this for your safety as well as others on the road.

On day 5 instead of going to Reykjavik, I would head up to Jokulsarlon and stay a nigh then, then a night in Vik on the way back down. After that I would head to Snaefellsness. It deserves a night as there as well as there is so much to see and do up there. It is one of my favorite areas of the country, especially this month. I would make sure that your last night is within an hour or so of Reykjavik in case of bad roads etc so you do not get stuck and miss your flight. We do that even in the summer as the weather I Iceland can be really bad any time of the year. We were there again last month and on one day our car got blown several feet as we were driving, just to give you an idea.

Thank you for the advice. We will not be the drivers on Day 1 so no worries there. Again, We cannot reorganize where and when we stay in the first two locations. I know that they are not in the most logical order but for work purposes we must sleep the first 3 nights in Geysir and the next 3 nights in Reykjavik. That is why I am asking for advice. Which one (the South Coast or Snaefellsness) is the easiest to combine into a day trip from either Geysir or Reykjavik and then we will take two nights in the other location after Reykjavik. Also, do you have any recommendations for favorite activities in the golden circle area that go beyond the top options offered on a normal tourist day trip? Since we will be there over several days, I am just wondering what else we can see that most other day-trippers don't get to.

Good to know on the driving:)

Tours start from Reykjavik, but you could always email a company and see if they have options for pick up at Geysir. Both Snafellsness and the south coast tours are equally easily done from Reykjavik. If you are at Geysir, then the south coast tour is closest, but again finding an operator that would pick you up there may be the sticky point.

In the Golden Circle, I really like Hrunalaug which is a rustic hot spring. It is very tiny and a bit out of the way, but worth it, IME. I would hit any of the hot springs at sunset. Secret Lagoon is rustic, Laugarvatn is nice and the cold plunge is in the lake, and there is a brand new one that just opened call Laugaras.

Don't miss Bruarfoss. The new parking lot is just a 5 minute or so walk to the waterfall, but I highly recommend doing the hike to see all of them. Plus that gets you away from other people;)

What about horseback riding? We did that last September near Selfoss with Eldhestar. They have a variety of rides, including one that take you up to the hot river.

Very close to Eldhestar is Ingolfsskali Viking Restaurant which is excellent, but they also have axe throwing which is fun. I mention these places near Selfoss not knowing just how far you are willing to go from Geysir.

Yes. Those sound great. We will have access to a car so will be able to go whereever we want. we are very used to long distance driving and mtn. driving.