1.) Any suggestions for how much cash is needed for a 10 day trip in September and if USDs are accepted most places if necessary?
2.) Is it best to rent a modem for internet and use our iPhones for navigation or should se rent a navigation system?
3.) Living in Minnesota we are familiar with cleats to attach to our boots during the winter season - is it recommended to bring them for hiking in icy conditions or are the trails in September fairly free of ice?
Thank you, KS
1--You won't need much cash, if any. Do not use US dollars as they have their own currency. Either exchange money at the airport, or once in Reykjavik head to a bank ATM and get the minimal amount out. We have had a few toilets be cash only, and one hot pot was cash only, and then if you stop at any roadside farm stands those are usually cash.
2--We get the portable wifi when we rent cars there. The cars we rent already have the navigation in them, so we use a combination of that.
3--You should not need cleats in September, but I would bring them along since they do not take up much room. I head back again next month and will be taking mine, FWIW. Weather in September can change very quickly, so better to be prepared. If you do not bring them though, they are sold at the gas stations. Ice is rare in September, but if the temperature hovers there can be slick spots. Usually that is by the waterfalls.
1.) It depends. If you are sticking to the touristy paths, you can probably do fine without cash. You might find some tourist traps that accept dollars in an emergency, but if you want some spare cash to use if necessary bring euros. Icelandic krónur are of course even better.
3.) I would not bother with that for September, although it also depends on where you are going. Iceland is far north, but it also has a mild maritime climate.
1) you probably won't need any cash, I didn't use any my entire visit. You will need however a credit or debit card that does not have a huge international charge fee. Contactless card even better. USD are not the currency of Iceland and you should not assume you can use it anywhere (and if they accept dollars you will not get a good exchange rate).
2) There will be others who can weigh in on this, though I think you may mean hot spot for your phone.
3) Depending on where you plan to hike (e.g., on a glacier) cleats may be advisable. I went in late October/early November and there was no ice on the ground at any of the major tourist spots near Reykjavik at that point.
The glacier hikes provide crampons, and ice cave tours provide micro spikes, so cleats are just good for the other areas that may be slick.
Regarding #2, you should probably do neither of the options you suggested, if you
have a smartphone.
If you are asking this because you don't want to pay the expense of using your
US mobile plan in Iceland, that's understandable. But you should just purchase
a physical SIM card or an eSIM card either before you go or after you arrive. This
will give you data with/without voice/SMS capability at affordable prices.
There is plenty of discussion about this in the Technology Tips section of the forum.
But you need to be clear on what you want to do with internet access while you
are on your trip.
You have not asked, but, if you plan to drive in Iceland, you should be sure one
of your credit cards has a Chip+PIN capability for buying gas at unattended stations.
