Short Iceland Trip Early April: Need Ideas for One Day

Where are you flying from? My jet lag was horrible flying from the West Coast USA, and I landed about the same time as you. I would have pretty much collapsed if I had tried to immediately drive to the Golden Circle on the same day. Maybe take it a little slower and do some Reykjavik time on arrival, and shift the Golden Circle to the next full day and move the rest of the itinerary forward. That takes care of your blank spot. The South Coast is a very long day (I took a small bus tour and was pooped out). Note that the Northern Lights tours leave late and come back super late (obviously for the darkness) so note that for your departure plans the following day. For the current itinerary the lights are ok on that second day as if the weather is bad, you'd have a chance to try again on April 5 before you leave. I might note that not all of Reykjavik is flat (the spectacular church is on a hill) so you will need to do a bit of sleuthing on things so that your mom doesn't have to navigate steep places. Google street view is helpful for that.

Since you are driving, others who have done that will weigh in on driving tips and conditions in April (it's not warm). It's a 45-50 minute drive from central Reykjavik to the airport so make sure you account for that (and returning your car). You really won't have a ton of time that final day, so maybe consider the Sky Lagoon on your way back to airport (either replacing Secret Lagoon or supplementing it). You'd be nice and relaxed for your flight.

Thanks CL!

We are flying from Baltimore, Maryland US (direct flight). My hope is that we sleep on the plane, but there is a risk of not sleeping much. When we flew to Germany a couple of years ago and while we were a little tired, we weren't exceptionally so. It's something for me to think about.

Edited to add: I should note, I am not driving. I know most people here drive themselves, but I am hiring a local tour guide who has a four-wheel drive for both the Golden circle and Sout Coast tours. So I won't have to focus on driving in bad weather and, I could grab a quick cat nap between stops if I need to. My mom probably won't do that. She will probably talk the tour-guide's ear off.

We had a great time in Iceland on a 5 day layover in 2021. We enjoyed the Sky Lagoon experience which is like Blue Lagoon but right in Reykjavik. We also took a one day excursion with a geologist to see a number of the near by geologic formations and parks. Jasmin is a graduate Scientist in volcanologist, packed us a light but ample lunch and took us to several sites for short hikes. It's a 9 hour round trip to cinder cones, the Mid-Atlantic ridge crossing, geysers, waterfalls and the Perlin Museum of Icelandic everything. Great place for a drinks and a light dinner after the Sky Lagoon. We also just walked around the city from the HallsgrimKirkja to the Sun Voyager sculpture to the national performing arts center. Anyone of these add-0ns could make a great day. We played darts with the locals at pub near our AirBnb.

Best wishes.

Thanks wendellrm! I will look into those as well!

Regrding night tours to see the Northern Lights......They don't run every night. Only if there is a good chance of seeing them will they operate. Check with your hotel when you check in as they can make arrangments and will know if they are operating.

Thanks for the updated info - even if you're not doing the driving, I would still take it a little easier for her sake (especially if she's not doing as well as she was several years ago). Even with someone else driving that Golden Circle route, I myself would have slept through a good chunk of it (and seeing the scenery is kind of the point). And Frank makes a good comment - there aren't always Northern Light tours but your hotel can help with the scheduling. Whatever you end up doing it sounds like a wonderful and memorable trip with your mom.

April is still winter, so make sure you are prepared. Spent that that first day in Reykjavik and enjoy the city as it has a lot to offer. The next day I would head to the Golden Circle and then on up the south coast. I would stay a night up around Vik, and then head back the next day. If you did one of Icelandair packages that includes a hotel in Reykjavik during that time, I would leave most luggage there and still spent a day up on the south coast. This would be much easier on your mom as well. We have done that exact thing with the hotel room as the package deal was cheap enough to warrant it. Then on the 5th head to Snaefellsness, which no worries about the volcano as that is the opposite direction.

Two things we have enjoyed on arrival days are the Citywalk "free" walking tour, which you just tip at the end. It is not too fast or too long, so your mom should be ok. You can book this about a week in advance and they do sell out so you can't just show up and join in. You might also enjoy a food tour. We are doing that again in a couple weeks. It is slow walking, and of course you are seated at the restaurants so would be good for your mom as well.

If you do a Northern Lights tour, I highly recommend Aurora Experts. We used them on one trip and he was excellent! You might get lucky and just see them in town. We have done that a handful of times, so you just never know.

I would do the Secret Lagoon before you have lunch at Fridheimer. We did it the other way around and putting on a swimsuit immediately after a meal was not the brightest plan;)

Because of your mom's mobility issues, be sure to bring ice cleats just in case. These are not crampons, which many people do not understand the difference. But a simple Yaktrax type of traction device for your shoes just in case it is icy. Layers for clothing is key, and the wind can make things feel much colder.

Thanks again. Maybe I can just move Golden Circle to another day and go to Sky Lagoon on April 2 then. I work out at a Y so I am used to locker rooms with other women in various stages of dress and undress, but my mom is horrified by the idea of getting dressed in front of others (even other women). It looks like we can get a private locker room at Sky Lagoon for her.

It's a good activity for someone with limited mobility, but note that Fridheimar books up months and months in advance. I believe the parking lot is gravel, not all paved.

CAE--You can either do that, or the restrooms are large. They are basically the size of a disabled restroom, so plenty of room for her to change in there if she wants, and no extra cost involved. Yes, Fridheimer books out far in advance but that is mostly for summer months. We have not had an issue at all in off season.

Go ahead and get the private space at Sky Lagoon. It isn't just the changing, it is also the showering that is done with little privacy. It looked nicer and if was going to go again, would choose the premium experience. The sauna is not nude though, which made me wonder, but it has a fabulous window that looks out over the ocean. The infinity pool is beautiful. Going to the edge where the ocean is was cool. I got great photos there.

Just to be clear, the written rules tend to require a nude shower before donning a bathing suit. This was not as strictly observed in one of the two thermal pools we went to. Selling special rooms is a good idea, because my wife reported that she had to wait a long time for a toilet because modest, (i.e. American ... ) perfectly-abled women were monopolizing the two toilet rooms as private changing. (at Krauma.) So they were presumably not going to shower nude.

Note that I am not lecturing anyone, but only reporting first hand experience for future visitors to Iceland. Rick often points out that one reason for travel is to experience the way things are done elsewhere.

We did not encounter any slippery areas outdoors in the pool areas, but there were plenty of steps and door thresholds your mother might have to watch for. There were some tiled areas in the dressing room halls (not in the shower room) that required care in walking.

If I don't get the private space at Sky Lagoon, I guarantee that my mom either won't participate or she will be one of those Americans monopolizing a toilet room to change. It will be worth it to not add stress to her (or my) visit.

Thanks for all the help. I think we have a plan. I am going to make Day 1 Land and Sky Lagoon (and maybe walk around Reykjavik if we feel like it) and move Golden Circle to April 5.

Thanks again for the help, the tips on the lagoon, Fridheimer, the Northern Lights, grips for shoes (I am wearing my boots), etc. This Board is always so helpful.