Best Day Trips from Reykjavík: 12 Trips Ranked by Drive Time

Reykjavík is the best base in Iceland for day trips — a huge share of the country’s headline scenery sits within a 2.5-hour drive. We’ve ranked the twelve best below, ordered roughly by drive time, with costs and the self-drive vs tour call for each. Prices are approximate as of 2026.

1. Reykjanes Peninsula & Blue Lagoon — 45–60 min each way

The closest full day out: the bubbling Seltún geothermal field, the Bridge Between Continents, Gunnuhver hot springs, Reykjanesviti lighthouse, and the fresh lava fields from the 2021–2024 eruptions near Grindavík. Finish at the Blue Lagoon (from approximately ISK 9,900, prebooking required) or skip it for the free coastal sights. Self-drive is easy year-round; check road.is for occasional eruption-related closures.

2. Whale Watching from the Old Harbour — 0 min (it leaves from town)

Three-hour boat trips from Reykjavík’s Old Harbour run year-round with Elding and Special Tours, approximately ISK 12,000–14,000. Minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, and harbour porpoises are the regulars; humpbacks increasingly common. Not technically a “trip” out of the city, but it fills the same half-day slot — details in our whale watching guide.

3. Reykjadalur Hot Spring Valley — 45 min drive + hike

Drive to Hveragerði, then hike 3 km (about an hour) up a steamy valley to a hot river you can lie in — free, and one of the best effort-to-reward ratios in Iceland. Bring a towel and quick layers; there are only basic changing screens. The trail is muddy in thaw and icy in winter (microspikes needed November–March).

4. Golden Circle — 3.5 hours’ total driving

The classic loop: Þingvellir National Park (rift valley, parliament site, parking ISK 1,000), Geysir’s erupting Strokkur (free), and Gullfoss (free). Add Kerið crater (ISK 600) or the Secret Lagoon in Flúðir (ISK 3,800) to round out the day. Self-drive is straightforward; coach tours run approximately ISK 9,000–12,000 with hotel pickup — compare Golden Circle tours. Full route detail in our Golden Circle guide.

5. Hvalfjörður & Glymur Waterfall — 1 hour each way

The fjord the Ring Road tunnel bypasses. Drive the old fjord road for war-history sites and near-zero traffic, and hike to Glymur — Iceland’s second-tallest waterfall at 198 m. The hike is 3–4 hours round trip with a river crossing (summer only for the full loop). Free throughout.

6. Snæfellsnes Peninsula — 2 to 2.5 hours each way

“Iceland in miniature”: Kirkjufell mountain, the Arnarstapi–Hellnar coastal walk, Djúpalónssandur black pebble beach, Snæfellsjökull glacier, and the Vatnshellir lava cave tour (approximately ISK 4,750). It’s a long day — 10–12 hours — but the variety per kilometre is unmatched. Tours run approximately ISK 17,000–22,000 (Snæfellsnes tour options).

7. South Coast to Vík — 2.5 hours each way

The heavyweight: Seljalandsfoss (walk behind it; parking ISK 1,000), Skógafoss, the Sólheimajökull glacier tongue, Dyrhólaey arch, and Reynisfjara black sand beach — respect the sneaker-wave warnings, they are not theoretical. Coach tours approximately ISK 14,000–19,000 (South Coast tours); add-on glacier hikes on Sólheimajökull from approximately ISK 15,000. In winter this is the day trip where a guided tour earns its money.

8. Landmannalaugar — 3.5–4 hours each way, summer only

Rhyolite mountains in orange, pink, and green, plus a natural hot spring at the campsite. The F-roads in require a 4x4 and open roughly mid-June to September; highland buses and super-jeep day tours (approximately ISK 25,000–35,000) solve the access problem. A long day — 12+ hours — but unlike anything else on this list.

9. Þórsmörk — 3 hours each way, summer only, no self-drive

The valley between three glaciers. The road in crosses unbridged rivers that drown rental cars every single summer — take the Þórsmörk bus from Reykjavík or a super-jeep tour (approximately ISK 22,000–30,000) instead. Walk the Valahnúkur viewpoint loop in the time between buses.

10. Westman Islands — 2 hours to the ferry + 40 min crossing

Drive to Landeyjahöfn, park free, and cross as a foot passenger (approximately ISK 1,100–1,800 each way). On Heimaey: the Eldfell volcano hike, the Eldheimar eruption museum, and a million puffins in summer. Full details in our Westman Islands guide.

11. Borgarfjörður Loop — 1.5 hours each way

Underrated west Iceland circuit: Hraunfossar and Barnafoss waterfalls, Deildartunguhver (Europe’s most powerful hot spring), the Krauma baths (approximately ISK 6,950), and the Víðgelmir lava cave tour (approximately ISK 8,500). Pairs with Hvalfjörður for a quieter alternative to the Golden Circle.

12. Jökulsárlón & Diamond Beach — 4.5–5 hours each way (the stretch goal)

378 km each way. Guided long-day tours (14–16 hours, approximately ISK 25,000–35,000) exist and run mostly in summer. It’s spectacular but brutal as a day trip — if you can possibly spend a night in Vík or Höfn instead, do.

Self-Drive or Tour?

Self-drive wins on flexibility and cost for 2+ people in summer — a small rental runs approximately ISK 9,000–15,000 per day plus fuel. Tours win for solo travellers, winter conditions, and anywhere requiring super-jeeps or river crossings (Landmannalaugar, Þórsmörk). Between October and April, read our winter driving guide before defaulting to self-drive.