Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland

By Ashley Rudolph

When your friend plans a birthday weekend in Iceland and Paris, you don't ask questions, you pack your bags and go!

I'll state the obvious, Iceland is a beautiful country, some of the landscapes are downright otherworldly. Going into this trip we knew one thing, we were going to skip the usual stops (like the Blue Lagoon, Golden Circle, and Gulfoss) in favor of an off the beaten path experience. Visit Reykjanes arranged a full day tour of the Reykjanes Peninsula for our 24 hour stay in Iceland before our group jetted off to Paris. Our tour guide Gunnar was incredibly knowledgable about the area and made sure that we had the best time. Here's how we made the most of 24 hours in Iceland!

Top 5 things to do in Reykjanes

We toured the Reykjanes Peninsula with Gunnar, who picked us up from the airport at 7am and dropped us off at 7pm! Gunnar had everything in his van (even wifi) and knew everything (and everyone). We couldn't have asked for a better guide. If you're strapped for time in Iceland, I'd recommend booking a full day tour with a guide and sticking to one region.

Visit Viking World: Get to know the history of the area by visiting Viking World. They have an awesome breakfast spread and since it's close to the airport, stopping there probably won't be too far out of your way.
Visit the Bridge Between Continents: This is the site where the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates meet. Being there felt like being on another planet! A stop there is worth it for the photo ops alone.
Marvel at Gunnuvher and Valahnúkur: Our group couldn't get enough of these two sites. Gunnuvher is a geothermal spring where massive steam clouds take over the surrounding area. The massive rock formations jutting out of the ocean at Valahnúkur, took my breath away. It reminded me of a cold weather version of the 12 Apostles in Australia.
Go ATVing: The team at 4x4 Adventures Iceland was amazing! It was my first time on an ATV and I couldn't think of a better place to try it. This was my favorite part of the entire day - our excursion took us through lava fields, past a few ship wrecks, and a break to snap photos of the #views.
Take a boat ride: As a surprise at the end of our day, Gunnar arranged a surprise outing on a boat for our group! We were able to watch the sunset on the water and even though it was freezing, it was the perfect way to end our day.

Where to stay and eat

Hotel Alda: It's right in the center of Reykjavik, the perfect location for exploring the surrounding area. The staff was supper welcoming and accommodating, their restaurant was delicious, and the rooms were cozy and modern. They even give you a cell phone when you arrive!
Hjá Höllu: I can't even describe how delicious lunch at Hjá Höllu was. We all had baked cod, over whipped sweet potatoes, topped with an incredible balsamic reduction.
Fish Market: We had reservations here for dinner but were too wiped out from the day's activities to go. It's one of the best restaurants in Reykjavik and I've only read good things, so it's definitely worth a visit!
Apotek: Apotek was on my list of places to try and given the time constraints, I didn't get to eat here but just like Fish Market, this restaurant comes highly recommended.
Order an airport hotdog: This is weird BUT trust me on this one. There was a super long line in the airport for these hotdogs and they were delicious! If I ever go back to Iceland, I'll be having another :)