16 Days in Iceland: What I Loved & What I'd Do Differently

If I could change one thing about my Iceland itinerary, I would spend more time on the South Coast.

This was easily my favorite part of the trip. Between the waterfalls, glaciers, black sand beaches, mountains, and activities around Vík, there is so much to experience within this part of Iceland.

Next time, I would slow down instead of trying to cover as much of the country. Iceland is a place where some of the best moments happen when you have enough time to make an unexpected stop.

Of all the waterfalls I saw in Iceland, Brúarfoss was one of my favorites.

The water is an incredible bright blue that almost doesn't look real. Even after seeing waterfall after waterfall around Iceland, Brúarfoss stood out.

Hengifoss was another highlight of my 16 days in Iceland.

Unlike many waterfalls that can be reached within minutes of parking, Hengifoss requires a hike. The waterfall itself is massive, and the colorful layers of rock surrounding it make it completely different from many of Iceland's other waterfalls.

The hike takes some effort, but I thought the experience was worth it.

One of the most memorable experiences of my entire trip was hiking Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier, and exploring an ice cave.

It was incredible, but I would give travelers one warning before booking.

My glacier tour was rated easy, and I strongly disagree with that rating if you aren't accustomed to glacier hiking.

Walking across a glacier in specialized equipment is very different from walking on a normal hiking trail. I found the experience physically demanding, so I would go into it expecting an adventure rather than an easy excursion.

That said, hiking across a glacier and then stepping inside an ice cave was one of the coolest things I did in Iceland and absolutely worth the effort.

One of the most fun activities of the trip was an ATV tour across the black sand near Vík.

We drove through water and across the black sand landscape surrounded by some of Iceland's dramatic scenery.

Unlike my glacier hike, I found the ATV tour very beginner-friendly. It was a fun way to experience Iceland's landscape while adding something completely different to the itinerary.

Want to ride it yourself? Book the ATV tour near Vík (opens in a new tab)

Whale watching was another highlight and gave me a completely different perspective of Iceland.

After spending so much time driving and hiking, getting out onto the water was a nice change. Seeing whales in the wild surrounded by Icelandic scenery made it one of my favorite experiences of the trip.

During my 16 days in Iceland, I was lucky enough to see the Northern Lights three separate times.

One of the biggest advantages of spending more time in Iceland during aurora season is simply having more opportunities for the conditions to cooperate.

Cloud cover, weather, and aurora activity can change constantly, so seeing them isn't guaranteed on any particular night.

Even though I'd seen the Northern Lights before, watching them appear over Iceland never got old.

I also worked remotely for part of my Iceland trip, and staying connected was much easier than I expected.

I had no major connectivity issues while working, and I had phone service for what felt like 99% of the places we traveled, even in surprisingly remote parts of the country.

If you're planning to work remotely while traveling Iceland's Ring Road, I would still check the Wi-Fi reviews for your accommodations before important meetings or video calls. Based on my experience, though, Iceland was incredibly easy to stay connected in while traveling.

The biggest disappointment of this trip was probably the food.

As a vegetarian, I remembered Iceland being easier during my previous visit. This time, I generally found options in Reykjavík and larger towns, but some of the smaller towns were much more challenging.

There were places where vegetarian options were extremely limited.

If you're vegetarian and driving the Iceland Ring Road, I recommend looking at restaurant menus ahead of time and keeping snacks or simple meals with you when traveling through more remote areas.

You can absolutely travel Iceland as a vegetarian, but I wouldn't assume every small town will have several options available.

One thing I wish I had known before this trip was that there is now an electronic toll on the new section of Route 1 through Hornafjörður near Höfn.

There isn't a traditional toll booth where you stop to pay.

In my experience, the signage was inadequate to make it clear that we were entering a toll area. I didn't realize we needed to pay the toll separately, and my rental car company later charged me significant additional processing fees. That was my personal experience — fees vary by rental company, and not every traveler will be charged the same way.

If you're driving the Ring Road through this area, learn where the toll is before your trip and check the official Spölur website after traveling through it so you understand how and when to pay.

Before you go: Official Hornafjörður toll information and payment (opens in a new tab)

For me, 16 days in Iceland wasn't too long at all.

Having more than two weeks gave me time to explore the Ring Road, hike, take adventure tours, work remotely, and still make spontaneous stops along the way.

And I still wanted more time.

If I planned this trip again, I wouldn't necessarily try to add more destinations. I would slow down and spend more time on the South Coast.

My biggest highlights were:

Iceland is one of the few places where you can hike a glacier, chase waterfalls, explore black sand beaches, and potentially finish the day watching the Northern Lights.

Next time, I'd slow down, spend longer on the South Coast, and leave even more room for the unexpected.