Iceland’s Golden Circle With Kids

Iceland’s Golden Circle is a popular tourist route in southwest Iceland that consists of a 180 mile loop with several of the country’s most striking natural wonders.  Our family toured the Golden Circle on a day trip from Reykjavik at the end of our 10-day trip.  We were fortunate to pick an unusually dry day with blue skies.  While the loop takes about 3.5 hours of driving, there were plenty of amazing stops along the way, including Thingvellir National Park, Geysir and Stokkur, Gulfoss waterfall and Kerid Crater.  Our Golden Circle self drive with kids was one of the highlights of our trip to Iceland.

Thingvellir National Park With Kids

Our first stop on the Golden Circle was Thingvellir National Park, a beautiful national park that is also an important historical landmark near Thingvallavatn, the largest lake in  Iceland.  The country’s first Parliament convened here in 930.  Thingvellir is located in a rift valley caused by the separation of the North American and Eurasian Plates.  However, there are no obvious demarcations of the divide similar to the Bridge Between Two Continents in Reykjanes.

After arriving at Thingvellir, we paid the 500 kr parking fee (pay and display) and headed toward the Visitor’s Center.  We picked up a free map but found it confusing at best.  So, we took a trail toward Thingvallabaer and Thingvallakirkja and enjoyed the beautiful vistas, rocky cliffs and fissures along the way. Thingvallabaer, a farm house with five gables that serves as the Prime Minister’s summer house and the park warden’s office, is a short walk. Thingvallabaer was constructed in 1930 on the 1,000th anniversary of the parliamentary assembly.  The residence is definitely not palatial by any means, but certainly charming, and the Prime Minister entertains foreign dignitaries here. We met a park ranger here who had coincidentally lived near us in Cleveland’s Little Italy during the late 1980s and early 1990s in a building where a high school friend of mine lived at the same time.  It is a small world.

Next to Thingvallabaer is Thingvallakirkja, a tiny church that seats about 35 and coordinates with Thingvallabaer’s cream with black and green trim color scheme.  We saw many very small churches throughout Iceland, and the kids were especially excited to peek inside of this one.

The kids explored the cemetery between Thingvallabaer and Thingvallakirkja before we head back to the car. 

Thingvellir is also the site of the Silfra fissure where divers snorkel between the North American and Eurasian continents.  This is one of the best fresh water dive spots.  Appropriate gear, included wetsuits, is necessary, and many tour companies offer snorkeling tours even to inexperienced divers.

• Kid Facts: Thingvellir was the site of Iceland’s parliament from the 10th to 18th centuries. In 1930, it became Iceland’s first national park.
• Kid Moment: Our kids (particularly our daughter) enjoyed following a family of ducks on the trail. 

Geysir Hot Spring Area With Kids

Our next stop visiting the Golden Circle with kids was the Geysir Hot Spring Area.  Geysir, which is also known as the Great Geysir, is the geyser for which all geysers are named.  Geysir derives from the Icelandic verb meaning “to gush.”   While Geysir erupted over 500 feet in the air in the 19th century, its eruptions became infrequent.  People found that if they threw rocks into Geysir, they could force an eruption. Unfortunately, this practice ultimately led to Geysir’s demise, and Geysir is currently dormant and just bubbles steam.  64°18′39″N 20°18′14″W

While Geysir no longer erupts, visitors looking for an active geyser will Strokkur just a short walk from Geysir. Strokkur is not as high as Geysir once was, but it a perfect tourist destination because it erupts every few minutes at varying heights up to 125 feet. We stayed for at least six or seven eruptions and really enjoyed it even though it was one of the buggiest locations on our trips. While none of us were actually bitten, but we felt constantly swarmed.

• Kid Facts: Geyers are temporary geological features that are usually found in volcanic terrain. Geysers erupt because ground water comes into contact with hot bedrock and heats up. When the water reaches peak temperature and pressure, a tall column of superheated water and steam are sent up into the air.
• Kid Moment: This is a good place to talk about the importance of leaving no trace when you visit nature and the destruction that human interference can cause.
• Kid Caution: Because the erupting water is super hot, children need to be reminded to stay back behind the rope

Gullfoss With Kids

Gullfoss is my all-time was my favorite waterfall – even tops Niagara Falls. The water was crystal blue, and there were great views of both sets of falls and plenty of rainbows when we visited. While Gullfoss is not as wide, as steep or as powerful as Niagara Falls, I immediately made the comparison in terms of beauty.  What made Gullfoss so special was that it was so much more untouched than Niagara.   The tourist center, located right off the parking lot, was well developed with a restaurant and tourist shops, but it was the only building visible from the falls in any direction.  The 360 degree view was simply breathtaking.  64°19′34″N 20°07′16″W

• Kid Facts:  Different investors in the 20th century wanted to use Gullfoss to generate electricity, but it was eventually sold to Iceland and protected.
• Kid Moments:  Look for rainbows from every viewpoint.  Talk about protecting natural wonders.
• Kid Caution:  Paths at Gullfoss are more developed than many other sites, but because the view is from the top, it is necessary to hold hands with little ones and keep them well back from the roped off areas or edges.

Kerið With Kids

Kerið is a volcanic crater lake on the Golden Circle route and easy for families to explore. Landowners charge an entrance fee (400 kr or $3.75). 64°02′28″N 20°53′06″W / 64.041°N 20.885°W

On our way to Kerið, we turned too soon and ended up on an unpaved road we believed would take us to Kerið.  We did realize our mistake but found the mystery crater adjacent to Kerið pretty fascinating in the meantime.

Why We Loved the Golden Circle With Kids

The Golden Circle is a fantastic day trip from Reykjavik, particularly in the summer when daylight is not a scarce commodity.  We were fortunate to have several days in Reykjavik at the end of our Ring Road trip and chose to visit the Golden Circle on the day with the best weather forecast and actually had no rain whatsoever.  The Golden Circle highlights some of Iceland’s most beautiful natural wonders and a bit of history, too.

Interested in finding out more about Iceland with kids?  Check out our listing of all Iceland posts or join our Facebook group We Go To Iceland With Kids, which is a forum to ask questions and share ideas about family travel to Iceland.