We Go With Kids!

Tag: pools

  • Things to Do in Las Vegas With Kids

    Things to Do in Las Vegas With Kids

    Las Vegas with kids, really?  Sin City may not be an obvious location for a family vacation, but we had a blast. As full disclosure, gambling and night clubs weren’t a draw before we had kids, so it was no biggie to forego completely after kids.  Many families wonder if it’s expensive to travel to Las Vegas.  Because Vegas offers more hotel rooms than any other US city.  Competition for amenities and value is intense, and mid-week hotel prices are quite reasonable compared to similar hotels almost anywhere else, even including the standard resort fees. The weather is nice most of the year, and kids find the Strip’s “neon canyon” as entertaining as adults.  Las Vegas Boulevard (aka the Strip), has been named as the world’s most visited tourist attraction with almost 40 million annual tourists and offers shows and activities for all visitors.  We loved our trip and would go back in a heartbeat because there are so amazing things to do in Las Vegas with kids.

    The famous Strip

    We visited Las Vegas when I was six months pregnant with our first son and then again seven years later with our three kids, aged 7, 4 and 6 months.  During our “babymoon” trip, we flew into and out of Las Vegas and also traveled to Grand Canyon National Park, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.  We would love to visit Bryce and Zion with kids, especially after reading 10 year old Andrew’s review of Zion, but we weren’t able to add those on during our 2015 trip to Las Vegas, which was inspired by our oldest son’s desire to see the Grand Canyon.  We flew to Las Vegas, where we spent a few days at the beginning and end of the trip and visited Grand Canyon National Park and Sedona in the middle.

    Beautiful Las Vegas view from our room at Caesars Palace

    Our hotels in Las Vegas have been highlights of our visits.  Our favorite hotel on the Strip is the Bellagio, which featured a gorgeously appointed room that had an amazing city view.  We could check out the water fountain shows from our room.

    Our room at the Bellagio

    Off the Strip, our favorite resort is Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa, which is located about 15 miles west of the Strip.  We booked a night at Red Rock after such a lovely stay at sister Station Casinos hotel, Green Valley Ranch, Casino, Resort & Spa.  Both resorts are significantly more low-key and relaxed than those on the Strip.  While Green Valley is more conveniently located close to the Airport, the scenery surrounding Red Rock gives it its edge.

    The boys loved Red Rock Resort

    We have also enjoyed some great meals, including the one of the most popular buffets on the Strip, Bacchanal Buffet in Caesars Palace.  Bacchanal opened in 2012 and has been ranked as the top Las Vegas buffet by USA Today.  We enjoyed the modern food presentations in this upscale restaurant.   Our favorite Thai meal was at Lotus of Siam, which was rated as the best Thai restaurant in the U.S. by Gourmet Magazine.  It’s located in a strip mall not far from the Strip, and the food was quite tasty.  Here are five fun family activities to consider when visiting Las Vegas with kids:

    Las Vegas Kids’ Activities

    #1:  Visiting Las Vegas’ Casinos

    Las Vegas hotels and casinos are lavishly themed and fun for kids of all ages.  Most of the interesting parts of the casino complexes are separated from the gaming sections and have nothing to do with gambling.

    Caesars Palace is the Strip’s oldest hotel that opened in 1966.  This opulent resort features reproductions of Roman statues and the high-end Forum Shops mall.  Kids will particularly enjoy the moving statues at the Forum.

    Caesar’s Palace

    The Bellagio is a $1.6 billion resort that opened in 1998 with an Italian theme.  The main lobby of the Bellagio features Fiori di Como, an installation of 2,000 colorful handblown glass flowers designed by Dale Chihuly.  My kids loved the flower displays in the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, which were decorated for the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Sheep, at the time of our visit.  As a bonus, there is no admission fee for the Conservatory.

    Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

    The Venetian is the world’s second largest hotel with more than 7,000 suites and beautifully recreates Italy’s most romantic city with reproductions of famous frescoes and Venice landmarks.  The gondola ride through the mock canals and outdoor man-made lake is a popular attraction.

    Venetian Gondola Ride

    The Luxor is a 30-story bronze pyramid, named after the Egyptian city, and opened in 1993.  The entrance is through the legs of a giant Sphinx, a recreation of the Great Sphinx of Giza.  A xenon light beam is projected from the apex of the pyramid at night and can be seen from planes as far as 250 miles away and supposedly from space, too.  The hotel elevators (aka “inclinators”) travel along the inclines of the 350 foot pyramid at a 39 degree angle.

    We also enjoyed Mandalay Bay’s tropical theme, the Excalibur’s medieval theme inspired by King Arthur and his knights, and Paris Las Vegas‘ Parisian cobblestone streets.

    Families with children can walk through most casinos but cannot stop.  Note that the distances between casinos are deceivingly large, and driving is the best way for families to get around.  Luckily, the casinos generally offer free parking, even for non-gamblers.  Because the weather was ideal, we did walk to the nearby casinos on either side of us and across the street but drove when visiting further casinos.  We also took advantage of the free tram that runs between the Excalibur, the Luxor and Mandalay Bay.

    • Kid Facts:  Steve Wynn opened the Mirage in 1989 as the city’s first mega-resort, the largest hotel in the world and the most expensive hotel-casino ever constructed.  Its success led to the transformation of the Strip as old casinos were torn down to make room for massive complexes styled after some of the world’s most desirable tourist destinations like Rome, Venice, Paris, Egypt and New York.

    #2:  Checking Out Las Vegas’ Outdoor Displays With Kids

    The Bellagio’s 8.5-acre artificial lake features the famous dancing fountains, The Fountains of Bellagio.  The 1,200 jets stream up to 460 feet into the air and burst choreographed water accompanied by over 4,500 lights.  The fountain show runs every quarter or half hour in the afternoons and evenings.  Make sure to check out the schedule.  With different music showcased, it is enjoyable to watch more than one show!  We were so glad we visited the Bellagio with kids.

    The Mirage’s Volcano “erupts” at 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. each evening and also 10:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.  Our kids were mesmerized by the fiery eruption, which we caught a few times during our stay.  The Volcano fits in nicely with the Mirage’s Polynesian theme.

    Mirage lagoon before the eruption
    Eruption!

    The Eiffel Tower in Paris is one of the world’s most recognizable icons.  It is the #1 destination on my middle child’s bucket list.  While Paris-Las Vegas’ half-scale, 460 foot Eiffel Tower replica is not a substitute, it fueled his desire to see it in real life.  Years after our visit, my son remembers vividly how the Eiffel Tower replica was built around and into other buildings in the resort’s complex.

    Paris-Las Vegas’ Eiffel Tower
    • Kid Facts:  The Fountains of Bellagio were the largest fountain in the world when they opened.

    #3: Visiting Pools at Las Vegas Family Resorts

    The pools we have visited in Las Vegas are particularly extravagant and cater to guests of all ages.  Most pools allow only guests to use their pool facilities, so it’s important to do some pool research before booking a resort or plan to visit one of the pools that permits non-guests with an admission fee.   My daughter had her first pool experience at Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis at Caesars Palace and loved it.  These pools are modeled after Roman baths and include Roman statues and reminded me of the Hearst Castle pool.  Obviously, this was a memorable place to first experience a pool.

    The pools off the Strip also have gorgeous pool facilities.  We enjoyed the swimming complex at Red Rock Resort before heading to the Airport for our red-eye flight.

    Red Rocks pool

    We particularly enjoyed the luxurious chaise lounges at Green Valley Ranch’s pool, which did not require an additional booking fee like many on the Strip.

    The pool at Green Valley Ranch

    Many resorts in Las Vegas also have complimentary spa indoor facilities for guests over 18, including an indoor hot tub.  One downside to traveling to Las Vegas with kids is that adults have to take turns in order to enjoy these facilities.

    Indoor hot tub at Green Valley Ranch
    • Kid Facts:  I could find no interesting facts about Las Vegas pools, but almost all kids will love them!

    #4:  Visiting Las Vegas’ Red Rock Canyon With Kids

    The natural red rocks just outside of Las Vegas are the perfect contrast to all of the artificial lights on the Strip.  We thoroughly enjoyed the scenery of the sandstone and limestone cliffs when traveling to and from Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa. We did not have a chance to hike the scenic loop at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area but definitely hope to do at least part of that hike on our next trip.

    • Kid Facts:  The Red Rock area was under an ocean 600 million years ago.  Sandstones were deposited about 250 million years ago, and oxidation of iron in the sediments caused the red coloring.

    #5:  Visiting Las Vegas’ Hoover Dam With Kids

    The famous Hoover Dam is a 726 foot dam located on the Nevada-Arizona border about 35 miles from Las Vegas.  The water flow of the Colorado River used to rise dramatically in the spring and slow to a trickle in the summer and was therefore an unreliable water source. Hoover Dam was constructed to control destructive floods, ensure a steady water supply to the Colorado River basin and generate inexpensive electricity.  The Dam continues to provide water and electricity to Nevada, Arizona and California.  Las Vegas benefitted substantially from the influx of construction workers, who started arriving in 1931, the same year that gambling was legalized. By the time this engineering masterpiece was completed in 1935, there were a number of gambling clubs open in Las Vegas.

    The top of the bridge is open to pedestrians and vehicles.  We took the opportunity while visiting Hoover Dam to explain how a dam works.  The boys were particularly interested in how the changing water depth effected the mountains on the water’s edge.

    The half-hour guided power plant tour gives visitors the chance to see the still-functioning generators up close.  We were amazed at the architectural detail inside the dam.

    • Kid Facts:  Construction of the Hoover Dam cost $49 million.  At its base, the Dam is 660 feet thick (compared to its 726 foot height).  The amount of concrete used could build a two-lane highway from San Francisco to New York.

    There are so many wonderful things to do in Vegas for visiting families even after you strip out the gambling, shows and night clubs.  Luxury accommodations are generally available at a significant discount compared to other cities.  The casinos are a feast for the eyes, and buffets and famous restaurants provide a real feast.  The hotel pools rival some of the best in the world, and we would love more Las Vegas family fun, especially because Vegas is conveniently located near Grand Canyon National Park and other amazing Southwest destinations.  We definitely recommend traveling families consider a trip to Las Vegas for kids.

  • Visiting Thermal Pools in Iceland

    Visiting Thermal Pools in Iceland

    Bathing outdoors in volcanically heated pools has been a tradition since Viking times.  Thermal pools heated to about 100 degrees Fahrenheit are available all over the country and relatively inexpensive.  Because the water is so warm, Icelanders enjoy thermal pools all year around.  Geothermal pools in Iceland are significantly less chlorinated than pools in the US because of strict hygiene guidelines and the water is completely replaced about every other day.  Thermal pools in Iceland were definitely a highlight of our trip.

    We loved visiting thermal pools around the country.  Our first thermal pool experience was in Eskifjörður on a 50 degree wet and windy morning.  It was definitely an experience we will never forget and would also definitely do again. We tried all the water slides and the hot tubs (aka hot pots) of varying temperatures.  We had this great idea to break up the journey from Akureyri to Reykjavik by stopping at a thermal pool.  Unfortunately, it turned out that the Laugarbakki pool was “just a hot tub at the moment.”  It would have been helpful to have consulted this listing of Iceland’s pools in advance.

    Thermal Pool Necessities

    You can rent a towel and even a suit at thermal pools, but the cost of rental is equivalent to the cost of admission.  Despite the cost, our preference is always not to rent swimwear, so we each brought one suit and also packed small beach towels to use at the pools.  As a an additional benefit, they also come in handy to dry off on rainy days.

    Flip flops and bathing suit covers are not used in thermal pools.  Also note that use of cell phones and cameras is not allowed.  Thus, I have no pictures of our four visits to public thermal pools.

    Thermal Pool Etiquette

    There is strictly-adhered to pool etiquette regarding hygiene and dry floors.  After paying our entrance fee (which was generally about $20 for our entire family), we received directions on how the lockers work.  Then, we took off our shoes and socks off outside the appropriate locker rooms and left them on the shoe racks or carried them with us in one of the provided bags.   In the locker rooms, we would undress completely and put everything in the locker except our towels and suits.  Then, we would leave the towels on the towel racks by the showers and carry our suits into the shower and hang it on the faucet.  A soap/shampoo combo is provided in the shower area.  Notorious signs identifying “problem areas” to pay attention to are visible in the shower areas of all public pools.  After washing, we would put our suits on and finish rinsing off.  I would then tie up my long hair into a ponytail or bun before heading to the pool and pick up provided arm bands for my daughter to wear.  These were generally available near the pool entrance.

    We would shower again after swimming and make sure to towel dry our hair before entering the changing room.  It is imperative that you do not track water from the shower area into the changing room.  Luckily, most pools have bathrooms in the shower area.  Most pools have centrifugal dryers next to the sinks to spin excess water off of wet suits.  Put one suit in, close the lid and hold it closed for about 10 seconds while the dryer spins.

    Preparing Children for Thermal Pools

    We explained to our boys that showering in a communal shower before swimming was both customary and required at Iceland’s pools well in advance, and it was no issue.  Young children can go into locker rooms with either parent.  Because both my husband and I were always there, the boys went with him, and I took our daughter.  Our toddler needed no forewarning and was completely unaffected about the communal showers, but adding a toddler to the changing room regimen did complicate the process for me on our first visit.

    Blue Lagoon

    The best thermal pool in Iceland is the Blue Lagoon, which is the most popular tourist destination in Iceland and costs significantly more than the public thermal pools and also has slightly different rules.  At check in, we each received a wrist band.  It was important to make sure this did not come off while we were bathing because it can be used to make food and beverage purchases and was also needed to access our lockers.  Several times, guards notified me that my band needed to be tightened.

    Showering naked before bathing (people do not really “swim” in the Blue Lagoon) is required, but there are private shower stalls.  Because of the silica and sulfur in the water, it was important to leave conditioner in our hair while we were in the Blue Lagoon.  Also, there are no towel racks inside the locker rooms; instead, we brought our towel or bathrobe with us and hung it on the hooks outside.  Flip flops are permitted, and children under age eight must wear arm bands.

    Use of cameras and phones remain off limits in the changing rooms, but they are most definitely permitted in the Lagoon itself.  In fact, we saw more cameras in the Blue Lagoon than anywhere else in Iceland.  We used our son’s waterproof camera rather than our phones, but most people had their phones with them in the water.  Waterproof cases are highly recommended and not so surprisingly are rather expensive to purchase on site.

    After we were done bathing, we showered and washed our hair again.  There is a special area in the locker room for drying after your shower that offers Blue Lagoon lotion.

    There are so many opportunities to visit thermal pools in Iceland, and we’re sad that we missed the Secret Lagoon while touring the Golden Circle, but it’s high on our list the next time we visit Iceland. Planning a family trip to Iceland?  Check out our listing of all Iceland posts.

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  • Things to Do in North Iceland

    Things to Do in North Iceland

    We traveled from East Iceland through the highlands to reach North Iceland, which is known for whale watching, Lake Myvatn and waterfalls. The largest metropolitan area in Iceland outside of Reykjavik is Akureyri, which is located on a fjord in North Iceland.  Some of our favorite things to do in North Iceland include:

    North Iceland Waterfalls

    Waterfalls are among the many highlights of Northern Iceland.  During our three days in Northern Iceland, we saw three stunning waterfalls – Dettifoss, Hafragilsfoss and Gulfoss.

     

    Dettifoss Waterfall in North Iceland

    Dettifoss Waterfall  is the most powerful waterfall in Iceland on the Jökulsá á Fjöllum River, within the Vatnajökull National Park. The milky-gray water comes from the Vatnajökull Glacier. There is about a 10-15 minute walk on a gravel path with steps from the parking lot to the overlook.   We really enjoyed the Dettifoss hike and viewing this powerful waterfall from the top.  65°48′52.8″N 16°23′04.1″W

    • Dettifoss Waterfall Facts:  The stunning Dettifoss falls are 330 feet wide and drop 144 feet down to the Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon
    • Dettifoss Waterfall Kid Moments:  Count the steps leading down to the waterfall to make the journey more exciting
    • Dettifoss Waterfall Kid Caution:  The walk to the falls was more strenuous than most, but our two year old did most of it by herself.  The view of Dettifoss is from above, and it is an extremely powerful waterfall.  I held my two younger children’s hands at all times and left the picture taking of Dettifoss entirely to my husband.  Make sure children stay well back from the edge, especially on a windy day.

     

    Hafragilsfoss Waterfall in North Iceland

    Hafragilsfoss is a waterfall just downstream from Dettifoss. 65°49′57″N 16°24′00″W

    • Hafragilsfoss Kid Caution:  We visited Dettifoss and Hafragilsfoss on a particularly windy day, and the hike up to the Hafragilsfoss viewing area was steep with cliff edges.  So, I chose to stay in the car with the kids while my husband took hiked up to view the falls and take a few pictures.

     

    Godafoss Waterfall in North Iceland

    Godafoss Waterfall in Iceland is a beautiful waterfall with amazing rock formations surrounding it located right on the Ring Road between Myvatn and Akureyri. It is considered the “Beauty” to Dettifoss’ “Beast.” 65°40′48″N 17°32′24″W

    • Godafoss Falls Facts:   Goðafoss means “waterfall of the gods” and was named by Thorgeir Ljosvetningagodi Thorkelsson, who made Christianity the official religion of Iceland in 999 or 1000.  At that time, he threw his pagan statues into Godafoss.  A window in Akureyrarkirkja illustrates this story.

     

    Places to Visit in North Iceland

    Husavík, Iceland

    Husavík is an idyllic fishing village known for whale watching.  Whale watching in Husavik is so popular because visitors are more likely to see different species of whales than any other whale watching destinations in Iceland.  The humpback is the most commonly viewed whale in Iceland, but tourists in Husavik often see other types of whales.

    Photo credit Asa Brandis from Pixabay

    We spent a night at an adorable apartment right near the harbor specifically to take a whale watching.  The three whale watching tour providers in Husavik are:  Gentle Giants, Salka Whale Watching and North Sailing.  Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate with us, and whale watching tours were cancelled due to weather.  We thought about trying to ride out the storm, but the radar did not look favorable, so we headed to the Myvatn area instead. It was wet and rainy the whole time we were there, but the view was still beautiful.  We picked up take out fish and chips and ate in our apartment.

    Photo credit:  Christian Klein from Pixabay

     

    Lake Myvatn

    Lake Myvatn is a pretty significant tourist area with many attractions. There is a tourist office in Reykjahlid next to the supermarket that offers great maps of the area and advice.  We spent an entire day in Lake Myvatn, and families with more time in Northern Iceland could easily spend longer exploring the beautiful natural wonders surrounding Lake Myvatn.

    • Dimmuborgir is a lava field with volcanic caves and unusually shaped rocked collections. There are paved and unpaved, kid-friendly trails that our family particularly enjoyed exploring. There is a tourist center with a gift shop and restaurant located off of the parking lot.  The Dimmuborgir area was formed about 2300 years ago by a collapsed lava tube where lava pooled over a small lake.  Lava pillars were formed by vapor that rose through the lava.  “Dimmu” means “dark”, and  “borgir” means “castles.”   Our kids were amazed that Dimmuborgir’s geology is so unique that the only similar locations exist on the ocean floor. 65°35′25″N 16°53′58″
    Dimmuborgir

     

    • Holfdi Viewpoint is a peninsula that stretches into Lake Myvatn. There are a number of hiking trails in this forest. We took the one that went up to the overlook and saw more trees on this hike than anywhere else in Iceland. It was buggy, but none of us were actually bitten.

     

    • Grjótagjá consists of two portals into a small lava cave that each have a thermal spring filled with blue water that used to be a popular location for swimming, but the water temperature has risen after volcanic eruptions and is now too hot. Apparently, the temperature is falling, and there are times when it is safe for people to enter, but no one was in the water during our visit.  Grjótagjá was closed in the summer of 2018 to protect it from damage and may not be open to visitors.
      • Grjótagjá Facts:  Kids may be interested that Grjótagjá was the filming location of an iconic Game of Thrones scene, but the actual scene is not kid-friendly.
      • Kid Caution:  The climb in is a bit steep, but our seven and nine year old boys had no difficulty.  We chose not to bring in our toddler due to the risk of hot water.
    Grjótagjá

     

    • Hverir is a large geothermal field of bubbling mud pools, steaming fumaroles and cracked mud that seems right out of Star Wars. It was the muddiest part of our trip, and many tourists had those blue shoe coverings, which I was a bit envious of for the first time in my life. The kids enjoyed exploring but wished there was some way to cover up the sulfuric smell (like rotten eggs). While Yellowstone’s geothermal area is more extensive, Hverir is unique in that you feel like you are truly visiting another planet.   Hverir is a great place to talk about what it would be like to live on another planet.
      • Hverir Facts:  A fumarole (meaning “smoke”) is an opening in the Earth’s crust often found near volcanoes that emits steam and gases.
    Mud pools

    Akureyri, Iceland

    Akureyri in Iceland boasts a population of 18,000, which makes it the largest metropolitan area outside of Reykjavik and the fourth largest municipality (after Reykjavík and two of its surrounding municipalities).  Akureyri is a quaint town located on the Eyjafjörður fjord. We stayed at an AirBNB in the center of town, around the corner from the Lutheran church, Akureyrarkirkja. There are a few shopping streets, similar to those around Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavik. There are also both Chinese and Thai restaurants and Indian takeaway. You can go whale watching in Akureyri, but most people choose to go in Dalvík or Husavík. We also visited the Akureyri Thermal Pool, just outside the center of town. We had a lovely time even though construction was underway on slides at the time of our visit.

    • Akureyri Facts:  Guðjón Samuelsson, the State Architect who designed Hallgrímskirkja also designed Akureyrarkirkja, which was completed in 1940.  Akureyrarkirkja contains a 3,200 pipe organ, and its central window above the altar came from Canterbury Cathedral in England.
    Harbor view from our AirBNB
    Akureyrarkirkja

    Whale Watching in North Iceland

    Because our whale watching trip in Husavik was rained out, we opted to go whale watching in Dalvik, Iceland the next day  Dalvik is a town located on the Eyjafjörður fjord north of Akureyri that offers whale watching. We chose to do a tour through Artic Sea Tours because of Dalvík’s proximity to Akureyri and because the tours include a fishing portion, which interested my sons. My daughter had just woken up from a nap when we arrived at the office and was not happy about the red jumpsuit she was offered to wear.  Although she had never before had an issue with the color of clothing, she yelled, “But red is not my favorite color!” for about 10-minutes straight on the bus we took to the boat.  Luckily, the others in our tour were highly amused, and she ultimately decided that putting on the red jumpsuit was a wise choice.  The humpback whales were amazing, and the views of the Eyjafjörður fjord were breathtaking. We particularly enjoyed bird watching. Near the end of the tour, fishing rods are distributed, and all fish caught are cleaned and grilled upon your return to be shared by the members of the tour. My boys caught a total of three large cod, which they enjoyed possibly as much as seeing humpback whales. Our picnic afterwards included the freshest fish we had ever tasted.

    Many Iceland visitors miss North Iceland, but we were glad it was part of our itinerary!  On our trip back to Reykjavik, we ignored our GPS’ suggestion to divert from the Ring Road and immediately shaved an hour of time off our journey.

    Continue Iceland Part IX – Suggested Itineraries or check out a listing of all of our Iceland with kids posts.

  • Best Things to Do in Reykjavik With Kids

    Best Things to Do in Reykjavik With Kids

    Reykjavík is the northernmost capital of the world, and is tiny compared with other European capital cities.  With a population of about 120,000 in the city limits and 215,000 in the region, a significant portion of Iceland’s 335,000 residents live in this area.  But, there is a marked difference from London’s 8.8 million residents.  These are our recommendations for the best things to do in Reykjavik with kids.

    A large concentration of Iceland’s shopping, restaurants and tourist sites are in Reykjavík.  There are also significantly more accommodation options than other parts of the country, and our three bedroom AirBNB about 10 minutes from the city centre provided our least expensive nights of the entire trip.  The Blue Lagoon, the most popular tourist site, is located between the Keflavik Airport and Reykjavík, and the Golden Circle and thermal pools were fabulous, but the city center itself was not as exciting as most other parts of our trips.

    We spent part of the first day in the Reykjavík area and then had about three full days at the end of our trip.  We thought we would take a day trip to the Snæfellsnes peninsula but decided to limit driving at the end of the trip and stay closer to our accommodations.  Looking back, we probably would have preferred to spend an extra day in the Southwest, but Reykjavík certainly has lot to offer visiting families with kids within a 90 minute radius.

    Central Reykjavik

    • Hallgrímskirkja is a Lutheran Church in Reykjavik that is visible throughout the city center.  The statute of Norse explore Leif Erikson in the front of the church was a gift from the US on Iceland’s 1,000th parliamentary anniversary in 1930.  Erikson was the first European explorer to discover the continental North America around 1000, almost 500 years before Christopher Columbus’ journey.   64°08′30″N 21°55′36″W
      • Kid Facts:  Hallgrímskirkja is the final work of State Architect Guðjón Samuelsson, who also designed Akureyrarkirkja.  It was commissioned in 1937, and construction lasted from 1945 to 1986.  The church houses a 50 foot pipe organ that has 5,275 pipes.
      • Kid Moment:  Kids enjoy the view from above.  The church doubles as an observation tower that you can access via elevator (2,000 kr or about $19 for our entire family).  Most cathedrals I visited were built well before elevators were invented, and if you want to get to the tower, you need to climb many flights of stairs.  There is not as much adventure in riding an elevator, but it is definitely convenient.

    Hallgrímskirkja and view from the observation deck

    • Harpa is a beautiful concert hall and conference center on the harbor that was completed in 2011. There are a variety of shops and a Sterna Travel office that offers day trips on the main level. 64°9′1″N 21°55′57″W
      • Kid Facts:  Construction of Harpa was delayed by the 2008 Icelandic financial crisis.  For several years, it was the only construction project in Iceland.  Both the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra and the Icelandic Opera perform here.
      • Kid Moments:  Our kids enjoyed the exploring the souvenir shops but actually preferred building rock towers across the street even more.
    View of harbor from Harpa
    Harpa exterior
    Building rock towers across from Harpa
    • The Sun Voyager is a stainless steel sculture by Jón Gunnar Árnason located on the sea front near Harpa.
      • Kid Facts:  The Sun Voyager was completed in 1990 and was not intended to symbolize a Viking Ship but a dream boat as an ode to the Sun.

    • Baejarins Beztu Pylsur is a very famous hot dog stand. Lines are regularly long for 400 kr ($3.75) hot dogs, but we were there at about 9 pm and had almost no wait. My husband and boys ate two each.  64°08′53″N 21°56′16″W
      • Kid Facts:  Baejarins opened in 1937.  Bill Clinton visited in 2004.  The name translates to “The Town’s Best Sausages.”
      • Kid Moments:  Eat at the picnic tables and use the hot dog holders.
    • Thermal Pools:   There are four thermal pools in Reykjavík.  We visited Laugardalslaug and Salalaug Kopavogur.  Laugardalslaug is Iceland’s largest thermal pool and extremely popular. It was the only thermal pool we visited where there were more tourists than locals. Please make sure to review our post on pool etiquette before you visit.  64°08′46″N 21°52′48″W

    Near Reykjavik

    • Blue Lagoon is the most popular tourist attraction in Iceland located on the Reykjanes Peninsula about 20 minutes from the airport and 50 minutes from Reykjavik. The man-made geothermal pool is rich in minerals such as silica and sulfur that are supposed to improve the skin.  We chose a 9 pm entry because it was available, gave us a full day to spend in Reykjavik and meant we would not have to eat a meal while we were there and our kids never fully adjusted to the Icelandic time zone and regularly stayed up past 11 pm during our trip.  It turned out to be a relatively quiet time, and we were the only family with young children as usual.  The water is approximately 100° F, and visitors bathe rather than swim.  Pool rules are slightly different at the Blue Lagoon than other thermal pools around the country.
      • Kid Facts:  The water in the Lagoon comes from a nearby geothermal power plant and is replaced every other day.  Silica creates the water’s milky blue coloring.
      • Reservations:  It is absolutely necessary to book in advance during the summer months and likely all year.  Reservations can be made directly on the website.  You book a specific hour of entry (but can stay until close after you enter), and admission cost varies based on how far in advance you book and which entry hour you select.  I thought I would book after getting a better idea of weather, but when I logged onto the website about a week in advance, I found very few options.
      • Lagoon Etiquette:  While it is required to shower before entering, there are individual shower stalls rather than communal showers.  Also, visitors bring their towel, bath robes and flip flops outside with them rather than leaving them on racks near the showers.  If you have long hair, make sure it is wet before you enter the lagoon and leave conditioner in while you bathe (it is not recommended that you go under water) to protect your hair from the silica.  Use conditioner again multiple times when you are done and use plenty of lotion.  Also, make sure you are dry before entering the change rooms.
      • Kid Rules:  There is no charge for children at the Blue Lagoon, but children under age two are not permitted.  No proof of age was required for our petite almost three-year-old.  There was no visible prohibition regarding use of swimming diapers, but I did not see anyone using them, either.   Additionally, all children under aged eight must wear arm bands.  Everyone receives a wrist band at check-in to wear throughout the visit.  The band is used to lock and unlock the lockers, and the color indicates a child’s age or adult’s package.  The adjustable band kept expanding.  Helpful guards periodically pointed out to me that mine needed to be tightened, and we ended up putting the kids’ on their legs.
      • Kid Moment:  Make sure to get silica masks for the whole family!
    • Lava Tunnel Raudfarholshellir is located about 30 minutes from Reykjavik and started offering a family-friendly one hour Standard Lava Tunnel Tour in June 2017. I used my Beco carrier for my two year old and learned at the end of the tour that she was their youngest visitor yet. A four year old in our tour walked on her own with no issues. N.63º 56.407 / W. 021º 23.742
      • Kid Facts:  A lava tube is a natural tunnel formerly occupied by flowing lava.  This tunnel was formed after the Leitahraun eruption about 5,200 years ago.
      • Kid Moments:  Notice all the step marks on the cave walls that mark the various depths at which the lava flowed.  Also, enjoy the moment of darkness when the tour guide switches off the lights inside the cave.

     

    Golden Circle – Check out our post on the Golden Circle in southwest Iceland.

     

    Continue to Iceland Part V – Southwest Iceland.  Interested in finding out more about visiting Iceland with kids?  Check out our listing of all Iceland blog 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.