4 Tips when taking your toddler to Iceland
I’ve traveled quite a bit, but I can definitely say that I’ve never been anywhere like Iceland. Iceland is the perfect destination for a seasoned traveler, a first time solo traveler, or an adventurous couple looking to road trip around the island. With friendly locals, stunning scenery, tons of adventure, and a lively tourism scene, you should experience Iceland at least once in your lifetime. BUTTTTTT going to Iceland with a toddler… now that’s a different ballgame.
When my husband and I decided to travel with our almost two-year-old son, many travel forums advised against venturing to Iceland with a toddler.
"It's irresponsible parenting!" "You will get to see so much more without Zidaan."
We decided we were going to do this anyways.
I have a separate blog about my flight over to Iceland (Linked here). If y’all want to read about that traumatic experience and what this mama learned, please head over there ^.
Where to Stay
When with a baby, I always want to make sure we choose AirBnBs over hotels only due to the convenience of having a kitchen/laundry. Pricing for Airbnbs depends heavily on what part of Reykjavik you decide to stay in and what season out of the year you visit. We found a cozy three bedroom apartment with one bathroom and a kitchen for about $600/3 nights.
Blue Lagoon with a baby!
First on our list was the Blue Lagoon! Yes, it is definitely just as beautiful as the pictures! I would highly recommend packing multiple swim diapers (my husband tore the first one right away), change of clothes, sunscreen, lots of moisturizer and conditioner for the baby. Sulfur in the lagoon can make your hair very coarse and dry - put lots of conditioner in your hair and tie it up!
What to pack!
We experienced wind, sun and rain during our three days in Iceland. You should definitely pack winter clothes for the baby (hats, thick coats, gloves, boots and everything you can think of.) Layers, layers, layers! I packed two windbreakers, a thick vest and lots of sweatshirts for Zidaan. Other things to not forget: rain cover for your stroller, lots of activities for your little one, lots of snacks (Iceland is quite pricy if you haven’t heard.)
TOURS!
This is important y’all. Since this was a big family vacation, my dad scheduled tours for all of us weeks before our trip. When we got to Iceland, we found out that most tours don’t allow kids under 6! This makes sense since the tours include glaciers, craters, geysers - everything that would be disastrous if a toddler was allowed anywhere near it. I wish we had done on our own research on this. Ebad and I each had to stay back a day with Zidaan while the other one went on the tour.
I hope some of this information helps you!
Andddd face it. Every parent knows a toddler can go from silent to crazy tantrum in 60 seconds. Just as I knew from the start there were things I would miss out on because I was with my baby (no long hikes or volcano descents), I also knew kids get irritated during long days out. Whenever he started crying or misbehaving, we smiled and remembered: "He's just a baby." Alternating child-care between adults and keeping an open mind made our trip a thousand times more enjoyable. So head to Iceland! As long as you’re prepared, a baby shouldn’t stop you from experiencing the beautiful country!