The Happiness Function

From iconic waterfalls to Vatnajökull and Thingvellir National Parks, the Golden Circle, and the Blue Lagoon, here’s what to expect from the weather and things to do while visiting the South Coast of Iceland in September.

I was on a night flight headed to Reykjavík, and my intuition told me to look out the window. I wasn’t expecting to see anything but darkness as I lifted the shade at my window seat. I couldn’t believe my eyes as I peered out into the darkness. I could see the northern lights dancing in the sky!

I took it as an omen; it was going to be an epic seven-day girls’ trip to Iceland. 

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Day 1: Arriving in Reykjavík + Where To Stay

After landing in Reykjavík, my friend and I grabbed our bags and caught a pre-arranged shuttle to our hotel. It was late at night, and I’m glad we had a shuttle waiting for us.

Where to stay: We chose the Storm Hotel in Reykjavík for its proximity to the waterfront, and breakfast was included in the room rate.

Day 2: Wool Sweaters and Waterfalls

The next morning, I woke up and checked the weather. It was going to be sunny and in the high 50s degrees Fahrenheit.

Bundled up in our fleece leggings and down jackets, we grabbed the hotel shuttle, which took us directly to the Hertz rental car location in Reykjavík.

Rental car tip: Get internet with your rental car. I was glad we booked a rental car with internet service, as it turned out to be helpful while road-tripping, allowing us to use a map and look things up.

We kicked off the trip heading southeast on Highway 1 (also known as Route 1). My friend and I were giddy with excitement and couldn’t wait to pick up a lopapeysa, a locally made Icelandic wool sweater. 

We pulled over at Litla lopasjoppan, a charming roadside store near the small town of Hella. The store was filled with handmade goods. I proudly picked out my sweater, made with green and cream wool, knowing I’d wear it the rest of the trip. 

Seljalandsfoss Waterfall

After shopping, we made a quick stop at the Lava Centre. It was awesome to learn about all the volcanic activity occurring on the island.

Next, we were off to Seljalandsfoss, one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls. It was incredible to lay my own eyes on it. Walking behind the waterfall was the best part, and we got soaking wet wandering around.

Packing tip: Be sure to bring full-body rain gear and waterproof boots on your visit to Iceland. You’ll need this gear to stay warm and dry while exploring the island’s waterfalls and subpolar oceanic climate.

Skógafoss Waterfall

Next, we continued our journey on Highway 1 to Skógafoss waterfall. After parking and walking towards the base of the falls, both my friend and I were drawn to the staircase leading up the side of the mountain.

We followed the trail to the top, along the stream, to the rocky, green tundra. I’ll never forget the views from the top and the furry Icelandic sheep grazing. I felt like I was in a Viking movie of some sort. It was magical, and we didn’t want to leave.

Where to stay: We ended the day at a darling boutique hotel, called the Magma Hotel, outside of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. 

Day 3: Glaciers, Icebergs, and the Diamond Beach

On day three, we woke up to pouring rain. It was chilly, with temperatures in the 40s.

Since we brought rain gear and warm layers, we were prepared to adventure despite the very windy and grey weather.

Vatnajökull National Park

Our first stop was Vatnajökull National Park, where we hiked to the base of the glacier.

After debating whether to hike to Skaftafell Falls, we decided to get back in the car to warm up and drive to the Fjallsárlón iceberg lagoon. We wanted to see as much as possible during our seven-day trip.

Fjallsárlón Iceberg Lagoon

We followed Highway 1 along the coast, grateful we had internet service to use the map app on my cell phone. Even though it was pouring rain, I knew we were in the right place as I saw glaciers standing tall out of the lagoon. I’ll never forget the glacial blue color of the water.

We didn’t spend much time here due to the wind and rain, but we did head a little further down the coast to see the iconic Diamond Beach.

Diamond Beach

It’s called Diamond Beach because the icebergs are as transparent as diamonds as they wash down from the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon nearby and into the ocean. It was worth the stop, and we even saw a seal frolicking in the waves. 

After an exciting and cold day exploring, we headed back to the Magma Hotel near Kirkjubæjarklaustur to rest and warm up.

Day 4: Anotherworldly Canyon and a Black Sand Beach

Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon

We woke up to a partly cloudy day, with no rain, and were eager to visit Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon.

Before visiting, I knew it was a place where “Game of Thrones” was filmed, and we were looking forward to seeing the snake-like canyon in real life.

The trail along the rim was beautiful, with numerous spots ideal for taking photos and videos.

Reynisfjara Beach

Next on the itinerary was a stop at another famous spot on the island, Reynisfjara Beach’s basalt columns and sea stacks.

Even though we started the day around 8 am, by the time we arrived at Reynisfjara Beach, it was packed with tour buses.

Travel tip: If you want that iconic photo of you standing next to the basalt columns, go early or be prepared to wait your turn.  

That evening, we stayed at Hótel Selfoss in Selfoss next to the Ölfusá River.

Day 5: The Golden Circle

It was windy, but we had clear skies as we started day five of our adventure. We reserved today for touring the Golden Circle, one of the top things to do in Iceland.

Kerið Crater

Our first stop was the Kerið Crater. We hiked around and enjoyed the views before getting back in the car to drive to Gullfoss.

Gullfoss

Gullfoss is the largest waterfall in Europe, in terms of volume.

Plan to spend time hiking the trail and exploring the visitor center at Gullfoss.

We warmed up with luxury hot chocolate and gluten-free Skyr cake with wild berries, both of which were incredible.

Getting there earlier gives you a slight head start on the crowds.

Geysir Geothermal Area

After Gullfoss, we drove to the Geysir Geothermal Area. It reminded me of Yellowstone National Park. As soon as I got out of the car, I was hit with the smell of sulfur.

We enjoyed walking the trails and seeing the steaming geysers and bubbling mud pots.

Thingvellir National Park

We ended the day driving to Thingvellir National Park and wandering the trails for a few hours before heading back to Hótel Selfoss. The picture-perfect landscape we saw made it hard for us to call it a day.

We ate at the burger place next door to the hotel and wandered the main strip in search of an ice cream shop.

Hotel tip: Let the front desk know you’d like a wake-up call if the northern lights appear during your stay.

Day 6: Geothermal Areas and the Blue Lagoon

On the sixth day of the trip, we began making our way back to Reykjavík, but first stopped to visit the Krýsuvík geothermal area. Here you can see more bubbling mud pots and hot springs.

After touring the geothermal area, we drove to the Blue Lagoon to soak for a few hours. My friend and I enjoyed the steamy, blue silica-rich springs, slushy fruit drinks, and a mud face mask.

Planning tip: Make reservations to visit the Blue Lagoon in advance.

Visiting the Blue Lagoon was a perfect way to warm up and wind down our trip to Iceland in September.

We spent our last night in Reykjavík at the Storm Hotel again. We made time to walk the main shopping strip, Laugavegur. We walked to the iconic Rainbow Street, Skólavörðustígur, and then stopped for gluten-free pizza at Rossopomodoro.

The next morning, we took a private ride to the airport and caught our flight home.

Iceland is such a special place. I would definitely go back again.