Gale-Force Welcome: Iceland’s Wild Arrival Day Adventure

sdhammond2
Sep 9
3 min read

Reykjanesviti - Reykjanes Lighthouse - Iceland's oldest lighthouse

Flying into Keflavík International Airport from the U.S. almost always means a crack-of-dawn arrival. The temptation to crash at a hotel bed in Reykjavík is real—but resist it. The best way to beat jet lag is to get on Iceland time immediately. Skip the alcohol on your flight, take a quick power nap if you must, and dive right into the adventure. Iceland’s rugged beauty won’t wait.

First Stop: Duty-Free and Arrival Tips

If you enjoy a drink, here’s an insider tip: pick up your favorite wine or spirit at duty-free before you even clear customs. Alcohol is expensive and sometimes hard to come by in Iceland, especially wine. My wife and I arrived on Easter Sunday when virtually everything was closed (and Monday, too—Easter is taken seriously here). With wine options scarce, I grabbed a bottle of locally made Reyka Vodka and Loki Vodka instead—when in Iceland, right?

Outside, our welcome was dramatic: gale-force winds mixed with sleet. Not exactly easy conditions for photography, but quintessential Iceland.

Car Rental Survival Guide

Our next stop was the rental car center. A warning here—undercarriage insurance isn’t offered, which seems odd given how rocky and rough many of the side roads are. You’ll definitely want windshield coverage—rocks fly up often. And if you’re an American Express Platinum cardholder, use it for the rental. AmEx offers excellent overseas rental coverage, which turned out to be a smart move.

The Reykjanes Peninsula

From Keflavík we drove southwest toward Reykjanes Lighthouse, skipping Hafnir village and the Hafnaberg sea cliffs on this trip. Just remember, Iceland is overflowing with breathtaking sights—don’t be discouraged if you can’t see everything. Sometimes less really is more.

Along Nesvegur Road we stopped at the Bridge Between Continents, a quirky little spot

where you can literally straddle North America and Europe at the same time. The winds and sleet made it a bit of a battle, but it was worth it for the photos. From there, we pressed on toward the lighthouse and Valahnúkamöl cliffs, though the weather made photography nearly impossible. The wind was so fierce it was lifting my heavy tripod clean off the ground. I came away with one blurred shot—proof not of the view, but of the storm itself!

Fun fact: Valahnúkamöl was also a filming location for the quirky Eurovision movie with Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. Hard to imagine them singing here with the wind roaring in my ears.

Valahnukamol - Reykjanes Peninsula and coast

Lunch in Grindavík

By this point, food was essential. We stopped in Grindavík, a windswept fishing town, and ducked into Papa’s Restaurant. This no-frills spot is attached to a gas station, but don’t let that fool you—the fish and chips were spot-on, crisp and fresh. Getting from the car to the door, however, felt like a small Arctic expedition thanks to the coastal winds.

Soaking at the Blue Lagoon

No trip to Iceland is complete without at least one dip in a hot spring, and the first stop for many is the famous Blue Lagoon. Yes, it’s touristy, but there’s a reason for that: floating weightless in milky-blue geothermal waters, framed by black volcanic rock, is an otherworldly experience. We booked our tickets weeks before leaving home (you should too—walk-ups are rarely available).

Our 2 p.m. slot was perfect. The sleet and gale-force winds continued, limiting visibility to maybe 10 yards, which only made it more surreal. No chance for photos, but what a memory! Later in our Ring Road journey, we discovered even more magical geothermal baths tucked away across the country. Still, this was the perfect welcome after a long flight.

Evening in Reykjavík

By late afternoon, we headed into Reykjavík and checked into the Hilton Reykjavík Nordica. At first glanc,e its location outside the city center seemed inconvenient, but the hotel was a gem. We had access to the Club Level, which served up an incredible spread of food—saving us from searching for Easter Sunday dinner in town.

After a long, exhilarating, and exhausting day, we enjoyed a quiet drink in the chic lobby bar before calling it a night. Our plan for the morning? Hit the road again—this time north to explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula.

The Hilton’s buffet breakfast, by the way, deserves its own mention: a feast fit for a jet-lagged traveler. Iceland truly knows how to fuel you up for the next adventure.