Iceland's incredible landscape is an endless source of wonder no matter your age and exploring it with the family will create memories that will last a lifetime.
Don't worry about cries of "Are we there yet??" as you set off across the wild landscape – there is plenty of fun to be had at stops along the way once watching from the car window isn't quite enough. From calm walks in nature to thrilling rides down ziplines, you can find fun activities in Iceland for the entire family.
Is Iceland good for kids?
Absolutely! Top tip – bring swimsuits in all seasons. In the summer, make the most of the (a type of outdoor trampoline that they'll never want to leave) around the country – the one in Blönduós is especially big and bouncy. It's also a good idea to bring or buy discs for the in all corners of the country.
Always keep a football in the car for an impromptu game – soccer pitches are scattered all over the country (often by schools). In winter, toboggans are good companions and don’t take up much space.
Where is best in Iceland for kids
In Ჹí and the vicinity, you’ll find the most museums, restaurants and swimming pools, and the largest variety of children's activities. In almost every town and village along your journey there'll be at least a pool and playground, and some of the remotest places have the quirkiest museums.
Nature is an endless attraction for young and old, but remember to plan long hikes and Highland tours thoroughly and make sure that your children can handle the distance and terrain before embarking on wild adventures (for safety tips, go to ).
The best things to do in Iceland with babies and toddlers
Swimming pools, beaches and geothermal pools
Fun, relaxing and budget-friendly, will relieve the adults’ post-hike sore backs and muscles, and help energetic kids blow off steam. Afterward, everyone feels calm and refreshed. There are pools in almost every town and village, and in some scenic locations in the countryside. Many have thrilling waterslides and all of them are heated, so it doesn’t matter what the weather is like.
The Akureyri pool is the country’s most popular and has the added bonus of the longest slide in Iceland – thrill-seeking tots will love it. The Álftanes pool outside Ჹí has a wave pool and an indoor pool that's perfect for toddlers or first-time swimmers.
Sundhöll in central Ჹí has jumping boards (the big one is usually open in the evenings). The Hofsós pool offers an amazing view of Drangey Island and the fjord and Lýsulaugar on æڱԱ is a geothermal bath that has unique green algae and a glacial view.
A special mention goes to beaches with hot tubs, including in Ჹí, in Akranes, in the Westfjords and near Akureyri.
Wonderful wildlife
Meet Iceland’s domesticated animals and other more exotic creatures in Ჹí Zoo and Family Park, also sought-after for its mini funfair in the summer. Horse farms throughout the country offer stable visits and horseback riding adventures for different ages, such as near Eyrarbakki in South Iceland and outside Egilsstaðir in the East.
Slakki is a cute little petting zoo on the Golden Circle and the animals at are always happy to welcome visitors – plus you can jump in the hay! Fellabær by Egilsstaðir is home to a where friendly reindeer are waiting to greet the whole family.
Into the woods
Contrary to popular belief, Iceland has a few forests, which are very popular for outdoor recreation among Icelanders. Many have playgrounds and obstacle courses for children, including ðö on the outskirts of Ჹí and in Akureyri.
The largest forests, like in the North and in the East, have beloved campgrounds. all around the country to open up forested areas along the main roads that have facilities for perfect lunch breaks during road trips.
The best things to do in Iceland with kids
Boat trips
If the weather is nice, opt for oceanic adventures. is possible from many locations in Iceland, most famously from Húsavík in the North. For enthusiastic fishers of all ages, sea angling is a lot of fun and tours are available . The catch is often cooked afterward – it'll be the freshest fish you’ve ever tasted!
Kayaking is a calm and peaceful activity and children aged six and upwards can participate in in Stokkseyri, navigating narrow channels as a family. Various other locations offer tours, too. Take a ferry and combine a boat tour with a visit to one of Iceland’s idyllic islands.
lies just five minutes off the capital’s coast, is a 15-minute ferry ride from Árskógssandur near Akureyri, is in the middle of Breiðafjörður Bay and is 1.5 hours from Stykkishólmur by ferry, and Vestmannaeyjar can be reached in 30 minutes from Landeyjahöfn ferry dock.
Sleep beneath the stars
Kids love sleeping in tents and camping also has the bonus of being budget-friendly and a flexible way of discovering Iceland – see the landscape and elements up close. There are many in spectacular locations with great facilities around the country.
The best include Hamrar in ᲹԲóܰ forest in Akureyri, Á in the northern realms of Vatnajökull National Park, ٱí in Ჹǰٲðóܰ forest outside Egilsstaðir in the East and the campground at Skógafoss waterfall in the South.
Going underground
Discover the underworld of Iceland through dark and mysterious caves. in the South are ancient manmade caves, 鲹ܴڲó closer to Ჹí is one of the country’s longest lava tunnels, and on the Golden Circle is , in which people lived until the early 1900s.
On æڱԱ in West Iceland lies Vatnshellir, an ancient lava tube situated 35 meters (115ft) below the earth’s surface. In the manmade on Բöܱ, you can explore glaciers from the inside and a smaller ice tunnel, replicating the insides of a glacier, can be found in Perlan, the Wonders of Iceland museum in Ჹí.
The best things to do in Iceland with teenagers and tweenagers
Hike next to craters and mountains
There are no shortage of mountains in Iceland and hiking is a wonderful way of exploring the landscape for the whole family, conquering something together and then enjoying the view. Some of the easier hikes around Ჹí include Úlfarsfell and Mosfell. Off the Ring Road in West Iceland is the crater Grábrók – a short and easy hike that offers a welcome break from driving.
In Akureyri, Fálkafell offers an amazing view of Eyjafjörður with minimal effort. If you’re up for a challenge, try some of the longer routes, for example around and . Download for detailed GPS information on hikes in Iceland.
Zipline through the air
If you’re looking for an adrenaline-infused adventure, try ziplining. The country’s opened recently in Hveragerði, 40 minutes from Ჹí. Kids aged nine years and up can zoom across gullies and rivers in Vík in the South and Akureyri in the North.
Combine ziplining with climbing at the in Nesjavellir in beautiful landscape just an hour from Ჹí.
Skiing or tobogganing adventures for all
Nothing beats playing in the snow. Thirty minutes outside Ჹí is , the country’s largest ski resort with equipment rental, slopes for various levels and a ski school for kids. Hlíðarfjall in Akureyri is just 10 minutes outside town, offering both adventurous and easy slopes, and the same services.
There are lots more excellent resorts in , and the . in Grenivík also offers amazing toboggan adventures.
