Reykjavik is the capital of Iceland and the most popular base location for visiting the country. The beauty of Iceland lies in its vast landscape diversity, plenty of which is only a day trip away from the capital. When researching where to go there are so many tours offered in the area, so here are 5 of the best day trips below to help narrow down that list.
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1. The Golden Circle
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The golden circle is by far the most popular tour in Iceland and a must do if it’s your first time visiting. Although there are many variations of this tour, the original route takes you to see three of Iceland’s most picturesque features all relatively close to Reykjavik. This tour is very flexible time wise and can be easily done in a half day -perfect for a travel day if you’re flying in early in the morning or out late at night.
Stop 1: Thingvellir National Park – One of the many unique features of Iceland is that it’s divided by the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates at the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Typically these plates are hidden under the ocean, but here you can clearly see the division of both plates and where they collide, so technically you can stand on two continents at the same time.
Stop 2: Geysir –A feat of mother nature – powered by geothermal activity – every couple minutes you can see one erupt into the air.
Stop 3: Gulfoss – Iceland is notorious for it’s spectacular waterfalls and this one is no exception.
There are countless tour groups that offer different variations of the Golden Circle. But if you want to escape the crowds and are renting a car on your vacation, I 100% recommend driving yourself for this. The earlier the better before these spots. If you can hit them before the buses get there it’s a way more enjoyable experience especially if you go in tourist season (June-August).
2. Blue Lagoon
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Want to sit back relax on vacation? Go swim in one of the most famous geothermal pools in the world only 40 minutes away from Reykjavik. Find my full review and of the infamous Blue Lagoon here.
3. Reykjadalur Hot Springs
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If your looking for adventure on a budget than these hot springs should definitely be on your list. Located about 1 hr from the capital, are the Reykjadalur hot springs hidden up in the mountains. Full recap available here.
4. Black Sand Beaches
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If you’re willing to venture 2-3 hrs out of the city – the South coast is an absolute must and well worth the extra travel time. I took this tour and highly recommend it if you’re looking for a full day of adventure.
To break up the long ride to the beaches, the tour stops at two of the country’s most famous waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss. The ATV Tour itself took us along the untouched dunes – stopping at the waters edge and at the famous airplane wreck.
5. Katla Ice Caves
Katla Ice Caves 
Katla Ice Caves
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The Katla Ice Caves are located in Southern Iceland and are part of the Kotlujokull glacier. These caves are only be reached with a tour group, and our guides explained that due to glacial recession, each year they have to look for new caves to bring people to since they keep melting away. It’s crazy to think that the ice I’m standing on here took thousands of years to form, and in one year from now it will be completely gone.
-Kira