Blue Lagoon Iceland: What You Need to Know Before You Visit

We paid a visit to Blue Lagoon Iceland and were impressed by the facilities of this popular destination, but watch for large crowds.

For avoidance of doubt, this is not a sponsored post. We receive no compensation from Blue Lagoon nor have any relationship with the venue. We just simply wish to share our experiences.

What is Blue Lagoon?

The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal pool close to Keflavik, Iceland, where the country’s main international airport resides. The hot water is collected 2,000 meters underground and brought up to the surface. From there, they cool the water down to a relaxing 38°C (~100°F). You can make a daytrip here while on a long layover, which really only happens when flying Icelandair. Unless you have a lengthy layover of more than 5 hours, we wouldn’t recommend visiting if not staying longer in the country.

The water at this natural hot springs includes silica, algae, and minerals. Algae might not sound like the thing you’d really want to have in a hot springs, but it helps with the rejuvenation you’ll feel while in here.

This is the most popular natural hot springs in Iceland, with two full-service hotels on-site, a spa, and multiple dining venues. As you might imagine, it can feel crowded here, but while it felt crowded to us in the locker room, it still felt relaxing when in the water. National Geographic considers the Blue Lagoon one of the 25 wonders of the world. I remember when there were just seven wonders of the world.

Purchasing tickets

While you can purchase tickets on arrival, you’ll find the shortest lines if you purchase in advance. And if you’re purchasing in advance, don’t forget to check in online in advance to make it even easier on yourself.

Ticket packages are as follows:

Comfort (from 11,990 ISK or $97 US) — includes entrance to the Blue Lagoon, locker and towel use, silica mud mask, and a non-alcoholic drink
Premium (from 14,990 ISK or $121 US) — includes Comfort benefits plus an alcoholic drink instead of a non-alcoholic drink, two additional mud masks, and a silica mud mask to take home
Signature (from 18,490 ISK or $150 US) — includes Premium benefits plus an additional drink of choice, use of a bathrobe during visit, and more skincare products to take home
Children cost a flat 2,000 ISK or $16 US, must share a locker with adults and get no mud masks, but get use of the Blue Lagoon and a towel

During holidays, there might be additional packages you can choose from. We visited near the Easter holiday, which meant there was a package that bundled both the Signature package with a pre-fixe dinner at Lava Restaurant for 31,990 ISK (or $259 US). This special option was only available for adults. Children would still only have the 2,000 ISK option even if the parents buy up to a more expensive option.

Everyone in your party will get a different-colored wristband that indicates to staff what package you purchased. Just show your wristband to staff when requesting a mud mask and they will know what you’re allowed to get.

The Blue Lagoon hotels

The Blue Lagoon Iceland resort has two hotels to choose from: Silica Hotel and The Retreat. We didn’t get a chance to stay here, but if you do decide to stay, you’ll get some extra benefits depending on which hotel you stay at.

The Silica Hotel has a private lagoon with the same restorative properties as the main hot springs area. Guests are welcome to use the private lagoon at their leisure between 9AM and 10PM daily. If you wish to visit the main lagoon, you’ll get Premium entry during your visit.

The Retreat also has its own lagoon that you can access as a hotel guest. On top of that, hotel guests can also access The Retreat Spa and still have access to the main lagoon as well.

All hotel guests with either hotel will get breakfast included and complimentary items from the room minibar.

The Retreat Spa

For interested guests, the resort has a rather extensive spa on property they call The Retreat Spa. Guests must be at least 12 years old and has its own lagoon–the same one that hotel guests at The Retreat can access. On top of having a tranquil area to relax in, you can also enjoy services.

I have to admit that since we were here with our children, we didn’t get a chance to check it out. But we wanted to make sure we mention it in case you have plans to visit. From what we’ve seen, it looks impressive.

Getting to Blue Lagoon Iceland

Blue Lagoon is located at Norðurljósavegur 9, 240 Grindavík, Iceland. If you’re coming in from either Keflavik (the international airport) or Reykjavik, the fastest route is just to take Highway 41 to Highway 43. You’ll see signage on both Highways 41 and 43 that will guide you to your destination.

If you’re driving here, you’ll find plenty of free parking in their main parking lot.

If you’re coming here by taxi, you should know that there is still a line of taxi cabs near the entrance. That’s convenient if you need it and frankly not something you see all that often these days.

Lastly, you could also purchase transportation on a bus from Blue Lagoon when purchasing a ticket in advance. Roundtrip transportation from Reykjavik or Keflavik Airport to the Blue Lagoon will cost 8,790 ISK per adult (or $71 US). You can also choose to start in Reykjavik and end in Keflavik or vice versa. Children 11 and under ride for free.

Mud masks are plentiful

There are four mud masks to choose from but only one of them is free for all adults:

Silica mud mask (free for all adults)
Lava scrub mask (900 ISK or $7 US or free for Premium and Signature guests)
Mineral mask (900 ISK or $7 US or free for Premium and Signature guests)
Algae mask (1,200 ISK or $10 US or free for Premium and Signature guests)

In theory, Premium and Signature guests are only supposed to choose between either the mineral or algae masks. However, in practice, staff is helping so many guests that they might not recall which mask you’ve used.

The recommended order for the face masks is using the lava scrub mask first, then the silica mud mask, then finish with either of the mineral or algae masks.

Since Jenn and I both went with the Easter package, we had complimentary use of three mud masks. We started with the lava scrub mask, which both the kids thought was hilarious.

And then they got used to how our skin looked towards the end of our visit. By the end of it, our skin felt younger than it has been in the last 20 years. If only that feeling lasted longer than just a day!

Facilities at the Blue Lagoon

Map of the property

Let’s start off with a simple map of the property, which is deceptively quite large. You can get around just about everywhere while in the water, which is convenient given how cold it is when you get out. Don’t forget you’re surrounded by ice if you come here in the winter!

Getting into the water

After admission, you’ll head to the locker room, which is divided between men and women. Right before you get to the lockers, don’t forget to pick up a robe if your admission includes it. You will also need to take a shower before getting in the water.

After your shower, you’ll find yourself in a waiting area enclosed by glass. Feel free to wait for the rest of your party here. If your package includes a robe, you’ll find plenty of hooks before you get into the water. You’ll just need to remember which is yours. The good news is that you probably didn’t use it up until this point. The bad news is that you shouldn’t leave anything valuable in your robe in case someone takes yours. If you have anything valuable, you should leave it in the lockers by the showers.

You could head outside from here to go into the water, but that’s not exactly the thing most people want to do in the winter. Instead, you can enter the water before heading outside, which is much more comfortable. Unless you’re wearing water shoes, you’ll need to leave your sandals behind.

Steambath and sauna

Connected to the hot springs is the steambath, which is convenient if you’re not looking to get out of the water to go inside. The entrance is partially in the water, which can be a little tough to open compared to a regular door.

Once inside, it’s going to be difficult to see. It might feel a bit overwhelming and hard to breathe if you’ve never been in a sauna before, like our kids. It’s not so steamy that you would accidentally sit in someone else’s lap like Chandler did in Friends.

Not far away from the steambath is the sauna, though this one will require you to step out of the water to go visit. The main difference between this one and the steambath is that you won’t be in the water inside. Rather, you’ll be sitting around getting toasty outside of the water.

Quiet area

An area in the rear of the Blue Lagoon is dedicated to tranquility. The quiet area actually doesn’t forbid children from entering–you just need to respect the privacy of others and remaining quiet. That said, while our children were quiet, we saw others who weren’t. The quiet area was still quieter than other areas of the pool.

Waterfall

Arguably, this felt more relaxing to us than the quiet area would have felt when perfectly quiet. Perhaps it’s just the Japanese side of me, but standing under a waterfall is extremely calming. That sound of rushing water that drowns out everything else and the serenity that comes from it. The water pouring down on you is indeed heated, so it’s not a cold plunge you’re taking. We could stay here a while.

Cold plunge

Speaking of cold plunges, you can also go in for a dip in the cold pool. This is right in between the steambath and sauna. In reality, while it’s called a cold plunge, it felt as warm as a “normal” heated swimming pool you might find in any other country. Given how cold it is in Iceland, it will certainly feel chilling both to get in and while inside. This is one pool that will force you to get out of the hot springs to get in, but while inside you can still easily chat with those in the hot springs.

Experiencing Blue Lagoon with kids

There are a few things to keep in mind if you’d like to bring your children to Blue Lagoon Iceland:

Minimum age to enter the pool is 2 years old, age verification might be necessary
Children aged 7 and older must enter the locker room of their own gender. Staff can assist if there is no trusted adult to take them into the locker.
Included with the 2,000 ISK admission price:
- Admission to the Blue Lagoon
- Use of a towel
- Silica face mask — though this is technically included, staff didn’t recommend it for our children
- Shared locker with a trusted adult
- One non-alcoholic drink from the swim-up bar

Additionally, children aged under 7 must also wear arm floaties when in the Blue Lagoon. You’ll pick these up after using the locker room near where you collect a towel after using the hot springs.

We did see other children here at the Blue Lagoon, but by far there were far more adults when we were here in late March. Despite that, we still felt welcomed by everyone and were happy to bring them along.

Storytelling

There is a storytelling experience you can listen to if you’re here in the morning or afternoon. When we were here, it took place at 3PM but times can change daily. This took place not too far away from the waterfall and they made several announcements in case you want to join. You’ll listen to the story from the comfort of the pool.

The story that’s told is the history of the Blue Lagoon. Some of the key moments include:

The nearest volcanoes are near Grinta town, but if the lava starts heading toward Blue Lagoon, it will take about 8 hours to reach here so you’ll have plenty of time to leave.
Originally, this was called a poison pit until someone with psoriasis went into the water, seemed to have a better skin condition afterwards, and went to their doctor. The doctor then bought the land around here and changed the name.
Silica, the most plentiful mineral in the water, is what helps the deep clean the skin. Meanwhile, the blue green algae makes you look younger.
They wanted to build a restaurant but couldn’t move a rock out of the way. All their machines kept breaking down, so they brought in an elf specialist to assist, thinking there was a spiritual reason (Landvættir). Yes, Icelandic people believe in land spirits given all the natural wonders in this country. The president of Iceland helped negotiate with the elves to move the rock, which involved placing the plans on a USB drive, and then the machines stopped breaking down. If you want to check out the rock, it’s still on display in the restaurant.

Food and beverage options

Let’s start with the more casual options and move up from there.

Swim-up / In-water bar

If you want to enjoy a complimentary drink included with your admission, this is the place to you need to visit. There’s always a short line but service is quick.

Pricing is available at the register, divided into sections of non-alcoholic and alcoholic options. Our understanding is that Comfort guests and children can choose from any of the non-alcoholic drinks. Premium and Signature guests can choose from any non-alcoholic or alcoholic option for free except for the Moët & Chandon. If you want to purchase extra, just scan your wristband to make a purchase.

The kids both got the blueberry slush, which was really just flavored crushed ice like an Icee or Slurpee.

Indoor bar after the locker rooms

If you’d rather drink while on land, you can have a drink after the locker rooms. The benefit, aside from just giving your body a break from the water, is that you can get a nice view of the surrounding area while you relax. Your complimentary drinks will not be valid here. You can also find some snacks here if you feel a bit hungry.

Café

This is only going to be a place you can visit either before your entry to the Blue Lagoon area or after you’re done. This is located in the lobby area, so it’s easy to find.

The food and drinks available here looked pretty comparable to what you might get at the bar after the locker room above. That said, we didn’t grab anything from here during our visit so we can’t speak fully on it.

Lava Restaurant

One thing we did do, though, was go visit Lava Restaurant. Since Jenn and I purchased the special Easter package, it included a pre-fixe meal for us. When booking our tickets, we made a dinner reservation at the restaurant to ensure we were able to visit. As with the Café above, you’ll want to visit the restaurant either before you enter the Blue Lagoon hot springs or after you’re done.

The dining room has tall glass windows that overlook the hot springs. Don’t expect people to just swim up here to the windows to stare at you eat, though.

We checked in and dropped off our heavy gear before getting escorted over to our table for the evening. We got a table in the corner of the restaurant.

The menus

Since Jenn and I had a pre-fixe meal ordered, our menu was simply just a reminder of what we will be expecting. While there is a wine pairing available, they recommended we don’t get it because our admission ticket also included a small bottle of Moët & Chandon for each of us. While we had a pre-fixe menu, there are a la carte options too.

We also were handed drink menus in case we needed something else. We didn’t need extra drinks on this visit.

There’s also a children’s menu for those 12 and under. Kids have the choice between three options: fish, chicken, and a ham and cheese sandwich.

Drinks

As mentioned above, our pre-fixe meals came with a small bottle of Moët & Chandon, which was a nice way to start the evening service. The restaurant sells a single glass of Moët & Chandon for 4,500 ISK ($36 US), so we were happy to not have to pay extra!

The children both ordered some juice. Char got a lemonade while Alex ordered a pineapple juice. The juice isn’t freshly squeezed, but it still tastes better than the average carton you would find in the US.

Sourdough bread

Around the same time as the drinks arrived, the wait staff delivered some fresh bread at our table. It’s actually two kinds of sourdough, but both are plenty delicious. The spread is a combination of butter and yogurt, making it nice and creamy and not too heavy on the flavor. Delicious!

Smoked haddock

Officially this isn’t billed as a “soup”, but it most definitely counts. The haddock on top is cooked perfectly and it sits in some broth that has a slightly cheesy aroma. Of the rest of the courses, this was my favorite and I really could have gone with a larger portion as a main.

Beef tenderloin

Our main came out, which was the beef tenderloin. It has good flavor but honestly it came out a bit overcooked (and tougher than we prefer as a result). The broccolini and mashed potatoes on the side make this a very comforting and filling meal.

Ham and cheese sandwich

Disclaimer: Alex wanted the lava chicken because of A Minecraft Movie and the lava chicken jingle. Sadly, they ran out of the chicken when we ordered it. However, towards the end of our meal, I noticed the table next to ours order it and had it delivered. Thankfully, he didn’t notice it.

Both kids then ended up ordering the ham and cheese sandwich, which was fine. It came with fries despite not explicitly mentioning it in the menu. The cheese tasted like Emmental cheese, which isn’t our kids favorite, but it was good enough of a sandwich for the kids. The fries are excellent and plenty crispy on the outside.

Dessert (brownie)

Our pre-fixe meal ended with the brownie, which came with some coffee ice cream. If you’re a coffee lover, the combination is pretty tasty. In my case, I’m not a fan of coffee–or even just coffee flavor–but this ice cream wasn’t too overwhelming for me. It was fine but I preferred the chocolate brownie more.

Lava Restaurant houses that large rock that couldn’t be moved

If you joined for the storytelling experience in the hot springs, you’ll hear about the large rock that couldn’t be budged until they negotiated with the elves. This negotiation included bringing in the Icelandic President armed with a USB device containing the plans for the resort. Well, the rock forms one of the walls of the restaurant. If you ask the staff about it, they let you know that you can walk up and make a wish when touching the wall.

As for the USB drive itself, you’ll find it inside this triangle-shaped hole on the side of the rock. But it’s best not to touch it and just let it be so you don’t anger the elves.

Checking out after the experience

Before we wrap up with everything you need to know about the Blue Lagoon Iceland, we’ll hit two final items. The first is just the check-out process after visiting. When you’ve changed back into your regular clothes in the locker room, and before you make it to the Lava Restaurant, everyone will be funneled to the self-checkout area.

Just scan your wristband at the exit and it will let you know if you have any extra charges on your account. In our case, there were no extra charges, so we were fine just exiting through the lane and dropping off our wristbands in the return pile.

Skincare

Just past the exit, and on your way back to your car, you’ll pass through the resort’s gift shop which contains a lot of skincare items. There are salespeople there who will give complimentary samples if you wish.

If your admission includes some skincare to take home, you might not be too interested in purchasing more. But if you do, check your package (which they give you when you first check in). There was a 1,000 ISK voucher that you can use on skincare. Note that the voucher has to be used on skincare–you can’t just use it on a small bag that costs 1,000 ISK. Ask me how I know.

Skincare bag included with our admission

This isn’t your only chance to purchase skincare products from Blue Lagoon. You’ll also find a store they operate in Keflavik Airport just past security.

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