There are a lot of fun things to do in Reykjavik with kids, both inside the city limits and as day trips to explore the nature in all its glory.

This is a family guide, intended to provide assistance for you as you plan your own visit to Reykjavik, Iceland. For context, during our visit, our children were ages 6 and 9. We paid for all attractions out of our own money and do not have any relationship (financial or otherwise) with the operators of the services described below. That allows us to give our honest feedback about what we did and did not like.

Is Reykjavik, Iceland good for kids?

Bottom line — yes! Reykjavik is absolutely an awesome location to take the kids for a fun vacation. This applies whether you come here in the summer or the winter. You’ll want to make sure your little ones are appropriately dressed for the cold if you do come in the winter. It can get chilly and snowy!

Reykjavik, Iceland has all sorts of fun activities for people of all ages. While you probably won’t do some of the more daring things (like scuba diving, off-roading, or exploring some caves), you’ll still find plenty to do with your kids both in town and outside in nature.

If we’re being perfectly honest, we look at Iceland as a cold version of Hawaii. Sure, there aren’t beaches to lounge on, but much of Hawaii’s true beauty lies in its volcanic history. This gives off much of the same vibes though it’s colder and the service level is better here. If you’re open to bringing your kids to Hawaii, why not here too?

Want to know what to eat while in Reykjavik? Go check out our dedicated post on everything we ate while in Reykjavik.

Quick guide to the best things to do in Reykjavik with kids

Best things to do in Reykjavik with kids

Perlan: Wonders of Iceland

Official website: https://perlan.is/
Address: Varmahlíð 1, 105 Reykjavík, Iceland
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest bus station: Perlan (4 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

One of the most popular museums in Iceland, especially with kids, is Perlan. If you’re looking for an opportunity to round out your trip and do something you might have missed, this is a great opportunity. Inside you’ll visit the three major activities most people come to Iceland to find:

• See something volcano-related, like lava and how it impacts nature
• Explore an ice cave, which isn’t normally isn’t possible during warmer months
• Witness the Northern Lights, which isn’t truly a guarantee on any given night

There is plenty of free parking right outside the museum.

After the entering Perlan, you’ll hang out in the waiting area on the ground floor until it’s your time to experience the first two wonders (fire and ice). While you’re waiting, you can check out the puffin exhibit, which was nice for the kids since the puffins are only in town during the summer.

Once it was our time to see the show, we went in a small group over to see what it’s like inside a volcano. You’ll first see a stationary movie, and then you’ll go on this “ride” that takes you inside a volcano.

It’s an incredibly immersive experience as you might tell from the photo below. Of the three wonders at Perlan, I think this was the best.

After fire, you’ll get a chance to cool off in the ice cave. It’s not a huge cave, as you might tell from the map below, but it lives up to its name. Bring your heavy jackets!

The kids enjoyed roaming around in the ice cave, especially since our attempt at visiting an ice cave was thwarted on this trip.

Afterwards, you’re free to explore the other floors at Perlan, which have games and other exhibits showcasing the wildlife of the area.

On the top floor is a cafe, in case you get hungry. We didn’t dine here as we weren’t here during meal time but we probably would have checked it out otherwise.

One floor under the cafe is the gift shop and the ice cream shop. It was closed when we stopped by, which is probably for the best because otherwise we would have had to oblige the kids.

Also on this level is an outdoor patio where you can get some fresh air and look at the surroundings. This is also where the kids decided it was time to make a snowman because winter.

When you’re ready to leave, head on back down to the entrance where you’ll experience the last wonder: the aurora. This plays every 30 minutes. While you wait, you can check out scenes from all around Iceland to give you inspiration on what to explore next.

The exhibit itself isn’t quite the same as seeing it live yourself. But if you otherwise came away unsuccessful from the trip without seeing the lights, consider it a consolation prize.

Overall, we consider Perlan to be an excellent museum to visit. The interactive experiences make it stand out from other museums we’ve been to. If you’re trying to figure out where to place it on your trip, we’d recommend saving it as an alternative. Bad weather impacting something else you planned? Substitute in Perlan as it’s always readily available and easily accessible in Reykjavik.

FlyOver Iceland

Official website: https://www.flyovericeland.com/
Address: Fiskislóð 43, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Good for ages: 4 and up (minimum height is 102 cm or about 40 in)
Nearest bus station: Fiskislóð (3 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: No

Ah, FlyOver. The same company that operates a similar experience when we were last in Vancouver, British Columbia. The premise is pretty straightforward here as it was there: you show up to take a “flight” over the country and see the sights. Buying tickets in advance is recommended as times do sell out. There is plenty of free parking around the building.

Once inside, you’ll check in at the front desk. You could also grab a quick bite at their cafe if you’re hungry before or after your departure.

There is no photography or cameras permitted once in the experience, so we’ll describe the general process. You’ll learn a little about the culture and history of Iceland from a video monitor that makes you feel like you’re in the room with the storyteller. From there, you’ll make your way to a second room where you’ll get a little more narration and prepare for your journey.

Finally, the experience itself. You’ll be “flying” in a row of seats that simulates you in a hang glider with several others as you explore Iceland. You’ll see the Northern Lights, the many waterfalls, the glaciers, the rocky terrain, the black sand beach, and more. The experience is very similar to what you might find at Disney theme parks like California Adventure. However, you’ll appreciate that there are no lines here. You book your time and you’re on the ride. Pretty simple and efficient.

At the conclusion of the ride, you can see the map of exactly everywhere you went on the journey. It’s great that you’ll get to see so much of Iceland beyond just Reykjavik. Some of it is accessible as a day trip but some of it will require a much longer journey.

Overall, if you want to check out FlyOver Iceland, we would recommend putting it at the end of your visit. For us, it feels like a nice recap of everything you might have done and a preview of where you might want to explore next time.

The Lava Show (Reykjavik)

Official website: https://www.lavashow.com/
Address: Fiskislóð 73, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Good for ages: 5 and up (no minimum age requirement)
Nearest bus station: Fiskislóð (2 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: No

Right around the corner from FlyOver Iceland is the Lava Show. If you have a desire to see flowing lava up close in a safe environment (not in a volcano), this is for you. The Lava Show boasts that this is the only way to see lava in a building–presumably not counting any town that gets destroyed by volcanic activity. Shows run regularly throughout the day.

After you check in at the front desk, you’ll get some protective glasses to wear and you’ll sit in a small theater. It costs extra to sit in the upper section where you get a better angle, plus you’ll get some extra time after to ask more questions. The tradeoff is that you will be a little further away.

Everyone sits around the centerpiece: a channel where lava will enter the room. At first, the kids thought people here would die from the lava but I had to remind them that can’t possibly be the method. There would be no repeat business if that’s the case!

The guide shows off the different stages of plasma, starting off as “Pele’s hair”, where it’s very malleable.

They place some ice underneath the lava to simulate what might happen naturally in Iceland. The ice creates some steam and crackling noises. It also bubbles up here.

While you might think the bubbles are just regular bubbles, but they’re actually very brittle. The lava is starting to cool down and act more like glass. However, it’s still far too hot for humans to handle.

Lastly, as the lava cools further, it becomes sheet-like. Take a stick and you could lift the lava right off the table. Surprised? Lava is essentially just molten stone. It’s also why if you were to step on lava, you wouldn’t actually sink in it. Stop listening to Hollywood movies–it’s not possible to drown in lava.

In the end, what you’re left with is some cooled lava (still far too hot to touch). They recycle the lava so it’s ready to be used again in a couple of hours.

This is a unique experience, something that we honestly never thought we’d find until we did research on Iceland. Though it can be a little gimmicky, we’d still say this is a must-do. When else can you say you saw lava right in front of you?

The Lava Tunnel

Official website: https://thelavatunnel.is/
Address: Raufarhólshellir, 816, Iceland
Good for ages: 5 and up (minimum age for basic tour is 3, or 12 for full tour)
Nearest bus station: N/A
Stroller-friendly: No

Continuing on with the lava theme is The Lava Tunnel, which is about a 40 minute drive outside town. There really isn’t much else out here, so it’s hard to pair this with something. You won’t see actual lava on this tour but you will walk through one of the tunnels the lava carved out. To enter the tunnel, you will need a guide, which is a law intended to help prevent people from destroying its natural beauty. There are two tours here:

• The standard tour that takes you about a third of the way on platforms (1 hour, minimum age 3)
• The adventure tour that takes you the full way through the tunnel, but the last two-thirds requires climbing over rocks (3-4 hours, minimum age 12)

Given our kids weren’t old enough for the adventure tour, we stuck to the standard tour.

You could purchase transportation to come here when buying your ticket, but if you drive yourself, there’s plenty of free parking.

To go down into the tunnel, you must wear a helmet with a built-in flashlight. The Lava Tunnel also has walking sticks if you need them.

The sizes of the helmets span all sizes, including being able to fit 6-year-old Char here.

Once the tour begins, you’ll head into the tunnel single-file.

A bit of a warning if you’re coming in during the winter. It can get slippery right here at the entrance. Having the walking sticks makes things a little easier but several people ended up falling.

Once inside, you’ll see just what happens when flowing lava carves out a path. Some parts early on are exposed to the weather, which explains why there are large piles of snow.

And then as you continue in, you’ll see plenty of icicles if you’re here in the winter. The water drips in and then freezes both on the ceiling and on the ground, creating a lot of ice crystals. When you add in the lighting they have, it almost feels like you’re in a cavern full of crystals.

A bit further in, you’ll see the different layers of rock above you and all around. The structure is old and stable, so you don’t have to worry about cave-ins. What you do need to worry about is if your light goes out. It’s pitch black here–so dark your eyes will never adjust. People have gotten stuck in the tunnel before. Also, there’s no echo here. The tunnel walls just absorb all the sound.

At the end of the standard tour, we could get a peek of what it’s like to continue on in the adventure tour. You’ll have to climb over the rocks. Obviously, being in good health is a requirement.

The lava tunnel remains us of one we visited on the Big Island in Hawaii. The difference is this one has a guide rather than a explore-on-your-own format. Our son Alex really wants to return to do the adventure tour, so we’ll tentatively have to book in a return in a few years.

Whales of Iceland

Official website: https://www.whalesoficeland.is/
Address: Fiskislóð 23-25, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Good for ages: All ages (no minimum age requirement)
Nearest bus station: Grunnslóð (2 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: Yes

Something we considered doing but didn’t have the time was checking out the Whales of Iceland exhibit. As you might guess, this museum specializes in whales. You can see 23 life-sized models of whales inside that you can actually touch. There are several documentaries that you can view in their theater. Private tours are available but the included audio tour only lasts about half an hour.

This is right next to both FlyOver Iceland and The Lava Show, making this an efficient stop if you want to hit up all three. As with the other spots in the area, there is plenty of free parking.

Though we didn’t get a chance to check it out on this trip, the kids wanted to come here in the future. Perhaps more to come one day.

Harpa Concert Hall

Official website: https://www.harpa.is/en
Address: Austurbakki 2, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest bus station: Harpa (2 minute walk)
Stroller-friendly: It depends

Harpa is a concert hall found right on the water and right next to our hotel The Reykjavik EDITION. We didn’t get a chance to stop inside given our busy schedule, but we were tempted. Harpa has free family programming that changes often. On top of that, they have an indoor play area for kids too (also free).

They have musical performances and sometimes comedy performances. They might also have other immersive experiences here on a rotating basis.

In total, it’s likely worth a stop in for the free children activities and events if you have the time to squeeze it in.

Day trips from Reykjavik with kids

Searching for the Northern Lights

Locations: Near Keflavik or Thingvellir National Park
Good for ages: All ages
Nearest bus station: N/A
Stroller-friendly: No

Want to know what’s popular to do in Iceland? Going on the hunt for the Northern Lights. You can try to search for them yourself, but you’ll want to be used to driving conditions (especially in the winter) and know where to go. Loosely speaking, two of the more popular places to search for the aurora around Reykjavik is near Keflavik Airport or by Thingvellir. You’ll want clear skies, solar activity, and to be far from light pollution.

If you want to go as part of a tour, we found taking a tour that specializes in smaller groups to be helpful. We used Iceland Everywhere Tours, which fit what we were looking for. All we needed to do was head to the nearest bus stop and wait at the correct time (they will email you in advance of the tour to let you know where to go).

Once the right conditions are met, you’ll see the lights dancing magically in the sky. No two people will get the same picture of the aurora. It can be a little better to see the lights with a camera, especially if you want to see more of the pink/purple shades.

The challenging thing with kids is that you need to go late at night. The best time to see the lights is roughly 11PM to 1AM. That means a rather late night with the kiddos. However, they could just nap in the car while making the drive and then wake them up when the action happens. Still, it’s a late night ahead of you. Try to be easy on the kids when they’re noticeably tired the next day.

If you want to go searching for the aurora, we’d recommend trying right at the start of your trip. There is no guarantee you can see them on any given night. Start the attempts early so that by the end, you can maximize the likelihood you get to see them.

See more details on our search for the Northern Lights in our dedicated post.

Blue Lagoon

Official website: https://www.bluelagoon.com/
Address: Nordurljosavegur 9, Grindavik 240 Iceland
Good for ages: Ages 2 and up (minimum age to enter the water is 2)
Nearest bus station: N/A
Stroller-friendly: No

Want a relaxing dip in some hot springs that’s fun for the whole family? There are many options within Iceland to check it out, but the most popular is Blue Lagoon. This is also close to the airport, so if you have plans to stop here on the way to or from the airport, that’s an option. While it’s popular, it didn’t seem to get too crowded for our tastes.

Other features you’ll find here include a waterfall to stand under, steam rooms and saunas, a quiet area, and informative talks.

There is a way to enter the water without having to walk around too much in the cold–this is Iceland after all. And all wristbands come with some sort of drink included from the swim-up bar.

If you have a chance to dine in their restaurant, it’s also quite nice. We purchased a ticket that included a meal for the adults, which was good.

The kids enjoyed it too. On top of having kid-friendly drinks like juices, they have a kids menu too.

Sure, if you dine in Iceland, you’ll know that meals are expensive. That also means that kids meals are more expensive than you might be used to elsewhere. But at least the kids still enjoy the meal, right?

We’d recommend paying a visit to Blue Lagoon at some point on your trip. Our kids enjoyed it a bit more than we thought they would. There weren’t too many kids around our kids’ ages, but there were a number of teenagers here. It’s expensive, so if you want a cheaper option, check out the Secret Lagoon on the Golden Circle (described below).

See more details on our visit to Blue Lagoon Iceland in our dedicated post.

Southern Iceland around Vik (Reynisfjara, Dyrhólaey, Skógafoss, Katla Ice Cave)

This is an easy road trip outside of Reykjavik. If you decide to come down here, anticipate it taking up most of–if not all of–your day. Weather can be a bit of a hassle if you’re here in the winter, so plan more time than you’d think. While there are tours that will take you down here, you have a bit more freedom if you just drive yourself.

What are the highlights? Seeing Reynisfjara, the black sand beach, was fun. The waves are powerful, so be mindful of the ocean while you’re here. You don’t want to get swept into the ocean and caught in the currents; people have died here.

There are two caves–one that’s easily accessible and one that’s more dangerous and subject to the tides. We only checked out the safer of the two caves. Also in the area is Dyrhólaey, which is where the puffins hang out during the summer breeding season. There’s nothing there outside of breeding season, unfortunately.

Skógafoss is one of the more popular waterfalls in the area. There’s a large staircase you can climb that leads to a nice hiking path to see other waterfalls.

Or you can just see Skógafoss from below. Of the waterfalls we visited in Iceland, this one is arguably the most memorable for us.

And if you’re here in the winter, you could also check out the Katla Ice Cave. This will require you to hook up with a tour group to go check it out, but the nice thing with some of the Katla tours is that younger ages are acceptable. One of the tours we saw said 6-year-olds are fine to join.

Lastly, if you want to visit the glaciers, using Vik as a base is a good decision. It’s too far to drive all at once from Reykjavik and you’ll need to spend the night somewhere in the journey.

See more details on our day trip to Vik and Southern Iceland in our dedicated post.

Golden Circle (Þingvellir National Park, Strokkur Geysir, Gullfoss)

Another day trip out of Reykjavik is driving the Golden Circle, which is the name given to the road that circles around some of Iceland’s natural wonders. While there are many places along the way you can get out and explore, we’ll limit ourselves to just the big three attractions.

Þingvellir National Park (pronounced ‘Thingvellir’) is where you can see where two tectonic plates meet up. You can even walk alongside the plate, which just looks like a sudden mountain out of nowhere.

There is more to see at Thingvellir, like a waterfall and plenty of walking paths, so it’s definitely worth a stop. This is also a popular place to look for the Northern Lights if you’re here in the dead of the night.

Want to see some geysers erupting? Well, you’ll want to check out Strokkur, which erupts every 8-10 minutes. The kids are sure to like seeing this. Thankfully, you don’t need to wait as long for the eruption as you might have to at other geysers around the world.

A short distance away from Strokkur Geysir is Gullfoss, one of the largest waterfalls in the area. There are two places you can see the waterfall from, but we preferred seeing it from the lower deck. We found the views better from down here and you can hear more of the roaring of the water. Gazing upon such a powerful waterfall is relaxing for all of us.

I mentioned above about the Secret Lagoon a geothermal bath, that’s an alternative to the Blue Lagoon. The good thing is the price is significantly cheaper than the Blue Lagoon (roughly a third of the price). The bad news? It’s going to be a tight squeeze to fit both the Secret Lagoon and the rest of the Golden Circle in the same trip. Doable, yes. But you might have to cut your time at the Secret Lagoon a little short.

If you just wanted to check out a single geothermal bath just to try it, you might just want a more affordable experience anyways. That might skew you to the Secret Lagoon. Either way, I think you’ll have a good time.

See more details on our trip to the Golden Circle in Iceland in our dedicated post.

Reykjavik itinerary with kids (3-5 days)

3-day immersive experience with kids

If you only have three days in Reykjavik with your family, what should you do? Our recommendation would be the following:

Day 1

• Morning: Lava Show
• Afternoon: Whales of Iceland
• Evening: Search for the Northern Lights

We like the thought of starting with a “wow” factor, which is where the Lava Show comes in. Nothing quite welcomes you to a place like Iceland like seeing live lava flowing right in front of you. From there, stopping by Whales of Iceland is an easy add-on. In truth, you could probably get done with both of these activities rather quickly. We would suggest if you have some extra time to just explore the city.

Your first night in town should be searching for the Northern Lights. There’s no guarantee you’ll find them, so start it the first night and then continue attempting the rest of the trip if unsuccessful. This is why the evenings are “free” the rest of the nights on this trip and why the days generally feel lighter than most of our recommendations for itineraries. Do you really want a packed day knowing that you (and possibly the kids) were up until 2AM?

Day 2

• Morning: FlyOver Iceland or Harpa Concert Hall
• Afternoon: Blue Lagoon

We think this day should be lighter regardless of whether you’re successful at finding the aurora on the first night or not. That’s because you’ll be up late no matter what. Thus, it will feel some good to get relaxation in. Start your day by checking out FlyOver Iceland to get the kids pumped about your vacation. Or, if you’d prefer, go to Harpa to check out the kids programming they have. Then head over to the Blue Lagoon and just relax the rest of the day. You deserve it.

Day 3

• Morning: Perlan
• Afternoon: Lava Tunnel

Perlan is always a great option if you’re looking for something fun to do in the city. This also rounds out the experience by checking off the three wonders of Iceland if you’re otherwise unsuccessful. From there, we like continuing on your journey by going to The Lava Tunnel, which gives yourself some outdoors time by exploring a cave. Kids will enjoy the exploration and you’ll enjoy the peace complete darkness brings at the end of the line.

Expand your stay with day trips

To really maximize your visit to Reykjavik, you’ll want to consider taking some easy day trips from the city. This includes

• The Golden Circle
• Driving down to Southern Iceland (Vik)

These are two of the more popular options for spending some extra time and gives you a much more fulfilling experience by seeing Mother Nature up close. If you want to see both, that puts you at a minimum of 5 days of exploration. While that might seem like a long trip, it still will feel like you’re cramming things in. We would space out the day trips a bit so some of the calmer in-city days can help you recover a bit from those longer day trips.

Short FAQ on visiting Reykjavik with kids

Anything else you’d want to do with your kids in Reykjavik?

View other posts in this series:

• Trip Introduction: Springtime in the Land of Fire and Ice
• A Nice Time at the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse LAX
• Simple But Effective: Virgin Atlantic 787-9 Upper Class LAX-LHR
• Sofitel London Heathrow: Great for LHR Terminal 5
• Now With a Nice Kids Area: British Airways Galleries South
• The Reykjavik EDITION: Simple Luxury But Not Perfect
• The Steakhouse (Steikhúsið): A Great Spot in Reykjavik
• Forréttabarinn Reykjavik: Excellent Small Dishes, Good for the Family
• Northern Lights in Iceland: What to Know and How to Find
• Blue Lagoon Iceland: What You Need to Know Before You Visit
• Driving in Iceland: About As Simple As In The United States
• Vik, Iceland: An Excellent Day Trip From Reykjavik
• The Amazing Golden Circle in Iceland: Path and Activities
• Best Things to do in Reykjavik with Kids (this post)
• Where to eat in Reykjavik with Kids
• Icelandair Saga Lounge KEF: Simple But Calming
• Affordable Comfort: SAS Intra-Europe Business Class
• SAS Business Lounge CPH: A Great Place for a Layover
• Hilton Frankfurt Airport: Pretty Good with Kids and Families
• Lufthansa Senator Lounge FRA (Z Gates): Good for a Quick Bite
• Lufthansa 747-8 Business Class FRA-LAX: Good for Couples