If you’re flying across the Atlantic with your family, there’s one stop you shouldn’t overlook: Iceland. Thanks to Icelandair’s free stopover option, I’ve finally managed to convince my tropic-loving partner to brave the chilly Icelandic nights every time we fly between Europe and North America.
Iceland, the legendary land of ice and fire, seemed like the perfect stopover for my husband and me – but were there any family-friendly activities in Iceland for little ones?
Absolutely!
It doesn’t matter if you’re here for a quick stopover or a longer Ring Road adventure – Iceland has plenty of activities for the whole family.
Here are 8 amazing, baby-approved things to do during your Iceland stopover:
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🚫 What You Can’t Do With a Baby in Iceland
Iceland is packed with baby and toddler friendly adventures, but there are a few adventures best saved for when your little adventurer is older.
Glacier hikes, ice caves, and volcano treks have age restrictions for a reason. Most thermal lagoons, like the Blue Lagoon, have a 2-year minimum age for entry. If soaking in hot water is a must, opt for a local thermal pool that welcome families, or book a room at the Ocean Break Cabins, with a private thermal hot tub.
🏨 Where to Stay on Your Icelandic Stopover
When it comes to family-friendly places to stay in Iceland, you’ll have your choice of farmstays, homestays, hotels, and vacation homes. Most hotels and vacation rentals let kids under 5 stay for free and many offer cribs for free.
For our stopovers, we always book a cabin at Ocean Break Cabins. Conviniently located just 5 minutes away from the airport, Ocean Break Cabins come with tea, coffee, and a geothermal hot tub.
🌙 Tip: Book early in summer. Iceland is popular, and family-sized rooms go quickly—especially the ones with baby-friendly amenities.
Whale-Watching in Reykjavik
Best Season: April to October for peak sightings
Best for: Nature lovers, future marine biologists, and jet-lagged babies
Iceland’s seas are filled with life. Schools of dolphins, porpoises, whales, and massive schools of fish are waiting to be observed. Imagine rocking gently on a boat with a hot drink in hand, your baby snoozing in cozy layers inside the heated indoor lounge while a massive humpback whale breaches the water, mere meters away.
In my experience, boat tours are surprisingly baby-friendly. Our baby sleeps extremely well on boats! Longer tours can be challenging for toddlers, but a whale sighting cheers even the grumpiest of tots.
If you’re booking a tour, make sure the boat has:
- Infant Life Jackets
- Heated indoor lounges
- Onboard Café
👉 Tip: Dress for Arctic-level wind, even in summer. Windchill out on the ocean is no joke!
Chasing Waterfalls Along Iceland’s Southern Coast
Best Season: May to October is easiest for driving, but the waterfalls are stunning year-round.
Great For: Photographer parents, stroller-happy explorers, and puddle-obsessed toddlers.
If you love waterfalls, you won’t want to miss driving along the southern coast of Iceland. You have three options for this experience: Rent a car and drive solo, hire a private tour guide, or join a group tour.
We use Discover Car to rent a car in Iceland, allowing us to explore at our own pace.
You’ll drive past jaw-dropping cascades like:
- Seljalandsfoss (GOT)
- Urriðafoss (stunning)
- Írárfoss (a secret hidden gem)
Most of the famous waterfalls are stroller-friendly and accessed through short walkways from a paved parking lot. They’re perfect for a quick stop, spontaneous waterfall dance party, and making the most of your baby’s car seat naps.
💧Tip: Pack a waterproof layer for the whole family and multiple changes of clothes for your kid.
Explore the Golden Circle
Best Season: Year-round (May – October are the easiest months for self-driving families!)
Great For: Icelandic first-timers, Families with 24 hour stopovers, feral toddlers
The Golden Circle is iconic. It’s Iceland’s ultimate beginner friendly road loop for families. In just one day, you’ll see:
- Thingvellir National Park – Stand on two tectonic plates! (North America + Eurasia)
- Geysir Geothermal Area – bubbling hot springs and explosive geysers
- Gullfoss Waterfall – powerful, stunning, and stroller-friendly
Just like the southern waterfall trip, families can opt for a private tour, group tour, or a self-drive tour of the Golden Circle. The Golden Circle is an easy DIY day trip from Reykjavik or the airport. The roads are well-maintained, and there are plenty of stops with restrooms, snacks, and thermal baths.
Take a Helicopter Tour Over an Active Volcano
Best Season: May to October. Weather and volcanic activity affect the helicopter tours.
Great For: Adventurous parents, babies who nap through anything, transportation obsessed toddlers.
Surprisingly baby-friendly, helicopter rides are not very budget-friendly. Some things, however, are worth the splurge. For just $500, you can fly over an active volcano on a scenic, private helicopter tour.
This bucket list experience lasts between 20 and 60 minutes. If your toddler is as obsessed with vehicles as mine, this is a can-not-miss activity.
Explore Reykjavik at a Toddler-Friendly Tempo
Best Season: Year-round
Great For: Coffee-starved or jetlagged parents and hungry toddlers.
Reykjavik is my favorite European capital. It’s compact, walkable, and incredibly family-friendly. I love strolling along Laugavegur street looking for unique sweaters and adorable baby clothes.
- Wandering Laugavegur Street (great shops + cafés)
- Visiting the iconic Harpa Concert Hall
- Popping into cozy bookstores and eclectic art shops
- Getting your thrift fix at Reykjavik’s second hand stores
- Eating a delicious Icelandic pastry
Most cafés are baby-friendly with changing tables and high chairs. You’ll find welcoming locals and a relaxed pace that’s perfect for traveling families.
Stare at Sheep and Icelandic Horses
Best Season: May to September when the sheep are in their summer grazing pastures
Great for: Animal-obsessed toddlers, jet-lagged parents who still want to see Iceland
Icelandic horses are a breed native to Iceland and found all over the island.
My toddler’s favorite animal in the whole entire world are sheep, so whenever we visit Iceland, a sheep-spotting roadtrip is our first activity.
We’ve made it a road-trip staple. Whenever my toddler starts to whine, we pull of at the next herd.
It’s as adorable as it sounds. The horses and sheep of Iceland are friendly and if you’re lucky enough to run into a friendly farmer, you might get to pet a lamb or feed an adorable baby horse.
Even though these are all tame, domesticated animals, animals and toddlers are an unpredictable pairing. Keep your distance, never climb over fences, and respect the animals when visiting. Don’t be a Richard.
Visit Reykjavik’s Museums + The Lava Show
Best Season: Year-round. Perfect for stormy, wintery days.
Great for: curious kids, non-waterproof families, and parents seeking cozy indoor fun.
Iceland’s weather gets wild, even in the summer.
If a storm is brewing, head indoors. Reykjavik has excellent family-friendly museums that provide Icelandic visitors with authentic Icelandic experiences.
- The Lava Show – actual molten lava and heat!
- The Whale Museum – life-sized models and interactive exhibits
- The Maritime Museum – boats + history = toddler gold
Most museums have elevators, stroller access, and clean bathrooms.
🌋 Family Tip: Buy tickets in advance during peak season and check stroller policies online.
Go Secondhand Shopping for Icelandic Style
Best Season: Year-round
Great For: Hygge parents and puddle-jumping toddlers who outgrew their winter gear
Iceland isn’t an internationally renowned Mecca for shoppers, like Dubai or Milan – unless you’re a fan of handmade, unique knitwear. Icelandic sweaters, called lopapeysa, are works of art. Not only are they one-of-a-kind, but intrepid secondhand shoppers will be happy to know that most of these sweaters are handmade, by local Icelanders.
If you’ve ever attempted to knit a sweater, you know it’s a long process. An intense and costly labor of love. That’s why Iceland’s secondhand stores are a literal woolly goldmine. A handknit sweater runs for at least $150 new – or $60 secondhand!
Whenever we visit our relatives in Germany for Christmas, I stop in Iceland to load up on high-quality, gently used baby gear at Barnaloppan. The quality of the winter gear, even used gear, in Iceland puts American Outdoor companies to shame.
Iceland With a Baby? Yes.
Iceland is more than the land of ice and fire. It’s a baby-friendly country, with friendly locals, easily accessible nature, and amazing air quality. The roads are smooth and well-maintained, and sheep are everywhere. Cozy, family-friendly accomodations are the norm and Icelandic culture, while not known to be particularly welcoming, is warm towards kids, giving parents a chance to relax on their stopover.
Whether you’re ambitiously chasing waterfalls, relaxing on a Golden Circle tour, or sipping hot chocolate in a hip cafe in downtown Reykjavik, Iceland is a magical stopover for the whole family – even in the cold.
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Credits
While I have visited Iceland with my family, several of these activites were outside of our limited budget. Traveling full-time means saying no to certain experiences, like helicopter rides.
For those activities I haven’t personally experienced, I used pictures from pexels.com.
Here are the artists behind the photos.
Helicopter Glacier – Photo by Lloyd Douglas
Sailboat with Whales – Photo by ArtHouse Studio
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