As we were en route to Selfoss, our home base for the second part of our trip, we went to the Blue Lagoon, which was pretty much my wildest dream. Ahhhhhhhhh!
When we first started thinking about a trip to Iceland, The Blue Lagoon was my only must see, and really all I knew about the tourism scene in Iceland. Given that, you might be tempted to think that the Blue Lagoon is a tourist trap, or too mainstream, but forget those thoughts. The Blue Lagoon was so incredible. There were a lot of tourists, but it's an enormous lagoon and never felt too crowded. There was also a sort of hushed atmosphere, which I can't really explain. Like, I would have thought that if you put hundreds of tourists together in basically a giant hot tub with swim up bars located every few meters, you'd have a very different experience. But it was so relaxing and enjoyable. People generally talked quietly with their companions and doggy paddled or waded about. Blame the warm water or the silica mud masks that everyone was liberally applying, I guess.
We spent three hours there, which was our upper max since the warm water was beginning to get to us, and the water itself is dehydrating. We brought water bottles and the people at the facial bar were kind to continue filling them up, but we were still feeling parched as we left.
BLUE LAGOON WITH KIDS:
There were a ton of children at the Blue Lagoon, and I'd say it was very family friendly. First of all, kids are free until the age of 13 (and there is a reduced rate for kids under age 16). They do require all kids under age nine to wear water wings (which felt really ridiculous and our kids hated that part), so be ready for that. Also, make sure you keep your kids hydrated and don't let them drink the water! The silica mud mask is completely safe for kids, and they'll have a blast putting it on, but avoid the eyes (not always easy!).
SAVING MONEY:
This was our one and only big activity during our trip to Iceland, and it was well worth it, but it wasn't cheap. The price is determined by two factors: 1) the time of day of the visit and 2) how far in advance of the visit the ticket is booked. So firstly, book in advance! And go at a low/cheap time, which for us meant arriving by 8:30am. The earliest time slots and the latest in the day are the most affordable. Going around noon is the most expensive, for whatever reason.
Another way to save money is make sure you bring your own towel and water bottle! The water (and other drinks) at the bar are insanely over priced (think $15 for a beer). We also packed our own lunch instead of getting food there. I'm sure the restaurants are delicious, but you'll pay top dollar, so consider bringing your own food, or going during non-mealtimes.
The good news is, the water temperature is always consistent so you can go in any weather, at any time of year, at any time of day, and you'll have almost the same experience. As they say in Iceland, if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes. We had overcast skies mixed with sun and light rain and it didn't hurt the experience at all.
The Blue Lagoon was just so cool! I'm so glad we went, and I'm sure we'll never forget it. Absolutely a must if you're ever visiting Iceland, or even on a layover there on your way to another destination.
pssssssst:
Read all about our time in Reykjavik HERE + A Case For Traveling With Young Children + Explore The World For Free!
When we first started thinking about a trip to Iceland, The Blue Lagoon was my only must see, and really all I knew about the tourism scene in Iceland. Given that, you might be tempted to think that the Blue Lagoon is a tourist trap, or too mainstream, but forget those thoughts. The Blue Lagoon was so incredible. There were a lot of tourists, but it's an enormous lagoon and never felt too crowded. There was also a sort of hushed atmosphere, which I can't really explain. Like, I would have thought that if you put hundreds of tourists together in basically a giant hot tub with swim up bars located every few meters, you'd have a very different experience. But it was so relaxing and enjoyable. People generally talked quietly with their companions and doggy paddled or waded about. Blame the warm water or the silica mud masks that everyone was liberally applying, I guess.
We spent three hours there, which was our upper max since the warm water was beginning to get to us, and the water itself is dehydrating. We brought water bottles and the people at the facial bar were kind to continue filling them up, but we were still feeling parched as we left.
BLUE LAGOON WITH KIDS:
There were a ton of children at the Blue Lagoon, and I'd say it was very family friendly. First of all, kids are free until the age of 13 (and there is a reduced rate for kids under age 16). They do require all kids under age nine to wear water wings (which felt really ridiculous and our kids hated that part), so be ready for that. Also, make sure you keep your kids hydrated and don't let them drink the water! The silica mud mask is completely safe for kids, and they'll have a blast putting it on, but avoid the eyes (not always easy!).
SAVING MONEY:
This was our one and only big activity during our trip to Iceland, and it was well worth it, but it wasn't cheap. The price is determined by two factors: 1) the time of day of the visit and 2) how far in advance of the visit the ticket is booked. So firstly, book in advance! And go at a low/cheap time, which for us meant arriving by 8:30am. The earliest time slots and the latest in the day are the most affordable. Going around noon is the most expensive, for whatever reason.
Another way to save money is make sure you bring your own towel and water bottle! The water (and other drinks) at the bar are insanely over priced (think $15 for a beer). We also packed our own lunch instead of getting food there. I'm sure the restaurants are delicious, but you'll pay top dollar, so consider bringing your own food, or going during non-mealtimes.
The good news is, the water temperature is always consistent so you can go in any weather, at any time of year, at any time of day, and you'll have almost the same experience. As they say in Iceland, if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes. We had overcast skies mixed with sun and light rain and it didn't hurt the experience at all.
The Blue Lagoon was just so cool! I'm so glad we went, and I'm sure we'll never forget it. Absolutely a must if you're ever visiting Iceland, or even on a layover there on your way to another destination.
pssssssst:
Read all about our time in Reykjavik HERE + A Case For Traveling With Young Children + Explore The World For Free!
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