Everything closes early!

Once you leave Reykjavik don’t expect to find much, if anything open after 9:00 PM, especially on a week day. You can find grocery stores in the larger towns but they close at 7:00. Restaurants/bars are shut down by 9:00. The two exceptions being Reykjavik and Akureyri, both have lively night-life scenes that where you can find plenty of places that stay open late. 

Gas Stations stay open till 10:00. They typically have a deli or serve fast food, which is surprisingly tasty after a long day on the road. Be sure to try a gas station hotdog, the national fast food of Iceland! 

Cell service is great!

I don’t recall ever losing cell service anywhere on the island for more than a couple of minutes here and there. Even through the remote, Westfjords I found the cell service to be very reliable. Gas stations also typically have free wifi. 

The South Coast is crowded…for Iceland

All of the tour buses and tourist go to the South Coast/Golden Circle. For good reason, there are a ton of easily accessible scenic spots along the way. This may be the most visited part of the country but rest assured you can still find plenty of hidden gems off the beaten path. However, if you would rather avoid the crowds altogether, head to the Highlands or Westfjords.

The whole island feels like a National Park

You will find waterfalls, volcanos, rugged coastlines and empty beaches around every corner. There is no shortage of scenic views or hiking trails anywhere in the country. But being the National Park geek that I am I thought it was worth mentioning, Iceland does have three National Parks, two of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites that shouldn’t be missed

Thingvellir: This South Iceland UNESCO site is only about 45 minutes from Reykjavik. Here the continental rift zone between the North-American and Eurasian Tectonic Plates manifests in a large lava gorges and a 10km wide rift valley holding Iceland’s largest lake, Thingvallavatn. The Icelandic parliament was also founded there in 930, making it the oldest still operating parliament in the world.  

Snaefellsjokull: Located at the edge of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the West part of the country. It is named after its crowning glacier and volcano, famous for being the entrance to the center of the Earth in Jules Verne’s story. It is the only park that reaches the shoreline and holds the maritime history of Iceland since the time of settlement in Medieval times.

Vatnajokull: This UNESCO world heritage site covers over 12,000 square kilometers or 13% of Iceland, making it one of the largest national parks in Europe. It envelopes Europe’s largest glacier Vatnajökull, where the interplay of volcanoes and glaciers has created otherworldly landscapes with black sand beaches, outlet glaciers and iceberg-filled filled glacier lagoons.

Final thoughts on the Iceland Road Trip, 

Iceland proved to be an epic destination, one that is well suited for the road trip of a lifetime! If this unique country isn’t on your travel bucket-list it should be!