Complete Guide to Iceland: Summer Edition
Weather
Summer in Iceland is from June to August. These are the best months to visit Iceland if you are looking for summertime activities with the best weather.
The summer offers the best chance at tamer weather -- although Iceland's weather is known to be unpredictable. Be prepared for anything! The summer months temperatures:
June Average Temperatures: High 54 ºF (12 ºC) | Low 44 ºF (6 ºC)
July Average Temperatures: High 57 ºF (14 ºC) | Low 48 ºF (9 ºC)
August Average Temperatures: High 56 ºF (13 ºC) | Low 47 ºF (8 ºC)
Iceland in the Summer
You will get to experience the Midnight Sun phenomena during the summer months when you visit which is one of the benefits of traveling to Iceland this time of year. Because of this, summer activities range longer into the day because there is no sunset to worry about.
There are no challenging road conditions to worry about in the summer which makes it easier to travel around worry free during this time. There is less hassle and no worry about ice and snow causing problems while driving around the island. All roads and routes around the island are open due to the nice weather making planning easier.
Tip: Bring sleeping aids: eye masks, ear plugs, etc to help with sleeping during this time of the year. There won't be regular darkness to fall asleep with and could disturb your sleep pattern.
This is a busy time of year to travel to Iceland. Having accommodations set from car rental, to where you will stay is extremely important. Depending on your trip the rental car will make a difference. Driving around town and staying on Ring Road a 2WD car would make it fine if you don't need a lot of space and plan on hitting attractions along that road. If you plan to go explore into the highlands or go deeper into some of the more outdoor areas then you will want a 4WD car. The rental car agency you select will be more than happy to help you figure out the car you need based on your itinerary.
Packing List
Packing for Iceland can be tricky so below is a list of must-have's that will make you prepared for any weather and have the most comfortable trip.
Waterproof jacket
Fleece/wool/heavy sweater
Waterproof and/or water resistant pants
Hiking boots (potentially want waterproof boots depending on your trip)
Thermal base layers
Wool socks
T-shirts and Long sleeves
A midlayer piece and/or vest
Gloves/Scarf
Pants
Beanie
Sunglasses
Bathing Suit
Quick Dry Towel
Camp shoes/Flip Flops (good for hot springs/ changing areas)
Water Bottle ( you can refill water in this country)
Portable charger
Charger for car
Other Resources
Don't Want to Rent a Car? Want Someone to Guide you Around? Check out the below guide options:
If you feel uneasy about driving or would rather customize an itinerary for someone to drive you or your family around this is a good option.
Places to Stay
In looking to roam around the island during the summer this is a list of options that makes a full circle around Ring Road. Various prices and accommodations are listed. I have stayed at several of these with friends and family from previous trips. The options are all close to the road making it accessible regardless of the car you choose to rent.
If you are looking for a more remote option or want something different than a hotel there are many vacation home rentals and Airbnb's throughout the country that I can create an itinerary for.
Below is a list of places I have stayed at, but also places I had looked into to stay at. There is a variety of options below.
Reykjavik Area
South/Southwest Area
East Side
North Side
West Side
Food + Restaurants
While visiting the island there are plenty of restaurants with local foods and customs to try and enjoy. While I loved being able to eat out and enjoy myself some of the accommodations I chose had restaurants attached to the building or a kitchen within to help make some meals myself. I found this an easy way to save some money by choosing to make some meals with friends and family and enjoy time together. There are food tours for some of the local delicacies if you are interested in that. Budgeting for food is something to consider.
As you travel around the country you will notice there are less restaurants outside of Reykjavik and in smaller towns there are only a handful of options. Reservations may be required for most places, keep that in mind. Another note is that restaurants don't always stay open very late which may require some adjustment on what time you plan to eat. I bought plenty of snacks from the grocery store to make sure I have enough food to supplement. Most of the time I ate breakfast and lunch out and dinner when possible was made at the accommodation I stayed in to allow for easier planning on late days. This felt the easiest when traveling late into the day with the summer sun.
Tip: If you want alcohol while on the island the best place to buy it is the airport. Hard liquor is cannot be bought at the grocery stores. There are liquor stores with limited hours. Wine and beer can be easily bought around the island, but also requires going to the liquor store, look these up ahead of time as there are only so many.
Reykjavik
South Side
East Side
North Side
West Side
Festivals in the Summer
A fun opportunity while traveling to Iceland in the summer is the array of the festivals that happen because of the nice weather. Below is a list of festivals that happen during the summer that you can check out and enjoy. Some are free to join while others have an admission fee.
June
Seafarer's Day - Early June
National Day - June 17
Hafnarfjörður (Viking Festival) - Mid June
The Color Run
Lobster Festival
July
Skalholt Summer Concerts
LungA Art Festival - Mid July in East Iceland
Reykjavik Accordian Festival
Folk Music Festival
August
Sildaraevintyrid - The Herring Festival
Nordanpaunk Festival
Danish Days
Innipukinn Music Festival
The Great Fish Day
Tours in Iceland
There are many things to do on your own around the island, but if you're looking to try something new or have a big adventure these are some unique experiences you can enjoy. There are some additional resources on where to book specific tours if you would feel more comfortable being escorted from Reykjavik to the outdoor sights.
Kayaking
Horseback Riding
Snorkeling the Silfra Fissure
This is the divide bewteen the continents -- truely one of a kind experience!
Puffins
Either guided or self-driving there are plenty of places to see the puffins during this time of year. Below are some resources to look through to plan your itinerary. There are also tips on how to be around puffins and the appropriate space to give them.
Glacier Tours
Day Tours
Things to Do Around Reykjavik
There are many things to do in Reykjavik from shopping to dining. This is a great place to stay if you want to take tours from the city to nature or on a boat. It has access to all the amenities. Below is an overview of places to go, but really the town itself is so small and walkable you can explore it yourself within a few days. Put your phones down and just wander.
There are museums, comedy shows, and late night entertainment everywhere. My favorite part of walking around here was following the crowds or finding things during the day to add to my plans. If you are staying at a hotel they will be able to give you great recommendations as well on local activities that happen at the bars or during specific nights that always rotate.
Things To Do
A list of places broken down by each section of the country. There is plenty to do and explore, these are the top places to hit.
South
East
North
West
Highlands
Visiting the central highlands is a true adventure. This will be off the main road around the island. There is no way to drive through the country so to get to the highlands, you would drive in and out of the area to explore.
There will be no direct road into the highlands so this is where mapping out the journey you want to take is very important. There will be F-roads which are unpaved mountain roads, these tend to be roungh and uneven. This kind of adventure definitely requires a 4x4 vehicle.
Best places to hit in the highlands while adventuring would be:
Landmannalaugar - this can be done in a day or you can complete the entire Laugavegur trail. This area is quite incredible and should not be missed if you have any interest in the highlands.
Vatnajökull National Park - Within this park you can visit Askja which is an active volcano surrounded by crater-like lava fields.
Langjökull glacier - This area has plenty of geothermal pools, lava caves, and waterfalls to explore.
Hveravellir Nature Reserve - A great place to detour if you visit this area is to Kerlingarfjöll. This area contains Hveradalir geothermal valley, which is something to not miss.
Þórsmork - This ethereal place has mountains, glaciers, gorges, rivers, and hot springs. You'll also find Eyjafjallajökull volcano. This area is very diverse and a great place for an avid hiker. This section of the highlands is not far from Ring Road making it fairly accessible.
If traveling into rough terrain makes you nervous there are several options of single day or multi-day tours available. Linked below for more information. I would also be happy to dive deeper on a 1-on-1 call to help map out a highland trip that would be a fun and accessible for someone wanting to do it themselves.
Puffins
Some sightseeing tips for puffins:
1. Early mornings and evenings are the best time for puffin sightings.
2. Puffins hang out on rocky cliff sides so be careful about following too close -- there will be signs to follow and be aware of the paths around the area.
3. The best way to view puffins from their nest is to lay on your stomach and slowly crawl forward. This will help keep puffins calm while trying to see them and keep you safe from falling.
4. Obviously, don't touch or feed the puffins.
Best Places to See Puffins
Enjoy your trip! I hope you found this guide incredibly helpful and found the information to have the best trip.
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