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The Perfect Itinerary for your First Summer Trip to Iceland

July 5, 2021

So you’re headed to Iceland for the first time? I’ve got you! Iceland is literally one of my favorite places on the planet Earth and I’ve been more times than I count at this point. And while I’ve been in every season possible, Summer is one of the overall favorites to visit Iceland, mostly because it’s light almost 24 hours per day so you can utilize that jet lag and get out there and explore at 3am but also because the weather is the most temperate. It’s definitely not warm by most standards but it will be more pleasant than the dead of Winter! Here is the perfect itinerary for your first Summer trip to Iceland and all the best places to see.

Head East and drive to Fosshotel glacier lagoon

I’m a fan of hitting the road when land in Iceland and instead of driving the 45 minutes into Reykjavik and seeing the city first, I like to see the landscape instead, as that’s really the best part of Iceland. I personally like to head East directly off the flight after renting a car and getting on the road. Drive a few hours East, stopping at waterfalls like Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss as well as playing on the black sand beaches of Vik to stretch your legs. Grab lunch in Vik and then head on further East until you get to the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon – my favorite hotel that I’ve ever stayed at in Iceland! Once there, get settled, have dinner at the hotel and then try to get on local time.

Explore the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and Diamond beach

While staying at the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon, use those days to explore the surrounding areas and some of the famous landmarks nearby like Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach. I’m a fan of these spots in the off hours when no one is around because it gets crowded at peak times. Personally, we tend to wake up super early, like 3am early, during the Summer in Iceland and head out to explore. It’s light out under the Midnight Sun and the light is beautiful for photos, plus there is literally no one around and you get Iceland all to yourself.

drive farther east around the corner past Höfn

Once you’ve had a couple days to rest at the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon and you’ve explore the glacier lagoons and Diamond Beach, head towards Höfn, a small town on the South East shore of Iceland. Höfn is a cute little seaside town but driving past Höfn, you’ll see some of Iceland’s most incredible landscapes. Set your map to Husavik and just enjoy the landscapes as you drive North.

Explore Akureyri and Husavik

The North of Iceland feels entirely different than the South because it’s pretty remote. Not a lot of tourists head up here and usually, the Summer is the only time that you’re able to drive the ring road all the way North. We’ve done it in June and still got caught in a snowy blizzard one time so it’s definitely still sketchy at times due to the weather, but it’s well worth seeing the North of Iceland. Husavik and Akureyri are the two main towns up there and both are super charming. This is the area of Iceland that you can also see Godafoss, the Waterfall of the Gods and it’s definitely a must-see under the Midnight Sun.

drive back down South and explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula

As you make your way South again, back toward Reykjavik, it’s well worth a slight detour to explore the Snæfellsnes Peninsula. This area of Iceland has some of the most scenic landscapes you’ll see in the whole country. Some highlights in this area are Kirkjufell and some of Iceland’s most famous orange lighthouses. I will say though, driving this area can be treacherous as many of the roads are just gravel so buy the insurance package on your rental car!

Stay in Reykjavik for a few days and see the golden circle

After making your way around the entire island, finish out your trip in Reykjavik, Iceland’s main city. I will say, in the nine plus years since I’ve been going to Iceland, Reykjavik has changed a ton! What was once a quiet, little bit drab small city, is now a vibrant, cultural and hip large city. New buildings are going up left and right, amazing restaurants are popping up all over the place and the colorful charm of Reykjavik is now a popular tourist spot. My personal favorite way to enjoy the city is to rent an AirBnB and make some reservations at some of the city’s hippest spots to round out your vacation.

While in Reykjavik, you can also see some of the most popular tourist spots in what is called “The Golden Circle.” This trio of sites that includes Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir and Thingvellir National Park is just a few hours outside of the city and you can easily do a day trip to see all of the sites. They are definitely crowded because this is where the tourist busses head first, but they are definitely still worth seeing!

Revel in the Magic of Iceland as You Head Home

I fell hard for Iceland years ago and with each subsequent trip, it burrows its way into my heart even more. I hope you are able to revel in the magic of Iceland as you head to the airport and hopefully you get to come back in the future and see more of the amazing place that is Iceland!

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Where to Stay in Iceland

How to Visit the Fagradalsfjall Volcano in Iceland

June 16, 2021

One of the coolest things that we’ve ever done traveling was to visit the Fagradalsfjall Volcano that’s currently erupting in Iceland (as of June 2021). When I was sharing our visit on social media during our most recent trip to Iceland in May, a lot of people wanted to know, “how do we see that?” “where do we go?” “what do we do?” So today, here is your complete guide answering your questions for how to visit the Fagradalsfjall Volcano in Iceland and everything you’ll need to know in order to visit and see this incredible moment in nature.

Where is the Fagradalsfjall Volcano Located?

The volcano is located about 10 minutes East of the small town of Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland. From Reykjavik, the volcano was about an hour away driving.

How Do I get there?

From Reykjavik, you drive similar to how you would drive to get to Keflavik Airport or the Blue Lagoon, heading towards the little town of Grindavik. Once you make it to Grindavik, you take the 427 highway along the Sea East about 10 minutes. Once you arrive at the start of the trail, you’ll see several gravel parking lots. Park here, pay the parking fee on an app on your phone and from there, you can start the hike up to the viewing point to see the Fagradalsfjall Volcano.

What’s the hike like?

I won’t lie, it was a difficult hike. It took us about 90 minutes from starting at the parking lot to the top of the summit that you’ll view the volcano from. The first half was up-hill but easier as it was on a true dirt path and not as steep as the second half. The second half was sometimes literally straight up and most of the time it was also very rocky which made it a lot slower. Parts of the hike walks within feet of dried lava that’s still smoldering so it’s definitely interesting, but it did take us about an hour and a half with several short breaks to make it to the top. There are several signs that show you where not to go as well so you can stay on the right path.

Outfit Details:

Boden Checkered Rain Coat (sold out) | Gap Navy Blue Cargo Pants (similar)

Gray Ear Muffs | Black Anello Backpack | Tan Insulated Hiking Foots (similar)

What will I see at the top?

Once you arrive at the summit, it’s pretty incredible. At the top of the trail is a large open area with large rocks. Everyone basically just picks a spot, sits on a rock and then watches the lava show. When we were there, we stayed at the summit for about an hour and a half and we watched about 8-9 eruptions, some smaller, some larger but they went off about every 10-15 minutes. I’m not sure if that will be the normal going forward but it’s what happened while we were there in May 2021. It’s a beautiful view, looking down on the volcano from the top of the trail so just pick a spot up there and take it all in.

What do I need to wear?

This is dependent entirely on what the weather is like, but for typical Summer weather in Iceland, we hiked it on a 50 degree morning with minimal wind, though the wind did pick up a lot on our hike down and it was definitely harder so pick a good day to do the hike in decent weather. In terms of what to wear, I wore leggings under cargo hiking pants, good hiking boots (mine are faux-fur lined so they keep my feet warmer), long sleeve shirt, a down vest, a big scarf, a jacket, ear muffs and gloves. On the hike up, we ended up taking our gloves and scarves off because we got so warm but we definitely needed them again at the summit so be prepared for cold wind while up there. I also brought those little shakeable hand warmers that I used at the top while we were sitting for a while to keep my hands warm.

Outfit Details:

Boden Checkered Rain Coat (sold out) | Gap Navy Blue Cargo Pants (similar)

Gray Ear Muffs | Black Anello Backpack | Tan Insulated Hiking Foots (similar)

Was it worth it?

Without a doubt, yes. Witnessing the volcano erupting in Iceland was by far one of my top travel memories and one of the coolest experiences of my life. Seeing nature’s power like that was pretty surreal and I would highly recommend you seeing it if you’ll be in Iceland in the near future. I’ll leave you with this time-lapse video of the volcano erupting…

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COVID Escapes : Where to Explore Near Boston

July 10, 2020

In June, I did a set of lnstagram stories about places that readers might be interested in learning more about in an effort to travel more safely during this time of COVID. While international travel looks mostly off the books for a while, it’s a perfect opportunity to explore a little more in our own backyards and do smaller day trips or short overnights in order to get a sense of escape, while still staying safe and cautious in regards to the spread of COVID. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be doing a series of posts focusing on locations in the US that readers sent in to me in the Instagram poll and offer some options for short COVID escapes in the US that we can travel to safely and easily, mostly by car!

First up…. here’s where to explore near the great city of Boston!

Daytrips

Salem, Massachusetts – This famous little town is a great place to take a quick day trip to from Boston to explore the historic areas around Salem. From gorgeous old houses and parks to the famous Salem Witch Museum, this area is perfect for a COVID escape for a day trip from Boston.

Newport, Rhode Island – This beautiful spot in New England is one of my all time faves and easy day trip from Boston. For beautiful ocean views or a quick wander around the cute downtown, Newport is a peaceful break from the city, especially right now.

Chatham, Massachusetts – This Cape Cod haven is a tiny little town way out on the spit of land that it inhabits. Wander around the cute shops and take in the gorgeous scenery that Cape Cod has to offer, all within quick driving distance of Boston.

Hanover, New Hampshire – This little college town is one of my faves in New England. Walk around the grounds of Dartmouth University or take a stroll through the little downtown and it is sure to be a peaceful day trip to get out of the city.

Portland, Maine* – I love Maine and I included Portland, Maine on this list because it’s a short distance driving from Boston, however, we aware of their quarantine restrictions this Summer. For a while they are making it a mandatory 14 day quarantine for visitors, so be sure to take a look at the rules before heading North to Maine, but this coastal city is a gorgeous day trip option from Boston.

Quick Overnights

Woodstock, Vermont – I’m a huge fan of Vermont so if I were living in Boston right now, it would be the top of my list to escape to. Woodstock is perhaps the cutest little town I’ve ever seen and it’s one of my favorite spots in beautiful Vermont that would make a perfect short overnight trip.

Stowe, Vermont – If you want to drive a bit farther North, Stowe is a beauty too. With a gorgeous mountainous backdrop, Stowe is perfect for getting out of the city and out into a more natural, small town environment.

Lake George, New York – This beautiful area in upstate New York is a breath-taking setting on Lake George. The little town is peaceful and quiet and there is a lot of natural wilderness in this area for hiking and camping too.

On My Future Wishlist in the Area to Check Out

New York’s Finger Lakes

Bristol, Rhode Island

Marblehead, Massachusetts

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How to Roadtrip from Portland to LA in a Day

July 7, 2020

Since my parents moved to the LA area in late May of 2020, Nick and I have taken full advantage of having them back on the West Coast by driving to see them. Especially with COVID, it’s been really nice to have the option to drive to see them now instead of having to fly 6 hours across the ocean to Hawaii, which right now, wouldn’t be possible anyways because of Hawaii’s strict quarantine. Since they moved in May, we’ve done the drive from Portland to LA twice now and as everyone is looking at different road trips to take during the age of COVID instead of flying, I’m sharing how to road trip from Portland to LA in a day and how to make it work!

To start, the drive from Portland to LA direct is about 14 hours, and while that may seem like a really long time to be in the car, I have to say, it does go by pretty fast actually! We’ve found that the best way to do the drive is to break if up in sections and make stops within each of those sections for meals or exploration. Since we’re usually up early, we’ve found that it’s easier for us to get up super early and get on the road (we leave about 4am), versus driving later into the night, but figure out what would work better for you. Here’s what we’ve found is the best way to break the roadtrip up and make it the easiest to drive from Portland to LA.

Drive Portland to Southern Oregon

Nick’s family is in Southern Oregon, so we’ve made stops there to break up the trip a bit. But even if you don’t know anyone there, this 4.5 hour drive from Portland to Southern Oregon can be a nice place to stop. During this part of the drive you’ll leave the city of Portland, drive through farmland and mountain top passes to get to the Southern part of Oregon. Explore the little town of Ashland, right before the California border, as you head South and use this as a good time to fill up your gas tank.

Drive Southern Oregon to Sacramento

This section of the drive is about 5 hours and will take you through farmland, vineyards and orchards to your heart’s content. It’s fairly flat for this stretch of the highway and an easy part of the drive. There are lots of towns to stop at during this stretch but if you have time, Sacramento is actually a really cool city to explore a bit.

Drive Sacramento to LA

From Sacramento, the last stretch of the drive will take about 5 hours with minimal traffic. Leaving Sacramento, you’ll go through Stockton but after that, this stretch is pretty sparse along the route to LA. As you leave the Stockton area, be sure you’ve filled up with gas, gotten some food and used a bathroom as you’ll go miles and miles during this stretch without anything around. Once you make it a few hours past Stockton, you’ll hit a few small towns before the Grapevine, a windy stretch of road that inclines you through the Tejon Pass, a section of the I-5 that you’ll drive through before making it to the other side of the mountains into the LA Area. The Grapevine can be gorgeous to drive through in the late Spring, when in May, the hillsides are covered in purple and organs wildflowers but it can also be treacherous in the Winter, so be sure to use caution when driving through.

Once you make it to the other side of the Grapevine, you’re basically in the North LA area. From here, you can take all sorts of routes and see all different places in Southern California. Even though a roadtrip from Portland to LA in a day is a long one, it’s totally doable and doesn’t actually feel super crazy long. So next time you want to head down to Southern California, especially during COVID, driving from Portland to LA in a day might not be such a bad idea!

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AirBnB Apartment in L’Isle sur la Sorgue : Review

August 8, 2019

Loft Apartment in L’Isle Sur la Sorgue

L’Isle sur La Sorge, Provence, France

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We don’t offer stay in AirBnB’s when we travel because we usually prefer a hotel stay but lately, we’ve been wanting to try staying in AirBnB’s more and tried one out when we were in Provence this time around. One of the reasons I particularly wanted to do this on this trip was that I wanted to be based in a small town and most hotels (other than crazy expensive ones) are outside of the town centers. All in all, had it been another time of the year, I would have great reviews for this apartment but because it was in Summer and during a heat wave, our stay here wasn’t super great overall.

See the AirBnB listing here.

LOVE

Location – I wanted a location in a small town center in Provence and this unit definitely has that. Its location within L’Isle sur La Sorgue is excellent and easy to walk around the town but also to drive in and out of the town center to explore more of Provence.

Easy Parking – We parked right in front of the building on the street and it was super easy and had a lot of spots available.

Design – The design of the unit was lovely and modern with vintage touches.

Washing Machine – While it took us a while to figure it out, we ended up doing a few loads of laundry which was really nice in the middle of our trip.

DIDN’T LOVE

AC Issue – Ok so when I was booking this apartment, I knew that Provence could get very hot in the Summer as we’ve been there before. I specifically only looked at listings that had Air Conditioning and while this is both an issue I have with AirBnB in general and also the apartment, the apartment lists Air Conditioning on its amenities but what that really means is that it’s a tiny floor unit. When we were there, it was 100 degrees plus outside and that little tiny floor unit did nothing to change the stifling hot air. I don’t do well in intense heat and it makes me physically sick, so we actually ended up only staying one night here (instead of our original three) and headed back to Lyon to a hotel because it was so stifling in the apartment we got little to no sleep and could barely be inside in that heat. While this wouldn’t be an issue at other times of the year, it was definitely an issue for us.

Bathroom got crazy hot– Along the lines of it being so hot inside the unit, the bathroom was tiny and had no ventilation, meaning that even when in there for a minute, I was dripping with sweat which made the whole situation very uncomfortable.

NOTES TO KEEP IN MIND

Park on the Street right in Front of the Building – The parking is super easy right in front of the building and there is also a parking lot across the street if you can’t find it on the street.

Visit During Another Time of Year other than the Summer – Aside from the heat in the apartment, I think we would have enjoyed our stay here for sure!

Photos via.

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