Lodging. There are tons of hotels in Reykjavik and its surrounding suburbs. However, the cheaper ones tends to be smaller boutiques or are quite hostel-like. I'd suggest a centrally located hotel in Reykjavik (this is where all the tour companies pick up/drop off from) that allows you to walk around without having to take a taxi given how expensive they are. There are a lot of Airbnbs listed as well, however, I found that many of them are fairly new and are situated a bit outside the city center. I think that as time goes by.
Food, Drinks, and Spending. No shortage of options here. Just be aware, cost of food and drink in Iceland is quite high. You won't find a liquor store around, and the bars charge a high premium on alcohol. I suggest going dry or if you want, many people bought alcohol from the duty free store prior to leaving the airport. Also, bring a water bottle to fill. The water in Iceland is super pure. In some locations, it has a slight smell of sulfur (natural), but it'll save you a lot of money on bottled water.
What to Wear. In Iceland, dress for comfort and safety. Function must come before fashion, please. You want to enjoy your visit. Being cold or unprepared for the elements will greatly hamper that experience. There are a few blogs that can give you a lot of tips on what to bring including these: I heart Reykjavik or Nomadic Matt.
But in short, you'll want the following basics. (Note: End of season sales may be your friend. Check out the Outlets, REI, and other end-of-season clearances for these items!)
- Shoes - get good winter boots! You'll need comfortable, warm, sturdy, waterproof boots. No, your Uggs will not work even if you spray them with waterproofing spray. I have to say this because I saw way too many people with Ugg-like boots and you'll just end up with damp, frozen feet and be miserable. For boots, I recommend checking out REI, Zappos, or even Sierra Trading Company. Try them on (I tried and returned 6 pairs of boots before settling on these -- note - these go on sale at various retailers throughout the year). Sneakers/tennis shoes also not recommended. I saw many people with rubber crampons to keep from slipping on the ice, though I didn't use them myself. I also brought more casual waterproof boot, also by Sorel. In the end, I likely only needed to bring 1 but it was nice to have an alternate.
- Socks - invest in some good wool and/or technical hiking socks. These will generally run in the range of $12-20 a pair. They should be thick, but be sure they're not too thick for your boots (if they are, you may need to size up in your boots.) You'll want at least 2-3 pairs (you can rotate and hand wash/hang dry). You can also get the Costco wool sock pack as backup though I didn't find them quite warm enough for the long trekking days. On one night, my toes were bone cold at the end of the night. No beuno.
- Base layers - warm wool base layers that go under everything. Shirts and pants. I went for the 32 Degree brand one at Costco because they're 1/4 the cost of the "high-end" ones. I think they were ok, but I did find myself having to bulk up on outer layers. I also had a warmer lined base layer set from Under Armor. I found these warm, but a bit too bulky. You want to be able to have a good range of motion depending on the activity you'll be doing that day. In retrospect, investing in 1-2 good sets from REI may have been best.
- Jacket - waterproof and windproof. The 3-in-1's were quite good - these are 2 jackets; a wind/waterproof outer and a fleece or down inner layer that can be worn separately or zipped together as 1 functional jacket. I got mine on sale during a holiday weekend at the Columbia Outlet for around $100. Probably the best deal I got. You can also find these on sale at North Face Outlet though I found they have very limited sizes and have some wild color combos. I had to use mine together for the entire trip - it never got warm enough to remove a single layer. :) If you want to dress like the locals, they generally have gear from Canada Goose, 66 North, or Cintamani. All of these are high-end and/or local Icelandic brands and will cost you a pretty penny, but they're stylish and are specifically built for this weather.
- Pants - I brought 1 snow pants (ski pants) for hiking/outdoors day, 1 pair of lined jeans from Eddie Bauer, 1 technical hiking pants (didn't wear these) and 2 pairs of regular jeans.
- Shirts - Warm thick flannels and fleeces went over my base layer. Wool 1/2 zips worked really well and are preferred to the flannels, IMO.
- Accessories - Beanies, scarves, gloves. Wool, lined, and water-resistant. I used these to try to be more colorful… but wasn't too successful here.
- Other Gear - My mirrorless camera (Sony alpha a6000) and my trusty iPhone 7 Plus with a Loopy Case
Things to Do in Iceland (Reykjavik/South & West Coast)
Ah, this is what you were waiting for! There are so many activities in Iceland, even in the wintertime. And, if you go during Christmas/New Years, things get really festive! One thing to note about going in the wintertime is that since there is only 4-6 hours of sunlight, you're racing against nightfall every day, so plan accordingly.
Day 1: Travel Day - SFO to KEF. Direct flights from SFO to Keflavik International Airport - Iceland's Main International Airport took approximately 9 hours. I thought I was going to see the Northern Lights on this flight.. but I didn't. :( Anyways, after an uneventful flight, I landed in Iceland around 5-6 am local time the following day (New Year's Eve). I checked in to the hotel, refreshed a bit and off to explore the city and find some food!
