Our fourth day driving the Ring Road was action packed as we went through the martian landscape of northeast Iceland. The highlights of this section of the Ring Road include the powerful Dettifoss waterfall, the geothermal lava fields of Krafla and Hevrir, a lava cave steam bath, volcanic craters, lava rock fields, and the gorgeous Lake Mývatn. It was a long day that ended with a problem with our Airbnb.
Read MoreIceland is expensive. It is the 4th most expensive country in the world based on consumer price indexes. High food costs are a large part of it. There are certainly ways to keep your costs down if you strategize. During our 11-day trip around Iceland, we spent less than $8 a day per person on food. You go to Iceland for the beautiful landscapes and thrilling experiences, save your money for accommodations and activities rather than food. Here are practical tips for eating cheap in Iceland.
Read MoreIceland has some of the most spectacular landscapes in the world. The Land of Fire & Ice is packed with volcanoes, glaciers, and rugged terrain to explore. Iceland is a destination that is difficult to top. While you still will be impressed with this country if all you did was drive around and take pictures, getting out of your comfort zone and taking on some adventure will leave you with lifetime memories. When we travel we always try to prioritize experiences over spending unnecessary money on food and fancy accommodations. Like everything in Iceland, these activities are pricey but oh so worth it. There is so much to do in summer to make use of those long days and the midnight sun. Here we list the 5 adventure activities we did during our trip and rank them based on our experiences.
Read MoreSnæfellsnes Peninsula is one of the most extraordinary regions in Iceland for dramatic landscapes and must-see sights. You can see everything from glaciers, lava fields, waterfalls, varying colored beaches, steep ocean cliffs, or volcano peaks. Here we recommend the 8 top things to see and do on your trip through Snæfellsnes. We were visiting Snæfellsnes as a detour from the Ring Road (we were traveling counter-clockwise). The first two places listed we visited after our drive to Snæfellsnes from Akureyri. The remaining 6 we visited the next day as we made our way back to Reykjavik ending our Ring Road Trip. Snæfellsnes Peninsula is also a great day trip from Reykjavik whether by driving it yourself or taking a tour.
Read MoreOur longest driving day took us from Akureyri to Grundarfjörður, across the north of the country. Most of the day consisted of gawking out the car's windows at the beautiful scenery we drove through. We took the occasional stop to fly the drone when the surroundings were just too captivating to ignore. This day was the start of our detour from the Ring Road to Snæfellsnes Peninsula. Snæfellsnes Peninsula has some of the most alluring views in all of Iceland. After our long drive, we visited two great spots on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula: the city of Stykkishólmur and Kirkjufell. We spent the night in the most amazing Airbnb overlooking Kirkjufell and the ocean.
Read MoreWhat better way to revel in the beauty of Iceland than stay in a tiny house right in nature. There are hundreds of amazing Airbnbs found all over the country. We booked 7 incredible free-standing houses for our trip along the Ring Road. Focusing on tiny houses, cottages, or cabins, there were several great options located in small villages or on farms in the middle of nowhere. Each house had everything you would find in a studio apartment: a kitchen, bathroom, and large room for living and sleeping. Cooking our dinners in the Airbnb in each night saved us hundreds of dollars in food costs, especially in a pricey country like Iceland. Here are the 7 Airbnbs that we booked and our experience spending the night in Iceland's nature.
Read MoreThe drive from the Mývatn region to Akureyri was the shortest, even with a detour to Húsavík. Most of our time was spent on a miserable Whale Watching tour in the cold pouring rain. There were no whales to be seen. Our day started to look up after getting to the magnificent Godafoss waterfall. In Akureyri, the 2nd largest city in Iceland, we visited one of the northernmost botanical gardens and their church upon the hill.
Read MorePacking for summer in Iceland is tricky. Iceland's summer is a bit unlike the rest of the world. The average temperature is around 10ºC (50ºF), but the temperature hasn't reached above 22ºC (71ºF) in Reykjavik in 10 years. You will likely experience all four seasons in a given day, and all types of precipitation throughout your trip. In late June, it rained all but one day, snowed and hailed. There were dangerous winds that closed whole regions of the country to travel by van. Yet, there are the rare days with completely clear skies and an intense sun that will never set. Being prepared for any and all weather can be difficult to fit in a small carry-on suitcase.
Read MoreOur fourth day driving the Ring Road was action packed as we went through the martian landscape of northeast Iceland. The highlights of this section of the Ring Road include the powerful Dettifoss waterfall, the geothermal lava fields of Krafla and Hevrir, a lava cave steam bath, volcanic craters, lava rock fields, and the gorgeous Lake Mývatn. It was a long day that ended with a problem with our Airbnb.
Read MoreThe day is here! Amazon Prime Day is Amazon's biggest day for deals, rivaling Black Friday. It runs from 3:00 pm EST on Monday, July 16th to midnight on Tuesday, July 17th. You can get big discounts on thousands of products, including many of our travel essentials!
Read MoreWe spent our third day in Iceland navigating the Eastern Fjords from Höfn to Egilsstaðir. Most of the morning was spent driving along the coast, making countless stops to take in the scenery or just to let the sheep cross the road. We had our first and only big uh-oh, getting stuck in sinking sand; rescued by the kindness of strangers. After several hours of driving along farms and through the mountains, we enjoyed the charming village of Seyðisfjörður. We also hiked to one of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland, Hengifoss. It was our favorite, but most challenging, hike we did in Iceland. We spent the night in a beautiful cottage on a horse farm, surrounded by mountains.
Read MorePacking for summer in Iceland is tricky. Iceland's summer is a bit unlike the rest of the world. The average temperature is around 10ºC (50ºF), but the temperature hasn't reached above 22ºC (71ºF) in Reykjavik in 10 years. You will likely experience all four seasons in a given day, and all types of precipitation throughout your trip. In late June, it rained all but one day, snowed and hailed. There were dangerous winds that closed whole regions of the country to travel by van. Yet, there are the rare days with completely clear skies and an intense sun that will never set. Being prepared for any and all weather can be difficult to fit in a small carry-on suitcase.
Read MoreOn our second day on the Ring Road in Iceland, we continued heading east along the south coast towards the fishing village of Höfn. Only a 205 km drive straight, it took 10 hours with all of the amazing stops in between. We drove through drastically changing terrains from a lava field covered in moss to glaciers. We ended the day with an exhilarating snowmobile ride on a glacier while it snowed. A highlight of our trip, for sure.
Read MoreImmediately upon our arrival in Iceland, we loaded up our rental car and set off on Route 1. Iceland's Ring Road, or Route 1, is the main highway that circles around the island. It connects all of the small towns dotted around the coast and is the most popular route for tourists hoping to explore the country. Our first day was extremely ambitious, especially after coming off a sleepless red-eye flight. Might as well start off the trip with a bang. We drove counter-clockwise on the Ring Road, starting with one of our favorite region's of Iceland: the South Coast. Our first day included countless waterfalls, puffins, black sand beaches, and lupines as far as the eye can see.
Read MoreIf you haven't already heard it from everyone else, let me be the first to tell you: Iceland is expensive. Super expensive. Iceland is currently ranked as the 3rd most expensive country in the world. During our visit, we tried to limit expenses where we could without limiting experiences. We did everything we wanted (within reason... unfortunately, no helicopter rides over the gorgeous landscape), but for the lowest price we could swing. In this guide, I break down everything we spent money on and how to reduce your expenses while in Iceland.
Read MoreFlorence is the ideal base to explore the gorgeous Tuscany region. Florence is known for its art & culture, stunning landscapes, exceptional architecture, and cuisine. We stayed in Florence for 3 nights. However, we took day trips to Siena and Pisa, so really only had 24 hours to explore Florence itself. If you only have a short amount of time in the city, here are the 10 things you must do while in Florence.
Read MorePrior to going, we heard a lot of mixed opinions about Venice. Either it was a completely overrated tourist trap or the most magical and romantic city in Europe. Our opinion sided closer with the later. This alluring floating city of marble palaces was the perfect first stop for our honeymoon. We visited Venice in late May, right before the busy summer season. While there was a fair amount of tourists crowding San Marco's square, it could have been worse. Two days felt like the perfect amount of time to spend in Venice. Here is an outline of what we did while in Venice.
Read MoreIt might surprise families, but Disney theme parks are actually quite popular for adults without kids. Disney World has repeatedly been ranked as the #1 domestic Honeymoon in the United States. Realizing this growing demographic, Disney has been doing more in the recent years to cater to childless adults. You can enjoy the parks in a lot of the same ways you did as a kid, but there are also many more new experiences now that you have disposable income, no curfew, and an ability to drink. We have been to Disney parks twice in the last year: to Disneyland for a 2nd smaller Honeymoon and to Disney World for my birthday. Here is our guide to making the most of Disney Theme Parks as an adult.
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