If you are traveling from the United States or Canada, it is likely that you arrive in Iceland very early in the morning and your hotel check-in is not until later afternoon.

I bet sitting in the hotel’s lobby for 5-7 hours is not something that you would like to be doing on your holiday in Iceland.

So what to do on an early arrival to Iceland?

To make the waiting time interesting, I have collected a list of things that you could do before you check in to your hotel room. It includes half-day tours outside Reykjavik and activities in the city.

For your knowledge, most of the hotels have luggage storage. Even if you arrive early, you are allowed to drop-off your suitcases at the hotel.

Visit Perlan

Perlan is one of the most beautiful landmarks of Reykjavik, situated on Öskuhlið hill. At the moment it hosts a permanent exhibition of natural wonders of Iceland. You will have a chance to learn about volcanoes, tectonic plates, glaciers, earthquakes and geothermal activity. The highlight of the exhibition with no doubt is artificial ice cave.

The exhibition is open daily from 9 am to 8 pm. Besides that, there is a gift shop, coffee house, and Út í Bláinn restaurant. You can catch a free shuttle that runs every thirty minutes from Harpa Concert hall. Other options would be to catch a public bus Line 18 or take a cab.

Ferry to Viðey island

Yup, Iceland actually consists of 36 islands and Viðey is one of them that you can visit without leaving Reykjavik. During the summertime, Elding, sea tour company offers ferry services from three locations: Old Harbor area, Harpa Concert Hall, and Skarfbakki pier. The one at Skarfabakki has more frequent departure times.

On the island, you can visit the Imagine Peace Tower, Viðey church – which is one of the oldest surviving churches in Iceland as well as some ruins of an old settlement.

Go to a Swimming Pool

Most people connect swimming pools with an active sport. Which is not the case in Iceland. Over here most of the people go to swimming pools for socializing and relaxation. There are two swimming pools located in the city center area: Sundhöll Reykjavikur and Laugardalslaug . On weekdays they are open from 6:30 am and from 8 am during the weekends. Swimsuits and towels can be rented out on the spot.

Visit Viking World Museum

If you’re self-driving, you can check viking museum which is located in Njarðvík city, only 10min. away from Keflavik Int. Airport. They open as early as 7am and there is a coffee house where you can grab some viking style buffet breakfast. Museum itself offers a good insight on early history of Iceland’s settlement.

Join our Reykjanes Tour Directly From the Airport

One of the best ways to get most of your free time is to join Reykjanes tour with a pick-up from the airport. Instead of going directly to Reykjavik, you would have a chance to explore some of the coolest locations of Reykjanes peninsula. The tour starts with a private airport pick-up, from there you go directly on a sightseeing tour. At the end of the tour, you get dropped off at your accommodation.

Make a 2h hour stopover at the Blue Lagoon

One of the most common activity early arrivals choose to do is to make an early morning visit to the Blue Lagoon’s Spa. During the summer season (21st May – 21 August) the lagoon opens at 7 am. For the most convenient way to get there, check our Blue Lagoon’s transfer with 2 hour layover. The driver would wait for you outside the Blue Lagoon for two hours with your suitcases loaded in the car. Please note that you would still need to purchase admission tickets on Blue Lagoon’s website before you get there. Make sure that you book the tickets well in advance.

Have an early breakfast in Reykjavik

If you’re not feeling like doing anything active, check one of the places for an early breakfast:

I hope you found this post useful. If you have more questions, feel free to contact us via Facebook or send us an email: info@iceland- highlights.com