After what felt like approximately seventeen consecutive years of travel on Monday, followed by a 45-minute ride from the airport, we finally arrived at our hotel in Reykjavik.
At that point, our priorities were simple:
Check into the hotel.
Find food immediately.
And try not to speak to anyone until food was acquired.
Fortunately, our hotel, the Apotek Hotel, sits right in the heart of Reykjavik, making it easy to accomplish Priority Number Two.
The Best Burger I’ve Had in Months
After dropping our bags, we headed straight to a restaurant called Saeta Svinid, which translates to The Sweet Pig. Any restaurant willing to call itself The Sweet Pig already has my attention.
I ordered a burger.
Not just any burger.
The burger.
The kind of burger that makes you briefly question every other burger you’ve ever eaten.
It was easily the best burger I’d had in months. Naturally, I paired it with something called “The Boot,” because when you’re operating on jet lag and questionable decision-making skills, ordering something called The Boot feels perfectly reasonable.
By the time dinner ended, exhaustion had officially won the battle. We called it an early night and headed back to the hotel.
You know, a normal vacation.
The Blue Lagoon Scheduling Incident
One of the highlights of our Iceland trip was supposed to be a visit to the famous Blue Lagoon, a generous gift from Briana’s mom, Cathie. The only problem?
Briana and I were both absolutely convinced the reservation was scheduled for Tuesday. It wasn’t. It was Wednesday. As in tomorrow. As in not today.
This discovery completely destroyed our carefully crafted travel plans and sent us scrambling for alternatives. We briefly considered booking a last-minute Golden Circle tour before ultimately deciding to spend the day exploring Reykjavik instead. As travel disasters go, it’s admittedly a pretty first-world problem. “Oh no, our luxury geothermal spa reservation isn’t until tomorrow.” History will somehow find a way to move forward.
A Perfect Day in Reykjavik
Instead of racing around Iceland’s countryside, we slowed things down and spent the day exploring Reykjavik.
And honestly? I’m glad we did.
Reykjavik feels less like a capital city and more like a small town that somehow became a capital. Colorful buildings line the streets, local shops are tucked around every corner, and there’s an easygoing atmosphere that makes wandering around incredibly enjoyable.
Our hotel overlooked a busy square where Briana and I settled in for drinks, people-watching, and one of those rare moments when travel slows down enough for you to simply enjoy being somewhere new.
The girls joined us, along with Briana’s dad, Stephen, as we spent the day exploring the city together. It was exactly the kind of unplanned travel day that often becomes one of your favorites.
Waking Up to an Earthquake
The next morning started at precisely 5:02 a.m. Not because of an alarm clock or jet lag. Not because I was eager to seize the day.
An earthquake literally shook me awake. Not just the bed. The entire building.
The quake measured 4.2 magnitude, which Icelanders would probably describe as “a little vibration.” I described it differently.
Something along the lines of, “WHAT WAS THAT?”
As if one earthquake wasn’t enough excitement, a second and even stronger 4.5 magnitude quake hit after breakfast.
By then we learned that more than 1,200 earthquakes had occurred since 10 p.m. the night before and that the activity could be a precursor to a volcanic eruption. Nothing says “relaxing vacation” quite like discovering your destination may be warming up for an eruption.
Finally, The Blue Lagoon
Despite Iceland’s apparent desire to keep things exciting, we made it safely to the Blue Lagoon.
We arrived at 9:45 a.m. for our 10 a.m. reservation and quickly learned an important lesson:
Check in online. Trust me.
Otherwise you’ll spend part of your vacation standing in a line wondering why everyone else seems smarter than you.
The Blue Lagoon completely lived up to the hype.
Our reservation included a clay mask, a drink, and access to the steam room, sauna, and a unique sauna cave. Everything was accessed through a bracelet that felt remarkably futuristic and made me wonder why I couldn’t use the same technology to pay my electric bill at home.
The warm mineral-rich water, the volcanic landscape, the rising steam—it all felt slightly surreal. If you’re visiting Iceland for the first time, I genuinely think the Blue Lagoon belongs on your itinerary.
The Smallest World in the World
One of the strangest moments of the trip happened while we were soaking in the lagoon.
Sienna looked over and somehow recognized another student from her high school. In Iceland. At the Blue Lagoon. Thousands of miles from home.
Apparently the world is much smaller than any of us realize.
Cinnamon Buns and Final Goodbyes
After two wonderfully relaxing hours at the lagoon, we returned to Reykjavik. The girls immediately collapsed in their room. Briana and I chose a different strategy. Food. Again.
During a little last-minute shopping adventure, we stumbled across a bakery serving fresh cinnamon buns that may have permanently ruined all future cinnamon buns for me.I also found myself appreciating Reykjavik’s incredible street art. The colorful graffiti scattered throughout the city adds personality and creativity to nearly every block.
One Last Dinner at Messinn
One tradition I will genuinely miss from this trip was meeting Briana’s dad every afternoon around five o’clock for a pint or a glass of wine before dinner.
For our final evening, Stephen had arranged reservations at Messinn, a seafood restaurant that delivered one unforgettable meal after another. And wow. Some dinners are good. Some dinners become part of the story. This one definitely belonged in the second category. Thank You, Iceland
As our time in Iceland came to an end, I found myself reflecting on everything we’d experienced in just a few short days. Earthquakes. Geothermal spas. Amazing food. Family time. Unexpected adventures.
And memories we’ll be talking about for years.
Most importantly, I want to thank Briana’s parents, Stephen and Cathie, for inviting us on this incredible trip. We made memories that none of us will forget, and even managed to expand the girls’ culinary horizons along the way.
Tomorrow we’ll leave this land of fire and ice behind and head back to the hustle and bustle of the DC area. We’re excited to see our Australian Shepherd, Kota. We’re significantly less excited about the mountain of laundry waiting for us.
But that’s tomorrow’s problem.
For now, Iceland has given us one final reminder that the best travel stories rarely come from perfect planning. Sometimes they come from earthquakes, reservation mix-ups, and burgers you’ll still be thinking about months later. And honestly? Those are usually the best adventures of all.
