{"id":155839,"date":"2025-03-14T14:50:23","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T14:50:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/14\/i-won-a-trip-to-iceland-heres-what-it-was-really-like\/"},"modified":"2025-03-14T14:50:23","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T14:50:23","slug":"i-won-a-trip-to-iceland-heres-what-it-was-really-like","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/03\/14\/i-won-a-trip-to-iceland-heres-what-it-was-really-like\/","title":{"rendered":"I Won a Trip to Iceland\u2014Here\u2019s What It Was Really Like"},"content":{"rendered":"


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You know those lucky people who win all-expenses-paid trips just by being the hundredth caller or having their raffle ticket drawn? By some stroke of fate, I became one of them. Well, technically, my mom did\u2014but I was lucky enough to reap the benefits.<\/p>\n

Back in 2019, my dad and I wouldn\u2019t shut up about going to Iceland. We had our sights set on the Northern Lights, and my college graduation lined up perfectly with peak solar activity. It was all just talk until a fateful night at the Colorado Automotive Hall of Fame induction ceremony. My dad swears he looked away for just a second, and suddenly, they were announcing my mom\u2019s name as the winner of an Iceland Adventure trip.<\/p>\n

Then life happened. Between 2019 and 2024, the trip sat on the back burner. But last fall, I got a text from my dad: \u201cWant to go to Iceland?<\/em>\u201d Turns out, because of COVID-19, our five-year redemption window had stretched to six\u2014and 2025 would be our last chance to go.<\/p>\n

With the trip mostly planned by a travel company, I got to experience firsthand the benefits and drawbacks of letting someone else take the reins on your itinerary. Here\u2019s what worked, what didn\u2019t, and what I\u2019d do differently next time.<\/p>\n

Ask locals or frequent Iceland travelers, and they\u2019ll tell you Reykjavik is best enjoyed in two to three days. We were set for six. Having a travel agent fill those extra days was incredibly helpful.<\/p>\n

For starters, they booked us at Sand Hotel<\/a>, a boutique stay right on the main city drag. It was modern, comfortable, and\u2014best of all\u2014walking distance from nearly everything. Complimentary breakfast didn\u2019t hurt either.<\/p>\n

We had four tours lined up throughout the week: a foodie walking tour, Northern Lights experience, Golden Circle adventure, and South Coast exploration.<\/p>\n

The biggest perk of having a travel agent? They did all the filtering for us. If you Google \u201cIceland Northern Lights Tour,\u201d you\u2019ll get hundreds<\/em> of results. Instead of sifting through endless options, we had experts choose high-quality excursions.<\/p>\n

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The food tour was a perfect way to sample Icelandic cuisine without the commitment of ordering full dishes. Would I have ever voluntarily ordered fermented shark? Definitely not. Am I glad I tried it? Absolutely<\/em>.<\/p>\n

One stop was the legendary B\u00e6jarins Beztu Pylsur<\/a>, a hot dog stand that\u2019s drawn the likes of Anthony Bourdain, Kim Kardashian, and Bill Clinton. The beer-braised lamb-beef-and-pork dog lived up to the hype.<\/p>\n

People brave Iceland in February for one main reason: to see the Northern Lights. But even in peak season, sightings aren\u2019t guaranteed.<\/p>\n

The travel company suggested scheduling the tour at the beginning<\/em> of the trip because most companies offer a free reschedule if the lights don\u2019t appear. We went out on our second night and got lucky\u2014the lights were out in full force. They didn\u2019t show up again for the rest of our trip.<\/p>\n

Could we have rented a car and chased them ourselves? Sure. But would we have had homemade hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls while doing it? Probably not.<\/p>\n

Both the Golden Circle and South Coast tours were 10-hour excursions packed with waterfalls, geysers, black sand beaches, Icelandic horses, and even a tomato farm.<\/p>\n

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Some highlight spots:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Thingvellir National Park<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 where two tectonic plates meet<\/p>\n

\u2022Gullfoss Waterfall<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 a thundering double-tiered cascade<\/p>\n

\u2022Sk\u00f3gafoss<\/strong><\/a> & Seljalandsfoss<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 iconic waterfalls you\u2019ve definitely seen on Instagram<\/p>\n

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\u2022Reynisfjara Beach<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 eerie black sand, towering basalt columns, and crashing waves<\/p>\n

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It was some of the most breathtaking nature I\u2019ve ever seen\u2014words don\u2019t do it justice.<\/p>\n

We had a choice between Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon. Blue Lagoon is the famous one, but our travel agent gave us the inside scoop: it\u2019s become a bit of a tourist trap\u2014always crowded, not as well-kept.<\/p>\n

We opted for Sky Lagoon, and I have zero regrets. It was more spa-like, offering a seven-step \u201ctranquility journey\u201d that included a cold plunge, sauna, steam room, and salt scrub. Plus, the views<\/a>? Unreal.<\/p>\n

My biggest concern going into this trip\u2014as someone who has been on press trips where every minute is, unfortunately, accounted for\u2014was that it would be too scheduled. But our Iceland itinerary struck a great balance. Reykjavik isn\u2019t a huge city, and we had plenty of unstructured time to wander, check out local bars, pop into bakeries (the cinnamon rolls are a must<\/em>), and shop for souvenirs. (Nordic homeware is elite<\/em>, by the way.)<\/p>\n

One area where we had almost complete freedom? Dinner.<\/p>\n

Some might find that overwhelming, but I love<\/em> researching and picking restaurants. My dad does not. I came prepared with a list but also took recommendations along the way. A few standouts:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sk\u00e1l<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 a casual, Michelin-recommended spot<\/p>\n

\u2022 Fiskf\u00e9lagi\u00f0<\/strong><\/a> (Fish Company) \u2013 cozy, creative seafood<\/p>\n

\u2022 Sushi Social<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 an Icelandic-Japanese fusion gem<\/p>\n

\u2022 La Primavera Ristorante<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 an Italian spot with an Icelandic twist<\/p>\n

\u2022 Ban Thai<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 unexpectedly some of the best Thai food I\u2019ve had<\/p>\n

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Beyond the planned tours, we checked out:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Perlan<\/strong> \u2013 especially great before<\/em> the Northern Lights tour, as it includes a detailed (and visually stunning) explanation of the auroras<\/p>\n

\u2022 FlyOver Iceland<\/strong> \u2013 basically Iceland\u2019s version of Disney\u2019s Soarin\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

\u2022 The Settlement Exhibition<\/strong>\u2013 a fascinating look at Viking history<\/p>\n

Overall, having a travel company handle the bulk of our itinerary made this trip incredibly seamless. Would I do another fully pre-planned trip? Maybe, depending on the destination. But Iceland was the perfect place to have the logistics handled\u2014leaving us more time to soak in the magic.<\/p>\n

And to think, it all started with a lucky raffle ticket.<\/p>\n

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Have you ever won a trip or traveled with a pre-planned itinerary? Would you do it again? Let me know in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n