No matter what you're into, you'll find something interesting to do in Iceland. Nature lovers can go outside of the city to explore the mountains, glaciers, waterfalls and beaches.
If you'd rather be indoors, you can take a beer tour, a knife making class, check out all of the coffee shops, or check an independent film.
Here are some of my favorite spots to check out near Reykjavik.
The Golden Circle Tour
The Golden Circle tours will bring you to the top three Iceland attractions.You'll explore the Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss, a waterfall, and Þingvellir National Park. Each place is super magical.
Geysir Geothermal Area
Geysir is located close to Laugarvatn Lake, and is typically crowded. It's touristy, but worthwhile. Strokkur is the primary attraction here, an active geysir that shoots off water every couple of minutes. In 2015, Strokkur made headlines worldwide when an Chilean artist added pink food coloring into it, causing the geysir to shoot off bright pink water during an erurption.
Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss is an incredible waterfall, towering over 105 feet. Part of Hvítá, a glacial river, when translated from Icelandic, Gullfoss actually means "Golden Waterfall". Inspiration behind the name? The water is a golden-brown color during sunny weather. Icelanders are pretty literal.
It doesn't take more than an afternoon. They shuttle you to all of them, pretty easy.
Þingvellir National Park
Þingvellir National Park is home to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Visitors can see the Eurasian and North-American tectonic plates in person. There's also a tour of the Friðheimar greenhouse cultivation center. Iceland is incredibly progressive, and exceptional at their maintenance of a clean, sustainable environment.
The Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon is an awesome, giant natural bath outside of Reykjavik. It's also a huge tourist attraction. It's very likely you've seen ads or articles about the lagoon - it's essentially ground zero for every Iceland selfie.
Without a rental car, you have to get there by chartered bus. It tends to be expensive, probably around $60 for a day pass. But it's worth it. If you go at night, there's a chance you'll see the Northern Lights.
If you're up North, also try out Myvatn Nature Baths. I preferred these to The Blue Lagoon - it was quieter and more serene.
Silfa Snorkeling
Silfra is the divergent tectonic boundary with the American and Eurasian plates. Best part? You can snorkel between them. Despite the cool, 2 degree water, Silfra was one of the most incredible experiences I had in Iceland.
Tour groups (yes, you need to sign up with a tour), equip you with a full wet suit to protect you from the elements. The cold water might not seem like it's that much fun, it's an incredible, incredible experience. When I did it, it was awesome.
See Fields of Dead Fish
So, this was one of my favorite parts of visiting Iceland. And all it was was dried fish. Lots of dead, dead fish. Thing is, Icelanders love their dried fish. You can get dried halibut, trout, etc. at a few different stores in downtown Reykjavik and beyond.
I saw these fields during a tour. It smells a little rank (obviously), but it's unlike anything you've ever seen.
Hike Up Skaftafell
When I visited East Iceland, I got to explore a glacier, Skaftafell. It's actually the one next to the one where they film Game of Thrones. The GOT tour is pretty popular now, but when I was there, this was the best tour you could get.
But it is so so incredibly worthwhile. The tour will last the entire day (it's literally across the country from Reyjkavik), but very awesome if you want to hike up a glacier for reals. You can rent all of the gear from the tour group.
This adventure was also the inspiration for my tattoo.
One of my favorite souvenirs from this experience, however, was definitely this treasure of a video. My mountain guide friends from Arctic Adventures did a funny little bit about tourists falling on the glacier (it's not funny. It is. It's not.)
If anything, it's a cautionary tale of how to and how not to stumble on ice.
Visit Saxholl Volcano Crater
Saxholl is in Western Iceland, and was one of the coolest things I saw in Iceland. I wouldn't recommend it for people who are uncomfortable hiking or climbing. The hike up was sketchy (real tiny stairs), and I remember having to be really, really careful on the walk up.
But at the top, magic. You can see all the way to the Westfjords. Unless you have a car, this will require purchasing a tour. I sang Mulan's "I'll Make A Man Out of You" on the way up.