Outdoors · Reykjavík · Iceland
8 best outdoor things to do in Reykjavík
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: (WT-en) Meltwaterfalls at English Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 1.0
Quick answer
Start with Northern lights tour, Perlan and Whale watching from the Old Harbour. Together the 8 picks below take roughly 16–22 hours across 8 areas; 2 are free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 8
- Free entry
- 2
- Time to see them all
- 16–22 hours
- Areas
- Outside the city, Öskjuhlíð and Old Harbour
Outdoors in Reykjavík
Experience · Outside the city
1.Northern lights tour
Check the Icelandic Met Office aurora and cloud forecast, and book early in your trip so a rebooking is still possible.
- Time needed
- 3–5 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Nature
- Couples
- Iconic
Museum · Öskjuhlíð
2.Perlan
Use it as a rainy-day substitute for glacier and aurora experiences, especially with children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Views
- Nature
Experience · Old Harbour
3.Whale watching from the Old Harbour
Take seasickness tablets beforehand and wear the warm overalls the operators provide; it is much colder on the water than in town.
- Time needed
- 3–3.5 hours
- Cost
- Expensive
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Park · Downtown (101 Reykjavík)
4.Tjörnin and City Hall
In hard winters the pond freezes and locals skate on it; part is kept ice-free by geothermal water for the birds.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Outdoors
Nature · Seltjarnarnes
5.Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes
Check the tide table before crossing the causeway, and note that the island is usually closed to walkers during the spring nesting season.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Nature
- After dark
- Off the beaten path
- Views
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Island · Kollafjörður
6.Viðey Island
Ferries are more frequent in summer; check the schedule and take the return times seriously, as the island has few facilities.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Outdoors
- Nature
- Off the beaten path
- History
Museum · Grandi
7.Whales of Iceland
Visit before or after a whale-watching trip; it helps children understand what they will or did see.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Zoo · Laugardalur
8.Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo
Combine it with Laugardalslaug pool next door for a full day with young children.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Outside the city | Northern lights tour | 3–5 hours |
| Öskjuhlíð | Perlan | 2–3 hours |
| Old Harbour | Whale watching from the Old Harbour | 3–3.5 hours |
| Downtown (101 Reykjavík) | Tjörnin and City Hall | 45 minutes |
| Seltjarnarnes | Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes | 1–2 hours |
| Kollafjörður | Viðey Island | Half a day |
| Grandi | Whales of Iceland | 1 hour |
| Laugardalur | Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo | 2–3 hours |
Booking and timing
Of these 8, 2 free, 2 low cost, 2 mid-priced, 2 expensive. Book ahead for Whale watching from the Old Harbour. The longest visit is Northern lights tour; group the rest by area to save travel time.
- Whale watching from the Old Harbour: Trips are often cancelled for rough seas; book early in your stay so you can rebook if needed.
How to fit them into 6 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Outside the city): Northern lights tour, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 2 (Öskjuhlíð): Perlan, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 3 (Old Harbour and Downtown (101 Reykjavík)): Whale watching from the Old Harbour → Tjörnin and City Hall, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 4 (Seltjarnarnes): Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes, at least 1 hour.
- Half-day 5 (Kollafjörður and Grandi): Viðey Island → Whales of Iceland, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 6 (Laugardalur): Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- July: highs of 14°C (57°F), about 10 rainy days, very busy crowds. The warmest and busiest month, with highland roads usually open and puffins on the islands.
- June: highs of 12°C (54°F), about 10 rainy days, very busy crowds. Near-constant daylight around the solstice and the start of peak season; bring an eye mask for sleeping.
- May: highs of 10°C (50°F), about 10 rainy days, moderate crowds. Bright nights, migrating birds and puffins arriving; many highland roads remain closed.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- Downtown (101 Reykjavík) — Laugavegur shops, small bars and colourful corrugated-iron houses around the Tjörnin pond
- Old Harbour and Grandi — Whale-watching docks, fish restaurants and converted warehouses on the waterfront
- Laugardalur — Green valley of sports grounds, the city's largest pool, a zoo and botanic garden
More of Reykjavík
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Reykjavík?
Northern lights tour. From roughly September to April, bus and small-group tours drive out of the city to dark locations when the aurora forecast and cloud cover look promising.
+Which of these are free in Reykjavík?
Tjörnin and City Hall and Grótta lighthouse and Seltjarnarnes.