Last Updated on September 17, 2026 by A Teaspoon of Travel

Where to Stay in Iceland with Kids

Traveled in July 2026

One of the biggest challenges of planning a trip to Iceland with kids is figuring out where to stay. Most people change accommodations frequently as they travel around the Ring Road to avoid backtracking. The distances between attractions can be longer than they look, and constantly packing and unpacking with kids is not exactly how I wanted to spend our vacation. For our trip, we decided to keep things simple by using Vik and Reykjavik as our two main bases and taking day trips from each. It meant a little more driving and backtracking, but having fewer hotel changes made our trip feel so much more manageable with a preschooler. I’m sharing the best areas and family-friendly places to stay in Vik and Reykjavik, including the hotels and cottages that worked especially well for our family.

Because Iceland is so popular in the summer, book your accommodations as early as possible, especially in smaller towns like Vik. I started looking for places to stay in March for our late July trip, and everything in Vik was already booked. We only managed to get a cabin just outside of town because of a cancellation. I’d honestly consider booking refundable accommodations before your plane tickets so you know you have places to stay along your route.

Where to Stay in Vik

Staying in the town of Vik is convenient if you’re planning on eating out since that is where all the restaurants are located. However, if you want a place with a kitchen, then you may need to stay a couple minutes outside of Vik because of high demand. If there is ONE tip about traveling to Iceland with kids I can give, it is to definitely book accommodations in Vik as early as possible!!

Skammidalur Cottages – cute cottages with kitchenettes off the Ring Road (where we stayed)

The Skammidalur Cottages are about an 8 minute drive north of Vik. It is located right off the Ring Road, so it’s very convenient for sightseeing. These cute standalone cottages are on the same property as the Skammidalur Guesthouse. I loved that we had the convenience of a front desk but with the privacy of our own cottage. The setting was especially idyllic, with views of the farm and ocean out front and a waterfall behind the property. Each cottage has its own kitchenette and bathroom, and the living space felt much roomier than it looked. Our cabin was spotlessly clean, cozy, and felt incredibly homey. There was easy parking right next to the cabin. However, note that each cottage only has a queen sized bed and there is no sofa in the sitting area. So it works best for couples or families with young kids who can still bedshare.

Vik Apartments – spacious apartments in Vik

Vik Apartments have a variety of apartments to fit families of all sizes. It’s conveniently located right in the center of Vik, so it is walkable to restaurants and the grocery store. Each apartment has a kitchenette and its own bathroom, and some even have a washer dryer. This was my top choice of where to stay in Vik, but it was already booked up when I looked.

Black Beach Suites – spacious suites close to Black Sand Beach

The Black Beach Suites are gorgeously modern and have stunning ocean views. They have rooms of different sizes, including some with sofa beds to accommodate larger families. Each suite has its own bathroom and kitchenette. The suites are located a short drive down the road that leads from the Ring Road to the Black Sand Beach. This location slightly off the Ring Road makes it a more quiet stay, but adds a couple minutes more driving time to your day.

Hotel Kria – modern hotel in Vik

If you’d rather stay in a regular hotel room and don’t need a kitchenette, the Hotel Kria is a modern choice in the heart of Vik. It’s right off the Ring Road, and walking distance to the restaurants and grocery store in Vik so the location can’t be beat. The room rates include breakfast, which is helpful in an expensive place like Iceland. Children under 7 years old stay free (and may be able to request an extra bed for them).

Where to Stay in Reykjavik

While many first-time visitors stay in downtown Reykjavik to be within walking distance of the main sights, we preferred staying just outside the city center for more space and easier access to grocery stores, playgrounds, and free parking when traveling with a kid. We stayed in the Vesturbær neighborhood and were surprised by how family-friendly it felt. Downtown was still only a 25–30 minute walk away, but we had several great playgrounds within a couple minutes walk of our apartment, three grocery stores nearby, and free street parking right outside. For us, those extra conveniences made traveling with a kid so much easier.

Downtown Apartments at Old Harbor Reykjavik – spacious apartments close to the harbor

The Downtown Apartments at Old Harbor Reykjavik have a fantastic location close to the harbor. It’s about a 15-20 minute walk to downtown Reykjavik. Each apartment has a fully equipped kitchen and a sofa bed in the living room for more space. Best of all, free parking in the garage is included in the stay!

Vesturgata – spacious 1 or 2 bedroom apartments

The apartments at Vesturgata are especially ideal for families because they have either 1 or 2 bedroom options. The apartments are about a 10-15 minute walk from the downtown area on a cute residential street. There is a full kitchen with basic cooking supplies, which is helpful if planning on cooking. Because it is a bit closer to the downtown area, street parking can be tricky to find, and you have to be mindful of if you are parking in a paid parking zone or a free parking zone.

Black Pearl Luxury Apartments – modern apartments close to downtown

The Black Pearl Luxury Apartments are great for families because they have a variety of room options for families of all sizes. The apartments are all very modern and have a full kitchen. The location is great, just a couple minutes walk to the downtown area without being right in the center of all the crowds. Parking is paid but on site.

Candlewood Suites by IHG Reykjavik – family friendly suites in the heart of Reykjavik

The Candlewood Suites by IHG Reykjavik are located very close to downtown Reykjavik, to the east of the Hallgrimskirkja church. The suites are modern and new, and all have a kitchenette. This is an especially good option to consider for people with the Chase Sapphire Reserve card (contact me for a referral for bonus points!) because you can use your annual IHG credit to offset the cost of the hotel. Parking is paid on site.

What to Pack for Visiting Iceland with a

Now that you’ve found the perfect place to stay, time to get packing! Packing for Iceland was one of the hardest trips to pack for because of all the outdoor time and unpredictable weather. These are the things we ended up using and found most helpful.

Things to pack for kids

• Snack box: snacks are great for keeping kids entertained in the car. And a snack box will help keep those snacks from spilling.
• Car entertainment: if you’re ok with screens in the car, we use this mount to clip phones onto seat backs. Our kid also loves these stickers books. These travel magnatiles have a metal case so they won’t fall all over the place in the car. We also like to play I Spy, and there is no shortage of things to spy on this drive.
• Blankie or stuffy: bringing a blankie or stuffy makes the car a little more cozy and encourages more car naps.
• Kid’s sunscreen: this sunscreen stick has saved me so many fights with my kid over putting sunscreen on his face.
• Waterproof shoes: kids like to splash, so packing waterproof shoes to change into for any waterfalls is helpful to prevent soggy shoes and socks for the entire day.
• Waterproof jacket: a lightweight packable waterproof jacket is a great layer to throw into the backpack because the weather changes quickly in Iceland.
• Water bottle: we love this kids water bottle because our kid can open the straw easily on his own. This is especially helpful on long drives.
• Travel potty: not every sight has a bathroom. We love our Oxo tot travel potty. We can deploy it anywhere for emergency potty breaks and it uses regular plastic bags. And you can use it on top of regular potties to make the potty opening smaller (or keep them from sitting directly on the public toilet).
• Hiking carrier: there are some walks involved to see the sights on this day trip. And they’re definitely not stroller friendly. We love this hip seat carrier with straps (for up to 50 lb) for a smaller alternative to a hiking carrier that’s still comfortable for kids for longer distances.
• Slumberpod or travel blackout curtains: in the summer, the sun either doesn’t set or sets very late. If your kid (or you) need darkness to sleep, then definitely pack a Slumberpod or travel blackout curtains in case your hotel doesn’t have them. The Slumberpod worked wonders for our kid’s sleep when traveling when he was a baby and early toddler. We even used it at home for a while! We also have these travel black out curtains with suction cups when we want to save luggage space.