So you just got out of the plane and everyone's super excited about being in Iceland (or just really irritated after the flight). If you're traveling with toddlers, the last thing you want to do is tell them that they are about to be strapped into a car.
Lucky for you, the little town by the airport, Keflavík, has some cool activities to start your trip in the land of fire and ice and let the kids let off some steam. (And pose for some great photo ops!)
These are activities you can do regardless of weather.
So Sigga the troll (skessa in Icelandic) lives in this cave by the little marina. Inside you can hear Sigga snoring and farting as she rests in her chair. You can try out her bed, read a story, run around and climb, try her toilet and donate your pacifier (if you are ready to give it up or maybe just brought her a present!).
Some toddlers get very scared inside the cave as it is raw and dark and you will see the troll but she is kept behind a fence. This is quite something and not to be missed. The ideal age for kids to enjoy this is between 2 and 8 years old. The cave is open during regular business hours, during weekends and weekdays and it's free of charge.
After chilling with the skessa you must be hungry! Head to Sigurjónsbakarí (a 5 minute drive) and try local delicacies like snúður, héðinsbollur (doughnut holes) and ástarpungur (love balls - literally, but really it's just a round kleina with raisins).
You need to know that the local doughnut does not have any sort of glazing, is twisted, deep fried and called kleina. This is a staple food for any picnic or outing. So enjoy tantalising your tastebuds with different kinds of pastries while washing it down with kókómjólk (local chocolate milk that is also known as the go-to sports drink for kids, go figure!)
Fancy seeing a real life replica of a vikings ship? Well now you can! I mean, how can you go to Iceland without having some viking related experiences? The ship can easily be viewed from outside the museum if you are stretched for time but inside you can go onboard and get some extra information. You can check out their offical website here.
Close to the Viking museum there's a roundabout with a huge viking sword stuck in the middle. If this is not your perfect Instagram picture from Iceland, I don't know what is!
It might seem strange to you that a trip to the cheap grocery store chain is on this list but wait, what to most people love in foreign countries? Foreign food and candies and snack and skyr!
You must be starving since arriving and Iceland is known for its strange candy combinations so go ahead, let the kids choose some local candy with strange sounding names and your trip into the countryside or the capital will be so much less stressful. Also, it is a good tip to always have some snacks handy in the car as stores can be far apart in Iceland and we all know what happens when toddlers get hungry…
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