Grindavík and the Reykjanes Peninsula with Children: A Practical Base for Family Trips

Getting around and when to come

A car is close to essential. Buses run between Keflavík Airport and Grindavík but infrequently, and none of the peninsula sights are served well by public transport with children in tow. Rental cars are collected at the airport, and the drive to town is straightforward on paved roads in all seasons, though winter wind on the open stretches between Vogar and Grindavík deserves respect; check road conditions before setting out. Fuel is available in Grindavík and at the airport, not on the peninsula's western tip.

Prices and daylight both swing hard across the year. June to August is the family season, with the warmest weather and near-endless light, and it is also when rooms here cost the most. Late September and April are the value months, quieter and cheaper, but you will want to plan indoor stops. December and January are dark, with only four to five hours of usable daylight, which suits a short airport-side stay rather than a sightseeing trip. New Year's Eve in this part of Iceland involves a great deal of fireworks; families with small children may prefer to be elsewhere that night.