Iceland with kids: blue lagoon

Can I go to the Blue Lagoon with kids? Absolutely! And for kids over 5, I'd call it a must visit!

Honestly during our trip planning, we got some pushback from friends who had visited Iceland and skipped the Blue Lagoon saying "It's too touristy." "It's water that is just pumped in from a plant - it's not even a natural spring!" "It's expensive."

Note: At least three people suggested we instead go to the supposedly less touristy (and less blue!) 'Secret Lagoon' ... (It's literally called that but has billboard advertising at the airport.. so I think the secret is out anyway! lol.) Not to say you shouldn't visit it too - as it's a different experience!

But we decided to do the Blue Lagoon because our motto is that if it's touristy/famous, there is a reason... so we want to see it.

Well guess what? The Blue Lagoon was actually all of those things our friends warned us about. It was still awesome. 100% worth it. It's beautiful, and they make the experience so easy and enjoyable. And they provide everything you'll need, so you can even go straight from the airport.

rules for kids at the blue lagoon

OK since this blog is focused on dragging your kids around, I'll put that info first. :) Kids have to be at least 2 years old to even enter the lagoon. All kids 8 and under have to wear floaties - these are provided by the lagoon. And then the maximum adult to kid ratio is 1 adult to 2 kids. All this said, I think this activity is best for kids that are comfortable swimming - maybe even 5+.

I say 5+ years old for a few reasons -

• It's deep. They will not be able to stand... so not only do they need to swim, but they need to tread water (which is obviously requires additional water skills). Now of course they're required by the staff to wear floaties, which would negate the need for treading water. But in real life, my younger kids are less reliable about following instructions and wearing devices than my older ones...

• The water has high mineral content. They suggest you protect your hair (but putting conditioner on beforehand), but you also probably don't want this stuff in your eyes. Cue my toddlers splashing water all around. No thanks.

• It's HOT in there. My 2 + 4 yr old are not reliable about being flexible with water temperature - I'm sure you can relate. I imagine Emily may have screamed at the water temperature in some spots... and nobody needs a kid screaming at a spa.

• It's supposed to be relaxing. Not just for you, but for everyone else. I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to relax myself with all the risks above... plus again, nobody wants a crying baby at a spa.

Alright and I'll end this section by saying, we often take our kids were they don't 'belong'. So if it was me and Bill and we had just one or two young kids, we'd probably do it anyway because we don't want to miss out. We just wouldn't stay as long and we'd do some prep ahead of time. So I'm not judging if you do it - just providing some friendly warnings!

And now, all the tips for your visit to this beautiful and relaxing spot!

what to bring

Bring your swimsuit and your phone. That is all. Towels? Robes? You're covered. Even shampoo, conditioner, and hairdryers? It's all included. Oh I guess if your phone isn't waterproof, bring a waterproof case for your phone. You'll want to take pictures! And if you want to get fully dressed in the locker room, you'll need everything that you need in your hotel (makeup, hair brush, etc.).

luggage storage + lockers

Yes you can literally go straight from the airport. They have a place at the front entrance to check your big bags (for a fee). Then they have lockers inside the facility where you can bring your smaller backpacks. A lot of bloggers suggest going on your way TO the airport... but I suggest going at the beginning of the trip - right when you land. It was an amazing first stop, and we did it during a time that we would have been waiting for our room to be ready at the hotel anyway.

tickets

Definitely get tickets ahead of time. You can get tickets through a tour that includes transportation, or you can book transportation and book tickets directly on their website here. They do sell out, so definitely get them. You don't want to be right there and not be able to go.

And we got tickets that included a few of the 'extras' in the lagoon. Face mask, cocktail. It definitely made the experience more fun to have a few activities while you're soaking.

transportation

I'd recommend planning your transportation in advance. We had booked a tour for later on our first day, but when we landed on time, I realized it was dumb for us to go all the way to Reykjavik and then back to the Blue Lagoon (near the airport). So we just had a taxi take us straight from the airport. We were able to use our tickets (as I messaged the tour operator and asked them to send the PDF), but the transportation back to the city was definitely tricky.

We had a ticket on a bus at a specific time, so when we wanted to go earlier (since we arrived earlier), it was tough to figure out how to change that. We tried to call a taxi, but it was a super long wait time on hold and then a message that it would be another long wait for their arrival. A random tour driver saw us in a predicament, so she let us ride along with her group to the city, but I could have planned better on this transportation aspect!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/efb94e_9ed2ad595359442ba797449a51851d2d/480p/mp4/file.mp4

Alright - I hope I convinced you to visit (as if you needed convincing once you saw the first picture!). :)