Have you ever dreamed of booking an Iceland RV Rental and taking an epic road trip across the country? We have had that dream for many years–and recently turned it into a reality. The kids stayed at home for this one–and the trip was very much a sneak peek of what travel might look like for us when they fly the coop. We booked a 22 foot (automatic) motorhome rental from Rent Easy Iceland and had an incredible experience with them from start to finish. Below are are 53 things you should know before you go. Read this post so you are prepared and ready to have the trip of a lifetime.

To listen to Jeremy and Stephanie talk about 53 things you need to know before you take an RV rental  trip to Iceland–click on the media player above or subscribe to The RV Atlas wherever you get your favorite shows.

Use code rvatlas10 for 10 percent off a motorhome rental with Rent Easy Iceland AND free pickup and drop off from and to the KEF airport. Do not book the transportation as part of your reservation or you will be charged for it. Send an email or direct message on social media with arrival and departure dates and your pickup and delivery will be arranged from there. Our code CAN be combined with any other discounts available on their website. This is not an affiliate code and we do not earn a percentage from your reservation. We truly hope to inspire you to go to Iceland and we loved our experience with Rent Easy Iceland.

Icelandic Culture

Blue Lagoon

1. Iceland is easy to get to. We flew direct from JFK for $500 each. For us this is closer, easier, and less expensive than flying to Yellowstone, Glacier, and California. Iceland is not Antarctica. It’s easier to get to than most people think.

2. Almost everyone speaks English in Iceland. Every single Icelander we met spoke English–and very good English at that. Iceland may look like another planet–but communicating there is very easy.

3. Iceland is (for the most part) very welcoming to tourists. Generally speaking–Icelanders like tourism. It is currently the number one driver of their economy. They also like Americans and American culture, music, and television. Iceland is a European country but very different than other  European countries we have visited.

4. Iceland is one of the cleanest countries we have ever visited. Period! End of story. Every town and national park we visited was meticulously clean. This is partly due to the small population of the country–but also due to a love of neatness and order.  Almost every restroom, shower, and spa we visited was spotless.

5. Icelandic people are “can do” entrepreneurial but also easy going and relaxed. Life moves at a more relaxed pace in Iceland (when compared to America at least) even though they are “can do” people.  Their unofficial national saying is “Thetta Reddest” which translates to “It will all work out.” This saying really does crystalize the essence of the Icelandic people–at least in our eyes.

6. Icelandic spa and thermal bath culture is amazing. There are big (heavily) touristed thermally heated spas like Blue Lagoon and Sky Lagoon–and then there are smaller community pools that also have warm water and showers. There is also everything in-between these two extremes.  If you don’t go to a spa or community pool–did you really go to Iceland?

7. The population of Iceland is 382,000–the country is not crowded when it comes to driving, parking, etc… 60 percent of those people live in in the greater Reykjavik area.

8. Free drinking water is available everywhere and it is fresh and good. Icelanders are proud of their drinking water and they should be.

9. Clean bathrooms are available just about everywhere that tourists might go. At least along the Golden Circle and along the south coast where we visited.

10. We found driving in Iceland (even Reykavik) to be easy and the roads are good. This was in MAY–not winter–and along the south coast.

11. Drive the speed limit or let people pass by putting your blinker on and slowing down. There is not a lot of traffic though and this was not really a stressful issue.

12. They drive on the right side of the road. This made driving there quite a bit less stressful. Though we have driven on the left side before in Ireland.

13. You need to bring appropriate layers of clothing to Iceland. Bring those layers with you everywhere. We had temps in the low 50’s almost every day in May. But the weather can change quickly–light rain comes and goes.  You should also bring real hiking shoes and bring long underwear for hikes and outdoor excursions–something good quality like Merino Wool.

14. Reykjavik is an incredible European city with great food and culture-–plan to spend at least a day there before heading out into the countryside. The Reykavik Eco Campsite is in the city and makes exploring the city easy.

15. Once you leave Reykavik the natural world is amazing and the population drops. You will start finding hiking, waterfalls, beaches, rivers, and incredible vistas almost immediately. 

Diamond Beach, Iceland

16. The most common first trip with an Iceland RV Rental is Reykavik, the Golden Circle, and the Southern Coast to Vik or Skaftafell–we went as far as Diamond Beach and headed back to Vik and then Reykavik–spending one more night in each place.

17. Iceland is not Disney World--there are things there that can killl you. Use common sense.

18. Consider the shoulder seasons of May and September for better pricing and even less crowded conditions.

19. Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere. We did not touch Icelandic Currency (Krona). One time we needed Icelandic coins for the pay showers at the Vik Campsite. They gave them to us for free. You can purchase them with credit card when you pay for your site.

Icelandic Camping Culture