The best time
to visit Iceland with kids.
June through August is the best time to visit Iceland with kids: up to about 21 hours of daylight, highs in the mid-50s, and every waterfall path and ring-road stop open. September, when we went with our baby, is the smart shoulder month. Winter trades daylight for lower prices and a real shot at the northern lights.
When is the best time to visit Iceland with kids?
Summer, for most families, and especially with a baby or toddler: long days mean one big outing fits around naps with hours to spare. If the northern lights are the point, go between late September and March and accept short days and icy roads.
| Best months | June to August; September for thinner crowds |
|---|---|
| Northern lights | Roughly late September to mid-April, on dark, clear nights |
| Hardest months | December and January, with 4 to 5 hours of daylight around the solstice |
| Flight from Boston | About 5 hours nonstop to Keflavík, about twice daily year-round |
| Budget cue | About $6,000 to $9,000 for a week, family of four, a current research ballpark |
Iceland weather and daylight by month.
| Month | High / low (°F) | Daylight | Crowds & prices | With kids |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 34–37 / 27–29 | 4–7 hrs | Low | Lights and warm pools. Older kids. |
| Feb | 35–38 / 27–29 | 7–10 hrs | Low; busier in vacation week | Vacation-week option with winter tires. |
| Mar | 36–39 / 27–30 | 10–13 hrs | Low | Longer days, still winter roads. |
| Apr | 41–44 / 31–34 | 13–16 hrs | Low to moderate | Quiet shoulder. Weather swings. |
| May | 48–51 / 37–40 | 16–20 hrs | Moderate | Good. Puffins arrive; highland roads still shut. |
| Jun | 52–55 / 43–46 | About 21 hrs | Busy | Excellent. Never fully dark, so pack blackout help. |
| Jul | 55–58 / 47–49 | 19–21 hrs | Peak | Best weather, highest prices. |
| Aug | 54–57 / 46–48 | 15–18 hrs | Peak | Excellent. First dark nights late in the month. |
| Sep | 49–52 / 40–43 | 12–14 hrs | Moderate | Our month. Fewer people, fast-changing weather. |
| Oct | 42–45 / 34–37 | 9–11 hrs | Low | Lights season. Colder and windier. |
| Nov | 37–40 / 29–32 | 5–8 hrs | Low | Dark and stormy. Stay near Reykjavík. |
| Dec | 34–37 / 27–29 | 4–5 hrs | Busy at New Year | Festive and very dark. Older kids. |
Rounded long-term averages for Reykjavík; the north runs colder in winter. It can rain, hail, snow and turn sunny in the same day in any month, so layers and waterproofs go in every suitcase.
Iceland in the summer:
June through August.
Nearly round-the-clock daylight means the day never has to end early because a toddler needs a nap window, and every stop on our Iceland guide's route, Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, the black-sand beach and the Golden Circle, is fully open. Bring layers regardless: even peak summer days sit in the 50s to low 60s Fahrenheit.
Iceland in December and winter:
cheaper, darker, and the lights.
Winter flights and lodging run noticeably cheaper, and the northern lights need real darkness. The trade: a few hours of daylight, icy roads, and highland routes closed. With very young kids we'd pick summer first and save winter for when they're older.
How each New England school week fits Iceland.
February vacation (Feb 15 to 19, 2027). One of very few genuine February options in Europe, because Icelandair flies it about twice daily all winter. Expect 8 to 9 hours of daylight by late February, winter tires and a Reykjavík-first plan. The full plan is in Iceland in February vacation week.
April vacation (Apr 19 to 23, 2027). 13 to 16 hours of daylight and quiet roads, though the weather still swings between winter and spring.
Summer. The easiest, best Iceland. Book lodging before flights: the well-placed hotels fill first.
Thanksgiving and December break. About 5 hours of daylight by late November, 4 to 5 at the solstice, often stormy. A Reykjavík pools-and-lights trip for older kids, not a south-coast drive with a baby.
Our pick: April vacation for younger kids, February for older kids chasing the lights, and summer over both if you can. Dates are on our school vacation page.
September: the shoulder season.
We went in September 2018 with our daughter Selima, who was 8 to 9 months old, traveling with Kyle's cousin and her family. The Golden Circle and the south coast were all doable with a baby in a carrier, and we did a glacier hike just outside Vík that was incredible (the adults took turns watching the little ones). We stayed at Hotel Gullfoss and Hotel Vík, both perfectly located. We skipped the Blue Lagoon because of the baby, and we'd definitely do it next time.
In general, September sits between the seasons: about 14 hours of daylight at the start of the month and just under 12 by the end, thinner crowds, and a first real chance at the northern lights. More on our lodging in where to stay in Iceland.
Which month suits which kids.
Babies and toddlers
June to September. The Golden Circle and the big waterfalls are short paved walks, and long days leave room for naps. The big lagoons set minimum ages for children; Reykjavík's city pools are warmer, shallower and far cheaper.
Ages 5 to 10
Summer, for puffin and whale boats and walking behind Seljalandsfoss. From about age 8, a guided glacier walk near Vík; our rule of thumb for that hike is 8 to 10 and up.
Tweens
Winter opens up at this age: a northern lights tour, an ice cave visit in the cold months, and a lagoon once they can follow pool rules. Summer still wins for the full south coast.
What to skip in the wrong month
- December and January: the long south-coast drive to Vík with little ones. Four to five hours of daylight and icy roads make it a very long day.
- June and July: counting on the northern lights. It never gets dark enough.
See what a July week costs.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them, NOE may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would book for our own family. Our disclosure.
Search Vrbo rentals, already set to Reykjavík. Look for two bedrooms and a full kitchen. Where we would stay. Affiliate link, our disclosure.
What families ask us.
What is the best time to visit Iceland with kids?
June through August, for the longest daylight, the mildest temperatures, and every road and waterfall trail open and accessible with a stroller or carrier.
Is Iceland worth visiting with kids in winter or December?
It can be, for a shot at the northern lights and cheaper flights and lodging, but daylight shrinks to four or five hours around the solstice, roads can ice over, and highland routes close entirely. It is a different, more limited trip with young kids.
Is September a good time to visit Iceland with kids?
It worked for us. We went in September 2018 with our 8 to 9 month old, stayed at Hotel Gullfoss and Hotel Vík, and did a glacier hike near Vík. Days are still long, summer crowds thin out, and late September brings the first real chance at the northern lights. Pack for fast-changing weather.
What is Iceland like in February?
Cold, with Reykjavík highs in the mid-30s F, daylight growing from about 7 to 10 hours across the month, and a good chance of the northern lights on clear nights. It suits older kids and a Reykjavík-first plan with winter tires.
How much daylight does Iceland get in summer and in December?
Almost round the clock around the June solstice, when Reykjavík's sun dips below the horizon for only about three hours and it never gets fully dark. Around the December solstice it flips to roughly four or five hours of daylight. Blackout curtains help kids sleep in summer; in December, plan the day's one outing around midday.
Is Iceland cold in the summer?
Mild rather than warm. Summer days typically run in the 50s to low 60s Fahrenheit, so layers matter even in June, but it is comfortable for full days outside.
Where this fits.
Waterfalls, black-sand beaches, and where we stayed.
Flight, cost, and passport facts at a glance.
Hotel Vík, Hotel Gullfoss, and a Reykjavík base.
Current ranges for a family of four.
Which works better for a first trip abroad.
The February and April dates, and the traps.
Rather hand it off? Have us plan or book it: a $99 planning consultation, or full booking from $499.