It may seem odd that I would choose to spend a milestone birthday (my 30th) in a place that has notoriously unpredictable weather in the later portions of the year, and yet, I wouldn’t have had it any other way. And to be fair, it wasn’t really the Arctic circle. The Arctic circle only touches Iceland at a point on the small northern island of Grímsey. And if parents in Iceland feel comfortable leaving their children to nap outdoors in their strollers (even in the Reykjavik city center) in the winter cold, how bad can it be really? There is no bad weather, only bad clothes right?

Iceland has easily become one of my favorite places to visit. The landscape is unlike any other place I’ve ever been, with steam from hot springs vaporizing in random areas throughout the country and black ground underfoot (the product of lava flow and volcanic ash). There are so many natural wonders (Geysers, waterfalls, glaciers, volcanoes…just to name a few) that it may very well be the most interesting place on earth. This visit, I took a strong liking to the adorable Icelandic horses (see below)..they are just absolutely gorgeous creatures. And, wonderfully, there is a great food movement going on in Reykjavik as well. From Indian street food to tapas to gourmet pour over coffee and burgers, visitors are now able to dine well after those long days exploring the landscape.

Stay: Hotel 101 or Center Hotels

Do: Geysir, Skógafoss, Þingvellir, The Blue Lagoon (or any one of the many thermal pools around the country)

Eat: Reykjavik Roasters, Tapas, Sushi, Bakery, Burgers and the most famous food establishment in Iceland….the hotdog stand Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur