Iceland with DSs, 7 and 9. Ideas? Experience?

[gaussgirl]

DH has always yearned to go to Iceland. This may be the year to do it, what with the collapse of their economy. Every cloud, etc. We had always thought we'd do it without the boys, leaving them with my mum but she's now widowed and the boys are getting to an age where I think they might get something out of such a trip.

What do you think? Have you been? What's 'must see'? Where would you stay? When would you go, month-wise?

Any thoughts happily received!

Bumping for you.

I think they did Iceland in a non-Euro holiday bit in the Guardian the other day...hang on...

budget travel piece (only 1 para about Iceland)

all their Iceland bits

HTH

We went a couple of years ago and you definitely have to go to the Blue Lagoon - it's heaven! We also went on a pony trek out in the country which was lovely and the old parliament (which is rock not a building) and I can't remember what else

They also have good fishing in Iceland if you like that sort of thing?

We've had the same idea for our summer holiday with 3 DC. Has anyone been to Iceland in the summer with DC? If so where did you stay, what was the weather like, what is there to do in summer? TIA

Iceland air is doing a weekend special for 199.
Have a look at their website. I am thinking of going for my birthday!

Would love to go for a week-end but credit crunch means we can only have a family holiday in the summer. Thanks for link though.

I went in July a couple of years ago. It was absolutely freezing. I am not kidding. Like a February here. It was also eye-wateringly expensive. But that was then...

I would say it's a fab place for a long weekend, but I don't know if I would say it's great for a main family holiday.

The Blue Lagoon is fantastic - kids would love it - and near the airport.

Also, you either have to hire a car BUT the roads - being a volcanic landscape - are terrible, sometimes impassable, so there's a real possibility you might have a tyre blow- out for eg in the middle of nowhere. Most tourists book tour mini-buses everywhere (these are very common and take you to, for eg, the riding stables, or the geysers, or the blue lagoon BUt the distance from Reykjavik can be long).

It is an amazing, mystical and interesting place, but on balance I would say it is a good place for a short break with older children.

There was a British family (in the guesthouse I was in) with two little kids. The dad was a geographer and was in seventh heaven over the landscape. They had hired a car and were travelling all over Iceland, but the little kids were distinctly about so many long car journeys to look at rocks.

Thanks Merrylegs. Think we'll put this holiday idea on hold until the DC leave home or one of them decides on a career in geology. Doesn't sound like there are enough of the ingredients needed for a successful 2 week long family holiday.