Iceland Highlights + tips and tricks!

Wow, that was a lot to write. And a lot to read. So for summation's sake, here's the highlights from Iceland! But first, some general tips if you plan on making the journey...

-Rent a car. Just do it. You simply can't see most of the country and take your time enjoying it without one. Don't rent from Sixt. Kayak has good prices. Get their insurance. You will likely find yourself on gravel roads unexpectedly. If you can find 4WD for cheap, do it, as many more roads and natural wonders will be open to you.
-If you don't want to rent a car, be prepared to hitchhike. And be prepared to wait.
-Get out of Reykjavik quickly. The Snæfellsnes peninsula is ridiculously easy to get to from there and is a far better use of your time.
-If you want to explore the Westfjords, bring camping gear and/or 4WD.
-EVERYTHING is roughly twice as expensive. Prepare your wallet accordingly, though cards are also accepted EVERYWHERE. Make sure to purchase things in krona and not USD if given the choice, as there is usually a hidden conversion fee.
-Go to Bonus (#1 cheapest) for groceries, or Kronan. DO NOT go to 10/11 unless you have to as it's open 24/7 and priced accordingly.
-Book everything WELL in advance. Iceland has gotten so touristy that there is no longer an "off-season".
-Layer up. They say to prepare for 4 seasons in a day and that's not far off. Especially when transitioning to different parts of the country.

And that's about it! Now for the highlights from each area...

Reykjavik
-Hallgrimskirkja: A beautiful open cathedral right off downtown. Come for the impromptu choir and organist practice!
-Perlan: Go here for a stunning view of the city and surrounding countryside. Walk south for some WW2 ruins, a beach with a geothermal pool, and a beautiful hike around the west end of the peninsula.
-Harpa: Most performances at this opera house are too pricey, but the building itself is a geometric beauty and free to enter!
-Flea market: Go down to this building by the water past Harpa on weekends for the cheapest prices you'll find in Iceland, as well as a wider selection of curiosities.
-Public pools are your friend. Go there often.

The Golden Circle
-Technically attached to Reykjavik, but only as a starting/ending point.
-Gullfoss is the furthest attraction, and the most worth it. A MUST SEE.
-You can spend hours in þingvellir (the þ is a "th" sound) national park if you want to, and it'll be worth it...just make sure you have time for Gullfoss.
-Geysir is extinct, but Strokkur blows every five minutes and is still impressive and an easy 10 minutes before Gullfoss.

The South
-Come in summer or winter. In fall...we found it lacking.
-Vik was a large black sand beach and an interestingly hilly town. But that's about it.
-2.5 hours beyond Vik is some glacial runoff where you can watch icebergs flow out to the ocean. But as you can tell from travel time, you have to prepare accordingly to see it. We didn't.
-The drive along the coast is beautiful, with several waterfalls, a couple small caves, and some ruins of old houses. But there are better waterfalls elsewhere and the rest can frankly be skipped unless you find it's on your way.

Snæfellsnes Peninsula
-GO. HERE.
-SERIOUSLY.
-IT'S ALL A HIGHLIGHT.
-Spend at least two days, maybe three, or kick yourself for not spending enough time there.

The North
-Akureyri may be the second biggest city in Iceland, but it was pretty dead when we got there.
-Dalvik and other fishing villages around the north of Akureyri are nice for their charm, just don't try to visit on a Sunday.
-The Diamond Circle is HUGE. PLAN ACCORDINGLY. Spend a day doing one half (and leave early in the morning!), and another day doing the rest. It's worth it. Godafoss, Lake Myvatn, Grjótagjá, and Viti with the nearby geothermal areas were all gorgeous and worth the journey north.

And that's it! Maybe now I'll finally talk about Ireland...as we've already arrived in Scotland...