When we were buying tickets to fly to the States this summer, the prices were terrible. We could only find flights that were around $1700+ that required a layover in the most absurd places with terrible times. Each night, we would flick open our laptops and scroll through Sky Scanner with scowls on our faces as we looked at terrible option after terrible option.

And then one night, we found fares on IcelandAir that were $850 per person. Yes! Like (all? most?) of IcelandAir flights, transatlantic journeys require a stop in Iceland before continuing on with the second leg. We figured this was a much better option, as it was actually on the way for where we were going... rather than a weird jaunt in an another direction, like some of the other options we had like Barcelona or Rome. And to be honest, while typically I would do almost anything to avoid a non-direct flight with babies, it seemed kind of nice to split the journey up into to shorter flights with some breathing room in between them.

Plus, we know Iceland pretty well now and it made spending 18 hours less intimidating and more exciting. The airport in Iceland is actually in Keflavik- about 45 minutes drive from the capital, Reykjavik. While we may have felt the need to book a hotel in Reykjavik when we first started traveling to Iceland, we know now that staying in Keflavik was the right option for this leg. It's a small, cute town along the coast with enough to do/eat/see to entertain us for the day without exhausting us. It is also where the famous Blue Lagoon is located, in case you plan to stop over in Iceland. (Side note: If you stop over in Iceland with babies/toddlers- you MUST have a car seat for them in taxis. It's the law.)

This time, we tried a new hotel and stayed at Hotel Keflavik: located in the heart of Keflavik, decent rooms, free ride to the airport, super kind staff, but most importantly- amazing homemade breakfast overflowing with pastries, skyr yogurt, sandwiches, fruits, meats, juices and coffee. YUM!

We spent the day lounging in the cozy duvets, walking around town, playing along the sea, hiking up the hill along the coast, and taking power naps before we rolled out with our bags for the airport that evening.

Iceland showing off in a big way with some fabulous summer weather- which was a new perspective for us, since we typically come in September/October. That 55 degree temperature was nearly tropical. ;)

It was a great little teaser for our annual trip there next month. Bring on the wool jumpers and the hats. I can't wait!

Thanks for the cozy stop, Iceland. We can't wait to see you again soon!

PS. I love IcelandAir so much: 2 bags free on transatlantic flights, boxes of headphones and activities for the kids to play with, amazing movie selections, cozy pillows and blankets... and just that cool Scandinavian aesthetic that is really awesome. Plus, the airline is rumored to be subsidized by the Icelandic government as a way to increase tourism... so our fares have always been very reasonable!

Interested in Iceland? Find the rest of my posts from Iceland here!