On the 50-minute drive from Iceland ’ s Keflavik International Airport to downtown Reykjavik , the landscape switched from long , flat stretches of dirt to patches of grass studded with rocks .
It was early August , and it was cold — 40 degrees is chilly for a native Angeleno — and as I looked around , I couldn ’ t quite figure out why this place was at the top of my friends ’ travel wish lists .
One thing is clear : Iceland is trending . The number of people travelling here has more than doubled in the last six years , according to the Icelandic Tourist Board , and that number continues to increase by more than 20 per cent a year .
For this we can probably thank , in part , Wow Airlines , the ultra-low-cost Icelandic carrier that tempts with the occasional sub- $ 100 one-way fare . And I ’ d also credit social media , which brim with selfies taken at and in the Blue Lagoon , Iceland ’ s best-known hot spring .
But Iceland wasn ’ t really on my list . A story on low-cost airlines ( I flew Wow ) landed me in the capital city , which I could use as a base to explore the hot springs . Not my idea of paradise , but it helped when my sister Jessica , who was in need of a vacation , volunteered to explore with me .
The plan was to stay in Reykjavik , then drive to as many hot springs as we could without having to join a tour group or get on a bus .
Of course , plans are made for changing , which is what happened when the car rental company failed to produce the four-wheel-drive I had reserved and paid for .
That meant we had to skip some of the springs on our list that were off the main roads . But our tiny red Toyota Yaris did make it to the Blue Lagoon and three other memorable geothermal spots , all within driving distance of Reykjavik .
Blue Lagoon
The Blue Lagoon , a geothermal spa about the size of two football fields , sits amid an 800-year-old lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula , a 50-minute drive southwest of Reykjavik .
It is popular , so reservations are required because space is limited , ensuring enough sparkling water for everyone . ( The lagoon can hold hundreds of people .)
The water , a combination of fresh and seawater from the nearby geothermal plant , is about 98 degrees , slightly cooler than your average hot tub .
Ticket packages range from about $ 48 to $ 200 . The premium package , around $ 85 , is all you ’ ll need to feel like a king or queen . It includes mud and algae masks , towel , drink of your choice , bathrobe , slippers and a reservation and complimentary glass of sparkling wine at Lava , a restaurant at the Blue Lagoon .
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