8 Amazing Alternatives to Iceland's Most Touristed Spots

The city district of Reykjavík 101 is home to many sights, but hotel construction and tacky souvenir shops are taking over. Locals avoid it except for the raucous Saturday night pub crawl that will keep your kids awake until the wee hours. Consider making quiet Hafnarfjordur your home base instead.

Roughly the same distance from 101 as Northgate is from Pike Place Market, this “suburb” is connected to downtown by bus. It’s home to the destination café Pallett, and its shops still have local character. Plus, the themed waterfront Hotel Viking is the sort of campy fun you can only justify when you have kids. While still expensive, their “houses” that sleep up to six people are a good value for larger families.