Would you go to Iceland or Scandinavia in winter?

Interesting. Thanks for the input. Maybe I've seen enough now just watching your video! Though I've also watched a few of similar roads but during a massive wind/snow storm, which added some drama.

No...

We went in late October early November last year and it rained most of the time and we still had a great time. 

Shockingly, there ARE people who enjoy this sort of stuff, much to conandrob's chagrin and her personal belief that everyone must love the beach. Yes, there are things to see and do. They are different than what you see and do in summer. OP, I believe I owe you a cup of coffee at the AB. Pick my brain over a scone.

geez. No one said there was nothing to do. I said a few days was probably enough for most people. It’s gorgeous and amazing to see. most of the things to see are centered near Rekjavic so there’s not a real need for renting a car or going on a planned tour. The fact is that if you go this time of year, it’s mostly dark, very cold and getting around isn’t easy. Most people do Iceland as a 2-4 day stopover in the way to somewhere else. The stopover is “free” and a great way to see a bit of Iceland. 

When we were there and staying at a b&b, I overheard European visitors talking about the Blue Lagoon and suggesting, not too harshly, that it was a tourist trap for Americans.  We were on a tight schedule so we blew off the lagoon and went to one of the many community pool/hot tub/sauna clubs they have there.  Open to tourists and cheap (dramatic difference in prices btwn public things like museums, cheap, and private things like restaurants and lodging, expensive).  A great off the beaten path thing to do and way to meet locals.  

Thank you all for your input. I should think about the stopover aspect. I realize there is not a lot of daylight. Many things I've read talk about leaving in time to arrive places at sunrise (not difficult, since it's probably around 11am).

For the sake of discussion, nonstop RT to Reykjavik is hovering around $300 right now. A trip to the mall might cost more. Go!

Ack! Starting to worry that my mom will be miserable and just too damn cold. Where did you see that flight price?

Myself and a friend are flying over after Christmas - we booked everything online; hotel, car and flight. We are flying WOW out of Newark. Last time I went I flew Iceland Air out of Newark but this time the WOW flight was cheaper. We are doing our own driving the first day and then are taking a tour the next day to head to the northwest part of the country. 

@zucca, I spotted a $300 fare from WOW, checking late Sunday night using momondo.com. You might look late Tuesday night, or if possible avoid looking this week. Use an Incognito browser window. (I'm seeing fares of $400+ this morning.)

My wife and I went twice, both trips about 12-15 years ago I think, once in April and once on a Valentine's Day package. Some things have likely changed, but at least at the time, Icelandair owned a few of the hotels in Reykjavik, so they were constantly offering great weekend packages via their email specials. The April trip was a layover stop on a London trip (again because they own the hotels, they let you add 1-3 days on) we took via Icelandair. The February Valentine's package, also through the airline, had us landing at Keflavik at night in a snowstorm, and when we drove our rented SUV the 20 or so miles to Reykjavik to our hotel in the storm, we were surprised at how bad the road conditions were. The next night, having an amazing dinner at a local restaurant in a converted house, filled with friendly Icelanders -- we were the only tourists in the place -- we found out that we were the last flight to get in; everyone else was diverted to Edinburgh and the road had actually been closed due to the snow -- the worst blizzard they'd had in years. It was still a fantastic trip and we'd definitely go back ... but maybe in April again, not so much in February (or December!) 

I'd go!  Why not, short flight, great deals, and I from what I hear the freshest seafood ever!

WOW and Icelandair fly out of EWR.  You can sometimes find packages on Icelandair that include air, hotel, transfers and some tours.  If you book on Icelandair, pay attention to the level of your plane ticket.  Icelandair used to not charge for seat assignments and checked luggage, but this year they added a "basic economy" level where you have to pay for seats and checked luggage.  If you go with Wow Air and you are tall or have long legs, splurge for the XL or XXL seats for more leg room.  Neither airlines provides food or drinks on board - you will have to buy in advance or take a chance on ordering it on board.  When we flew WOW from Newark, we were told they don't have food service facilities at EWR, so no food was available - you couldn't even buy it on board.

You won't have much daylight in December (maybe 4 hours).  As for the weather, it can be iffy.  We went in Feb 2016, it was warmer there than it was here (it was about 40 degrees and rainy).  We went in April 2017 and the weather was colder than it was here (about 30 degrees with a below 0 wind chill).  The Blue Lagoon is a touristy spot (and pricey), but we enjoyed it.   If staying in Reykjavik, look for a hotel in the city center of town (walking distance to Laugavegur Street - the main drag).  Some of the bigger chains (Hilton) are located on the outskirts of the city and require bus or taxi to get to the city center.

zucca said:

Ack! Starting to worry that my mom will be miserable and just too damn cold. Where did you see that flight price?

erins said:

WOW and Icelandair fly out of EWR.   

Thanks for so much great input/advice! I think we're leaning toward going somewhere else, and maybe trying to do the Iceland trip either without my mother sometime, or at a slightly warmer time of year. I'd hate to think we can't do all the outdoorsy stuff at the level we want because we're worried about her waiting freezing back in the car. Also, it will give us a little more time to figure it out. 

The Amsterdam Light Festival (Dec. 1- Jan 21) is highly recommended! The canals are full of art installations, and you can view them from a canal cruise. I was there at this time last year and loved it. (If you go, don't miss Stephen & Penelope, Stephen West's home yarn shop.) You can find a fare on WOW (with a brief stop in Reykjavik!) under $400.

The Iceland/Amsterdam trip sounds amazing! And pretty much worth it, just for the yarn store alone. Crazy how Stephen West has gotten so crazy. We have officially decided to go to Iceland some other time, without my mother, so that we can do the great outdoors justice, but we'll definitely keep that pairing in mind.

You also asked about Scandinavia in the winter.  We went several times  for long weekends in Oslo, Copenhagen, and Stockholm and had a great time despite the short days.