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I paid $1,700 to visit Iceland. Horrible weather meant I couldn't see the Northern Lights, but I found 5 other ways to have a good time.

I paid $1,700 to visit Iceland. Horrible weather meant I couldn't see the Northern Lights, but I found 5 other ways to have a good time.

Ariyana Griffin

I didn't see the Northern Lights, but I still had lots of fun in Iceland.Ariyana Griffin

I traveled from Baltimore to Iceland to see the Northern Lights.
I spent about $1,700 on flights, hotels, and activities like whale-watching and snorkeling.

Seeing the Northern Lights in person has always been on my bucket list. So, when I learned that 2024 is one of the best years to see them, I knew I had to take a trip to Iceland as soon as possible.

I booked a Northern Lights tour through Gray Line Iceland and paid $66 for a ticket that was valid for several days. But unfortunately, due to inclement weather, the scheduled tours were canceled each day I was in Iceland.

Although I was disappointed after spending $1,700 on hotels, flights, a rental car, and activities, I was still able to have a great time.

Here are five activities that made my trip to Iceland worth it.

My first stop was the Blue Lagoon, a geothermal spa.

The Blue Lagoon looked beautiful when I arrived. Ariyana Griffin

My first stop was the Blue Lagoon, a famous geothermal spa with temperatures ranging from 98 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

Getting in a bathing suit and swimming in freezing weather might sound horrible, but the water was quite comfortable. I paid about $95 for this experience.

I took a virtual tour of the country through FlyOver Iceland.

The theater played videos of Iceland that resembled the views I saw from the plane. Ariyana Griffin

My next stop was FlyOver Iceland, an attraction I learned about through an advertisement I saw at the airport. The $42 experience started with lectures and videos about the history of Iceland, mythology, and the land.

Next, we were led to a theater full of chairs with handlebars along the side, similar to the seats on a roller coaster. When everyone was seated, the chairs lifted, suspending each person in the air.

A screen at the front of the room displayed vivid videos of Iceland's beautiful natural landmarks. The seats moved as we watched the videos, and wind and scents to match the projected scenes blew around the theater. Mist hit my face as I saw videos of waterfalls, making it seem like we really were flying over Iceland.

This was a great alternative to physically seeing parts of the country I couldn't drive to because of the inclement weather.

The next day, I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to go whale-watching.

I had a great view of the ocean from The Elding. Ariyana Griffin

While in Iceland, I wanted to find an excursion that didn't require me to get on the road, so I spent about $120 to go whale-watching. I booked the last-minute adventure at a brick-and-mortar Gray Line Iceland location in downtown Reykjavík.

The mountain views, beautiful ocean, and the whales putting on a show were amazing. The boat had plenty of space, and the staff served coffee and hot chocolate.

After I got off the boat, I headed to the Geysir hot-spring area.

I saw Strokkur, a very active geyser, erupt twice. Ariyana Griffin

The weather lightened up during the three-hour whale-watching expedition, so I made the spur-of-the-moment decision to drive to the Geysir hot-spring area. The geothermal area was free to the public and featured geysers that could shoot water over 100 feet in the air.

Most geysers I encountered were inactive, but I saw a fountain-like hot spring, Strokkur, erupt twice.

Next, I headed to Thingvellir National Park for a snorkeling adventure.

Snow covered the area, but I felt warm and dry in my wetsuit. Ariyana Griffin

Though it was freezing, I was excited to go snorkeling between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. I paid $150 to go snorkeling and $30 for a diver to snap photos with a company called Dive.IS.

Once I got in my wetsuit, which was surprisingly warm, the instructor taught me about how the tectonic plates shifted. Then, we set out on the 30-minute snorkeling journey.

The buoyancy of the wetsuit made it easy to stay afloat, and I fully enjoyed the clear, refreshing water.

Even though I didn't see the Northern Lights, the trip was worth the money.

I had a great time exploring Iceland. Ariyana Griffin

Overall, I still think the $1,700 I paid to travel to and explore Iceland was well spent.

Due to the snowy, cloudy weather, I never went on the Northern Lights tour I'd booked. Though my heart was set on seeing the streaks of blue, green, and purple flash across the sky, my stay showed me plenty of things to see and do in Iceland.

I got out of my comfort zone by whale-watching and snorkeling and had an amazing time learning about the country's rich history.

Gray Line Iceland, the company I booked the $66 Northern Lights tour through, offered customers who didn't see the lights the option of getting a refund or a ticket to use in the future. I opted for the ticket.

I'll definitely return to Iceland to try to see the lights again soon.

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