Keflavik

Suburban Coastal Beaches

Population: 23k

Best Season to Visit:

Best Off-Peak Month to Visit: January–February

Famous For: Keflavík International Airport, Reykjanes Peninsula base for Blue Lagoon trips, Duus Museum, Víkingaheimar, Coastal walks and lava fields

Train Access: No

Bus Access: Yes (Strætó public bus service; regional bus connections to Reykjavík and surrounding areas)

People land in Keflavík for a few different reasons: airport workers on early shifts, remote workers using it as a practical base, families who want quick access to Reykjavík without living in the capital, and travelers who need a first or last night near Keflavík International Airport. The town sits on the Reykjanes Peninsula, and the walk from Hafnargata down toward the harbor gives you the clearest sense of place: fishing boats, low-slung houses, and the steady traffic of airport shuttles. Start at Duus Museum on Duusgata, then follow the waterfront toward the old harbor and the Reykjanes Art Museum, where local exhibitions feel grounded in the peninsula rather than in tourist gloss. For a short stay, the best rhythm is simple: coffee on Hafnargata, a stop at the Giantess in the Cave sculpture at the harbor, and a drive out to Reykjanesviti, Iceland’s oldest lighthouse, with the cliffs at Valahnúkamöl nearby. The Blue Lagoon sits a short drive away in the lava fields between Keflavík and Grindavík, and many visitors pair it with a night in town rather than rushing through from Reykjavík. If you have time, the route to Gunnuhver hot springs and the Bridge Between Continents makes the peninsula feel bigger than its airport reputation, with raw geothermal ground and black lava under a wide sky.

VRBO Vacation Rentals
Learn More

With over 2 million bookable vacation rentals, Vrbo connects homeowners with families and vacationers looking for something more than a hotel for their trip. The Vrbo community offers families an array of rental property types such as condos, cabins, lake rentals, beach houses, and more. Discover properties in destinations that everyone dreams of visiting.

VRBO Vacation Rentals

Keep reading. It is free.