Vík with children

6 min read Updated October 2026 Compare all tours

Much of what children remember from Vík needs no ticket: the black sand, the sea stacks, the puffins on Dyrhólaey and the old plane on Sólheimasandur. The tours add the ice, but here the age limits decide more than the weather. This page sorts the options by age and starts with the one place where you need to be strict.

Safety at Reynisfjara

Visit South Iceland warns that the waves at Reynisfjara are deceptive and have killed a number of visitors in recent years. The landowners count six fatal accidents at the beach this century; the most recent, in August 2025, involved a child. Since December 2022 a light signal at the access has warned of danger, linked to an automatic wave forecast. The beach is never closed, but it is divided into zones. When the light is yellow, you may not enter the yellow zone; when it is red, you may not enter the red zone or go beyond the sign. Since August 2025 the red light switches on earlier than before, and the path to the basalt columns and the cave Hálsanefshellir is then off limits. In February 2026 erosion undermined the viewing platform, the warning sign was removed for safety, and the Tourist Board asked visitors to stay on the upper beach ridge. There are no safety staff on the beach.

With children, that means holding younger ones by the hand, staying on the raised beach crest rather than on the wet sand, and never letting anyone run down to the water for a photo. The last three accidents all happened at the basalt columns. The neighbouring beach of Kirkjufjara, below Dyrhólaey, has been closed since a series of rock falls and accidents between 2012 and 2017. Our Reynisfjara page has the details.

For all ages

The Lava Show in the village is open to all ages and runs in any weather. Real lava, heated to about 1,100 °C, is poured a few metres in front of the seats, and the whole show lasts about 50 minutes. Reviewers point out that a large part is talk, in English only, before the lava comes out, and some found it long for small children.

At Sólheimajökull, a two-hour guided walk to the lagoon and the glacier front covers 2.5 to 3 km on mostly flat paths and does not go onto the ice. It has no minimum age, includes hot chocolate or coffee and cookies, and lends hiking poles. Prams cannot be used on the path, so bring a child carrier. This walk has no reviews yet.

The DC-3 wreck is about 4 km from the car park, close to two hours there and back on foot. With small children the shuttle bus is the easier choice: 10 to 15 minutes each way and about an hour in total. It is not suitable for wheelchairs. Indoors, there is the free exhibition at the Katla centre in Vík, and Skógasafn, the folk and open-air museum at Skógar, which opens 362 days a year.

Ice caves from age 6

Most of the Katla ice cave tours from Vík take children from 6. The FastTrack tour of Katlatrack reaches the cave in just under an hour by super jeep, hands out helmets, crampons and headlamps, and has a short walk to the cave; families with children between 6 and 13 praise it in several reviews. It is not suitable for anyone prone to motion sickness. Another tour, from 6 as well, drives onto Mýrdalsjökull and asks families with younger children to get in touch; some days it involves a few steps or ladders.

The cave changes from week to week. In summer reviewers often describe it as small or partly melted, which can disappoint children who have seen winter photos. The full comparison is on our ice cave page.

From 8, 10 and 12

From the age of 8 the choice widens. The glacier walks on Sólheimajökull take children from 8, including the longest standard walk of about 6 km and a shorter one with a 2.3 km approach on each side. The approach is uphill and the pace can be quick, which reviewers mention. The quad safari also starts at 8, and a valid driving licence is needed to drive a quad. The zipline over the Grafargil canyon, starting from Vík, takes children from 8 and between 30 and 110 kg, and includes a hike of two to three kilometres; one reviewer called it good for kids and beginners. Its reviews all date from June to October.

Riding on the beach below the village is possible from 10, mostly at walking pace, and tandem paragliding from Reynisfjall from 12. Both are on our pages for horse riding and kayaking, paragliding and zipline.

Puffins at Dyrhólaey

Puffins nest in the cliffs of Dyrhólaey from late April to mid-August. Respect the barriers and keep well back from the edges: the path between the lower and upper parts of the reserve has been moved away from the edge because of cracks. From about mid-May to late June parts of the reserve close at night or completely while the birds breed, so check the current rules before you drive out. Pack waterproofs for everyone; our clothing page lists what the tours provide.