Anyone else glad to leave 2025 behind? I had some incredible moments last year. I got to see my best friend and my husband’s best friend. We went to concerts, went on road trips, toured Bulgaria and Istanbul. But last year was also really, really hard for our family.
So, for our new year, we have been thinking about travel plans. At some point last year, PLAY airlines had a super cheap deal to fly to Iceland in January 2026. I got tickets, then the airline stopped service in the United States. Icelandair helpfully had a momentary sale on tickets that tempted me right as my refund from PLAY went through. So, Kevin and I are headed to Reykjavik this month.
When we went to Iceland in 2024, we went to see nature and get away from cities. It was wonderful, but we didn’t spend much time at all in Reykjavik. We’ve challenged ourselves, as well. Iceland can be wildly expensive…but how much can you experience on a tight budget?
I chose a hotel in the center of town that included free breakfast, early/late check in, complimentary beverages, and bus service nearby. During a Black Friday sale, I got two nights for $250 USD. We’ve also decided to use Flybus as our airport transfer, and we purchased a 72 hour City Card that gives us free local bus service, free entry to swimming pools, and free entry to select museums. We also made sure a Bonus grocery store is within walking distance. It will be exciting to see what three days in Iceland on a budget is like. No driving, no lagoons, but soaking up all the culture and beauty of Iceland’s largest city.
What adventures do you have planned for this year? My daughter will be headed to Florida for the first time in just a few weeks to get some sun and fun while meeting her BFF in person for the first time! We are thinking of places such as Albania, Vietnam, the Netherlands, Japan…there is so much to see on this planet, and so many wonderful people to meet. Have a safe and joyous first weekend of 2026!