Nobody told us about the midnight sun before we went to Iceland in June. We knew it stayed light late, we did not know it would still be bright outside at 3:00am when we walked to the airport bus on our departure day. That alone tells you everything you need to know about visiting Iceland in June.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n We visited Reykjavik as part of our first international family vacation in the summer of 2023. A 12-day trip covering Iceland, London, and Paris. Iceland was the part of the trip I knew the least about going in. <\/p>\n I had no idea what the weather would be like, what to pack, whether we would see puffins, or why everyone kept asking if we were hoping to see the Northern Lights (spoiler: you will not see them in June and that is okay). I figured it out as we went and this post is everything I wish someone had told me before we arrived.<\/p>\n If you are planning a June trip to Iceland, or trying to decide whether June is the right time for your family, here is the honest breakdown.<\/p>\n Spending 2 days in Reykjavik?<\/strong> Read our Iceland Stopover Itinerary<\/a> <\/strong>for exactly how we spent our 48 hours in the city.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n This post may contain affiliate links. <\/em><\/p>\n June was a perfect month for us to visit Iceland. I knew I wouldn\u2019t love a winter visit and its bitter cold, but June would be great. From mild temperatures in the mid-50s and nearly 24 hour sunlight, this was going to be a trip we would never forget. <\/p>\n With everything I prepared I was still shocked that the sun never set and even though you have daylight, it is usually cloudy- making for chilly days. None of this impacted how impressed we were with our trip to Iceland but there are a few things I wish I knew before visiting Iceland in June. <\/p>\n The average temperature in June is around 49 degrees (F) to 59 degrees (F). It can go from sunny and mild to windy and cloudy. I was surprised how quickly the weather changed during our visit.<\/p>\n It is not rainy season during June but do not rule it out. There were times when we were walking around Reykjavik and it would lightly rain, almost a mist, then be sunny an hour later. <\/p>\n This is why it is very important to pack layers. I share some suggested items below. <\/p>\n In June the average high temperature doesn\u2019t typically get above 70 but it can vary. On our visit the week before (mid-June) had temperatures in the 70 but when we arrived it was in the 40s with lows in the 30s. <\/p>\n Iceland weather can vary for the month of June and my best advice it to expect a mixed bag for weather conditions. The perfect time to visit is always when you can make the trip happen.<\/strong><\/p>\n Late June will have warmer temperatures than early June but, I think <\/strong>June in Iceland is an ideal time to plan an Iceland vacation.<\/p>\n A question I received recently was about volcanic activity. Volcanic eruptions used to be less common prior to 2021 but in the last few years there has been activity almost monthly.<\/p>\n On our departure day from Iceland there was an eruption but it did not disrupt our travel. Be prepared that it can. The smoke can often cause flight delays as well as cause evacuations for residence. This is not something you need to be overly concerned about but keep in mind when you are traveling.<\/p>\n Not usually. Due to the almost 24\/7 light hours it does not get dark enough in Iceland in June to see the Northern Lights (also known as Aurora Borealis).<\/p>\n From mid-June through the summer solstice and end of June there is 24 hours of day. This is known as the midnight sun. The sun does not set until after 12:00am. <\/p>\n We experienced this and it was an interesting feeling that I didn\u2019t expect. I thought you would go to sleep and wouldn\u2019t notice, but we really did feel the impact of the 24 hour daylight hours. <\/p>\n Because of this June would not be a great time to visit Iceland if you wanted to see the Northern Lights.<\/strong> Otherwise I thought it was great! <\/p>\n I suggest layers! We spent most of our time walking around. We didn\u2019t have a rental car and we had planned outside activities most of our days. <\/p>\n It was the best time walking around exploring the culture of Iceland and I was happy we had layers. <\/p>\n We packed a light jacket, hat, gloves, and layers to stay warm. I would say the weather is comparable to Rochester, NY(where we live) in March or April. You can have some 60 degree days but most of the time it is 40\/50 range and chilly. <\/p>\n We had 2 nights in Iceland so we didn\u2019t leave the city of Reykjavik. If we had more time I would explore a few of the suggestions below. <\/p>\n June in Iceland is a great time to visit because the temperature is a bit milder than the winter months. It is easy to navigate and drive around because of the milder weather conditions, but be prepared for anything in Iceland. <\/p>\n The weather can change very quickly.<\/strong> During the winter months some roadways are closed to tourist so if you are planning on driving around Iceland plan a visit in the summer months(June-August). <\/p>\n Driving around the Golden Circle is a great thing to do if you are spending more than a few days in Iceland. A road trip around the Golden Circle includes geysers, waterfalls, and natural wonders. <\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have a car consider booking a guided tour of The Golden Circle.<\/a><\/strong> <\/p>\n In June it is also Puffin season. From May through mid-August you can see Puffins migrating to the island. They are not found in the city of Reykjavik but guests can take a tour to see them.<\/p>\n We partnered with Special Tours to experience the Puffin Express<\/a><\/strong>. It was one of the best things we did during our limited time in Iceland.<\/p>\n It is also whale watching season during the summer months. <\/p>\n For our trip to Iceland in June we focused our time on exploring Reykjavik. We didn\u2019t have a car so once we arrived at the Hotel Odinsve<\/a><\/strong> we spent time walking around.<\/p>\n I thought Reykjavik was one of the best places for our first visit to Iceland. The long days provided endless hours of daylight and we felt safe walking around as a family. <\/p>\n During our visit we did a Puffin Boat tour, tried an Icelandic Hot Dog, visited Hallgr\u00edmskirkja, and more. Check out our full Iceland itinerary<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n Most of the things we did were outdoor activities but we did plan an afternoon at the Perlan museum<\/strong>.<\/p>\n If you only have a short visit consider spending time in one spot and really enjoying that part of Iceland. I would love to go back and see more but for this trip I was happy we planned it this way. <\/p>\n Overall June in Iceland is a great time of year to visit if you are looking to explore more of the outside wonders without worrying about incremental weather. <\/p>\n The 24\u00a0hours of sunlight provides a perfect opportunity to explore the best of Iceland. I would definitely recommend a June visit for families planning their Iceland trip. <\/p>\n Thank you for reading my post! This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Although we try to provide the most up-to-date prices, we do not guarantee prices listed on our site. At times we are compensated or hosted by destination and brands. All opinions are honest and my own. If you would like to learn about how I work with affiliate partners you can read more here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester<\/a>, Undercover Tourist<\/a>, and Home Publications<\/a>. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Nobody told us about the midnight sun before we went to Iceland in June. We knew it stayed light late, we did not know it would still be bright outside at 3:00am when we walked to the airport bus on our departure day. That alone tells you everything you need to know about visiting Iceland […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7068685,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142768,142769],"tags":[11129,778,9192,1298,3299,1558],"dealstore":[],"offerexpiration":[],"class_list":["post-7068683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-international-destinations","category-trip-itineraries","tag-expect","tag-midnight","tag-puffin","tag-season","tag-sun","tag-weather"],"yoast_head":"\n\n
Iceland in JUne- My Experience<\/h2>\n
3 Things to Know About Visiting Iceland in June<\/h2>\n
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![\"3am](\"https:\/\/fivefortheroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/3am-wake-up-call-in-iceland.jpg\")
![\"midday](\"https:\/\/fivefortheroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/midday-in-iceland-in-june.jpg\")
June Weather in Iceland<\/h2>\n
![\"puffin](\"https:\/\/fivefortheroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/puffin-boat-tour-in-june-in-iceland.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nCan I see the Northern Lights in Iceland in June?<\/h3>\n
![\"northern](\"https:\/\/fivefortheroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/northern-lights-movie-at-perlan.jpg\")
What to Wear in Iceland<\/h3>\n
![\"what](\"https:\/\/fivefortheroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/what-to-wear-in-iceland-in-june.jpg\")
Fun Things to Do in Iceland in June<\/h2>\n
Drive Around the Golden Circle <\/h3>\n
See the Wildlife in Iceland<\/h3>\n
Spend Time Explore the Reykjavik<\/h3>\n
![\"sunlight](\"https:\/\/fivefortheroad.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/sunlight-hour-are-24-hours-a-day-during-iceland-in-june-.jpg\")
A Few More Ideas for Your Trip to Iceland<\/h3>\n
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Helpful Items We Had on Our Trip (Amazon Affiliate Links)<\/h4>\n
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