My girlfriend and I are thinking about going to Iceland for our next vacation next May. I'm wondering if anyone has gone there before and has any suggestions on things to do. We are thinking of backpacking/hiking quite a bit of it and staying at hostels.

It depends entirely on how long you are going to spend there. The Golden Circle is a must, and hiking in the Landmannalaugar area is magical, so I'd always do that. But if you're staying longer it's worth seeing the northern coast.

Okay, I just came back from a trip to Iceland, and I have to say

I LOVED ICELAND, IT'S AMAZING!

If you thinking on backpaking and hiking, Iceland is even better. Literally the land is of the people, you can walk basically anywhere and go everywhere. There are some great places to go, specially Glaciers (emphasis on the ones where they filmed GoT, Batman Begins and Interstellar), the black beach, in the rift between tectonic plates, inside lava tubes... Also several waterfalls, like the Golden Circle. The landscape is INCREDIBLE, and if you're lucky you may get Northern lights at nightime!

Edit: Don’t know how I forgot, but relaxing on the Blue Lagoon is basically a must. Also making the joke that the floor is lava is necessary

This makes me even more excited to go.

I also want to drink mead. Not sure if they will have it or not.

At the more hipster places in Reykjavik, for sure.

If it's not covered in ice when you get there demand your money back. Or at least get a free snow cone for your troubles.

53 minutes ago, Noosh said:

If it's not covered in ice when you get there demand your money back. Or at least get a free snow cone for your troubles.

At that point most peoplr get their money back... Greenland is actually the one that is properly covered in ice, when you arrive in Iceland you see rock and moss most likely

Reykjavik has a crazy awesome night life. They party *late*.

Back when I visited (around 2005) the clubs let out around 6AM and food carts rolled into the streets for all the drunken/hungry people heading home.

It's a fantastic place and others have already recommended the things I would have mentioned.

What I will add is that beer is expensive . So much so that someone developed an app to tell you when the happy hours are in each of the bars (possibly just in Reykjavik). I think it was called "Appy Hour".