Some birthdays are memorable.
And then there are birthdays spent road tripping around Iceland, relaxing in geothermal lagoons, standing beside giant waterfalls and ending the day singing Ja Ja Ding Dong in a tiny harbour town above the Arctic Circle.
Day 5 of our Icelandic Adventure ended up becoming one of the most wholesome, fun and unexpectedly emotional days of the entire trip — because this wasn’t just another travel day.
This was Ryan’s 30th birthday.
And honestly, we couldn’t have imagined a better place in the world to celebrate it.
A Slow Morning in North Iceland
After several days of long driving routes, mountain passes and constantly moving between locations, waking up in our cosy cabin near Akureyri felt incredible.
Outside, the snow-covered landscape looked completely still. The mountains surrounding the cabin glowed softly beneath the winter morning light while everything around us felt calm and quiet.
It was exactly the kind of morning you hope for in Iceland.
No rushing.
No pressure.
Just coffee, snowy views and the excitement of knowing we had an amazing day ahead.
And because it was Ryan’s birthday, we wanted the day to feel special from start to finish.
Relaxing at Forest Lagoon
Our first stop of the day was Forest Lagoon — one of North Iceland’s most beautiful geothermal spas.
And honestly?
This place completely blew us away.
Hidden amongst trees overlooking Eyjafjörður fjord, Forest Lagoon somehow feels modern, luxurious and peaceful all at once. Steam drifted into the freezing Icelandic air while snowy mountains surrounded the lagoon in every direction.
The contrast between the icy temperatures outside and the warmth of the geothermal water never stops feeling surreal.
As soon as we stepped into the pools, every ache from the road trip instantly disappeared.
We spent hours relaxing, taking in the views and simply enjoying slowing down for a while.
What made Forest Lagoon feel different from some of Iceland’s busier lagoons was how calm it felt. Even surrounded by incredible scenery, there was still this peaceful atmosphere that made you genuinely switch off from everything.
Sitting there in warm water while snow covered the landscape around us genuinely felt like peak Iceland.
And honestly, celebrating a 30th birthday there felt pretty iconic.
Goðafoss – The Waterfall of the Gods
After leaving Forest Lagoon, we hit the road once again and headed towards one of Iceland’s most famous waterfalls — Goðafoss.
The closer we got, the more dramatic the landscape became.
Snow covered the roadsides while frozen cliffs surrounded us as the sound of rushing water slowly became louder in the distance.
And then suddenly, there it was.
Massive.
Powerful.
Completely unreal.
Goðafoss — known as The Waterfall of the Gods — instantly became one of our favourite waterfalls of the trip.
The sheer width of it is what surprises you most in person. Water crashes dramatically through the curved cliffs while icy mist rises into the freezing air around you.
Standing there in winter made it feel even more dramatic.
Snow and ice covered the surrounding rocks while the blue water cut through the frozen landscape beneath grey Icelandic skies.
It looked like something from a fantasy film.
No matter how many waterfalls you see in Iceland, they never stop leaving you speechless.
And Goðafoss absolutely deserves its reputation as one of the country’s most iconic natural landmarks.
The Drive to Húsavík
From Goðafoss, we continued driving further north towards Húsavík.
The roads became quieter again as huge snowy landscapes stretched endlessly around us.
North Iceland has this strange ability to make you feel tiny in the best possible way.
Every direction feels enormous.
Every mountain feels bigger than the last.
And every drive somehow turns into part of the adventure itself.
Eventually, the colourful harbour town of Húsavík appeared ahead of us sitting beside the icy ocean.
And honestly?
It instantly became one of our favourite towns in Iceland.
Welcome to Húsavík
There’s something incredibly charming about Húsavík.
Maybe it’s the colourful buildings.
Maybe it’s the peaceful harbour.
Or maybe it’s the fact the town fully embraced its connection to Eurovision in the most Icelandic way possible.
Because yes — this was the home of the legendary Ja Ja Ding Dong.
Visiting the Ja Ja Ding Dong Bar & Eurovision Exhibition
This was one of the moments we’d been looking forward to most during the trip.
As massive Eurovision fans, visiting the Ja Ja Ding Dong Bar & Eurovision Exhibition honestly felt surreal.
Inspired by the Netflix film Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, the exhibition celebrates both the movie and the Oscar-nominated song Húsavík (My Home Town).
And the second we walked inside, you could immediately tell how much love and passion had gone into creating the place.
Posters, props, costumes and Eurovision memorabilia filled the space while music played throughout the building.
It somehow managed to feel funny, emotional and wholesome all at once.
But what made the experience truly unforgettable was the welcome we received.
A massive thank you has to go to Örlygur, who incredibly opened the exhibition just for us as the very first visitors of the year.
From the second we arrived, he made us feel unbelievably welcome.
What started as a quick visit quickly turned into conversations, stories, laughter and one of the most genuinely memorable interactions of the entire trip.
At one point, Örlygur even interviewed Ryan for Husavik.com about celebrating his 30th birthday in Húsavík — which honestly felt surreal to even say out loud.
You can read the article here:
It’s moments like this that make travelling so special.
Not just the landscapes or attractions — but the people you meet along the way.
Ending the Day Back in Akureyri
After an unforgettable afternoon in Húsavík, we eventually made our way back towards Akureyri as darkness settled across North Iceland.
By this point we were exhausted in the best possible way.
We grabbed pizza, headed back to the cabin and spent the rest of the evening relaxing while reflecting on everything we’d experienced throughout the day.
And honestly?
It felt like the perfect birthday.
No huge parties.
No big plans.
Just Iceland, adventure, waterfalls, lagoons, Eurovision and memories we’ll probably talk about forever.
Final Thoughts on Day 5
Day 5 reminded us exactly why we love travelling Iceland so much.
It wasn’t just about the places we visited.
It was about how those places made us feel.
Relaxing in Forest Lagoon surrounded by snow.
Standing beside the power of Goðafoss.
Laughing inside the Ja Ja Ding Dong Bar.
Meeting kind people who made us feel genuinely welcome.
This day had everything.
Adventure, scenery, humour, emotion and moments we’ll never forget.
And somehow, we were only halfway through the trip.
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