Where/What is Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach?

If you’re heading to Reykjavik changes are you’ve heard of Nauthólsvík - a manmade geothermal beach located just a 10 minute drive from downtown featuring a sandy beach, hot pool on a deck looking out at the lagoon, hot tub in the lagoon (depending on how high the tide is when you visit), and the lagoon itself into which hot water is pumped to increase the water temperature to around 59-66F (15-19C) during the summer. When we visited Iceland a couple of years ago with our one year old, I really wanted to visit this cool local hangout and did a lot research but couldn’t find anything regarding whether a toddler was allowed to visit. Nothing on Nauthólsvík’s website said that there was an age restriction, so we decided to just go when we got to Reykjavik and see what the staff said.

Parking Nauthólsvík/Is Entrane Free?

After arriving in Iceland and camping on The Ring Road for several days we returned to Reykjavik and decided that a soak at Nauthólsvík would be the perfect way to end our trip. We pulled up directions and made the quick drive from downtown to the beach and were pleased to find a large parking lot right above the beach.

Good to know: Parking is free at Nauthólsvík during the summer. It is unclear whether there is a small fee during the winter. Several sites state that entrance to Nauthólsvík is free during the summer but has a small entrance fee during the winter. However, Nauthólsvík’s own website states that there is an admission fee with no indication that this is season specific. Furthermore, we visited in August and when we arrived and checked in with staff at the desk by the hot pool they did indeed charge us. After exploring further, we came to the conclusion that the entrance fee is probably just to use the pools and associated facilities, while the beach is free, thus the mixed messages. As such, check with staff to clarify if you want to be certain!

*Parking area just above Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach*

Rules for Using Nauthólsvík

After parking, we headed down the stairs to the beach and noticed a sign with a map and the rules for using the beach. The only thing it said regarding kiddos was that children 10 years or younger had to be accompanied by a person 15 years or older in order to swim and that parents/guardians have to take care of their children. As such, we proceeded with greater confidence to the check in desk by the hot pool where I paid the entrance fee.

Good to know: As of 2024, the admission fee for entrance to Nauthólsvík is 890 ISK ($6.41 USD). Children less than 18 years of age are free! You can also rent swimwear and a towel from reception.

Differences Between the Pools & Lagoon

Justin didn’t feel like soaking, so he sat on a bench with our bag while I tested the water temperature in the main hot pool and the hot tub in the lagoon. I already knew from my research that the main hot pool sits at about 100-102F (38-39C) but wasn’t sure about the hot tub in the lagoon. After feeling the temperature of the hot tub (that’s what they call it on their map at least!) I would say it’s more of a warm tub as it was much cooler than the main hot pool - I would guess high 80s F. Since the main pool felt a little hotter than bath temp, I decided to take Jasper, our one year old, to the “hot tub”. We showered per the rules and then dashed down to the lagoon and climbed in. Since most folks are obviously looking for a warmer soak, we had the hot tub to ourselves. The bottom was sandy and it was about a foot and half deep, so a great spot for Jasper to splash around. He had a grand time, but the air temperature was only in the mid 40s F and after about 15 minutes, I noticed he was starting to shiver so I wrapped him in a towel and we went up to the main pool where we sat on the edge and dangled our feet in the nice hot water. There was a bench around the entire edge of the pool about a foot beneath the water, so after awhile I sat on that to have a soak and eventually Jasper slid in and stood on the bench about waist deep and didn’t seem to find the water too hot at all.

Good to know: The larger of the two hot pools up on the deck by the changing rooms sits between 100-102F (38-39C). The round “hot tub” pool out in the lagoon is much cooler, but I haven’t been able to find an actual temperature for it anywhere. I would guess it’s somewhere in the high 80s F. The lagoon itself is heated with the extra hot water from the pools to a temp of 59-66F (15-19C) in the summer, which is wadable for little ones and can be swam in for those of you who are into cold water swimming.

*Swimming with Jasper in the hot tub at Nauthólsvík*

*The lagoon at Nauthólsvík. It’s really nice and sandy so a fun place for kids to play even if you decide not to swim.*

*You can also have a picnic or lounge in a hammock at Nauthólsvík*

Is a Toddler Welcome in the Hot Pool?

I wasn’t sure how the staff and folks in the hot pool would react to a toddler, but the staff monitoring the pool to make sure everyone paid/bathed didn’t say anything and the locals sitting beside and across from us were very welcoming, chatting with us and playing with Jasper. One of them even helped Jasper climb onto a floaty and pulled him around the pool for a bit. We enjoyed the hot pool for about 20 minutes and then I handed Jasper out to Justin who quickly got him dried and into a bunting suit while I used the changing rooms.

Good to know: I contacted staff at another geothermal pool during this trip and they stated that infants in swim diapers were welcome. I had Jasper in a reusable swim diaper for our visit to Nauthólsvík and staff appeared to be fine with that. If you didn’t bring swim diapers on your trip, they can be purchased at local shops (we Pampers Splashers in Bonus grocery stores).

Overall Impression

Our overall recommendation for visiting Nauthólsvík with a toddler would be a 4/5. The hot tub in the lagoon is definitely cool enough for a toddler/infant, but was actually too cool for anything but a short swim while we were there. I’m sure that would feel different on a sunny day, but it was cloudy and only about 45F during our visit. Toddlers seem to be welcome in the hot pool, but depending on the day (the pool has about a 2 degree temperature range) and how sensitive your toddler is, the hot pool may feel a little too hot. At any rate, the entrance fee is reasonable so you don’t have to commit to staying long if the pool temperatures don’t feel ideal. Furthermore, as far as we could tell, the entrance fee was just to use the pools and associated facilities, so you could still take your toddler down to play on the beach even if you didn’t want to swim. We saw another family doing this and their kiddo was having a great time playing with buckets and a shovel in the sand. We loved our visit to Nauthólsvík and would definitely go again next time we’re in Reykjavik.

Good to know: Nauthólsvík isn’t open every day of the week and has specific operating hours. Check out their up-to-date hours here on their website to plan your visit.

Have you visiting Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach with a toddler or infant? We and our readers would love to hear your experience, especially if you can clarify what the entrance fee covers (is it just for the pools & changing facilities and the beach is free or do you have to pay to access the beach as well?). Leave us a comment!

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