Reykjavik and the surrounding cities are the core of Iceland. Even though the area does rather feel like other Nordic cities to me, you have to visit the city on your trip through the country. Not too surprisingly, there are also some attractions, which are typically not on the bucket list for tourists, but still worth a visit. One of these places is indeed the Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo (sometimes also just named Reyjavik Park & Zoo or Reykjavik Zoo) or Fjölskyldu- og húsdýragarðurinn, how it is named in local language. My wife and I were curious and stopped there during our Ring Road trip in mid-2023.
Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo – Location & Admission
The park is located in Laugardalur, a rather central borough of Reykjavik, just East of the city center. The area is rather well-known for the vast majority of national sports facilities, like the Laugardalsvöllur, the national soccer and athletics stadium. This also implies that there are a lot of (free) parking options around the park, which is in fact having zoo and family amusement park elements. Alternatively, you can use the Reykjavik public bus system. For example, buses 2, 5, 15 and 17 stop at Laugardalshöll. Next to the main entrance of the zoo is also the Reykjavik Botanical Garden.
Unfortunately, the website of Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo gives different times on their Icelandic and English website. From June to August, the park is highly likely open from 10:00 to 18:00, while in the winter months, the park is closing one hour earlier (daily opening all year). Adult admission has been 1,500 ISK, roughly 10.50 EUR, during our visit. However, the park is also accepting the Reykjavik City Card, which was one of the reasons we gave it a try.
Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo – The Zoo
When you enter the park, you first head into the zoo area. The focus of the zoo is on Icelandic animals, indeed, including Icelandic sheep, Icelandic cows and also reindeer (which are hard to observe, unfortunately). Kids’ favorites were the harbor seal and Icelandic horses. However, there are also rather nocturne animals like the mink or an area dedicated to exotic animals like bearded dragons or snakes. Unfortunately, the habitats of the farm animals felt rather realistic… Which also means that they were too small in my point of view.
Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo – The Family Park
The park is almost split into two parts. Crossing a bridge, you enter the family park area. There are huge playgrounds, which have been a kids favorite during our stay. However, there are also a couple of fun fair alike attractions like carousels, but also a basic free fall tower. There is even a children traffic / “driving” school and a park train in summer. For this part of the park, you should bear in mind that the carousels don’t open in winter times and in colder months. If operating, the rides are included in the ticket, which leads to an amazing value for money.
Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo – Services
There are food service spread over the park, including a larger restaurant at the edge of the animal section. At the exit there is also a typical souvenir store.
Reykjavik Family Park & Zoo – My View
This park is definitely a hidden gem (almost) in the heart of the Icelandic capital. Especially if you had long and hard travel kids fighting the Icelandic distances, it is a great places to make your youngest ones happy. Of course, this also includes the ones young at heart as well. Some habitats should be larger. I especially felt sad for the cows.
“Travel with Kids” Postings
Here are all postings about locations I recommend to visit with kids:

Fun Spot America Orlando

Henri Tudor Museum (Rosport, Luxembourg)

Daladyrd Petting Zoo (near Akureyri)

Malta National Aquarium

Maihaugen Lillehammer

Whale Watching with North Sailing Husavik (Iceland)

Sea Life Munich

Puffin Watching at Hafnarholmi in Northeast Iceland

Lost Caverns Adventure Golf Orlando

Drielandenpunt Vaalserberg – Where Netherlands meet Belgium and Germany

Nature Museum (Naturmuseum) Dortmund

Nickelodeon Universe American Dream (East Rutherford NJ)

Dutch Railway Museum Utrecht

Al Noor Island and Butterfly House (Sharjah)

Island Cove Mini Golf (Geroskipou / Paphos)

Dubrovnik Aquarium

GardeRobe Manneken Pis (Brussels)

Dublinia Museum Dublin

Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (Orlando, Pictured Story)

Puttshack White City (London)

Al Majaz Park & Waterfront Sharjah (Pictured Story)

Frankfurt Airport (Fraport) Visitors’ Center

Angry Birds Mini Golf (American Dream, East Rutherford NJ)

Senator John Heinz History Center Pittsburgh

Wizard Afternoon Tea at Wizards Exploratorium (London)

Sea Life Oberhausen

Congo River (Adventure) Golf Clearwater

Beyond King Tut: The Immersive Experience (New York City)

Khor Kalba Mangrove Centre

Dutch Open Air Museum Arnhem (Openluchtmuseum)

German Hunting and Fishing Museum Munich

Madame Tussauds Nashville

Phänomenta Lüdenscheid

Helsinki Korkeasaari Zoo

Volandia Aviation Museum Milan

LWL Open Air Museum Hagen

Popeye Village Malta

Pig Museum (SchweineMusuem) Stuttgart

Halton County Radial Railway / Streetcar Museum

Natural History and Mammoth Museum Siegsdorf

Zotter Chocolate World & Edible Animal Park (Riegersburg, Austria)

Jais Sledder – a 1,800 Meter Alpine Coaster in the U.A.E.

Sagnheimar Natural History Museum Vestmannaeyjar

Whales of Iceland (Reykjavik)


Solingen Bird and Animal Park


Visiodrom Wuppertal


Sea Life Königswinter


Stuttgart Funicular (“Standseilbahn”)


The Retreat Palm Dubai – MGallery by Sofitel


Arabia’s Wildlife Centre (Sharjah)


LAVA Centre Hvölsvollur (Iceland)


Wilhelmshaven Aquarium


Krakow Arcade Museum (Muzeum Gier Wideo)


Seal Rescue Station (Seehundstation) Norddeich


Eyjafjördur Jolahusid – The Christmas House


Madame Tussauds Berlin


Sea Life Scheveningen (NED)


The Masone Labyrinth – the (Formerly) World-Largest Maze


BlueBrixx Megastore (Loop5 Weiterstadt) – The World Largest Brick Bar


Sharjah Aquarium


Little Big City Berlin


“Hanse Steinreich” Exhibition at the European Hansa Museum


Graz Fairy Tale Train (Grazer Märchenbahn)


Fauna Animal Park Solingen


Leeraner Miniaturland (Leer Model Land)


Hamburg Panoptikum


Madurodam – Miniature Netherlands


The Lost Chambers Aquarium (Atlantis Hotel Dubai)


Naturwildpark Granat (Haltern am See, Germany)


Abu Dhabi Khalifa Park Museum & Aquarium


SeaLife London Aquarium


Emsflower – A Gardening Giant & Adventure Park


Resistance Museum Amsterdam


Dutch Water Museum Arhem


Aquazoo Löbbecke Museum Dusseldorf


Singapore Zoo


Madame Tussauds London


Jurong Bird Park (Singapore)


Markus Wasmeier Open Air Museum


Dubai Garden Glow


Siku & Audi-Museum Höing (Stadtlohn, Germany)


Abu Dhabi Eco Donut Boats (Catamaran Tour)


Ferrari World Abu Dhabi


Aviodrome Lelystad (Netherlands)


Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi


Carnegie Science Center Pittsburgh


Munich Toy Museum


Madame Tussauds Amsterdam


Chocolate Museum Cologne (Schokoladenmuseum)


Afrika Museum (Berg en Dal, NED)


Guinness World Records Museum Hollywood


Umadum / Hi-Sky – A Giant Ferris Wheel in Munich


Museum Panorama Mesdag (The Hague)


National Museum of Singapore


Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg


Mainau Island – The Floral Paradise at Lake Constance


Arcen Castle & Garden


Smithsonian’s National Zoo (Washington)


Berlin Zoo


Car Watch – A new Pop-up Drive-in Cinema in Cologne


The National Wax Museum Plus (Dublin)


German Fairy Forest (Deutscher Märchenwald) Altenberg


Maritime Experiential Museum Singapore


Monkey Park Tenerife


Cologne Harbor Christmas Market at Chocolate Museum


SS Nomadic (Belfast)


Finca Las Margaritas – Banana Experience on Tenerife


Titanic Belfast


Mascot Hall of Fame (Whiting, IN)


Mashantucket Pequot Museum


S.E.A. Aquarium Singapore


Andernach Geyser


National Football Museum Manchester


On Top of Leverkusen Water Tower


Stockholm Gaming Museum


Madrid Railway Museum


Oxford University Museum of Natural History


Wings of Time (Singapore, Sentosa Island)


Singapore River Safari


Aquaria KLCC Kuala Lumpur


The View of DC – The Observation Deck at CEB Tower Arlington


Riding the Singapore Flyer


Benjamin Franklin Museum (Philadelphia)


Two Light Shows at Marina Bay


National Emergency Services Museum Sheffield


National Videogame Museum Sheffield


Lindlar Open Air Museum


Glasgow Rangers Ibrox Stadium Tour


Homewood Suites Lake Buena Vista Orlando (Review)


Dubai Miracle Garden – A flowerful Wonderland


Sea Life Orlando


ICON Park Orlando – A new Entertainment District


Riding the The Wheel at ICON Park Orlando


Madame Tussauds Orlando


Orlando – A very different McDonald’s Experience


Alte Dombach Paper Mill


ZooTampa at Lowry Park


A Visit to Busch Gardens (Tampa, Florida)


Mini Golf at Walt Disney World


Christmas at SeaWorld Orlando


Scotland Street School Museum (Glasgow)


The only Rail Track on Canary Islands


Global Village Dubai – simply amazing!


Emirates National Auto Museum


Ibn Battuta Mall – My favourite Dubai Shopping Destination


FIFA World Football Museum


Gulliver’s Gate – a Miniature World at Times Square


Leverkusen Deer Park Reuschenberg (Review)


Riding the Hogwarts Express


Dormagen Deer Park Tannenbusch


Royal Ontario Museum


CN Tower and Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada


Parque Warner Madrid – More than Bugs Bunny?


History of Gaming in Cologne’s City Museum


Legoland Dubai (Review)


Georgia Aquarium – Not only about Fish


Flying the Hello Kitty Jet
(Greater) Reykjavik
Here are all my postings related to (Greater) Reykjavik:


Arstidir – Blik


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 23 June 2023)


Lava Show Reykjavik


Flyctory.com Songs Of The Week (week of 26 May 2023)


Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Reprise)


Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 8 – 6th May 2023) – Day in Reykjavik & More


Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Day 7 – 5th May 2023) – Reykholt to Reykjavik


Traveling on Iceland’s Ring Road (Preview)


Reykjavik Maritime Museum


Mani Orrason – The World Is Big and You Will Never Find Me


Flying with Icelandair Domestic (Flygfelag Islands / Air Iceland Connect)


Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura


The Settlement Exhibition Reykjavik



Whales of Iceland (Reykjavik)


Hallgrimskirkja Reykjavic – Church and View from Tower


Saga Museum Reykjavik


Hilton Reykjavik Nordica


Reykjavik Domestic Airport (RKV)


Flyctory.com Best Ones 2021


Aurora Reykjavik


Icelandic Punk Museum (Reykjavik)


Olis Deildin (Icelandic Handball Premier League) with Fram Reykjavik at Safamyri Hall


Hertz Deildin Div. 1(Icelandic Ice Hockey League) with Fjölnir Reykjavik at Egilshöll


Icelandic Phallological Museum (Reykjavik)


Sky Lagoon Reykjavic / Kopavogur


Solstafir – Endless Twilight of Codependent Love