3 Best Sights in West Iceland and Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland

Known to locals as the Black Lava Pearl Beach, Djúpalónssandur makes for a breathtaking walk. Start down Nautastígur, or the Path of the Bull (you can see it from the parking lot), which winds around massive lava rock formations. Behind the path, you'll spot two freshwater lagoons, known collectively as Djúpulón. Head to the beach to find pieces of the Epine GY7 wreckage, a British trawler that met its end east of Dritvík cove in March 1948.

Iceland may be known for its black-sand beaches, but this golden-sand beach is secluded and far less crowded than Reynisfjara near Vík. Amenities: parking (free). Best for: solitude; sunrise; swimming.

This area next to a farm of the same name is well known for its nearby "Seal Beach," where harbor seals and grey seals spend the summer months basking in the near-constant sunlight on rocks just offshore. You're likely to see them in the area year-round, but you're more likely to catch the eye of a friendly seal swimming by in the warmer months. Amenities: none. Best for: solitude, wildlife-watching.