14 Best Sights in West Iceland and Snæfellsnes Peninsula, Iceland

This brightly colored oasis is for kids and adults alike looking to have a bit of fun. Getting here is an adventure in itself—intentionally so, as designed by the creator of this wonderland. Spend some time playing on the slides, teeter-totters, climbing dome, and swings. Everything in the playground was made from salvaged discarded materials, which somehow makes it all a little more delightful.

Located in one of the oldest fishing villages in Iceland, the Fishermen's Park and Maritime Museum has a number of traditional turf houses you can explore while learning all about the industry that has long supported this community. Part of the museum is the back garden (free), where you'll find large whalebones from the nearby shore. If you're feeling strong, you can try to lift one of the Steintök, or lifting stones, that local people used to showcase their strength years ago. There are four total that range in weight from 50 to 339 pounds.

The main goal here is to give locals and visitors a peek at the lives of a farmer and farm animals. Háafell mainly cares for Icelandic goats, which are endangered, but they also keep sheep, chickens, horses, dogs, and cats. You can visit the farm on a tour or just browse the shop for products made on-site.

Iceland has no shortage of thought-provoking art exhibits and museums, but the Library of Water is one of its most unique. The main exhibit, Water, Selected, presents 24 glass columns filled with melted ice collected from glaciers around the country. When light hits the glass columns, beams are reflected onto a rubber floor embossed with both Icelandic and English words pertaining to the weather.

There are two main exhibits at the Settlement Center: a breakdown of the Saga of the Settlement of Iceland and a display of Egill Skallagrímsson, both Iceland´s most famous viking and the country's first poet. It's a fantastic place to stop early on in your trip, so you can bring the knowledge with you on the rest of your travels.

For a history lesson on Akranes and the surrounding region, make a visit to this museum, where you'll learn about the working life of the locals and the living conditions of the first settlers. The museum has exhibits on fishing, farming, social life, and housekeeping—you'll even find a rowboat with a full fishing rig that dates back to 1874. Three of the museum's buildings are homes fully furnished as they would have been when the area's first settlers called Akranes home. If you're lucky, you'll catch the forge in action; the museum staff get it up and running for visitors on occasion.

Located in the town of Bjarnarhöfn right outside of Stykkishólmur, this museum is the place to go if you want to learn all about the wonderous shark. You can even give Iceland's traditional fermented shark dish a taste here.

People flock here for the award-winning ice cream, but it's the educational side of the visit that will keep you coming back. Located in a valley in the rolling mountain ranges of West Iceland, Erpsstaðir might just be the most scenic farm you'll ever see. Ask for a tour and, depending on when you're there, you may see calves being fed or get a quick lesson on how the couple who own the small farm make their delicious ice cream.

There's an interesting array of exhibits at this museum and visitor center. Inside the Saga Centre, you'll find a full-size fishing boat and tons of fishing gear, as well as a children's toy collection. You can also pick up local hiking maps, as well as use the on-site Wi-Fi and grab a snack at the café.

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.