In Höfn there are many interesting places and activities for tourists. We are going to write about the options visitors to Höfn have during their stay.
Lobster festival
Every year since 1993 there has been a festival in Höfn called the Lobster festival. People come from all over the country for the festival, people who have lived in Höfn and visitors who want to experience the festival with their families. Höfn is well known for lobster fishing and hence the name. To some this weekend in July, when the festival takes place, is the best weekend of the summer.
Jökulsárlón
Jökulsárlón is a glacier lagoon about 45 minutes drive away from Höfn. There you can go sailing, looking at the ice that has calved from the glacier and is drifting in the lagoon.There is also the possibility of seeing seal in the lagoon during the trip.The third weekend in August a firework display is held at the lagoon. It is very beautiful and has become very popular. This year about 1500 people attended and enjoyed the show.
Fjórhjólaferðir
Driving a four wheeler is a cool thing to do. It is possible to take a ten minutes trip by boat from Höfn to a beach with black sand where you can go driving around on a four wheeler. You have beautiful landscape to view during the trip and can take a look at the ruins on the beach since World War II. The area used to be the local airport but today the only flying over there is done by sea birds you can watch from the beach.
Sundlaug Hafnar
Early in the year 2009 a new swimming pool was opened here in Höfn. It has three slides, two spas, one swimming pool and a smaller pool especially for children. The swimming pool has been very popular this summer by the towns people and visitors.
Interesting houses in Höfn
Pakkhúsið
Pakkhúsið was built out of wood from several old houses in 1930. Later it was expanded to it´s current size. The name of the house means the storage (Pakkhús). In maritime museum of Höfn is placed in Pakkhúsið. It was opened in 1997 by the president of Iceland. You can also have small meetings and in a hall upstairs. The school has used this space for gatherings for it´s students on ocations.
Gamlabúð
Gamlabúð is the local folk museum. It is by the main road into Höfn and very easy to find. The house, which was built in 1864, used to be a country shop, half an hours drive away from the town. In 1897 the house was moved to Höfn and served as a shop for eighty years. In 1977 it got moved to its current location, but there is a possibility it is going to be moved to its old location on Höfn. In the museum you can find many interesting old things of the past, remnants of how people lived in Iceland. In Gamlabúð you can also find a small museum of natural history.
The Glacier exibition
This exibition is in the downtown of Höfn. By walking through the glacier exhibition you can expand your knowledge about the nature and Iceland. For example you can listen to birdsounds from the aeria, walk into an icecave and watch a part from the James Bond movies that have been filmed by Jökulsárlón.
Jöklaferðir/Glacier tours
A tour on the glacier can be a lot of fun. You have the options of a ride in a snowmobile, jeep or a hike. It is possible to get to the glacier Vatnajökull from several points but the most popular are the glacier outlets Skaftafellsjökull and Skálafellsjökull. From the Service Centre in Skaftafell it is a walk of about one km to the glacier outlet. The highest peak in Iceland is located near Skaftafell and it is getting more and more popular to go hiking to this point.
It is also a lot of fun to visit the glacier Skálafellsjökull. The turn off to this glacier is 35 km from Höfn. The tour is very often a jeep ride that takes you up a dirt path to a glacier hut called Jöklasel. The hut is located in altitude of 840 metres and from there you have a great view of the surroundings. This is a gravel road and just for jeeps and four-wheel cars. The view from the top is incredible and from there it is just a short walk to the glacier where you can take a snowmobile ride or go on driving on the glacier in the jeep.
A glacier tour can be quite the experience, but all safety must be in order. For those who take the snowmobile ride helmet, other safety equipment and a guide are provided.
Written by Kristín, Margrét and Þórhildur
