I could write for years about my trips to Iceland (three so far and planning a fourth). They drained my measly bank account, tested my manual driving skills, and restored my faith in the kindness of strangers. I’ve even broken a few fiery Icelandic hearts, but those stories are for a different article. Most of all, my travels to Iceland have taught me to embrace when things just don’t go to plan. I pride myself on being a researcher that does her homework before flinging herself solo into the arms of a new country. However, you know what they say about the best-laid plans, murphy’s law…you get the drift. When things went awry in the land of fire of ice I found myself in the midst of magic that could not be accurately captured in a Google search. Here are a few of my favorite little gems that will keep me coming back. 1. The Freezer Hostel At the western-most tip of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, you will find a large red industrial building that reeks of drying fish. Oh, and it’s a hostel…and music venue…and culture center? The Freezer Hostel is a very unique and inviting place to lay your head after a day of exploring. It once was a fish factory, hence the smell. To be honest I found this place because I was driving around aimlessly and almost out of gas (sorry Dad!). 2. The Secret Lagoon Gamla Laudin (or the Secret Lagoon) does not even brush the popularity of the Blue Lagoon or Fontana, but nevertheless is an incredible and tranquil place. If the natural stone and rough surroundings are too rustic for you, they have some fancy multi-colored pool noodles for you to float on just like you’re in Palm Springs again! This was the perfect spot to stop and take a break after taking the wrong turn at a roundabout. There are lots of roundabouts in Iceland, just so you know. 3. Fjöruhúsið Café Restaurant Tucked into the cliffs of Hellnar (is this the beginning of a GoT reboot?) is the Fjöruhúsið Café. Comprised of a mere 300 sq ft, this place is packed with locals looking for a hearty bite to eat. It is located at the end of a trail that connects Arnarstapi with Hellnar that takes you narrowly along the edge of the cliffs with incredible views of the water. I really wish I could tell you how great the food is at Fjöruhúsið Café with a first-hand account, but I cannot. After spending two hours on that trail from Arnarstapi to Hellnar, I stumbled across the cafe and a hand-written, apologetic “closed” sign on the door. It turns out that November during a storm is not the busy season. 4. Dillon’s attic and DJ Andrea To be fair, Dillon is a quite popular bar on Laugavegur in downtown Reykjavik. But the two things I love most about this bar are it’s attic and the lovely Andrea. I discovered the attic when trying to avoid a boisterous Scottish man who called me a “fat b**ch” after I refused to go home with him. While the kind bartenders roughly escorted him to the street, I shuffled to the back of the bar where I saw a narrow winding staircase. At the top, I found another bar and a live grunge group (very on-brand for Reykjavik) and a hoard of locals. The attic truly used to serve as the attic of someone’s home and to this day I don’t know how safe it is. But get ready for the best acoustics of your life! If you stay late enough, you just may run into Andrea downstairs, the 80 something-year-old DJ who only plays 80’s music (no irony intended). Her long white hair and the fact that she sits on top of a storage cabinet…makes her hard to miss. 5. Narfeyrarstofa (and their fish soup) Say that three times fast. Narfeyrarstofa is a restaurant in Stykissholmur, a town on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. This is actually one of the towns where The Secret Life of Walter Mitty was filmed. They serve one of the most traditional dishes in Iceland, fish soup. Imagine a creamy, garlicky, broth with fresh veggies, scallops, mussels, shrimp, and tender chunks of cod and salmon. Now I’m hungry but I need to finish this article. Go eat here if you are every in the middle of no-where in Western Iceland! There you have it, folks. Sometimes being bad at driving and planning and accepting the advances of men can take you to some great places.