After picking up a rental car at Keflavík Airport, it can be tempting to head straight toward the first major stop on an Iceland road trip.

I preferred to spend a little time on the Reykjanes Peninsula coast first. One of the first coastal places where I stopped was Brimketill.

My first big Icelandic waves

From the parking area, the sea initially looked like another rough stretch of Icelandic coastline.

The scale changed as I got closer to the viewing platform. Waves hit the black lava hard enough to throw huge columns of white water into the air, with spray blowing back toward the walkway.

Powerful waves hitting the black lava coast at Brimketill

A large wave breaking directly against the black lava coast at Brimketill Personal photo · 2025-02-24

It was a strong first look at Iceland’s coast.

Brimketill worked best for me not as a place to rush toward and check off a list, but as a short stop while easing into the trip after leaving the airport.

A lava shoreline shaped by the sea

Brimketill is more than a wave-watching viewpoint.

Visit Reykjanes describes it as a small natural pool carved into the lava shoreline by marine erosion. The rough black rock around the platform makes that process easy to imagine: the sea has been working on this coast for a very long time.

A large wave rising beside the Brimketill viewing walkway

A large wave rising beside the viewing walkway, showing the scale of the sea Personal photo · 2025-02-24

There is no elaborate attraction here. The experience is mainly the lava, the ocean and the exposed coastline.

That simplicity suited the Reykjanes landscape.

A good detour before the longer drive

At the start of an Iceland road trip, it is easy to focus immediately on waterfalls, hot springs, accommodation check-ins and the next long stretch of driving.

If the first day has enough time, following Route 425 around the Reykjanes coast before heading farther inland can be a good alternative.

For me, the point was not to add one more famous attraction to the itinerary. It was simply a chance to stop, look at the lava coast and get a first feel for the landscape before the longer drive began.

Take the waves seriously

The waves are the reason Brimketill is so striking, but they are also the main hazard.

Official guidance says there is no safety supervision in the area, and that waves and ocean currents can be extremely powerful and unpredictable. Sudden strong wind can also be dangerous, and spray from large waves can reach very close to the viewing area.

On my visit, I saw several waves explode high above the rocks near the platform.

Stay behind the railings, keep away from wet lava close to the sea, and do not enter the water. Extra caution is important when visiting with children.

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PRACTICAL INFO

  • Place: Brimketill
  • Area: Reykjanes Peninsula, west of Grindavík, Iceland
  • Road: Route 425
  • Coordinates: 63.817984, -22.598910
  • Visited: 2025-02-24
  • Access: The viewing platform is only a short walk from the parking area and begins with a small set of stairs.
  • Wheelchair access: Official guidance says the stairs make the platform inaccessible to wheelchairs.
  • Safety: There is no on-site safety supervision, and waves, currents and wind can be powerful and unpredictable.
  • Important: Entering the sea can be life-threatening, and large waves may reach very close to the viewing platform.
  • Before visiting: Conditions on the Reykjanes Peninsula can change. Check current volcanic, seismic, weather and road information through official sources such as SafeTravel before setting out.
  • Info checked: 2026-09-15