The headline day trip from Dalvík is Grímsey, Iceland's northernmost inhabited island and the only part of the country to sit on the Arctic Circle. The Sæfari ferry sails from Dalvík harbour three times a week, taking about three hours each way; some sailings allow a day return, while others mean an overnight in the island's guesthouse. The Arctic Circle monument is the obvious draw, but the seabird cliffs — packed with puffins, razorbills, and guillemots in summer — are the better reason to go.
Closer to hand, Hrísey lies in the middle of Eyjafjörður, reached by a 15-minute ferry from Árskógssandur about 20 km south of Dalvík. It is a quiet, low island of heathland trails and tame ptarmigan, with a mild microclimate and fjord views toward the mountains. A few hours covers the marked walks.
Inland and to the northwest rises Tröllaskagi, the rugged peninsula whose mountain passes and coastal roads connect Dalvík to the fishing towns of Ólafsfjörður and Siglufjörður. Allow a full day to drive it, stopping for the old mountain viewpoints above the tunnels and, in Siglufjörður, the excellent Herring Era Museum.
