Sarah Gallo

The Inn on Fifth is a perfect combination of modern elegance and laid-back ambience split between two buildings: the Inn on Fifth hotel and the Club Level Suites. The reason for this is that the Club Level guests have their own private entrance and check-in with concierge in the Club Level lounge. Also, it’s worth noting that if your schedule won’t allow a staycation, the Inn on Fifth and Club Level Suites are absolutely perfect for a workcation too! If you don’t feel like walking, the Inn on Fifth offers complimentary Valet service for its Club Level guests to and from the beach, and they’ll even provide you with chairs and an umbrella.

While the Cathedral Spires trail is relatively easy, do note that the Little Devils Tower trail is moderate to strenuous, depending on your fitness level and the section of the trail. When you turn off the Cathedral Spires trail and onto Trail #4 (or Little Devils Tower trail), you will begin another windy steep ascent. At the end of the Little Devils Tower Trail, you will be rewarded with absolutely breathtaking views over the Cathedral Spires, Black Elk Wilderness, backside of Mount Rushmore, and the brick fire-tower standing at 7,242 feet (2,207 meters) at Harney Peak. If you parked at the Cathedral Spires trail head as we did, head back down the Little Devils Peak trail the same way you climbed up, and drive to Sylvan Lake!

If you park at the cathedral, I’d suggest walking down the street in front of it to taste some delicious ice cream at Joylato (they have vegan gelato and crepes too!). You may find at the end of your trip that five days is not nearly enough, and you will want to return to spend more time in Reykjavik and explore other parts of the country. While Thingvellir Lake is the largest in Iceland and very beautiful, the real attraction of this park is for the geologist in you. In planning your Iceland holidays, I've tried to jam as much as possible into your 5 days without it being overwhelming!

That said, I do recommend getting as close to Grand Teton as you possibly can, and you can accomplish this by doing one of the best hikes in Grand Teton National Park: Delta Lake. By the time you hit the switchbacks, you’ll realize that you’ve already gained a good bit of elevation and you’ll be rewarded with views of Taggart Lake and the surrounding forests and plains in the distance. Once you veer right onto the unmarked path to Delta Lake, you will gain another 600 feet (183 meters) before reaching Delta Lake in Grand Teton. Due to the nature of the hike, you will not find many hikers at Delta Lake, as the average tourists tend to continue along the trail to the Amphitheater Lake.