Hello! Thanks so much to this community for giving me amazing advice for our recent trip. We (my dad and I) traveled to Iceland from Aug 2-18 of this year, and one thing we did a lot of is visit pools. Below I have a quick write-up of the pools we visited and what I thought.

What I DO regret is that we never got to experience a traditional Icelandic public pool. We had multiple on our itinerary, but just for some reason never got to them. However, another great reason to return!

In addition, we visited a few "natural" baths, but did not end up swimming- Hrunalaug in the southwest was so beautiful and serene, but very small and a young family was already there when we arrived, so we gave them their privacy. Reykjadalur Hot Spring Thermal River was very cool as well, but we did not stay long as it was absolutely packed when we arrived.

I am a very modest and self-conscious person, so one thing I was worried about is if any of the baths would offer private showering areas- so I will list that as well in my review of each place in case it helps anyone else.

Here are the traditional non-public baths we visited:

• Blue Lagoon, Grindavík
  From $59 USD for adults
  What else is there to be said? I know that Blue Lagoon is often seen as a tourist trap, but we really loved it. We had "Premium" tickets that included a towel, bathrobe, 3 masks, and a drink. We had a great time and really loved the overall ambiance. We discovered that the volcano erupted during our swim and the staff even had an impromptu presentation where they spoke at length about the eruption and the history of volcanoes in Iceland. Even though I put a LOT of conditioner in my hair as they recommended, my hair still did not feel right for a few days.
  Private showers: Yes.
• Secret Lagoon, Flúðir
  From about $21 for adults
  Secret Lagoon definitely had the most authentic feel of a "real" Icelandic bath (however, really, how should I know as an American tourist?!). The Secret Lagoon lauds itself as the "oldest natural pool in Iceland." Although this bath was certainly less fancy than the Blue Lagoon, it was my Dad's favorite of the entire trip. He really loved that they had "real" geothermic activity around the pool. You could easily walk around the pool and view bubbling pools, steam, etc., that really gave you the feeling that you were a part of nature. The floor of the pool was natural, which definitely got some getting used to at first. I loved that they had 1) the little swimsuit dryer machine and 2) the cool adjustable wall hair dryers you could stand underneath! None of the other baths I went to had these. The pool seemed very kid-friendly and there were a lot of kids there, and a lot of floaties!
  Private showers: NO
• Vök Baths, Egilsstadir
  From about $42 for adults
  This was a last-minute addition. I would highly recommend taking a look at their super unique setup that included hot pools right on the lake, as well as entrance directly to the lake from the pools. It was just really unique and we loved it! It was very busy when we were there (not great) but it had a great vibe and a variety of ages of families, older people, and kids. We saw a ton of people swimming in the lake which we thought was CRAZY! They also had a very interesting "tea bar" for before/after which was a very nice touch.
  Private showers: Yes.
• Mývatn Nature Baths, Mývatn (Jarðböðin við Mývatn)
  From about $42 for adults
  This pool definitely felt like the "party pool." However, we did go on a Friday night, so I can't speak to other nights here. We went after dinner (at the Vogafjós Farm Resort- highly recommend their arctic char), and the entire place was just a great vibe. Everyone was in a great mood, and although there were a ton of people, the place was huge. I could be totally wrong, but I got the feeling that there were a lot of locals there the night we went, which I thought was special. The staff was great and were in great spirits the entire night, and the pool was very comfortable. They had a really well stocked shop (hiking boots and Patagonia raincoats?!) and a really well stocked cafeteria. You had to use a coin for the lockers (a bit unusual), but they gave them to you. Lots of kids here too!
  Private showers: Yes.
• Forest Lagoon, Akureyri
  From about $42 for adults
  Forest Lagoon was my personal favorite! We went on a Sunday afternoon and everything about it was just perfect. We loved the "zen" vibe and beautiful backdrop (I mean... seriously). Everything about the pool was just so calming and soothing. Groups of friends hung out with drinks at bar high-tops that were actually in the pool at water level, which I thought was really clever. The light smell of burning wood was always in the air. Of all of the pools, I would have loved to return here with a group of friends for a few drinks. The water here was very very clear here for some reason (not sure why). The sauna was really nice as well, with a big window overlooking the pool and the scenery. I had an issue with my locker not opening (which was probably my fault), and the staff was super helpful and very friendly throughout the entire process, which I appreciated. Although there were no private showers, there were private changing rooms, so I tried not to make that ruin how much I loved this pool.
  Private showers: NO
  

A few last-minute thoughts to consider...
Take advantage of discounts when you can. My dad is older, so he always took advantage of the senior price when available, and sometimes it really saved a lot. Also, bring a towel so you do not have to pay the rental fee. I used this one from amazon for the whole trip, and it worked great- but really, any quick-dry towel will do.
A pet peeve I had is that I saw a LOT of non-Icelanders blatantly showering without taking their swimsuit off and completely ignoring the very prominently displayed notices in multiple languages how to shower. Not great. Even though I really hated the idea of showering naked, I did it because I really wanted to show respect for the other guests (and... not be a dick).
And last- like I said, I really regret not being able to go to any "real" Icelandic public pools. I know my list is quite incomplete without them, and I cannot wait to return to check them out!

Please let me know if there were any pools that you went to that you loved that I missed- one that I really wanted to check out but missed was Geosea in Husavik.