Ilulissat is small, and that is the whole point: with a car, every viewpoint on this list is only a few minutes away. Drive out when the light is right, and drive home again when the cold bites.
Drive to the Ilulissat Icefjord Centre at the edge of town and park there. From the centre, the boardwalk leads out to Sermermiut and the UNESCO-listed Icefjord. It is the closest you get to the enormous icebergs on foot. Bring good shoes; the walk itself is not drivable, but the car saves you the trip through town both ways.
On Google Maps: The Icefjord Centre ↗ · Sermermiut ↗
The classic viewpoint towards the mouth of the Icefjord. This is where the town gathers on 13 January to greet the returning sun after the polar night, and the rest of the year it is simply one of the best places to watch the icebergs drift by. Drive as far as the road goes and walk the last stretch.
Fishing boats, icebergs in the bay and the everyday life of a working Arctic harbour. Come early in the morning when the boats leave, or late in the evening when the light turns golden. Easy to combine with a stop at Zion's Church. The historic wooden church by the shore is one of the most photographed spots in town.
On Google Maps: The harbour ↗ · Zion's Church ↗
The drive between town and the airport is short, but on a clear day the views over Disko Bay alone are worth it. Leave a little early for your flight and stop along the way. With your own car, you decide the schedule.
From late May to mid-July the sun never sets. Drive out at “night” when town is quiet and the light is at its softest. In the dark months, the car makes it easy to slip away from the street lights when the northern lights forecast looks good. Keep the engine warm and watch the sky from the front seat.