The ABC’s of Family Travel in Belize
While the memories and photos of a family vacation are worth every minute of the trip, the stress of planning a trip to Belize with kids can’t be ignored. Reuniting after more than 12 months at home carries its own pressure, on top of catering to every relative’s expectations too. And if your family is anything like mine, they’re also picky. Here’s why you should pick Belize for family vacation.
Finding the right destination abroad for you and your brood makes the biggest dent in any travel-related stress. Which is exactly why Belize—located just three hours or less from every major airport in the continental U.S.—stands out as the prime vacation destination for families this summer. Pros: English is the official language, and the plane ride is shorter than flying from New York City to Los Angeles.
Belize: More Than Just A Beach In The Caribbean
Visitors continue to converge on coastal destinations like Ambergris Caye or Placencia but Belize’s lush interiors offer a range of experiences far beyond its obvious gin-clear Caribbean waters and biodiverse barrier reef.
Take Western Belize—teeming with history and adventure that can rival sea-duced selfies for even the moodiest teen. After all, any given day could be spent on a wooden pontoon drifting down meandering rivers that pool into an impressive waterfall, or explore the rugged wilderness in your own four-wheel drive RTV.
The best part? You’ll have no problem finding luxurious accommodations and family-friendly Belize jungle resorts to balance out rustic adventures. The Lodge at Chaa Creek for example, with its assorted room types and private villas, is family-friendly in every way that matters.
Waking in the rainforest to natural alarm clocks aka howler monkeys assure you’re not the loudest family ever and climbing ancient Maya temples can reaffirm that together, you and your loved ones can conquer any challenge.
What To Know About Belize’s Entry Requirements As A Family
In March 2021, Belize became the first country in the Caribbean to accept fully vaccinated travelers without any testing or quarantine requirements. That’s one less hassle for families, as long as adults can show proof of receiving a dual or single dose vaccine at least two weeks prior to arrival.
What does that mean for families traveling with kids? Children 5 years and older will need to present a negative COVID test taken within either 96 hours of arrival for a RT-PCR, or a Rapid Test within 48 hours. Alternatively, Belize offers COVID-19 testing on arrival at the airport for USD $50 per person.
Besides testing, Belize also requires all incoming travelers to book with a Gold Standard Accommodation and complete the Belize Travel Health app within 72 hours of arrival to Belize. Only one parent/guardian needs to complete the Belize Travel Health app per family—which would include the name of each minor (under 16 years).
Read more about Belize’s COVID19 Regulations HERE.
Staying at a Family-Friendly Gold Standard Certified Resort
And as for lodging, a number of Belize resorts have worked towards Gold Standard Certification, ensuring health and safety in our new normal without impacting guest experience.
If you’re looking to hit all the buzzwords in travel today, then The Lodge at Chaa Creek has been carrying out its regenerative and ethical travel ethos since 1981. The Gold Standard Certified family-friendly resort is tucked away in the middle of a private 400-acre private reserve, so you really are immersed in an open-air leafy setting in the adventure capital of Western Belize.
For those traveling back stateside, The Lodge seamlessly organizes on-site COVID testing in their on-site clinic in this jungle oasis. Even better? Families staying 3 nights or more get 2 free tests—a USD $150 value.
An Off-Road RTV Jungle Safari with Chaa Creek
Roaming Belize’s wide-open spaces just got a whole lot more fun. Armed with a local Naturalist Guide from Chaa Creek to point out the ‘stars’ of the forest, the Lodge’s 400-acre private reserve’s rugged terrain becomes your family’s playground on this RTV Rainforest Safari tour in Belize for family vacation.
To live out your best Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle dreams, you’ll probably hear howler monkeys and might even see elusive jungle creatures. This is a unique opportunity to be part of nature without interfering with it, particularly fun for tweens and teens alike.
Kaleidoscope Family Memories at the on-site Blue Morpho Butterfly Exhibit
Immersive and educational at the same time, kids can learn about every stage of the Blue Morpho Butterfly’s life in a flutter of color. The on-site Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm houses the Blue Morpho, Owl, and Malakite butterflies at any given time. This is the perfect photo opportunity for a family picture worthy of framing: imagine a flurry of iridescent wings gently flapping on your finger, shoulder, or even cheek—sure to please the inner child in each of us.
Explore the Maya underworld by innertube at Caves Branch
Keep the mystery going with cave tubing and exploration on an adventure where you can see spectacular crystal formations over five-million-year-old that cast eerie shadows into the inky-black abyss. Set your imagination on high alert as you wind through this limestone wonderland by innertube in to the sacred underworld of the ancient Maya.
I don’t want to spoil it for you, but all the natural formations glowing by headlamp tell a story about ancient Mayan life. After that, you’ll have plenty of memories to recount during bedtime back home.
Jungle Pontoon Tour with the Family
Just a few miles upstream from the lodge, this man-made reservoir is one for the whole family to enjoy! All aboard La Capitana, leisurely drift along the six-mile-long lake before docking at one of three pristine waterfalls to relax, picnic at the water’s edge and simply bask in Belize’s wide-open nature.
So if you’re traveling to with kids, we highly recommend you consider Belize for family vacation. Need a list of curated itineraries, accommodations and or activities? reach out to our expert Belize Travel Designers for help.