When you travel with kids, most of your traveling is done over breaks, holidays, and summer. We usually go to Hawaii because we get practically free vacations using airline miles and hotel points. Our Kauai vacation only cost $400, including 4 round-trip First Class tickets, a beachfront resort hotel, rental car, activities, and food. But last summer we went to Belize and paid cash. But it wasn’t that expensive. Keep reading to find out all the things you can do in Belize for 8 days on the cheap.
You’re probably thinking, “Why didn’t you use miles and points?” I’ll explain why below and how you can use miles and points to travel to Belize in a later post.
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Summer in Belize
Jeff and I visited Belize almost 12 years ago on a cruise and loved it. We had such a great time and knew we’d be back. It was just a matter of timing.
But instead of using miles and points, our Belize trip was paid with cash (credit card) because American Airlines offered $360 round-trip fares from San Diego to Belize. Southwest hadn’t started flying to Belize from San Diego yet so this was much easier than having to fly to Houston first.
All the Things You Can do in Belize for 8 Days
There are so many things you can do in Belize. Some people spend weeks there. We only had 8 days but managed to pack in a lot of activities and plenty of relaxing during that time.
Here are all the things you can do in Belize (yep, they’re family-friendly):
- Rent a car
- Visit and take photos at the Belize sign
- Explore St. Herman’s Cave
- Swim at the Blue Hole National Park
- Take the ATM Cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal) tour
- Inner tube in the San Ignacio River
- Visit the Mennonite town of Spanish Lookout
- Eat ice cream made in Belize from milk produced by Belizean cows
- Cross the Guatemala Border
- Hike Tikal National Park
- Fly on a prop plane
- Relax on the beach
- Tour Ambergris Caye by golf cart
- Ride bikes around Ambergris Caye
- Sample chocolate
- Snorkel at Shark Ray Alley and Hoi Chan Marine Reserve
- Get a beach massage
- Eat lots of Belizean food
You can read about all these activities and more in upcoming posts on Belize.
Blue Hole and Turneffe Islands Helicopter Tour
Belize Summer Vacation Costs for a Family
Your family can spend a summer vacation in Belize for about $136 a day. Here’s how we did it and how you can too.
1. Airfare
Four round-trip tickets on American Airlines from San Diego to Belize. If you have elite status with American Airlines (as I do as an Executive Platinum), First Class upgrades are complimentary.
Four round-trip flights from Belize City to Ambergris Caye on Maya Island Air and Tropic Air.
The total cost for airfare: $1,830.94.
2. 7 Nights Lodging
You can spend time at the beach or in the jungle or split your time between both like we did.
We booked a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home on the river via Airbnb in the town of San Ignacio for 3 nights.
For our island time, we stayed in a Junior Suite at the oceanfront Mata Rocks Resort for 3 nights. The hotel included daily continental breakfast and free bicycle rentals.
Our last night was spent in Belize City at the Radisson Fort George Hotel and Marina in a marina view room.
The cost of accommodations: $757.58.
3. Rental Car
You have more freedom to travel and do more things when you rent a car. Because we were staying in the jungle, we got a 4 wheel drive Jeep.
Car Rental: $358.94.
4. Activities and Tours
- Blue Hole National Park and St. Herman’s Cave: $15
- ATM Tour: $380
- Tikal National Park (includes cost of driver, guide, and border crossing fees): $300
- Snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley and Hoi Chan Marine Reserve and golf cart rental: $297.76
- Beach Massage: $82.47
Cost for activities and tours: $1,075.23
5. Food
You can eat cheaply in Belize. And if you visit local bars and haunts you can drink for cheap.Food: $317.40
Conclusion
A Belize vacation doesn’t have to be expensive. A family of four can spend the summer in Belize for $136 a day including airfare, accommodations, transportation, activities, and food.
Some people are nervous about traveling to other countries. Not sure if Belize is for you? Here are 5 reasons why you should visit Belize.
Now that Southwest flies to Belize from more cities, you can use your Southwest Companion Pass and save on airfare.
In the next post, I’ll show you how to use miles and points to travel to Belize.
Stay tuned for more posts on Belize and reviews.Where did you go for your last vacation that you didn’t use airlines miles and hotel points?
Looking for more posts on Belize? Check these out:
- 5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Belize
- Hotels in Belize to stay on points
- Aliana’s Charming House on the River in San Ignacio, Belize
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Great timing on this series. I am considering Belize with my family via the Southwest Companion pass.
Hi Chris,
Thanks. You’ll love it!
Now that Southwest flies from more places to Belize, the Southwest Companion Pass you’ll save on airfare.
On this trip we went to places and did things that we hadn’t done the first time. But there’s so much to see and do, we need to go back. 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing these great options. We’ve been planning a trip to Belize, and part of that has been finding great deals and inexpensive activities in general. I always love your posts on saving money while traveling.
Lots of great options for this vacations! It’s always great to go somewhere with lots of different things to do, especially if you have a family or group of people.
I’ve always wanted to visit Belize. I’ve never had the chance though. I keep it at the top of my bucket list, so I’ll keep this bookmarked for when I finally get there!
I have been to Belize a couple times and it is a beautiful place. I would love to spend eight days they’re exploring so much more. I feel like I’ve missed a lot just going for an afternoon. I definitely need to stick around longer.
I would love to travel to Belize and explore the country!! I love to travel going to have to add it to my dream locations!
Belize is totally and utterly on my bucket list. It looks like there is so much to do…I especially love doing things that are easy on my wallet!
Belize sounds super fun. I will ass this to my bucket list. I’ll keep this list for future reference.
Belize would be an amazing vacation for my family. There are so many fun things to do there. I would love to explore the caves.
There are so many things to do there! I would be happy to do any of them because man that place looks gorgeous!
I need a vacation and this sounds fantastic! Great traveling tips! I had a spanish teacher that was from belize.
I am up for relaxing on the beach. Sunshine is healthy for the soul and I am seriously lacking sunshine weather lately. In Nov, my doctor found my Vitamin D levels low.
Thanks for sharing these recommendations.. I have never been to Belize, sounds like a fun place to visit!
I’m really glad that you had an amazing adventure! Also thanks for recommendations, that place is really perfect spot for a couple as well.
What a beautiful place this is a perfect place for my family, they will surely love it for sure.
Belize has just been added to the top of my travel wishlist. The first thing I want to experience is the beach massage.
Belize is on our travel bucket list! So many incredible things to do there, both a bit expensive as well as economical. Love your list of cheap ideas!
I wanted to go to Belize SO bad! We booked a cruise and one of the stops was Belize, but unfortunately, they changed it at the last minute. 🙁 I want to see some of these spots!
Though its not crazy expensive, I think that’s more than I would consider cheap! lol Belize is so beautiful though and I’m jealous of your 1st class tickets to Kauai!