Pack the kid-friendly sunscreen and load up the brood. Family-friendly tours, accommodations, and activities abound in Belize and at all budget levels. Some areas and resorts in Belize are tailored specifically for romantic escapes or adult-level expeditions, so always ask your tour operator and/or accommodations provider specific questions concerning how welcome your kids will be.

Day 1

Arrive at Philip Goldson International Airport. Board a puddle-jumper to San Pedro, a good place to ease into paradise.

Day 2

Hang out on the island, book a snorkeling or manatee-watching tour, maybe even a sunset cruise to top it off (make sure it won’t be a drunkfest though).

Days 3–4

Head back to the mainland (by boat or plane), rent a vehicle, and make your way to one of the lodges in the Central Belize area. Stop at The Belize Zoo on the way, then check into your desired jungle hut. The lodges near Belmopan have great activities for kids, including cave tubing, horseback riding, and canoe trips.

Days 5–7

Transfer to another lodge in the Cayo District. Many have special family-oriented itineraries that include butterfly tours, boating, and easy caving trips. Maya ruins will make parents feel childlike too, with the mystery in the air and all the scrambling up and down pyramids.

Day 8

Transfer back to the airport; if you missed the zoo on the way up, save an hour to fit it in here.