Belize Family Trip? Things to Ask Your Resort
You’ve narrowed down your family vacation destination to Belize. But where do you go from there in your preparations? When you are planning a family vacation, there are many considerations and questions that you may have. Advance planning and a bit of research into your destination can make all of the difference. Perhaps the best source of information is to communicate directly with the resort as you continue your search for the perfect family vacation in Belize.
But first, take stock of your own goals for vacation. Here are important questions to ask when booking a trip:
1. In general, what kind of trip do you want to have?
Answering this question for yourself ahead of time will help guide you to make the right choices to ensure that your trip is a success, and help you to know what questions to ask. If your main goal is to relax and spend lots of time in one place, choosing a resort that is centrally located and offers on-site amenities that will keep everyone occupied is a must. If you are looking for adventure, searching for a resort that offers an on-site excursion center makes things convenient.
2. What does your destination look like at the time of year you hope to travel in?
Talking with the resort about typical weather during your travel can be helpful on a practical level as you pack your suitcases and plan excursions. Knowing when the high season is, can help to set expectations around availability and a general idea of how many other travelers may be vacationing at the same time. If your children are hoping for other kids to play with, traveling over a holiday or school break gives you better odds of meeting up with other traveling families at your resort. And when the kids are all happily playing in the pool, the parents can chat and relax under beach umbrellas.
3. Are there any special local holidays or celebrations during your trip?
Travel to a new destination can make for great discoveries of local culture and holidays that you may not be familiar with. On the practical side, it’s helpful to know if there will be a public and bank holiday as most businesses including pharmacies, banks, and government offices close. Often on big holidays resorts and restaurants will have dinner specials or events available to guests, it’s worth finding out what will be offered so that you can make reservations if needed. Don’t be left out of the fun!
4. What are the dining options at the resort?
Nearly all of the challenges that come up when traveling with kids can be resolved with a full belly: an early riser with a big appetite, a cranky toddler after swimming too long without a snack, an always-hungry growing teenager. Knowing ahead of time what your meal options are can go a long way towards family vacation harmony. Ask your resort if any suites are available with kitchens, what onsite dining is available and if there is room service. A helpful Guest Services team likely also has a handy list of local restaurants and can point out which are the most family-friendly. For menus and dining options at Belizean Shores Resort, visit our Dining page, here.
5. What resort amenities are included?
Get a good feel for how your family will occupy their time while at the resort by taking stock of the onsite amenities. Things like a pool, bicycles, tennis, basketball, kayaks, SUP boards, giant chess, board games, and other offerings all can help make sure everyone has fun things to do while hanging at the resort. You may also wish to check about the availability of Wi-Fi and Cable TV to stay connected with home and to unwind in the evenings after a full day of vacation fun. For more on the on-site activities offered at Belizean Shores, click here.
6. What excursions and activities are available, and which of those are appropriate for your family?
As with onsite amenities, being familiar with the tour options can get the whole family in on the fun. Find out from your resort what tours are most popular with families and get the scoop on accessibility, location, age limits and convenience for those that sound most interesting to you. Then you can present the options that best fit your family to your travel crew and pick the ones that you’d all like to do. View some of our most popular excursions at Belizean Shores Resort by clicking here.
7. How does transportation work?
You’ll want to get the full details on how to get to your resort from the airport and sign up for any available resort transportation. Depending on your destination, renting a car or a golf cart may be the way to go. The location of your resort will also factor into this decision, if you are in a central location you may be able to walk most places. Your resort will be able to steer you in the right direction (pun intended) with local maps as well. For a handy guide, visit our Traveling to Belize guide, here.
Going right to the source by asking questions about your resort will get your whole vacation off to the right start. You will be prepared and can go into your trip with the knowledge you need to take much of the guesswork out so that you can get right down to relaxing. Your family will love Belize, and make new memories that won’t soon be forgotten.
