Belize City is known for its commercial district and giant seaports. Most visitors arrive in Belize City, venture off to explore the cayes and mainland, and often overlook this gem of a town.
In fact, most cruise ships depart from the city to various parts of the country and beyond. To spice things up, before heading to Ambergris Caye, we dedicated our first and last day to exploring Belize City. In this post, I am sharing how to spend 48 hours in Belize City and the top things to do and see!
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This is the ninth post in the Belize travel series. Here’s the complete 10-part series:
Belize Travel Series
For The Culture: 9 Ways to Experience Garifuna Culture
Food: 10 Delicious Foods To Try in Belize
Travel Guide: The Complete Ambergris Caye Guide: What To Do, See & Eat
Packing Tips: The Complete Packing List for Ambergris Caye
Travel Tips: 12 Things You Need to Know Before Visiting Ambergris Caye
Inspiration: 21 Photos to Inspire You to Visit Belize
Snorkeling Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Snorkeling the Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Ambergris Caye Bucket List: 17 Best Things To Do in Ambergris Caye
Belize City: How to Spend 48 Hours in Belize, City: 7 Best Things To Do
San Pedro: 7 Ridiculously Cheap or Free Things To Do in San Pedro
How to spend 48 hours in Belize City: Top 7 best things to do
1. Grab a plate of food at Margaret’s Hirehart food stand
Don’t leave the airport without stopping at Margaret’s food stand for some traditional Belizean cuisine. Margaret’s stand consists of a few tables, with tents, coolers filled with drinks, and her working out of the back of her truck!
Even though we arrived towards the end of lunch and most items were sold out, we had a yummy home-cooked meal. For only $6, we each got a plate with our choice of meat, rice, salad, and a drink for an additional $1. If you appreciate homecooked meals, your flight arrives in the afternoon, and you like supporting local businesses, you’ll love Margaret!
2. Have a beer with the locals
After checking into our hotel, we went to town for happy hour and celebrated our arrival. We noticed a few people enjoying themselves at a lovely watering hole at the end of the Swing bridge, so we decided to stop it. I tried my first Belkin (local beer) and loved it!
If you aren’t a beer drinker, cocktails are offered and are relatively inexpensive. We spent the afternoon at the local watering hole along the water, intently listening to our new friends give us the low down on what to do and what not to do in Belize. Experiences like this you don’t plan for, but they sure do leave you with fun memories.
Half-day tours to add to your Belize City itinerary
3. Take a city tour and a rum factory tour
Belize City is jam-packed with a lot of history and culture! If you’re looking to learn about the city firsthand from a local guide, check out the Belize City and Rum Factory Tour.
This 2-hour tour is ideal for cruise passengers with limited time and first-timer visitors interested in seeing the city’s sights and attractions like the BELIZE sign, colonial neighborhoods, Baron Bliss Lighthouse, and a 45-minute rum tasting at a local factory.
4. Go on a food tasting and city tour
Another great way to explore Belize city while sampling some of the best Belizean cuisines is going on the Belizean Bits & Bites Food Tastings and City Tour. This 2-hour city tour goes off the beaten path to give you an authentic Belizean experience!
On the tour, you’ll learn not only about the culture but visit historical landmarks, meet new people, and tasting a variety of fruits, snacks, and more! This tour is a perfect way to relax and take in all the sites that Belize City has to offer!
Here are a few more popular ways to enjoy your time in Belize City
5. Go cave kayaking
If you’re looking for a fun half-day adventure, consider taking a cave kayaking tour! This 5-hour guided tour takes you through the ancient underground cave system in Nohoc Chen Park, right in the heart of the Maya mountains.
Check out the cave kayaking tour if you’re into the outdoors or want to try something new. It will be an experience to remember! In addition to kayaking, the tour includes a short hike through the Belizean rainforest, swimming in the caves, and an authentic Belizean lunch.
6. Have dinner at Neries
Trying local cuisine is always on my list, so when we stumbled upon Neries Restaurant and saw everything on the menu looked delicious, we went right in.
The restaurant was filled with locals, which meant the food was legit! I had the stew chicken with rice and beans and highly recommend it!
The portions are pretty big, and I packed up my leftovers. The service was excellent, and the vibes were even better.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly and delicious creole meal, whether breakfast, lunch, or dinner, go to Neries. Oh, and if fresh juices are your thing, you’ll be in heaven. All their juices are fresh and made to order. You won’t be sorry!
Note: Neries has two locations; we went to the one in the commercial district, located on the corner of Queen and Daly Sts. The other location is at 12 Douglas Jones St on the city’s north side.
Book these full-day experiences outside Belize City
7. Try street tacos
What’s there not to love about tacos?! There are various family-owned taco stands to pick from in the commercial district. We got our tacos at the bottom of the swing bridge right across the street from Crystal Central Drugstore.
The aroma of the tacos filled the air, and it was nearly impossible to walk past the stand and not order a few tacos to go.
That’s exactly what we did! I ordered four tacos (they were pretty small) and spent about $3. Honestly, do yourself a favor and be sure to try street tacos while exploring the city.
As I mentioned above, our schedule didn’t allow us to go on excursions, but here are a few suggestions you can add to your list if you have time.
- The Belize Zoo
- Community baboon sanctuary
- Lamanai Maya Ruin
- Xunantunich Mayan Ruins
- Altun Ha archeological site
- Bird watching
- Cave Tubing and Ziplining
Conclusion – Lady Chin’s Two Cents
Belize City is highly underrated yet offers so much to do and see! If you’re visiting for a day or only have a few hours, Belize City is the perfect destination to experience the culture, history, and exhilarating outdoor activities!
What is your favorite thing to do in Belize city?
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