Belize Botanic Gardens
Bring a picnic and check out the life's work of ornithologist Ken duPlooy and the personable Judy duPlooy at the 45-acre Belize Botanic Gardens—it's a great way to spend the day. The extensive collection includes hundreds of trees, plants, and flowers from all over Central America. Enlightening tours of the gardens, set on a bank of the Macal River at Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge, are given by local guides who can tell you the names of the plants in Mayan, Spanish, and English as well as explain their varied medicinal uses. If your family is looking for a fun group activity, try out tea-tasting tours or a tamale-making class. An orchid house holds the duPlooys' collection of more than 100 orchid species, and there also is a palm exhibit. The Botanic Gardens also run gardening programs for Belize residents as well as great birding opportunities.
