Month: December 2022

Belize is the perfect road-trip country. In fact, renting a car and driving yourself is by far the best way to get around when there is so much to see within such short distances. You can stop when and where you want to admire the scenery and take as much time as you’d like at each destination.

And providing you drive carefully, the roads in Belize are safe. Speed bumps are plentiful, so go slow, and be aware that, in some areas, the rules of the road are seen as suggestions instead. Slowing down gives you more opportunities to spot unusual road signs like tapir crossings too – watch out for animals that may wander into the road.

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Car hire isn’t too expensive in Belize – you can get deals for less than $50 a day for economy cars. The five major highways are paved and a regular economy car is sufficient on those. However, the rest of Belize’s roads are mostly dirt or gravel that can get very muddy in the rainy season from around May to November and may only be accessible by 4WD.

Here are our picks for the five best road trips in Belize.

1. Hire a 4WD to drive from Belmopan to Caracol

Best road trip for a mountain drive
Belmopan to Caracol Natural Monument Reservation via Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve; 64 miles

It’s about 50 miles from Belize City to Belmopan along the George Price Highway, also known as the Western Highway. From Belize’s capital city, head west to Georgeville, where you’ll turn south. A 4WD is recommended for this road trip since road conditions can be rough once you turn off the highway.

This route will take you through Mountain Ridge Pine Forest Reserve where the tropical jungle makes way for a rocky, pine-covered landscape. Attractions along the way include Barton Creek Cave, Big Rock Falls, the Rio On Pools and the Río Frio Cave. If you don’t stop along the way, it will take you about two and a half hours to reach the Mayan site of Caracol. However, make this at least a day trip so you can spend some time dipping your toes in the cool mountain streams.

Detour: If you’d like to see more Mayan sites on this trip, turn west when you’re back in Georgeville and drive to San Ignacio, where you’ll find Cahal Pech. Then continue on towards the Guatemalan border for the Xunantunich site. You can even pop across the border into Guatemala for the big one, Tikal. Just be sure to arrange this beforehand with the car rental agency so that the paperwork can be prepared.

2. Cruise along the Hummingbird Highway

Best nature road trip in Belize
Belmopan to Dangriga; 54 miles

The Hummingbird Highway is a favorite among visitors and Belizeans alike, and for good reason. This is arguably the most scenic road trip in Belize, meandering through countless little villages and farmland and across the Maya Mountains. You can do it in less than two hours but why would you? After all, this is the gateway to some of the country’s best natural attractions.

In Belmopan, there’s Guanacaste National Park with its hiking trails and birdwatching opportunities. As you head southwest and into the mountains, you’ll get to St Herman’s Blue Hole National Park, home to St Herman’s Cave with its underground river and, just off the highway, the crystalline swimming spot known as the (Inland) Blue Hole. Next up is Billy Barquedier National Park with its tropical forest and a beautiful little waterfall.

Just south of the village of Alta Vista are Davis Falls, the country’s second highest at an estimated 500ft. The rest of the road to Dangriga is mainly citrus country – watch out for those citrus trucks. Also be on the lookout for the bridges crossing streams along the Hummingbird Highway – quite a few of them are just wide enough for one vehicle and guardrails seem to be optional. Just before you hit Dangriga, you can stock up on some heat at Marie Sharp’s hot-sauce factory.

3. Pass forests and wildlife reserves on the TV Ramos Highway

Best road trip for jungle adventures
Dangriga to Punta Gorda; 98 miles

The Thomas Vincent Ramos Highway, also known as the TV Ramos Highway or the Southern Highway, is the one to take if you want a jungle road trip in Belize. The road itself doesn’t go through the jungle but along the way, you’ll find several forested parks and reserves filled with wildlife.

First up is Mayflower Bocawina National Park, with its hiking trails through dense jungle, waterfalls and swimming holes, and off-the-beaten-track Mayan ruins. Next is the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, which offers more jungle hiking, as well as an above-average chance to spot a jaguar in its natural habitat. The access roads to these parks are dirt roads that may require a 4WD in the rainy season.

Once you’ve crossed into the Toledo District, the highway traverses the Swasey Bladen Forest Reserve and the Deep River Forest Reserve. You’ll also pass Belize Spice Farm and Botanical Gardens and the Mayan ruins of Nim Li Punit. Where the highway kinks southeast towards Punta Gorda at the community of Dump, it passes the Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary with its extensive wetlands.

Detour: Punta Gorda is a great introduction to Garifuna culture. From here, make a pilgrimage south to the coastal village of Barranco, the birthplace of the most famous Garifuna musician, Andy Palacio. You can travel by road or, to cut your travel time in half to about 20 minutes, take a boat.

You can then turn the drive back to Dangriga into the best coastal road trip in Belize. First, take the turnoff to Monkey River Town, a purely Belizean Creole seaside village from where you can take a guided trip upriver. At Santa Cruz, turn right and head back south to Placencia for fancier beach resorts and Garifuna drumming. Get more beach time and Garifuna culture in Hopkins.

4. Visit the Mayan villages of Toledo

Best road trip for living Mayan culture
TV Ramos Highway to Pueblo Viejo; 30 miles

Close to the Guatemalan border in Southern Belize, you can see how the Maya live today. A little past the Nim Li Punit ruins, turn right onto the gravel road for Silver Creek. From here, you’ll find a string of Q’eqchi’ and Mopan villages, some complete with thatched houses. Along the way, you can visit the Lubaantun and Uchben’Kaj Mayan ruins, the Columbia Forest Reserve and the Río Blanco National Park with the lovely Río Blanco Falls. You can also go on jungle hikes and explore caves and sinkholes. The terrain is hilly and you may need a 4WD for this trip, especially during the rainy season.

Detour: On the way back from Pueblo Viejo, turn right just after San Antonio and head to Blue Creek, which, as the name suggests, features a stream of clear blue water. The inhabitants are a mix of Mopan and Q’eqchi’ heritage. Keep an eye out for the otters living in the stream.

5. Slow down for potholes on the Old Northern Highway

Best road trip for Mayan ruins
Belize City to Corozal; 95 miles

Sure, you can get from Belize City to Corozal faster via the Philip Goldson Highway – also known as the Northern Highway – but then you’d miss out on one of the country’s most famous Mayan sites. Instead, check your shock absorbers and brace yourself for the bumpy ride along the pothole-filled Old Northern Highway. This highway turns off from the Philip Goldson Highway just past the community of Sand Hill and takes you through a landscape of mostly farmland.

At Lucky Strike, you’ll find the turnoff for Altun Ha, the largest structure that you may recognize from the Belikin beer label. Some of the houses in the nearby village of Rockstone Pond were built using stones from Altun Ha. Just before Orange Walk, the road joins the Philip Goldson Highway again. In Orange Walk Town, the Latin influences become more pronounced due to the proximity to Mexico and you’ll also meet more people of Yucatec Mayan descent. The trip ends in Corozal, with its distinctly Spanish colonial feel.

In town, you’ll find the Mayan ruins of Santa Rita while a 13-mile drive around the bay will take you to the Cerros Mayan ruins. If you’ve arranged this with the car-rental agency, you may be able to drop off your car in Corozal and either take a boat to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, from where you can sail back to Belize City or move on to Chetumal just across the border in Mexico.

Detour: There are two ways to visit the Lamanai Mayan ruins from Orange Walk – you can take a boat down the New River or you can drive down. While a boat ride is fun, the drive down allows you to also explore the nearby Mennonite communities of Shipyard, Indian Creek and Blue Creek.

From ancient mountain ranges, dense forests and remote islands to historic forts, battlefields and national monuments, Virginia has 22 wonderful national parks calling out to modern-day explorers.

Millions of visitors flock to famous sites such as Shenandoah National Park, Colonial National Historical Park and Fredericksburg National Military Park for Virginia’s signature blend of natural beauty and history, but there are plenty of less-visited sites where you can escape the crowds.

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As of 2021, Virginia can also claim the honor of having the most visited site in the National Park Service system – the Blue Ridge Parkway, which logged a staggering 15.9 million visits in 2021. Whether you’re seeking spectacular views, an outdoor concert or a green, clean escape from the city, Virginia’s national parks have something for every type of traveler. Here are seven of our favorites.
 

1. Blue Ridge Parkway

Best park for road trippers

The Blue Ridge Parkway isn’t your typical US national park — it’s actually a series of parks, stretching from the Appalachian highlands of Virginia into North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park (which, incidentally, was America’s second most visited national park in 2021). Spanning 469 miles, the Blue Ridge Parkway covers a great deal of ground, passing through unspoiled countryside that offers a vastly different experience depending on the season, from the lush green of summer to the vivid colors of fall and snowy mountain peaks in the winter.

Built as a series of public works projects during the Great Depression, the Parkway’s natural history dates back millions of years – its forested ridges are the remains of one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world. Along the route, you’ll find scenic stops such as Humpback Rocks, the Peaks of Otter and Mabry Mill, a historic relic from 1903 that is one of the most photographed landmarks along the Parkway. Visitor’s centers, scenic overlooks, peaceful picnic sites and rewarding hiking trails offer plenty of ways to take a break from driving.

There are numerous places where you can join the Parkway – to drive the full route, start from the town of Afton, near Shenandoah National Park, or from the town of Cherokee in North Carolina, on the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

2. Shenandoah National Park

Best park for hiking

Virginia’s first designated national park, Shenandoah National Park was dedicated way back in 1936. It’s part of the Blue Ridge Mountain range, but the Blue Ridge Parkway ends at the park’s entrance and the Skyline Drive takes its place. The park’s 200,000 protected acres provide a home for a wide range of wildlife, from bobcats and black bears to birds, foxes and brown bats.

Old Rag Mountain is the most popular destination in Shenandoah National Park, and it has the weekend crowds to prove it — try to visit on a weekday if you’re hiking in peak season (summer or fall). The 9.5-mile-long Old Rag hike is famously challenging, but it offers a highly rewarding view from the summit. Near the center of the park, Big Meadows is another favorite stop, a unique mountaintop meadow that’s a great place to spot wildlife, stargaze, or just meander through the wild grasses.

If you’re looking for a place to bed down for the night or a bite to eat, Skyland is a historic resort set inside Shenandoah that many people use as a hub for exploring the area.

3. George Washington Memorial Parkway

Best park for escaping the sprawl of Washington, DC

Coming in at No 6 on the National Park Service’s list of the most-visited parks, the George Washington Memorial Parkway is another scenic route built for satisfying recreational drives. Beginning just outside of Washington, DC, this 25-mile parkway links a number of significant historical sites and nature preserves threaded through Virginia, DC and Maryland and leading up to Washington’s former estate at Mt Vernon.

Nature-seekers can take their pick from some stunning natural sites, including Great Falls Park on the Virginia-Maryland border, known for its dramatic collection of rocky waterfalls. The Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve, one of the largest remaining freshwater tidal wetland areas in the DC area, and Turkey Run Park, part of the Potomac Gorge ecosystem, are also top stops.

4. Assateague Island National Seashore

Best park for beach lovers

Although best known for its wild ponies, the barrier island of Assateague Island National Seashore is a habitat for a multitude of animals, including sika deer, ghost crabs, red fox, and many species of shorebirds. The 37-mile island stretches into Maryland, but the Virginia portion is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service as Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, with access from Virginia Beach via US 13. 

This striking section of foreshore forms part of the homeland of the Pocomoke and Occohannock people, and the NPS operates a visitor’s center and recreational beach within the refuge. Besides hanging out on the beach, other popular activities on the island include camping, hiking, biking, crabbing, fishing and kayaking.

5. Colonial National Historical Park

Best park for understanding America’s origins

The Colonial National Historical Park contains two sites that encapsulate the beginning and end of colonial America. Historic Jamestowne and the Yorktown Battlefield are considered to be among the most historically significant sites in North America, connected by the 23-mile Colonial Parkway, which also passes through Colonial Williamsburg.

Although you could easily breeze through in a matter of hours, it’s worth taking a weekend to fully explore. The Cape Henry Memorial marks the landing site of the first colonists in 1607, and at Jamestowne, you can walk in the footsteps of the first permanent English settlers in North America. Meanwhile, over at the Yorktown Battlefield, you can explore the site where the first major battle of the American Revolutionary War was fought (it’s also a setting for regular re-enactments).

6. Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park

Best park for battlefield buffs

There are many significant Civil War battlefield sites in Virginia — including at Petersburg, Manassas, and Richmond – but some of the bloodiest and most tragic battles took place in Fredericksburg and the surrounding settlements of Chancellorsville, Wilderness and Spotsylvania. An estimated 15,000 men were killed and more than 85,000 were wounded on these battlefields, while farms were looted and thousands of refugees were forced into the countryside.

Today, the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park offers a stark reminder of why this region is still known as “America’s Battleground.” Besides the battlefields, the park contains a number of historic sites including Chatham Manor, Salem Church and the site where Stonewall Jackson died.

Visitor’s centers at the Fredericksburg Battlefield and Chancellorsville Battlefield have maps, educational exhibits, junior ranger programs and activities that help put all of the history into perspective. Trails such as the Sunken Road Walking Trail and the Jackson Wounding Trail invite visitors to wander the same routes as Civil War soldiers – a humbling experience even today.

7. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts 

Best park to visit in the summer

Part of the National Park System since 2002, Wolf Trap was founded as a recreational Farm Park in the 1960s following an act of Congress, but it’s evolved into a vibrant cultural hub. Today, the park represents a unique partnership between the NPS and a nonprofit arts organization. The NPS maintains the pristine grounds and buildings on-site, while Wolf Trap Foundation oversees the programming. It’s the only national park in the US dedicated to the performing arts.

Wolf Trap is less than 20 miles from Washington, DC, and it’s easily accessible by the city’s Metro system. The 117-acre park hosts more than 100 performances across a range of genres every summer, from pop and jazz to classical music and rock.

The park is also famous for its natural setting. Scattered around its green grounds are the Filene Center outdoor amphitheater, the Barns at Wolf Trap (a music venue in two converted barns), and the intimate Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods. To explore  without the crowds, try visiting in the off-season, October through April.