Again, Belize City is a small, provincial city in an underdeveloped country, so don't expect to find a raging nightlife scene. The most popular nightspots -- for both locals and visitors alike -- are the bars at the few high-end hotels in town.
The Performing Arts
It's really the luck of the draw as to whether or not you can catch a concert, theater piece, or dance performance -- they are the exception, not the norm. To find out if anything is happening, ask at your hotel, read the local papers, or check in with the Bliss Institute (tel. 227-2110).
The Bar Scene
The bar and club scene in Belize City is rather lackluster. The most happening bar in town is the Riverside Tavern. This is especially true on weekends, and whenever there's an important soccer, basketball, or cricket match on.
Travelers and locals alike also tend to frequent the bars at the major hotels and tourist traps. The liveliest of these are the bars at the Radisson Fort George Hotel & Marina, the Best Western Belize Biltmore Plaza, and the Princess Hotel & Casino, all of which often have a live band on weekend nights. Of these, I prefer the Club Calypso (tel. 223-2670), an open-air affair built over the water at the Princess Hotel & Casino, although it's sort of a crapshoot as to which bar will be hopping on any given night.
Casinos
For gaming, the Princess Hotel & Casino is the only game in town, and the casino here is large, modern, and well equipped. While it's not on the scale of Vegas or Atlantic City, the casino is certainly respectable, with enough gaming tables, slots, and other attractions to make most casual gamblers quite happy to drop a few dollars.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
