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How to Plan the Perfect Family Reunion
Maybe you remember family reunions from your childhood. Or maybe you're just picturing the scene in your mind's eye: long-lost cousins romping together, uncles regaling the guests with old family stories, and everybody laughing and eating a bit too much. Whatever your specific memories and impressions of family reunions, chances are controlled chaos is the common theme. The best family gatherings always have at least a hint of spontaneity and unpredictability. What fun would they be without it?
It's a different story, though, when you're the one doing the planning. It can be scary to try to plan an event that doesn't slide into complete family anarchy. But it's easier than you might think. The key is to approach the planning as you would any family vacation, even if you won't be doing any traveling yourself. Decide well in advance what you hope the event to be like. Then break the planning down into small steps. We can't promise Uncle Carl won't tell that embarrassing story from when you were three, but we can give you some hints to help make sure everyone has as much fun as possible.
Once you've decided to organize a family reunion, some key questions to ask yourself are:
How many people do you expect to attend?
This seems like a simple question, and it is, but it's also one of the most crucial parts of planning. The answer will help determine what type of event you can afford, and where you will hold the event. Think carefully about how many people there are in every branch of your family, including new spouses and children you may not know about. Remember that if you're like most, you probably have more relatives than you realize.
Where would you like to hold the reunion and for how long?
Maybe you're lucky enough to have a backyard big enough (or a family small enough) to host everyone at your house. But what if you don't? Options include reserving space at a local park or campsite, or renting out a restaurant or dance hall. The type of place you choose for your gathering depends not just on how much you can afford and the amount of space you need, but also on what you hope to have happen during the reunion. Is this going to be an afternoon event, a three-day party, or a week-long affair? (Only really solid families should opt for the latter.) Here, things to think about include where your family lives (are they local or scattered across the country?), how much vacation time they have, how much money you want to spend, and what you want to do. That brings us to the next question:
What activities will be provided during the reunion?
Sometimes just being together as a family is enough. But whenever you get a group of people together who don't necessarily know each other very well, it's always good to have some sort of activity or diversion to break the ice. Think about providing a band, or games, or a scavenger hunt to help bring people together and help them get re-acquainted with each other.
One easy solution to the question of What to Do is to hold the event at a place with built-in activities, such as a theme park or historic site. Make sure, though, that there are activities that every generation of your family can participate in. With a little creativity, this isn't too hard.
Where will everyone stay?
Even if you have the room in your home, you may want to think twice before inviting a houseload of guests. Of course, if a home-stay is the only way some of your family members can afford the trip, then by all means, make the space. But probably everyone will be happier if you send out invitations that include a list of nearby lodging options. There are two ways to go about arranging housing. You can come up with a list of several hotels and motels covering every price range. Or, you can choose one hotel and try to arrange a group rate, which hopefully everyone will be able to afford. The hotel will undoubtedly want a fairly accurate estimate of the number of guests you expect, so start early if you plan to try this approach.
Whatever your plan, be sure your guests are clear on it! If you offer to make reservations, be sure everyone understands whether or not you intend to pay for the rooms, or if you're just making sure everyone has one.
How will your family get there?
Another major logistical hurdle is getting everyone to the reunion. You can use Travelocity to make the air reservations. As with hotel arrangements, make sure all your guests understand their financial responsibilities. Remember that the best airfares are usually found 21 days in advance, so planning ahead is important here, too.
You can use Travelocity.com's online maps and driving directions to help your family get to the big event. Just be sure there's plenty of parking where you're going. If you will be hosting the event at your house, try to consider what the neighbors will think about having a fleet of cars and RVs parked on your street.
How will your family get around?
One aspect of reunion planning that often gets overlooked is the issue of local transportation. The best-laid plans (and best-kept tempers) can be tried if every five minutes some new family member is calling needing a ride from the airport or a far-flung motel. If it's not possible to plan all events within walking distance of hotels, urge your family to look into renting cars. Remember, most agencies rent mini-vans, so family groups can double up and save some money. Another option is to provide maps and schedules for buses and other means of public transportation. Mail these along with invitations, or have a stack ready to hand out when guests check in for the event.
So keeping all the aforementioned information in mind, planning your family reunion should be a snap. Don't sweat the small stuff and remember the reason you all got together in the first place--to celebrate your family and revel in the fact that you all share Aunt Alice's turned-up nose and Grandpa Jake's affinity for fudge. Enjoy!
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