Reuniting with the family need not be a dull event that many younger members would rather avoid. Make it a fun occasion that each one will look forward to with great anticipation and appreciation. Reunions are all about seeing the same faces; holding it in a well-thought destination can make renewing ties and getting to know the new and younger members of the family or the clan a more exciting affair.
What is a destination reunion? If you are familiar with destination weddings, it is almost the same. It is an opportunity for families to spend wonderful days in a location that has many of the elements that can make a holiday with relatives not just a simple (often boring) meet-up, but a an affair that is fun and thrilling.
If you’re organizing your next family reunion, consider a destination that will be more accessible to everyone. Consider the places that offer amenities that will suit everyone – from kids to the elderly members and from frail to active bodies. Picking can be a tricky task. Candyce H. Stapen writes a list of 10 Best Resorts for Family Reunions posted in Family Vacation Critic.
“A successful family reunion begins with picking the right place for your clan. All-inclusive resorts keep add-ons to a minimum, while large resorts allow for various levels of accommodations from budget-friendly options to luxurious suites. Look for activity options, too, like children’s programs, which enable kids to get to know their twice-a-year cousins through organized play and allow the adults time to “schmooze.”
Here’s the list:
1. Mohonk Mountain House – New Paltz, N.Y.
This National Historic Landmark in the Shawangunk Mountains is a Victorian, castle-like edifice with a huge number of bedrooms. Guests can enjoy traditional ways to have fun in snow – snowshoeing and snowtubing for the young and elderly, and cross-country skiing and ice-skating for the active one. Minus the snow, the destination offers alternative activities that are just as exhilarating – swimming in the lake, hiking in its roads, horseback riding, clambering over rocks, and mountain biking. For those who prefer quiet days (and nights), they can relax at the spa, or do yoga, attend workshops, do crafts, etc.
2. Kiawah Island Golf Resort – Kiawah Island, S.C.
This destination isn’t just a golf resort. It also boasts of spa and nature activities – hiking, biking – and of course water and beach activities such as crabbing, searching for alligators, kayaking, etc. Spring and fall are great seasons with lower rates. There are also great options for accommodations including vacation houses for large or extended families.
3. The Greenbier – White Sulphur Springs, W.V.
Another landmark, this Allegheny Mountain sanctuary has attracted people because of its healing spring waters. Greennbier is huge with 721 rooms and 91 cottages. Multigenerational families can take pleasure in its wide range of offerings – spa, swimming at indoor and outdoor pools, hiking, tennis, bowling, horseback riding, picnics, crafting, shopping, and sports like falconry, billiards and golf.
4. RiverStone Resort & Spa – Pigeon Forge, Tenn.
People of all ages will have a blast in its outdoor lazy river, indoor pool, game room, playground, full-service spa, picnic grove with a barbecue area. It offers guests with 4-bedroom condo rentals with family rooms, kitchens, and lavish amenities for up to 10 people.
5. Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa – Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.
Tamaya Resort occupies 500 acres of a “… tribe’s 73,000-acre reservation, a location that offers expansive views of the Sandia Mountains.” Outdoor activities include golf, spa and horseback riding. The biggest lure is the complimentary Native American learning experiences offered to its guests – visit to the “tribe’s museum, guided walks through the cottonwood Bosque and, in the winter, Native American stories told under the stars…” as well as workshops in silversmithing, clay working, traditional Native American arts, archery, and bread baking and other.
More Destinations Await:
The list also includes the following: Wintergreen Resort – Wintergreen in Virginia, Omni Mount Washington Resort – Bretton Woods in New Hampshire, Basin Harbor Club – Vergennes in Vermont, Snow Mountain Ranch in Granby, Colorado, and Woodloch Pines in Hawley, Pennsylvania.
If several members love cruising, or some of you haven’t tried it before, go on a cruise. With multigenerational travel (Link to A Multigenerational article previously posted) being a craze, there are many cruise companies that offer accessible accommodations and facilities for the elderly, the kids and everyone in the family.
Look into more family-friendly destinations and cruises for your next family reunion. Whether you want an extravagant resort or a modest cabin in a mountain resort, a beachfront gathering or a lakeside retreat, these resorts — and cruises — offer the kind of reunion that your family will remember forever for all the right reasons.
