Figure Out Lodging

Do you need places for family members to stay during the reunion?

The answer depends on:

• How large your reunion is
• How long it will last
• How far family members must travel to attend

If the reunion is small, only lasts an afternoon and most family members live within an hour or two, you probably don't have to worry about lodging for anyone. Let family members arrange it for themselves if they need it.

On the other hand, if several members live far away, or the reunion will last more than a day, it can pay to arrange for accomodations in advance.

Discounts on Hotels

For one thing, you may be able to get substantial discounts on rooms by booking everyone into the same hotel. That has the side effect of making everyone feel more part of the group. For another thing, you may be able to negotiate the use of meeting rooms and auditoriums as places to hold activities.

Homes of Family Members

Another option for lodging is the homes of family members who live near the location of the family reunion. This has the advantages of being inexpensive for the travelers and of giving family members a chance to interact with each other outside the reunion itself.

The disadvantage is that visitors and hosts alike may feel they've been camping out if the situation lasts very long. Most homes don't have the facilities to host more than one or two extra persons comfortably. There can also be a lack of privacy. Finally, having guests can burden the host families financially.

You know your family and can best judge whether people will be happy sharing their homes.

Camping

Camping out can be a good thing if it's the centerpiece of your family reunion. Why not spend an entire weekend or week in the wilderness, sleeping in tents, cooking over a campfire and hiking glorious trails or swimming and canoeing on a beautiful lake. Some family members can bring their RV's if they don't want to sleep under the stars. Camping can solve the lodging problem. On the other hand, it's not the thing for elderly family members or if your family doesn't enjoy it.

Vacation Packages

Of course, if you have chosen a location for your family reunion that includes lodging, you don't have to worry about it. You may hold your reunion at an Acapulco beachfront hotel, at a dude ranch, on a houseboat or oceanliner. In that case, there will be beds and showers for everyone as part of the package.