When I was growing up, my grandmother, aunt, uncle and two cousins lived down the block from me.  Within walking distance, or maybe a short subway or car ride away lived many other relatives, and it was quite common for us to all get together for dinner on Sundays, especially while my grandmother was alive.  While the grown-ups chatted, gossiped and complained, the cousins would play games (usually made-up ones), tease each other and make mischief.  When I told my son about these get-togethers, he couldn’t imagine what it was like to have so much family nearby.  Of course, many of his relatives live in Florida, North Carolina, Connecticut, New Jersey, Illinois, Colorado and California, so visiting with them is a rare event.  Today, the concept of "extended families" is somewhat unusual and due to jobs, climate and just personal preference, we find ourselves spread out across the country, or even in foreign lands.

In answer to this phenomenon, family reunions have become increasingly popular and, according to the Travel Industry Association of America, 34% of American adults have traveled to a family reunion in the past three years, and 22% have done so this past year. These events can range in size from a multi-generational trip with a few relatives to a genealogist’s fantasy of a few hundred people. If you choose the right location, everyone can reunite while enjoying favorite activities as well as a break from their normal routine. 

Planning such an event can be a large undertaking.  While there’s lot of practical information out there about the logistics of organizing the group, dividing the tasks and setting a budget, perhaps the biggest question is "where should it be."  Considering several criteria such as geographic location (35% of reunion attendees travel 500 or more miles from home), available transportation, the variety of accommodations in different price ranges, activities to please every age, unique attractions, dining options and group discounts, FTF has selected the following as the “Top Ten Getaways for Family Reunions."  More detailed information about each venue is available elsewhere on FamilyTravelForum.com.

TOP ALL-INCLUSIVE GETAWAY

Woodloch Pines
Hawley, Pennsylvania
800/572-6658

After welcoming groups of all sizes since 1958, The Kiesendahl Family of Woodloch Pines offers years of experience in planning a very memorable reunion.  Located on Lake Teedyuskung in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania, Woodloch can host your group during any season, and offers spacious accommodations, good, solid food, an unusual variety of activities, evening entertainment, and a very enthusiastic staff.  And, the Kiesendahl’s are on hand to make you feel like part of their family.  Perhaps the most telling fact is that more than 70% of guests are repeat visitors.

Woodloch Pines motto that “there is no substitute for parental guidance,” explains why they do not offer a kid’s club for younger guests.  Other than providing evening babysitters (for a fee), their philosophy is that families will enjoy themselves the most when they are sharing the fun together.

While most of the lakefront resort’s accommodations are one-bedroom suites complete with sofabeds, small and larger homes can host families of all sizes.  Five-bedroom Woodloch Springs homes sleep 12 in a quiet, classy golfer’s ambiance, just a five-minute drive from the main lodge.  The Springs even has its own well-equipped sports complex with pool and tennis.

The majority of guests choose Woodloch’s American Plan, where three full meals and all the activities are included in one fee.  At sit-down meals, the solicitous wait staff offers soup, salad, choice of entrée, glasses of milk and wine, making sure that everyone in the family is well take care of.  They make it possible to dine with your family and converse, without having to jump up and help the kids cruise the buffet.  For a celebratory function, Woodloch uses The Inn, a lakeview banquet facility a few hundred yards away from the main lodge where customized meals and weddings are held.

All-inclusive fees for 2N weekend getaways begin at about $1,000 for a family of four, 4N midweek visits at about $600, and reunion group rates are available, too. Special holiday themed weekends run higher, whereas Kids Stay Free periods offer cost-saving options.