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by Fran Falkin

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.

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Mexico's Cancun & Yucatan
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FTF Award Winners: Resorts
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Extended Family/Reunions


I recently spoke with a grandmother who regularly takes all three generations of her family on trips. She said that cruises work best because, "My son-in-law is trapped on the boat and can't leave after just one day to get back to work -- like he had from landlocked destinations in the past! The teenagers were on their own during the day, which made them happy so they were a delight during dinner. They even gambled a bit, which thrilled them no end. Everyone could do enough of what they wanted on their own, and there was plenty of room to spread out. "

She had sampled many types of family vacations, and felt that the cruise offered the best experience for all ages. She must be doing something right, because when one of her granddaughters graduated from college, she asked her grandmother to take her to London for a graduation trip.

Laura Sutherland
FTF's Blogger

Posted Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:53pm by FTFblog


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