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 RECREATIONAL GETAWAY

Taboo Resort, Golf and Conference Centre
Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
800/461-0236

Situated in Ontario’s lovely Cottage Country, 90 minutes’ drive from Toronto, Taboo Resort is a luxurious place to gather an outdoors family.  Taboo’s setting on the shores of beautiful Lake Muskoka means swimming, boating and related activities keep water-lovers very happy in summer.  The resort’s 1,000-acre private parkland is the backdrop for an active environmental program for children and adults.  Golfers will be anxious to play on the home course of Mike Weir, 2003 Masters Champion, and those looking for pampering and rejuvenation will flock to Indulgence, the spa.  When parents want to play golf or treat themselves to a massage, there’s an active Kids Club for 3 to 12-year-olds supervised by counselors and naturalists.  Above all, Taboo’s quiet, manicured grounds envelop guests in a way that shuts out the roar of the world and allows you to focus on family, the goal, of course, of your reunion.

Room and suite accommodations are available in the main lodge building, or you can choose from two, three or four-bedroom condo units, all of which are beautifully appointed.  The condos or “cottage chalets” offer fireplaces, full kitchens and gas barbeques on screened porches in which to prepare some family meals and snacks.  Don’t want to cook?  Taboo features several restaurant options ranging from the casual poolside café to a family-friendly grill, a more formal main dining room, perfect for that celebratory dinner, and a gourmet’s delight serving five, seven and eleven-course “Tasting Menus” based on regional Canadian produce and game.

Expert at business meetings and small conventions, Taboo’s event planning department is available to book your reunion space and make any special arrangements you require.  Room rates range from CDN$295/N for a lodge room for two people to CDN$1,085/N for a deluxe four-bedroom condo, sleeping eight. There is a 20% group discount on the room rate if your family books 10 or more units.  Remember that the rates are priced in Canadian dollars which offers additional savings for American families, and enables frugal relatives to "splurge" on a true luxury resort.  While their standard reunion package includes three meals a day at CDN$82/D per adult, CDN$45/D for children 4 to 12-years-old and CDN$65/D for children 13-years and older, a credit is applied for meals prepared in the condos, or eaten off-site if your family prefers. There are some wheelchair-accessible rooms, and golf carts are available for transportation around the grounds.