Family Reunions Introduction

In past generations, often all that was required to organize a family reunion was a shout down the street. These days it’s rare for extended families to live in the same state, let alone the same city or block. Which is why family reunions, while admittedly more challenging and expensive to arrange (although far less so with Groople.com!), are that much more important. Still looking for a reason to lure Aunt Flora and Uncle Jack to Groople.com to start planning? Try these:

• Remember the tales your grandfather or great grandmother would tell you about how they made great sacrifices to journey from Ireland, Italy, Mexico or Nigeria to create a new life in America? You do, but your children and grandkids might not know their own family’s lore. A chance to recollect, share unknown stories and give thanks for those who came before is all the more valuable when it’s done in person.
• Too often family reunions happen only during two occasions: weddings and funerals, both of which are so frenetic and emotionally charged that it’s difficult to renew friendships with long-lost cousins or nephews. Instead, consider using a milestone birthday of the family’s matriarch or patriarch (80 is a great birthday) as an excuse for a reunion.
• Or maybe your extended family has a long tradition of getting together every year to deepen your shared sense of history and to create newer and stronger bonds. All of that is as important as ever; and Groople.com can make planning a family reunion a breeze.

Great Family Reunion Destinations:

Of course, the first step in planning your family reunion is figuring out what type of place you’d like to go. We’ve broken it down into several categories to help you decide. Whether your family likes to ski, whitewater raft or are just up for some relaxation, there are many year-round destinations across the country to choose from.

The Top 10 Family Reunion destinations, according to our customers.

1. Las Vegas
2. Orlando, Florida
3. Anaheim, California
4. Miami
5. Virginia Beach, Virginia
6. Boston
7. Memphis, Tennessee
8. Venice, Italy
9. Atlantic City, New Jersey
10. Chicago

National Parks. A reunion at a national park can be a great way to combine rigorous recreational activities with low key pursuits, like educational park ranger talks.

1. Grand Canyon, Arizona
2. Yosemite, California
3. Yellowstone, Wyoming
4. Estes Park, Colorado
5. Acadia, Maine

Cruises. If you want to be sure your reunion has something for everyone, a cruise may be the right choice for you. There are myriad activities on board and ashore, plenty of space, and, perhaps best of all, no cooking or cleaning.

1. Alaska
2. Caribbean
3. Mexico
4. Canada
5. Bahamas

Theme Parks. If you have a lot of children and/or teenagers, this may be the best location for your next family reunion. And there’s something about being sky high and upside down on a rollercoaster that makes kids of all ages feel young again.

1. Walt Disney World/Disneyland
2. Universal Studios, Florida or California
3. SeaWorld, Florida, California or Texas
4. Six Flags, multiple locations
5. Cedar Point, Ohio

Family History. One of the things that makes a reunion different from a family vacation is celebrating the unique heritage and history of your family. Choosing a location that honors your family's past does just that. Go to:

1. The wedding or honeymoon spot of your parents or grandparents
2. Where your ancestors homesteaded or lived upon arrival in the U.S.
3. An historic site that illustrates the professional life of your ancestors
4. The country of your heritage

Plan Your Reunion:

Your family may be spread from Florida to Alaska, but using Groople.com to plan your reunion will erase the miles (sorry, can’t do anything about the years). A few suggestions:

• Create a Groopvine page. There, you will be able to communicate with family members; set up polls to decide on dates, locations, and hotels; share information about your chosen location; and even share pictures from the trip once you’re back.
• Decide what kind of getaway you want to take. Check out Groople’s Where to Go: Great Ideas for Family Reunions for suggestions.
• Find a hotel or resort. Groople will help you find a hotel within your price range featuring all the amenities you’ll want for your reunion. Groople can find the best group rates for your reunion, and will enable everyone in your group to pay separately.
• Decide on your itinerary. Communicate via Groopvine to make plans ahead of time for activities you’ll want to book before you go.

Tips for Planning your Family Reunion:

The beauty of a reunion is that it brings family members from all generations—with different points of view, interests and lifestyles—together for a few days. But that can also be a unique challenge of planning a successful reunion. These tips may help:

• Plan early and solicit advice. Everyone these days has a hectic schedule, so start planning at least six months to a year in advance so family members can both juggle work and school schedules to get time off and have ample time to offer suggestions about activities and the itinerary at your reunion.
• Remember age differences. A backpacking trip through the Rockies might be little Johnny’s ideal reunion trip, but it might be too much for Uncle Fred, who is still recovering from knee surgery. Try to have a mixture of activities for family members of all activity levels.
• Be mindful of the cost. Groople can help reduce the price of your reunion, but remember that a big, extended family is always going to have members in varying financial situations, and that one person’s idea of a bargain is another’s concept of luxury.