After a year of being stuck home and missing birthdays, parties, holidays, and quality time with extended family, most people are now eager to unite with family and create new memories together. Planning for a family reunion is the perfect way to reunite with family, have fun and have some quality moments together.
If you plan the reunion, then you should consider everyone’s comfort and ensure that everyone in the family enjoys the reunion. Whether expecting a dozen cousins, organizing and planning a vacation where all generations will enjoy is a challenge. However, we have come up with amazing tips you can use to ensure the family reunion you are organizing is a success.
Create a plan
Start by selecting a destination and a date when you will be traveling. To ensure that you choose somewhere everyone in the family is comfortable with; you can send out a questionnaire. This will help you get input from everyone on where they would like to visit and when they are available.
You can even form a committee where you come up with three possible destinations and dates then send out a survey where all the other members decide. Of course, you won’t be able to satisfy everyone’s wants but at least with a questionnaire and a survey you will cater to most of the family member’s needs.
If you decide to go on an outdoor vacation, decide how outdoorsy it will be and the living arrangements. Some relatives would be up for a campsite while others won’t, or maybe you can decide those who are comfortable sleeping in tents while the rest can get accommodation in the resort or hotel close to where you will be camping. Some state parks even have cabins where some families can stay, and others can also rent RVs. The aim here is for everyone to be comfortable.
Planning where to go also helps everyone plan their outfits for the trip. Whether they are wearing jeans, kamp shirts, or shorts, the destination will determine that.
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Discuss Covid measures
The question of who is and isn’t vaccinated will obviously come up, and it’s better to discuss it. The topic is obviously not an easy one to ask. Still, you can start a conversation by asking everyone who is vaccinated, who is comfortable wearing masks on the trip, and what Covid measures you will uphold on vacation. Having such discussions will clear the air and ensure everyone in the family, including the children, will be safe on the trip.
Having such discussions will avoid clashes during the trip, especially by extra cautious members. Other members can use this information to say their preferences, and everyone can be on the same page from the word go. Encourage all members to voice their concerns about Covid measures and ensure everyone’s voice is heard. Don’t forget to request everyone to pack extra sanitizers, masks, and soap. Sharing is caring.
Budget
Planning a reunion will cost money, and you will need to set a budget. Start by confirming how many people will be attending and how much everything will cost per person. The cost per person will also depend on the destination and what activities you will be doing as far as everyone’s interests and comforts fit.
If you are going camping in a national park, that will cost less than staying in a hotel. Renting an RV may also be costly if you factor in gas, rental fees, and the cost of staying in the RV parks. However, you may also find booking an Air BnB may be cheaper per person, that is, if family members are okay with sharing a house.
Activities like a safari, renting kayaks, zip-lining, or rafting are fun activities for families and create bonding moments. All these activities cost differently, so you should do your research and have an estimate to budget correctly.
Knowing the cost per person during the entire vacation will help you understand how many activities you can manage and which ones you can afford. There are also biking, swimming, and hiking which are low-cost activities.
What is everyone comfortable doing?
In addition to setting a budget, you need to know what everyone is comfortable doing. You wouldn’t want to budget for zip-lining or hiking, and no one is willing to do any of those activities. You may also want to consider everyone’s age and active status. If there are many kids in the group, put that into consideration and consider the older generation too.
A safari in the wild will allow the grandparents to join in and enjoy the fun activities. Family members with kids will consider smoother trails for hiking than hiking over steep rocks and cliffs. The teens in the group may need more adrenaline rush activities like zip-lining or kayaking, while a porch with a scenic view is perfect for the members who will not be so active during the vacation.
Then make sure that you have breakfast and evening meals together to catch up on the day’s activities and have some more bonding time.
Meal planning
Now that you have decided on the destination and what activities everyone will be doing on the family reunion vacation, it’s time to talk about meals. Meal planning is essential because you have to consider food restrictions, allergies, and preferences with a huge group of people to ensure that all the family members are accounted for.
If you are planning to make your meals, plan for that. If you are meal prepping before the trip, you should also plan for that in advance. If you will be eating in a restaurant, ensure you budget for it and also book well in advance to cater to everyone.
If you are cooking together, delegate each meal to one person so that everyone chips in. For example, you can have the guys prepare the barbecue, the teens and kids can make the salad, and everyone else can make a dish they are good at making. This way, you have fun preparing meals and bonding together as a family. And also, if you are using rentals dishes, make sure you sanitize and clean everything before using them.
