Family reunions give you the chance to have fun with extended members of your kin that you rarely see. Between our busy lives and distance between one another, it can be hard to coordinate holidays and meet-ups with each person. A family reunion gives you the chance to see everyone at the same time and make memories in doing so. And what better way to make memories than at a family reunion camping trip?
Making a family reunion camping event has many benefits for all. There will be ample space for everyone and plenty of opportunities for fun. The hard part is the planning. We’re here to break down the planning process and show you how to easily put together an unforgettable family experience.
Step One: Pick the Date and Location
You should begin planning your family reunion campout as early as possible. This gives you the chance to reserve the best campground for your event and for family members to arrange for time off from work and school. Planning the event one or two years out is not unusual. The larger your family is, the more time you will need.
Choosing the Right Venue
Finding the right place for an RVing family reunion can be tricky. A campground must be the right fit for your entire family. If the venue is too small, there won’t be enough space to keep everyone comfortable. Here are a few tips for choosing the perfect family reunion camping location:
- The right venue will allow you to do other activities like fishing, swimming, volleyball, hiking, side trips, and much more. The added activities can make or break a successful family reunion. You don’t want anyone getting bored!
- Pick an equidistance location from family homes to make travel time as easy as possible for everyone.
- Select a place with an outdoor pavilion or indoor facility in case it rains so that the fun can continue with the fun.
It is important to keep in mind that not all members of your family will want to rough it at a campground. You may need to accommodate several different needs. Some family members may be happy with sleeping in a tent, others may prefer cabins or glamping huts, and some may want to sleep inside an RV. Furthermore, some may just want to stay nearby at a motel.
Pro tip: Start your planning by sending a questionnaire to solicit input. Then send a save-the-date invitation to get the event on everyone’s calendar.
Choosing the Right Dates
The two biggest factors to consider when choosing dates are 1) your family’s general availability and 2) weather.
Planning a trip in the middle of the school year may make it hard for those with children to make it out. On the flip side, you don’t want to set the reunion in the hottest part of the year when everyone is planning on being outside all day, every day. The key is to find a time like spring break, fall break, or early summer where children are out of school and the weather is mild.
Again, these are popular times, so you’ll want to make sure to get your reservation far in advance.
Step Two: Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
This is an important step to creating a memorable RVing family reunion: communicate with the entire family. You must keep the members of your family on the same page, so no one misses out on vital campout information.
Reunion communication can be though methods like:
- Social media
- Text message
- Phone calls
Regardless of the method, you need to stay up to date with everyone; you need to keep everyone in the loop. You may get some unhappy family members if they are not kept up-to-date. Having an open dialogue with all guests and staying on top of everything can help immensely.
Regular communication will also allow you to learn individual needs and interests so that no one is left out. If you wait until the day of the reunion to see what everyone needs, you may not have time to get everything.
Pro tips: Install a communications chairperson. This person will need to set up a special Facebook page for the family reunion or some other collaboration tool for weekly updates or when new information needs to be shared. However, they should mix it up with email, postcards, newsletters, etc. to keep people’s attention and reach all family members.
Step Three: Choose the Best Accommodations
Finding the perfect sleeping arrangements is just as important as choosing the right venue. If choosing RV rentals, it must be large enough for you and your family. A camper that is too small will be cramped, and you will have limited space regardless of how nice and/or affordable it is.
Keeping everyone comfortable is easy with the large motorhome rental selection on the market today, so it should not be a problem to get the best camper for your family reunion.
An RVing family reunion can be a fun and unique way to create a get together that everyone will remember. A family reunion campout could become an annual event. With so many national parks, state parks, and campgrounds available around the USA and Canada, the possibilities of seeing new and exciting places with your extended family are almost endless.
Step Four: Create an Agenda, But Be Flexible
Rigid schedules are often the cause of terrible trips. Although you should have an agenda to keep everything structured and planned out, you need to stay flexible and take everything in stride. Often, the unexpected can be the most fun part of a road trip.
It isn’t easy dealing with a large group, especially when it is family members who have their own ideas of what everyone should do. It is a great idea to assign responsibility for jobs and certain aspects of the family reunion to other people. This gives you the chance to relax and not have to be responsible for everything yourself. Delegating jobs to others will make sure that each part goes as planned and that there are no difficult patches during the reunion.
Pro tip: Using the chosen collaboration tool post a sign-up sheet for “committee” chairpersons (i.e., food, entertainment, finance, local tours, photography, communications, etc.). These family members can keep everyone posted online.
Step Five: Plan to Have Fun
A family reunion camping trip is a joyous time in which people come together to see one another, so remember to have fun with it.
The keys to success are to plan early, book early, and frequently communicate to everyone. Furthermore, choose the right location and accommodations. Micromanaging the family reunion can cause others and yourself to have a bad experience. It can put you off attending or hosting another family reunion in the future.
It is family, not business, so treat it like a fun affair. By following our suggestions, you can rest assured that your family reunion will be an enjoyable time for everyone involved.
