5 fun ideas for family reunions

There is no time like the present to gather your extended clan. Put a date on the calendar and look forward to a reunion. Here are five ideas to consider.

Saddle up for fun

With an authentic and scenic setting as backdrop, your whole crew of adventurers can enjoy beautiful places and learn horsemanship from experienced hands who will tailor the instruction to your skill and interest level. Opt to ride in open meadows, on mountain trails, in the desert Southwest. Will your family members choose to participate in a real cattle drive? Are some up for an overnight horse pack trip into the backcountry? Will your family members be eager to learn the skills required for team penning and other arena games? Or, will some be happy to relax during daily trail rides or to simply chill on the porch? The options are plenty at working dude ranches and guest ranches across the country. Furthermore, you’ll share stories, old and new, on the trail, around a campfire or across the breakfast and dinner tables.

For more: https://duderanch.org/

Sample lake life

With a 25-mile-long lake as the centerpiece, the Idaho resort town of Coeur d’Alene lures families with the promise of beach days, a range of water sports, scenic boat rides, fishing and hiking on an assortment of nearby trails. Book a block of rooms at the Coeur d’Alene Resort for easy access to amenities that include boat and jet ski rentals, spa time, outdoor dining and a lakeside infinity pool. Plan a mini-tournament on the resort’s course that is home to the world’s only floating green. For the young children in your group there is easy access to multiple play areas and parks within walking distance. For a more laid-back vibe, visit Priest Lake, 90 miles to the north and tucked within the Selkirk Mountain Range. Reserve the right number of cedar log cabins at the Elkins Resort, located on the tree-lined shores of the pristine lake. Your family can choose from the sports of the season or claim your Adirondacks on the grassy lawn. Hike through old-growth forests, discover local waterfalls, paddle a canoe, go kayaking or determine who has the best balance on a paddleboard.

For more: www.visitidaho.org; www.cdaresort.com; www.elkinsresort.com

All-inclusive resorts

It’s all included and there is something for everyone. For example, at a resort like the Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort on the Caribbean island of St. Lucia, it’s easy to keep everyone happy and active. Who wants to ride a banana boat, play on the floating trampoline or clamber on the inflatable climbing wall? Gather a group to snorkel or try a guided “Snuba” experience, a kid-size first step toward learning to scuba dive. Organize a group sail on a catamaran, visit a volcano or tour a rain forest. Adults can take a break at the spa while the kids take a tennis lesson or join in the VIP kids’ sports activities. With a range of lodging options, including hilltop villas, it makes planning meal, nap and quiet time for a variety of age groups possible.

For more: https://www.windjammer-landing.com

Cruise with the clan

Whether you choose a small sailing ship or a city-size vessel, there will be plenty to engage every age group, plus a multitude of ways to carve out “me time.” On the bigger ships expect water parks, ropes courses, rock-climbing walls, multiple pools, theaters, ice-skating rinks, surf simulators, a zipline and character parades. Companies like Royal Caribbean have made families a priority and have dedicated large portions of their ships to putting smiles on young faces. Many lines offer separate areas for toddlers, kids and teens and provide free daytime and early evening access to their kids’ clubs. With nursery care and after-hours fun in kids’ clubs, it’s easy to organize grown-up time in the evenings.

For more: www.cruise.com; www.royalcaribbean.com

Meet in a national park

For families that love exploring our natural world, gathering in a national park will be a crowd pleaser. There are few places on the planet as stunning as Glacier National Park, located in a rugged corner of Montana, sharing a border with Canada, the park lures visitors from around the world, eager to see the disappearing glaciers, hike beside azure-colored lakes and to catch a glimpse of resident wildlife. To the south, Yellowstone, a nearly 3,500-square-mile wilderness recreation area, sitting atop a volcanic hot spot, is a nature lover’s nirvana. Visitors to this storied national park, America’s first, stop to ogle what they came for. Perhaps it’s a grizzly with cubs, a gushing geyser, a lone wolf or a moose snacking in the marshy grass. Lodge rooms and campgrounds fill fast so plan ahead.

For more: www.nps.gov/yell; www.nps.gov/glac