Mister Spiffy Picks a Location
Location – n. A site, with respect to its environment.
Mister Spiffy Says:
"Location, location, location. Location is everything. Just
look at the Titanic…well, actually, let’s not look at the Titanic.
Just look at…ancient Rome. They rose and rose and rose…and…fell.
Well, location is important anyway."
Choosing the right location could be rated up there as one of the
most important decisions you’ll make in the planning of this family
reunion. You can choose a location, if you wish, once you know what
type of reunion you want, the desired dates, and have a fundamental
idea how many people will be attending. Of course, you can choose
the location before that – but Mister Spiffy knows by experience
that everything is just so much harder that way.
For small reunions, this ‘location’ can be at someone’s home in the
backyard (having grass would be nice). But for larger reunions, you
may want to consider a park, campground, a nice resort, or maybe
even a theme park. Mister Spiffy votes for a theme park. But, I
digress. Wherever you choose, make sure there is adequate lodging
so that guests don’t end up sleeping in the streets. That’s frowned
upon, especially on a road that is used frequently at night. Mister
Spiffy has never called a reunion ‘successful’ if the guests left
with tire tracks across their foreheads.
If you are looking for a nice place to hold a reunion, or know of a
nice reunion site, click here to check out our
list of reunion sites submitted by visitors like you.
Home Sweet Home
Your own yard is a great spot for a small reunion – seeing as you
don’t have to make a reservation for your backyard, at least, I
don’t think so – and you can set up well in advance. Most have
built-in kitchen and bathroom facilities (or at least an outhouse),
and if you forget something, you can just walk into your house and
get it. Excellent. Especially for the forgetful person. Like Mister
Spiffy.
Picnic in the Park
City and state parks are the most popular locations for most family
reunions. Parks, most of the time being outdoors, have the
capabilities to accommodate quite a large crowd. They offer those
splintering, paint-chipped-off picnic tables, barbecue grills
filled with black dust, playground equipment, wide, vast green
spaces for games, and easy access to water and restroom facilities.
So it may be dirty, but hey – it works, doesn’t it? Many local
parks also have beautiful flowers (fully equipped with bees),
monuments to stand rapt in awe in front of, petting zoos, and other
various amenities (or features – Mister Spiffy likes using big
words, it makes him feel smart) your family can enjoy and admire.
Camping Out
One of the easiest and most enjoyable locations for a family
reunion is at a campground, or somewhere near a national park.
Families can bring their own RV, trailer, or tent (Mister Spiffy
wouldn’t really recommend a tent, but then, that’s him – he
doesn’t like getting damp and cold). You can also make them
responsible for their own cooking, telling them to cook their own
food but over a common campfire. It’s a subtle way to keep from
supplying everything for them while teaching your clan to become
independent like our caveman ancestors.
You can sing around a campfire (even though the teenagers will
roll their eyes and proclaim that it’s "totally dorky") or roast
marshmallows. Many campgrounds also offer activities like swimming
and miniature golf if you happen to be at a trailer park. National
parks offer hiking, those exciting visitors’ centers (with gift
shops!!), and other activities.
Weekend at a Hotel
A weekend reunion at a luxurious hotel can be a wonderful way to
relax from the stress and strain of daily life and visit with your
marvelous family. Hotels normally offer pools, spas, fitness rooms,
game rooms, restaurants, and banquet facilities. Many hotels offer
weekend, off-season, and group discounts that make this an
especially attractive possibility, although Mister Spiffy wants you
to keep in mind that it may be hard to keep large herds of
rampaging children under control.
Bed and Breakfasts
For very small, adult-only family reunions, a bed and breakfast can
be a tempting choice. These quaint romantic homes offer you a
chance to relax and visit, without a care in the world. Quite
reminds Mister Spiffy of…what do they call it? A second honeymoon,
yes.
The Old Homestead
If your group has a massive interest in family history and your
ancestors and genealogy, you could explore your roots. You could
visit the farm where your great-great grandparents homesteaded,
see the old cemetery where they were buried when they died (when
else would they be buried?), and extend your genealogical research
by visiting the county courthouse or local library and rooting up
some information. Yet another Mister-Spiffy-perfect example of that
thought-to-be-impossible factor of learning and having fun at the
same time.
Theme Parks
If you have a lot of kids and teenagers in your entire family,
perhaps a reunion located near an amusement
or water park would be a good choice. I’m sure no one would
protest going somewhere fun to spend time together. Mister Spiffy
has never heard that complaint before.
Specialty Reunions
Why not hold your family reunion at a dude ranch,
take a cruise, or spend a week golfing or fishing at a resort?
No need to be restricted by any sort of "reunion guidelines."
There really aren’t any of those – just the idea of having fun.
The possibilities for a special kind of original family reunion are
limited only by your imagination (or perhaps your penny-pinching
relatives).
Mister Spiffy’s Helpful Hints
– Count the small children (under age 12) before you make any
plans. If there are a lot, kids always like a swimming pool. If
there are not very many, you could probably pull off a reunion
somewhere that is displaying breakables.