I’m trying to organize a family reunion, and need to find a place to have it. We’re a very small family (14 people), and I’d like to find a remote place where there’d be a few activities we could participate in together. Tourist destinations like Disney World are out, and cost is not a huge factor—though international travel would be asking a little too much.
The first idea that popped into my head would be for us to rent a cabin in Montana and go fly fishing, but since that might not appeal to everyone, I’d want there to be a second activity people could participate in.
Is there an activity that I’m overlooking? Is there another destination someone could recommend?
Bethany Beach, Delaware is a small town on the east coast of the US. In the off-season (starting Labor Day - two weeks away), beach houses are pretty cheap, so you could rent the top and bottom floors of a duplex, or two smaller salt-box type houses next door to each other. Oceanview Parkway and Wellington Parkway both have a long strip of grass in the center of the street where kids can play; there’s a beach (obviously) and a very small retail downtown that’s no more than fifteen minutes’ walk from anywhere east of the highway. To the north is Rehoboth Beach with outlet shopping for the wives and some very upscale restaurants and even a little nightlife, but the beaches there are crowded and the atmosphere is citified and stressful.
Bethany prides itself on being a “quiet resort.” As for getting there, you can fly into Baltimore/Washington International and be there three hours later (a short drive). I’ve posted advice on what one can do in Bethany in another post, found here. Kayaking with dolphins, swimming, surfing, sand castles, the boardwalk, a few small carnival-type operations with rides that are just as thrilling as Disney’s without the steep price tag, a few nice inland state parks… it’s really a dream spot.
If you’ve got more questions about Bethany, let me know – enjoy!
I recently came back from Williamsburg Virginia and the Foreman Family - with whom I am in no way affiliated - was having their reunion there and it struck me as a great place to do it:
Nearby was Busch Gardens, Jamestown, Yorktown, Water County USA and of course, Colonial Williamsburg. There are outlet Malls and golf Courses and parks and beaches.
I guess the reason I think it isn’t a “traditional tourist destination” is because for this family reunion there was a central hotel and something for everyone, of every age, to do during the day and everyone met for breakfast and most dinners – but you aren’t all one property or locked into 1-2 activities like you are at a remote place (With my family “Will it be hiking or fishing today folks?” would get old and crabby fast – of course YMMV). Just a thought
We recently rented a five bedroom cabin near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. We had 13 people all together. I would suggest finding a location you want to visit, whether it’s New Orleans or Key West or Yellowstone, and look into renting a large house nearby. That way, those who are tired can nap in a bedroom with a closed door, the kidlets can watch TV in the living room, and whoever has kitchen duty that night can be preparing the spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.
Well, if you want to rent a cabin around Bozeman or Kalispell or Missoula you could fly fish and the other people could:
antique
take a raft trip
eat in fine restaurants
hike
ride horses
walk 60 feet above the ground in a forest
mountain bike
shop
kayak a lake or whitewater
go on an afternoon lake cruise
see bear, elk, deer, etc.
And that’s just a partial, outdoor-oriented list. If you are serious about coming to Montana email me at the address in my profile. I’ve been/go pretty much everywhere in Montana.
whistlepig, who camped in Yellowstone two weeks ago, was in Polebridge Monday night, Glendive next weekend and Glacier National park the weekend after.
I second the Gatlinburg suggestion. Yeah, it’s sort of a cheesy town, but if you rent a nice chalet in the mountains, you won’t even notice the actual town. Two of my sisters and I rent a chalet every spring and we have a great time. You can hike, mill around the cheesy downtown area, shop inthe outlet malls, or just sit on the deck and look at the mountains and veg out. Most of the chalets for rent have hot tubs and pool tables. It gets cool in the evenings, and I love being in a hot tub when it’s cool out.