Planning a Florida Family Reunion

By Lenora Dannelke
Published: November 11, 2007
Last Updated On: September 2, 2011

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Kissimmee

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Florida's resorts, parks and hotels are the perfect place to gather the family from across the U.S.

The hottest trend in vacation travel, dubbed "togethering," is reinventing the family reunion as an extended, intergenerational holiday.

To me, that's great news. My own family reunions tend to keep the matriarchs too busy in the kitchen to have much fun - and, in truth, it's sometimes difficult to feign excitement over seeing Aunt Helen's fruited Jell-O mold yet again. (If you're reading this, Aunt Helen, remember that I'm always excited to see you.)

Kids get bored when all the "old" people - meaning anyone over the age of 20 - sit around and talk, which is basically the whole point of a reunion, right? To find some fresh ideas for my family, I did a little asking around among people who have recently planned one of these "new wave" reunions.

When Max Milam of Davie, Florida assumed the organizational duties for his family's long-running annual reunion, he targeted Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast. "My teenage daughter found it online and suggested I check it out," he said. His oceanfront choice was validated when attendance mushroomed from 60 to 150 people, with ages ranging "from babies to mid-80s." No worries - Milam managed to order enough commemorative T-shirts for all who attended.

Hammock Beach Resort's luxury villas provided a comfortable atmosphere for the adults and a secure environment for the kids. "The clubhouse by the pool became the gathering point," said Milam. "Older folks who didn't want to be out in the sun could still be near the kids."

In addition to a pizza party and catered barbecue, the resort arranged for Milam to present a family documentary in an ocean-view room inside its Lodge. "We had to break it into two shows because there were so many of us!" said Milam. "Kids met cousins for the first time; there were 'mini-reunions' of brothers and sisters going on, too. We basically made our own entertainment. It was a lot of work, but I absolutely enjoyed every minute."

With an interest in genealogy on the rise, there are always new faces appearing at Hooks Family Association get-togethers. "And you wouldn't believe how familiar those faces look!" said Rovena Hillsman, a great-great-great Hooks granddaughter and organizer of the family association's 2006 gathering in Pensacola.

Hillsman, a Pensacola area resident, selected the Bay Beach Inn (a Quality Inn property) for its convenient location. "[It] gave everyone a place to meet and talk," she said - key since her event united 40-some members of distant kin to trace their common ancestry. For a diversion, Hillsman took the party on the road with a tour of historic sites aboard a colorful Beach Bum Trolley bus, which included a luncheon at McGuire's Irish Pub. A local artisan crafted little wooden boats for family members, emblazoned with U.S.S. Hooks.

Independent exploration of local attractions was facilitated by the Pensacola Bay Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, which also supplied bags filled with brochures, coupons and maps. "The kids loved The ZOO," Hillsman said. "Everyone wanted to come back here again. But it's someone else's turn to plan next time!"

Sherry Woodson of Pontiac, Michigan took a hands-on approach to planning the 69th Deal-Sheppard-Coleman family reunion: she hopped on a plane to consult the Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau.

"Whatever it took to make Sherry happy and make her reunion a memorable one, I did it," said Bertha O'Neill, then the coordinator of the bureau's Destination Services department. That meant a welcome letter, family banner, transportation arrangements and bags packed with goodies, including discounts at Old Town, Kissimmee's retro-themed entertainment park.

At the Ramada Gateway, a tropical swimming pool, basketball court, pool table, putting green, video game room and shuffleboard kept all 86 attendees entertained and interacting throughout their stay. "There wasn't a moment that anyone was sitting in their room with nothing to do," Woodson said.

A hospitality suite at the hotel came equipped with a full-size fridge and bar, giving Woodson a budget-wise catering option. "I did all the food myself, shopping at nearby stores," she said. Just when I started to ask if Jell-O was on the menu, she interrupted: "The chocolate fountain was fun-until one of the kids knocked it over."

Sounds like one of those stories that will be told for reunions to come.

From renting a picnic shelter to reserving a block of campsites, Florida's parks are sometimes overlooked as reunion hotspots.

An economical idea: Meet in a State Park

One of the most unique and inexpensive places to hold a family reunion event is in one of the Florida State Parks. From renting a picnic shelter to reserving a block of campsites, Florida's parks are sometimes overlooked as reunion hotspots. Not only are fees reasonable, but for families where heirloom recipes are the attraction, the ability to have an event without having to hire an
in-house caterer is a must. Your best bet: research your favorite state park and call up that individual park office to see about group events.

The Florida State Park system is one of the largest in the nation with 160 parks spanning more than 700,000 acres and 100 miles of sandy white beach. From swimming and diving in Florida's rivers and springs to birding and fishing or hiking and riding on natural scenic trails, Florida State Parks offer year-around outdoor activities for all ages.