For my parents 40th, did something like that in the Durango, CO, area, with families spread out among several cabins and casitas. Plenty of local activities plus visits to the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde.
For my parents 40th, did something like that in the Durango, CO, area, with families spread out among several cabins and casitas. Plenty of local activities plus visits to the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde.
You could do a small old style family resort in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Little cabins so eveyrone gets their own small space is a plus.
Fueled by Caffeine said:You could do a small old style family resort in Minnesota or Wisconsin. Little cabins so eveyrone gets their own small space is a plus.
Nobody puts Baby in a corner!
jgrewe said:My family did a meet up in Pigeon Forge, Tn. Most of us could do without the miles of tourist stuff along the main strip but it is close to Gatlinburg and Smokey Mtn Nat Park. We found a "cabin" that slept 12 or 14 people, in reality it was a 3 story log cabin on a nice sloped lot with woods behind it. The whole street was individually owned vacation homes and you could book a few and all be within walking distance of each other.
We spent days hiking and evenings eating and drinking. Groups split off and did different activities and nobody from 12 years old to 85 was ever bored.
Here is the place
https://www.vrbo.com/2448049?adultsCount=10&childrenCount=2&noDates=true&unitId=3016510
Something along these lines is going to be the only way you are going to satisfy such a large group.
I'd recommend the Keys, but going there in the middle of hurricane season is kinda silly. Be a nice break from the cold to go there in the fall/winter though
Indy "Nub" Guy said:Yellow Stone national park and nearby Grand Tetons. Beautiful
This. Arches, moab, etc in the Colorado/utah area. Everything you could want for every age.
Its my happy place.
We recently did something like this.
We rented 5 different AirBnBs in close proximity to each other. One was lakefront (with boat and toys and about a dozen outdoor seating areas). 2 had pools.
We gathered together for most of the day, sometimes in different places and different sized groups. We divided up the meal responsibilities.
The best part of this arrangement was the ability to get away from each other at the end of the day. A bit of time to unwind. It prepped us for more activity the next day, and avoided stresses and short tempers.
My grandparents did something similar back in the 80's for their 50th. We all stayed at some time-share place in the NC hills. I don't think we were there for a week, though as I don't think my mother could get that much time off work (my father didn't go). While I was a tenn at the time, I honestly have very little memory of it other than the big group picture taken at one point. At the time, most of the family was on the East Coast so western NC was fairly central. Pretty sure everyone drove to the location.
My main take-away is to make sure there is some flexibility to the itinerary in case some folks can't attend for the entire week.
Dusterbd13-michael said:Indy "Nub" Guy said:Yellow Stone national park and nearby Grand Tetons. Beautiful
This. Arches, moab, etc in the Colorado/utah area. Everything you could want for every age.
Its my happy place.
Took my family ( eight of us ) there this summer:
Edit: There's a Lodge in the center of Yellowstone near Old Faithful, that should be able to accomodate your group. No idea about $$$, but it would be by far the most convenient location.
In reply to Mr_Asa :
Our last big trip like this was 10 years ago to the Turks and Caicos. It's a pretty area.
We stayed here. The family is a little bigger now.
This is Mother's House. It's for sale if you are interested for $14.5M. Linky
We are pulling a family vacation together for 18+ people at Thanksgiving, in the Outer Banks. It will be our last family trip together with our parents health declining. There are homes there that can easily accommodate 35 people, it's a beach, historic landmarks like Wright Bros are nearby etc.
Two places I would suggest based on your criteria.
Asheville, NC area.
or Old Forge, NY.
I think with a group that big you may be in the multiple air BNB game. I have a friend that rents a house on 4th lake every year. It holds around a dozen people but the house is part of three houses that are all the same size and share a lakefront lot.
I hope you find a great place!
In reply to JesseWolfe :
The problem with the beach is we might as well stay home. My parent's house will sleep 25 and with a couple of RVs everyone fits. It's on the water on an island in South Carolina. Inland people always want to go to the coast. Those of us from the coast would rather go just about anywhere else.
JesseWolfe said:We are pulling a family vacation together for 18+ people at Thanksgiving, in the Outer Banks. It will be our last family trip together with our parents health declining. There are homes there that can easily accommodate 35 people, it's a beach, historic landmarks like Wright Bros are nearby etc.
My sister did something similar for her wedding.
They were able to rent two houses right next to each other for 35-40 people (total). They each had a pool, hot tub, and beach access.
Plenty of space for everyone and they set up sleeping arrangements so one house was quiet earlier for the people with small kids or that just didn't stay up late, and the other was for the people that stayed up late.
Here's a link to the Lodge in Yellowstone:
https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodgings/hotel/old-faithful-inn/
Looks really cool:
What about a lake house or one of the many resorts in Traverse City / Belaire? Really pretty - different - rustic but lots to do.
Toyman01 + Sized and said:In reply to JesseWolfe :
The problem with the beach is we might as well stay home. My parent's house will sleep 25 and with a couple of RVs everyone fits. It's on the water on an island in South Carolina. Inland people always want to go to the coast. Those of us from the coast would rather go just about anywhere else.
Yeah...My mother in law does a Charleston, SC (Folly Beach) trip for a week every year but I didn't mention that sort of thing because I know it's your backyard.
Indy "Nub" Guy said:Here's a link to the Lodge in Yellowstone:
https://www.yellowstonenationalparklodges.com/lodgings/hotel/old-faithful-inn/
That one looked really cool...and there's another one on the lake (Yellowstone Lake) that looked cool and would have a bit less foot traffic milling about.
I'm no expert on this. I just happened to be there recently enough to still remember a couple things.
Go to Puerto Rico. It is a pretty compact Island. Air B&B 4 houses, one on each corner of the island. Also rent a handfull of cars for people to get around. People can rotate accommodations as suited or desired and nobody has to feel trapped by the group. Plan some full-group gatherings at central attractions. I recommend booking a lechoneria on the Pork HWY.
Puerto Rico is different enough so that you know you are somewhere different, but American enough that you can get by in english at all times.
If there on a weekend, you can go to Salinas Dragstrip and find out where all the Rotary engines have gone.
In reply to NOHOME :
We considered Puerto Rico, Belize, Mexico, and such. They were shot down due to the heat and humidity. My father is all about finding cooler temps when summer rolls in. We might have to consider another trip with the older crowd one winter and head south.
We did this for my parent's anniversary a few years ago. We did Calloway Gardens in Georgia. We rented four of the houses close together but there is a large hotel and other options. What I loved about it was there was stuff for people of all ages on site. Sports galore with golf, tennis, hiking, swimming, biking, waters skiing, etc. They had tons of kids' activities that they could go to alone, no parents required! There is a really cool butterfly arboretum as well as outdoor gardens to stroll in. Feeling adventurous, there is a ropes course or you can join the Fl State Circus arts team in the hightop tent and try out some high wire acrobatics (the kids ate this stuff up). If anyone needed a break there was a spa you could escape to. Most. evenings there was a group event as well. As all in one places went I was really impressed with the variety of activities available for all age groups.
Head to Western NC? You could rent a couple houses on Nantahala Lake next to each other, rent a pontoon boat or a little bow rider, bring kayaks. It's high in the WNC mountains and summer nights are in the 60's.
Within an easy drive you have:
Nantahala Outdoor Center for whitewater rafting and great mountain biking
Great Smoky Mountain Railroad for family-friendly scenic rail day-trips (or booze-cruise trips)
Hiking in the mountains in Nantahala National Forest
Driving the tail of the dragon
High-end shopping and dining in Highlands NC
Beautiful arts and crafts on display and for sale at The Bascom
You're 2 hours from The Biltmore
Just something to consider
inlaws did a cruise with 28 of us. That worked well for us, pleny of room on a cruise ship to hide. The other times have been rental houses for 12-15. We do NOT like those.
Cedar City, UT is near Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon, and it's a day trip away from Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Las Vegas, Valley of Fire, and a lot of other neat destinations.
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