How To Host A Las Vegas Family Reunion That Doesn’t Suck

Family reunions always sound great in theory. Great-grandma surrounded by all of her well dressed, sweet and quiet great-grandchildren, adult siblings all getting along and eating together; a cohesive blend of family and friends creating lifelong memories.

In reality, you usually end up with great-grandma falling asleep in the picture, two adult sisters bickering over an old boyfriend, someone consuming too much alcohol (as usual) and everyone asking “why did we do this again?”  

But it doesn’t have to be like that! With a little planning, Las Vegas can be the family reunion spot that turns it all around! It can be the place that results in the happy, peaceful and memorable occasion everyone hopes for. Here’s how:

Plan WAY Ahead
Any family get-together requires planning, but for an off-the-charts Las Vegas family reunion, you’ll want as much time as possible to get things in order. If you can start looking at dates a year in advance, it gives you enough time to plan a great reunion, and it gives everyone enough time to save the money and make the arrangements so that they can go.

Pick A Location
While Las Vegas is not running short on hotel options, it might not be the best option for your reunion. Putting a big group in a hotel means separating everyone, and spending more time wondering hallways and riding elevators to try and find each other than actually being together. Hotel rooms don’t provide the space for everyone to come together in the evenings for a movie night or game night. And who wants to have their vacation time dictated by the rules and hours of hotel amenities? If you all want to swim at 3 am, you should all swim at 3 am and not be restricted by when the pool is open. This is your trip!

A luxury vacation home can offer much more space and a lot more control for traveling families to Las Vegas. Stunning estates that can accommodate 20+ people and offer unrestricted access to luxury amenities are a game-changer when it comes to traveling with a large group. Some of these incredible rentals feature indoor and outdoor pools, game rooms, in-home gyms and private guest houses on the property. Whether you’re coming with 20 people or 200 people, a vacation home (or a few vacation homes close together) keeps everyone close while still providing space and privacy. The comforts of home combined with the amenities of a five-star resort make a vacation rental a smart option for planning a flawless Las Vegas family reunion.

When you do decide to go the vacation home route, make sure the company you’re working with specializes in large groups. There is a lot of coordination and organization that goes into accommodating a large group, and you want to work with a company who knows a thing or two about family reunions.

Put A Team Together
One person can not plan a successful family reunion on their own. Recruit a few interested family members to help you divide and conquer. One could look up kid-friendly things to do in Las Vegas, someone else could be in charge of arranging transportation, and someone else can help set up the financial side. Working with family allows them to feel like they’re part of the planning and helps them feel more invested in the trip. And it will enable you to breathe and not be overwhelmed with planning.

Plan Activities
Your family reunion doesn’t have to be based upon a strict schedule, but having a few organized activities can help everyone relax and get them into “party mode.” Consider a few icebreaker games when everyone arrives to get people talking and connecting. Think about who is going to come and make sure there is something for everyone to do. Don’t plan a daily six-hour hike in Valley of Fire State Park if it means leaving all of the grandparents and Uncle Joe with the bad knee out of the fun. Of course, families and groups can split up and do their own thing throughout the trip, but the whole point of a reunion is for everyone to spend time together, so make sure there are things everyone can participate in.

Your family reunion is a time for everyone to get together to share stories, make memories and celebrate the family legacy. With a little planning and a lot of patience, you can host a Las Vegas family reunion that the whole family will love. If you have an estimated date for your next reunion in mind, click here for step two in the planning process!