Please help me pick a location for a family reunion!

[cdlamis]

The only criteria is it has to be somewhere between Arizona and Chicago. It can be closer to Arizona than Chicago and no more than a 2 day trip for the families from the midwest. The families all have kids ranging from infants to teens.

I have racked my brain and there aren't any fun family places! Last time, we (the families from AZ) had to drive 3 days to Arkansas and had to stay in a $1000/week cabin. Ugh! I know that for that kind of money, we could have stayed in better accomodations so I am glad to have some say this time.

Please help! The only other proposed locations so far are Mount Rushmore and Iowa. HUH??? Those are so far for us and not fun at all for toddlers.

TIA~
Daniella
Mom to Julia 6-13-02
and Isabella 12-18-04

[justlearning]

My vote would be for somewhere in Colorado. You could go somewhere like the Rocky Mountain National Park (which is beautiful, I've heard, but haven't been there yet) if all the kids would like doing things outdoors. Or, you could go somewhere like Colorado Springs, where there are fun places for toddlers through teens (e.g., Mr. Biggs is a fun indoor center) and that's also close to the Six Flags in Denver but at the same time has many options for exploring the beautiful outdoors. Or, there are fun things to do at the ski resorts in the summertime also, and they cater to the entire family. For example, kids can go mountain biking down the mountain, the whole family can enjoy outdoor concerts, they have areas to "rock climb" up a fake mountain, they have boats that families can enjoy in the man-made lakes, they have special puppet shows/comedians geared towards kids, ski lift rides, a pool, etc. We've spent time at both Keystone and Copper Mountain in the summertime and enjoyed ourselves.

SWA now flies into Denver (not far from Colorado Springs or the ski resorts), so the airfare from Phoenix and Chicago is usually $125 or less per person.

If you want to know more about Colorado, feel free to email me (that's where I live, if you hadn't guessed already). Hope you have a great reunion wherever you decide!

[megs4413]

Of course I will be shamelessly pluggin the Lou! St. Louis, I mean. There's a ton to do here for kids and a lot of it is FREE. The zoo is awesome and is free, as well as a place called Grant's Farm which is more like a really big petting zoo. The science center is free and will captivate toddlers to adults. The City museum is relatively inexpensive and EVERYONE will love it. The Magic House is a little more pricey, but is unlike anything anywhere else. Accomodations aren't that bad depending on where in the city you decide to stay. Overall it's a good family value city. We like to sightsee here even though we live here. It's closer to Chicago than Phoenix, but it might work! There is also a six flags here if you wanted to go amusement park route, and TONS of other stuff. You can ask me questions if you want. Have fun planning your reunion! I wish our family did fun stuff like that!

[mudder17]

I was going to suggest St. Louis as well, but it was a bit far from Arizona and I wasn't sure if that would work for the AZ folks. But I agree with you--this would be a great place for families.

And for friends of mine who are from Colorado there are some awesome places in Colorado for families (not to mention the gorgeous settings), but again, I'm not sure how well it would work for people driving with their kids.


Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
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Kaya will be a sister, ~11/14/06!

[elliput]

I was going to suggest Colorado Springs, also! Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Seven Falls. Beautiful! http://www.gardenofgods.com/home/index.cfm?flash=1

[bunnisa]

I third CO!

Telluride is absolutely amazing. One of the most breathtaking places I've ever visited. (I went in the summer, although the skiing is great, too!)

http://www.telluride.com/index.asp

You could take a trip on the train that goes between Durango & Silverton. It's a gorgeous trip.

http://www.durangotrain.com/

Bethany
blessed wife and mama to two!

"And children are always a good thing, devoutly to be wished for and fiercely to be fought for."
-Justin Torres

[jesseandgrace]

We just had a family reunion in Scottsdale, AZ. The hotel was incredible, the pool was really fun, old town was fun for the kids, the McCormack Stillman railroad park was fun for everyone, the zoo is there, the weather is always nice.....

[newnana]

Another shameless plug for St. Louis! Happy to answer questions, but as mentioned above, a ton of free family stuff to do: the zoo, science center, Grant's Farm, I could go on and on. Southwest has airfare from Phoenix for as low as $150. I'm also available for questions, but it could be a really cheap event. Ooh, another bonus is that there are a ton of parks with great pavillions for the reunion activities if you wanted to go that way.

BTW, I didn't know there were so many STL moms here. We should do something.

Let us know what you decide,
Michelle

[tarabenet]

Red River is a blast. There are plenty of active-activities for older kids and energetic adults, lots of nice trails to walk for quieter times, a wide-open playground for the kids, fun shopping. One of the little shops even puts on a "wild west stunt show" every afternoon. There are lots of cabins and condos for rent, so you can have kitchens or kitchenettes, plus restaurants and diners for eating out. Taos, Taos Pueblo, Santa Fe, white-water rafting are all easy drives.

My family escaped to Red River last summer, just as Aubrey was learning to walk. With only 6 adults, we had to divide activities like 4-wheeling so that half went while half kept her, and then swapped. But it was a great time. It is a great family town and we've been enjoying it every couple of years for 20+ years.

I also have very fond memeories of trips to Saint Louis. San Antonio can be a great time, although hot in the summer. Same for Austin.

[megs4413]

i was just thinking that....we really should do a BBB St. Louis meetup or something. That would be fun! Maybe the BBB girls go to the zoo!

[mudder17]

Ahh...your description makes me miss NM! DH grew up in White Rock/Los Alamos and his dad is now in Santa Fe, so I've been out there a lot (but not in recent years since his mom passed away) and really iss it. We have not been to Red River, but it sounds like we should definitely plan a family vacation there one of these days!

And I've been to Austin once and it was fabulous, but I would think it'd be too hot during the summer.

Eileen

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/candle.gif for Leah
http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbons/ribbon_sapphire_24m.gif

http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/t/catcatcvi20040222_-6_Kaya+is.png
Kaya will be a sister, ~11/14/06!

[pritchettzoo]

What about one of the new indoor waterpark resorts? This is just one from a google search, no personal experience, but it looks like fun for all the ages: http://www.wildernessresort.com/index

Anna
Mama to Gracie (Sept '03) and Eli (July '05)

[tarabenet]

Also there is a really fun outdoor waterpark in San Marcos, Texas (between Austin and San Antonio). It is very shady, and the water is from a spring-fed river, so even in the hottest part of the summer, it is refreshing. They have rides and zones for little kids, thrill chutes for more adventurous, cabins on-site with cookout facilities. I had forgotten about that. Check www.Schlitterbahn.com to see more. They also have parks along the Gulf Coast, but those won't have the kid-friendly shade. The only rule for little ones is that anyone in diapers has to be in swim diapers. And yes, this is the kind of waterpark that could be fun for days.

[saleenl]

Not to sound like a broken record, but yet another vote for St. Louis. I had no idea that St. Louis had so much to offer until we moved here a few years ago. Now, everyone wants to visit us because it is so pretty and there is so much to do! There is nothing else in the world that is even similar to the City Museum( http://www.citymuseum.org ). No one else mentioned the Missouri Botanical Gardens ( http://www.mobot.org ) and their new children's garden. I was there last weekend and didn't go in (our baby is too little to enjoy it yet) but it looked very exciting and fun.

[jeniferrlynne]

Goodness. I have loved Durango, and Summit County ski towns in CO, and Santa Fe, NM area as well as Kansas City and the Ozark Area of MO. I guess it just depends on how far you want to go this year to help you decide. CO and NM would definitely be a little closer for you.

[cdlamis]

Thank you for all the suggestions! I think we are going to go with Colorado! I still have to decide what area- so confused about what is close to what. Looks like the Denver area will be great with kids.