| Tourism corner Get back in touch with your family by Valeria Davis Wisconsin is the perfect place to hold your family reunion. |
| Spring is a good time to start planning summer or fall family reunions in Wisconsin. With lives so busy, it's important to start aligning schedules and preferences early with long-distance relatives. Take advantage of the state's beautiful national parks, lakes and rivers, along with a wide assortment of resorts and water parks, to pick the perfect place to reconnect and relax with family, extended family and longtime friends. Need help getting started? Area convention & visitor's bureaus, chambers of commerce, and hospitality organizations are knowledgeable and willing to assist, and even offer reunion kits with step-by-step instructions on how to plan the best reunion your family has ever experienced. Next, choose a date and location. The location determines the lodging, activities and recreation at your disposal. Check out the area's county parks system for listings of parks and amenities, reservations, picnic and play areas, and proximity to resorts or hotels. Keep in mind that Wisconsin offers beach areas with picnic and playground spaces, campgrounds, water parks, rented vacation homes, condominiums and lodges, charming and remote inns, and upscale resort hotels for a full range of settings. Plan to explore the area's recreational venues together, including gaming, museums, golfing, fishing, shopping, churches, and more. Or, how about scheduling the reunion around a unique event or exhibition so that your extended family can experience it first-hand and make memories together? Depending on the size of your group, hotels and resorts typically have banquet space for just about every group size, and will sometimes offer a discount to your group under certain restrictions. The facility's group sales representative should be helpful in answering questions about scheduling, catering, transportation and other details to make your reunion a successful one. Think outside of the box when it comes to lodging, but be sure to consider the nature of your family: Are they outdoors people, or accustomed to indoor pursuits? Don't forget to include a place for all the children and cousins to play and snack, a passive recreation area where teens can hang out and place for the elders to gather and reminisce. Make the reunion in Wisconsin where family members create great moments to share for years to come. For more information on destinations and events that are of interest to multicultural travelers, log on to www.travelwisconsin.com for free planning guides or call the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's live operated toll-free number 1-800-432-TRIP (8747). Visitors also can obtain guides and information at Wisconsin Travel Centers, which are located in select state-border cities. Remember, Wisconsin is "All that .. and then some!!! |
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