Family Reunion Location Planner – Find Fair Venues for Extended Family Gatherings
Stop making the same relatives travel hours while others drive 20 minutes. Find reunion venues that balance travel for everyone.
Family reunions work best when nobody feels burdened by distance. Fair venue selection shows you value everyone's time—not just those who live closest to the organizer.
Why Family Reunion Planning Is So Stressful
Common challenges:
- One branch of the family always hosts, making others travel farther every year
- Elderly relatives or those with young kids struggle with long drives
- Debates over location create family tension before the reunion even starts
- Someone always cancels because "it's just too far this time"
- The organizer feels guilty picking a spot that favors some relatives over others
Your extended family is spread across 3 states. Every year, Aunt Mary hosts at her place (convenient for her kids, 4-hour drive for others). After years of this, half the family stops coming. Mary feels hurt, but she didn't realize the burden she was placing on distant relatives.
You're organizing a reunion for 30 family members across 5 cities. You pick a "central" location based on the map. But Grandma (doesn't drive) would need a 3-hour bus ride, while your cousins (driving) get there in 45 minutes. Grandma can't make it. The reunion feels incomplete.
Why the geographic midpoint fails:
A geographic midpoint between multiple cities might land in a small town with no suitable venues, limited hotels, or poor accessibility for elderly relatives. Central doesn't mean practical.
Why manual planning doesn't work:
Manually coordinating a reunion means: creating a spreadsheet of everyone's locations, googling drive times for dozens of combinations, debating venues, and hoping you didn't miss anyone. It takes weeks and breeds resentment.
When reunion locations consistently favor one part of the family, others feel undervalued. Attendance drops. Family bonds weaken. The organizer burns out from guilt and logistics.
How Where2Meet Finds Fair Family Reunion Venues
Where2Meet calculates travel times from each family member's location and suggests venues—hotels, parks, event spaces, restaurants—where travel burden is balanced. Include everyone without exhausting the organizer.
How Where2Meet helps:
- See travel times for all family members before committing to a venue
- Find locations accessible by car, plane, train—crucial for elderly relatives
- Discover cities or towns in between that work better than anyone's hometown
- Filter by venue type: hotels with event space, parks, restaurants, community centers
- Share the link so family can vote—everyone feels heard, reducing pre-reunion tension
❌ Before Where2Meet:
Organizer emails: "Reunion at my place again?" 10 relatives: "That's too far for us." Organizer: "Where else?" [30 emails, no consensus, half the family doesn't respond]
✅ After Where2Meet:
Organizer shares Where2Meet link. 30 family members add their locations. The map shows a city in between with 3 hotel venues where travel times range from 90-120 minutes. Family votes. Everyone commits. Attendance: highest in years.
Create a reunion event, share the link with all family members, and ask them to add their home locations. Where2Meet shows venues (hotels, parks, event spaces) where travel is balanced. Filter by amenities (parking, accessibility, kid-friendly) and let the family vote.
Family reunions often require mixed transportation (driving, flying, train). Where2Meet helps you find venues near airports or with good highway access so everyone can get there.
How to Plan a Fair Family Reunion in 4 Steps
Create Reunion Event & Share Link
Set up "Family Reunion 2025" with potential dates. Email or text the link to all family branches.
💡 Tip: Include a note explaining fairness: "Let's find a spot that works equally well for everyone!"
Family Members Add Locations
Each household adds their home city/address. Choose transportation mode (driving, flying, etc.).
💡 Tip: For elderly relatives or those who don't drive, have someone help them add their location.
Review Fair Venue Options
Where2Meet shows hotels, parks, or event venues where travel times are balanced. Filter by amenities.
💡 Tip: Look for venues with kid-friendly areas, accessibility for elderly relatives, and nearby hotels.
Family Votes & Books
Let the family vote on top 2-3 options. Once decided, book the venue and send details to everyone.
💡 Tip: Share hotel recommendations near the venue for out-of-town relatives.
Pro Tips for Family Reunion Planning
Pro Tips:
Rotate Fairness Across Years
Use Where2Meet to find a different fair location each year, so no one branch always travels farther. This year's reunion might favor the east coast; next year, the midwest.
Consider Accessibility Needs
Filter for venues with wheelchair access, nearby hotels, and minimal walking for elderly relatives or those with young kids.
Plan Around Major Holidays
Avoid holiday weekends when travel is expensive. Where2Meet helps you find fair spots year-round.
Common Mistakes:
❌ Always hosting at the same relative's place
Why: Convenience for the host doesn't mean fairness for everyone else—distant relatives stop coming
✓ Fix: Rotate locations based on fair travel times, not familiarity
❌ Picking a venue without checking accessibility
Why: Elderly relatives or those with disabilities can't participate if the venue isn't accessible
✓ Fix: Check map view for parking, nearby hotels, and accessibility features
Frequently Asked Questions
What if family members are flying in from far away?
Set their transportation mode to "flying" and Where2Meet will prioritize venues near airports. You can see which cities work best for both drivers and flyers.
Can we find venues with lodging for out-of-town family?
Yes. Filter for hotels with event spaces, or find a central location and share nearby hotel recommendations.
How do we handle family members who can't travel at all?
Focus on finding the fairest venue for those who can attend. For those who can't, share photos/video during the reunion to keep them included.
What if the family is split across the entire country?
Where2Meet will suggest central cities (e.g., Chicago for east/west coast families, Dallas for north/south). You might discover a city nobody considered that works for everyone.
Bring the Whole Family Together—Fairly
Stop making the same relatives travel hours while others barely leave home. Find reunion venues that work for everyone.
Plan Your Family Reunion