How to Plan a Texas Family Reunion Everyone Can Enjoy

A reunion succeeds when the ninety-year-old and the three-year-old both have a good afternoon. Everything below serves that goal.

Start with the date and the venue

Pick both early — six to twelve months out if people are traveling. Everything else can be decided later; these two cannot.

Choosing the venue

Look for:

• Covered space, so weather does not end the day
• Level ground and short walks from parking
• Room for kids to run without leaving the adults' sight
• Restrooms that do not require a hike
• Enough parking for a lot of cars, including trucks and trailers
• Somewhere quiet for people who need a break

Parks are inexpensive but leave you exposed. A private property with covered space costs more and removes most of the risk.

Multi-generation accessibility

Walk the route your oldest relative will take: car, seat, restroom, food line. Note every step, slope and loose gravel path. Reserve shaded seating near the food and near the restrooms.

Meals

Keep it simple and shared.

• One catered meal, or one barbecue with a real plan for who cooks
• A potluck works if someone actually coordinates the list
• Plan drinks and ice generously — Texas afternoons drink more than you expect
• Ask what kitchen or prep space the venue has

Activities

Do not over-schedule. Two or three anchors are plenty:

• A shared meal
• A group photo
• One activity — fishing, dominoes, a game, a slideshow of old photos

Leave large blocks of unstructured time. Talking is the point.

Kids

Somewhere to run, something to do, and somewhere shaded to crash. If there is water on the property, set the supervision rules out loud at the start of the day.

Older guests

Chairs with backs, shade, and a route to the restroom that does not involve stairs. Consider seating them where they can watch the activity rather than in the middle of it.

Lodging

If relatives are driving in from across the state, ask what lodging is on site or nearby. A house on the property lets the out-of-town branch of the family stay together instead of scattering across hotels. See the Stay page.

Parking

Confirm capacity, surface and whether campers or RVs are welcome. Ask what the lot is like after rain.

Photography

Schedule the group photo early — before people leave and while the light is good. Choose the spot in advance and hand one person the job of gathering everybody.

Weather

Have a covered plan and communicate it before the day. In summer, start later; in winter, plan for heat and layers.

A simple weekend schedule

• Friday evening: early arrivals, casual dinner, setup
• Saturday midday: the main meal and group photo
• Saturday afternoon: open time, games, fishing, visiting
• Saturday evening: dessert, music, slideshow
• Sunday morning: breakfast and goodbyes

Hosting a reunion here

Reverie at Diamond D has an 80 x 80 covered barn, a covered lakeside pavilion, two stocked lakes you can fish, a large parking lot, multi-stall restrooms, tables and 150 chairs, and a farmhouse on the property. Campers are welcome, and we are flexible about barbecue pits.

See our family reunion venue page, browse the gallery, or contact us with your dates.