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Blue Coyote Ranch is home to Salida's Top-Rated Vacation Rentals and Event Venue

Checklist for planning a family reunion in Colorado

Being assigned as the planned of the next family reunion is a big job! Here is a checklist to help you get it right!



Best venue for a family reunion


18 Months - 1 Year Before Your Family Reunion

  • Establish a Venue/Lodging Budget: Find out what each family can afford and calculate a total budget.

    • We find it is often best to split the venue rental evenly between all members to make room assignments easier and to keep everything fair!

    • Make sure everyone factors in extra costs for food and activities

  • Delegate tasks - Make things easier on yourself, and let other family members feel involved in planning your family reunion. Some ideas:

    • Activity planner: someone to research and plan activities for the group

    • Meal coordinator: someone to research and plan meals for the group

    • Treasurer: someone to coordinate fund collections

    • Lodging coordinator: someone to assign rooms and coordinate check in information with the group

  • Research - Start researching venues, lodging, activities, destinations and meals


12 Months Before Family Reunion

  • Finalize date

  • Book venue & Lodging - Many venues book up 6-12 months in advance. Make sure to secure your venue as your first step.

  • Catering - Start reaching out to caterers if you plan to do catered meals. Like venues caterer can book out 6-12 months in advance.

  • Communication - Decide how you will communicate information about your family reunion - do you want to create a facebook group? Group email? Mini website?


6 Months Before Family Reunion

  • Confirm RSVPs

  • Order custom T-shirts

  • Plan decorations

  • Make room assignments


1 Month Before Family Reunion

  • Assign meals for potlucks or group dinners

  • Supplies: Assign who will bring which supplies.

    • Standard supplies might include: snacks, breakfast supplies, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), lunch meats and sandwich bread, desserts and other staple items to have on hand.


1 Week before Family Reunion

  • Confirm arrival times - For all group members

  • Confirm check in information: make sure everyone knows how to access lodging units

  • Shop: shop for supplies and pack

  • Confirm details with vendors: including photographers, caterers, etc

  • Communication: Create a group text message or WhatsApp so everyone can communicate during the trip


This should help you get started planning your family reunion! Blue Coyote Ranch is a great place to host your family reunion - we have Lodging for up to 39 people, activities on-site (like yard games, walking trails and board games), and a jumbo fire pit to share stories at the end of each night. We love hosting family reunions and have created a number of areas for relaxing and catching up. We are only 5 minutes from downtown Salida, yet feel like a secluded mountain property.


If you are interested in booking a family reunion with us, please email Sara: sara@bluecoyoteranch.com.



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