Family get-togethers are a special way to catch up with relatives, strengthen family relationships, and make fun memories. As a family-owned and operated business ourselves, we truly understand the importance of keeping your family strong and creating opportunities for legacy impact. No matter your style, there are always ways to nurture your family bond and create successful family reunions.

• Traditional family get-togethers may include a potluck meal where each family brings a different dish to share and a group activity that everyone can participate in, such as a game or a family hike.

• Non-traditional family get-togethers may include traveling to a destination and renting facilities together while enjoying local attractions and activities.

Whether your family is big or small, likes traditional or non-traditional get-togethers, or just wants to make new memories, we’ve got you covered. These 11 fun ideas will make your next family get-together one to remember:

1. Go Horseback Riding

You can bring your own horses and stable them, like many of our guests do at one of our cabins with stalls, or rent from a local tour guide, like Larry McMillan, owner and operator of Southeast Pack Trips. Either way, you'll family can have an unforgettable horseback riding experience!

 2. Sing Around a Campfire

Talented or not :) you can always gather the family around a nice warm fire and sing a campfire song while roasting marshmallows!

3. Take a Family Hike

Hiking is a great way to strengthen family bonds. Evening hikes are a great time to get some fresh air and digest the day’s events along with that huge potluck dinner you just ate.

(Psst… want to know a little-known hiker's paradise?!)

4. Have a Family Game Night

Want to interject some friendly game competition? Have a family game night! There's nothing better than sharing laughs through some light (or heavy depending on your family’s style) gaming competition! Card games, board games, video games, and impression games are just a few great ways to bring everyone together.

5. Go Whitewater Rafting

If your family is more of the adventurous type then paddling’s for you! This is an excellent activity that places you directly into the beauty of nature and, at times, requires everyone to stay in sync with one another.

If you need a starting place, consider checking out the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area which is recognized as one of the southeast region's best whitewater paddling destinations, with late winter and spring being the primary paddling season on the river.

6. Go ATV Riding

Now here’s a revving fun time for everyone! It’s nearly impossible to ride the trails with family and not end up smiling ear to ear!

Need a destination idea? Pickett State Forest OHV Area, also known as Blackhouse Mountain, is a beautiful scenic ATV riding area. Blackhouse Mountain offers more than 100 miles of trails, some of which even connect as far away as the well-known Royal Blue Area.

7. Have Breakfast Together

A lot of families have morning breakfast traditions like pancakes or cinnamon rolls. Here in the south, we like to go big or go home so you could prepare a breakfast feast for your family. No matter what’s cooking, everyone knows the best conversation happens in the kitchen!

8. Have a Meteor Shower Party

Having a comfortable way to stay up late, stay cozy, and watch amazing meteor showers makes for an awesome shared experience. Going to a certified dark sky viewing location is an easy way to take your experience to the next level!

9. Take a Train Ride

Family reunions are all about getting everyone out of their normal environment in order to spend some undivided time together and what better way to do that than by taking a unique train ride?! This is definitely a unique activity for the whole family, and probably not one most people have ever done.

10. Go Mountain Biking

The family that rides sticks by each other’s sides! If your family has the need for speed and loves adrenaline rushes then mountain biking is the best way to feel free and together simultaneously.

11. Have a Movie Night

There's nothing more classic than letting the kids take turns picking movies to watch while gathered in the living room in front of the television with a nice warm fire and loads of popcorn! Relive your old favorite movie-quote moments or make new inside jokes. A family movie night is always an easy choice.

Bonus: Rent a Private Cabin in the Woods

Our cabins were designed to be experienced with the ones you love. We accommodate to your unique needs so you can make your next family get-together one for the ages! With a wide variety of private, deluxe cabins to choose from, we’ve got everything you need.

You can book one large cabin or rent multiple cabins that are all within walking distance of each other. Either way, your whole family will soon be relaxing and making sweet memories together.