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Family reunions offer a rare opportunity to reconnect with the few people in the entire world who share your history. Time moves fast — it may seem like just yesterday you were biking around the neighborhood with your siblings or playing make-believe with your children. 

When it’s time to make new memories with some of the people who matter the most, a casino like Tachi Palace Casino Resort provides a fun and flexible experience. Here’s how to plan a family reunion at a casino that you and your loved ones will remember forever. 

Why Go to a Casino for Your Family Reunion?

Casinos have everything you need for an unforgettable family reunion. You can compete on the slots to see who can score the higher prize or play table games against one another, but there are also amenities for the nongamblers. Casino resorts like Tachi Palace Casino Resort also offer exceptional dining, entertainment and relaxation options. 

Planning Your Casino Reunion

These seven steps can help you with reunion planning. 

1. Reach out to Your Family Early

 Whether you’re planning a gathering around a seminal birthday, celebrating a loved one who’s passed, commemorating an important anniversary or simply reuniting after years spent apart, the first step involves reaching out to your family. The scope of the reunion is up to you. You could keep the trip to yourself, your parents and your siblings or extend the invite to cousins, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Keep in mind that reunions at a casino are best for adults. 

Getting the ball rolling early is essential, regardless of if you’re inviting 15 or 50 people. Advance planning can help you score the right accommodations and make travel plans. Reaching out six to 12 months in advance — especially if you have a large family or plan to travel — is beneficial to coordinate schedules. 

2. Coordinate Schedules and Choose Dates

You can send out a survey to find possible dates. If you want to make your reunion an annual affair, scheduling it around a specific date or holiday is wise. For example, you might plan a reunion to commemorate your parents’ wedding anniversary or have your reunion around the new year. These dates are easy to remember, and family members will know to keep their calendars clear. 

Also, choose how long your casino reunion will last. You can spend a long weekend playing the slots, eating delicious foods and relaxing by the pool, or opt for a week-long getaway. A longer stay might be more appealing if you live far away from the casino resort or are not making the reunion an annual tradition. 

3. Set a Budget and a Location

The next step is setting a budget. You can reach out to family members directly to gather feedback or send out another form to remove the pressure.

The budget for your casino family reunion should encompass:

• Travel and transportation expenses.
• Resort costs.
• Food and dining expenses.
• Reunion trinkets, such as T-shirts.
• Entertainment, such as concert tickets.

Once you have your initial budget, you can find the cost per family member and make adjustments from there. Casino resorts like Tachi Palace Casino Resort can make it easier to budget with no added resort fees or sales tax.

The casino location should be convenient for guests. If you’re convening from different cities and states, find a casino resort in a central location or close to where most of the family members live. If you are all in the same area, look for a local option to keep travel expenses down. 

4. Find the Perfect Venue 

While bingo, blackjack and slot machines can provide hours of entertainment, the best casino venues offer more. Look for a place that offers more amenities conducive to group activities: 

• Spa: Take a break from the family chaos with a luxurious Swedish, deep-tissue or hot stone massage. 
• Pool: Lounge poolside with a great book, or hop in the water to cool off. Some resorts also allow you to reserve a cabana for your family. 
• Live music: Few things compare to the joy and excitement of live music, and the experience is only enhanced with family. 
• Other entertainment: You can also find a casino resort that hosts hilarious comedy nights and professional fights to keep everyone entertained. 

At Tachi Palace Casino Resort, you will enjoy all of these amenities and more. You can also explore the adjacent Coyote Entertainment Center, which is home to nearly 90,000 square feet of family-friendly activities like arcade games, movie theaters and bowling. 

5. Consider Dining Options 

Sitting down with your family to enjoy a delicious meal is the perfect way to end a long day of casino events. Tachi Palace Casino Resort provides enough dining options to give you a new experience every night, whether you’re looking for fine dining or a casual sports bar. Get steak and seafood at Coyote Grille & Whiskey Den, enjoy a teriyaki bowl at Phonominal Eats, grab a pizza at Pizza Hut Express, or catch the game with a burger from Sunset Sports Bar. 

Rotate through the restaurants with your relatives every night, or let everyone create their own adventure and reconvene at one of the bars and lounges for an after-dinner drink! You can also enjoy private dining options and catering at Tachi Palace Casino Resort.

6. Make a Schedule

One of the best things about family gatherings is spending time with loved ones you don’t get to see every day. However, even the closest families get tired of one another — which is why finding a balance of group activities and downtime is essential. 

If you have a smaller group, consider reserving a table for dinner every night or choosing a live music event to experience all together. When reuniting with a larger group, you might book an event space that allows you all to connect. Outside of these group events, let attendees spend time however they please!

7. Create New Traditions

With the planning done, it’s time for fun. New traditions you can start at your casino family reunion include:

• Movie nights. 
• Group dinners. 
• Blackjack tournaments. 
• Bingo nights. 
• Family photos. 

You can also create a scrapbook with the photos and mementos from your trip and add to it each year. 

Extra Planning Tips for Your Casino Family Reunion

These tips can help with your reunion planning: 

• Delegate tasks: After finalizing the details, assign tasks to family members, such as hotel bookings, airfare and restaurant reservations. 
• Encourage suggestions: Ask for recommendations about entertainment and amenities to ensure everyone feels included. 
• Use a checklist: Options like Google Sheets are collaborative, which means family members can contribute from wherever they live. 
• Send out invitations: Invitations are a must for large reunions. While group texts can work for smaller gatherings, physical invitations are still fun! 
• Incorporate your family history: Tell stories by the pool, share old photos over dinner or bring your ancestors’ favorite snacks for the hotel. 
• Create a keepsake: Custom T-shirts, mugs, ornaments, tote bags, keychains and picture frames can commemorate the week. 
• Take photos: This way, you can reminisce on the memories made during the reunion whenever you’re missing your family. 
• Reach out after the reunion: Ask attendees what they enjoyed and what they would change for next time. 

Plan a Memorable Family Reunion at Tachi Palace Casino Resort

Make your family reunion special at Tachi Palace Casino Resort. In addition to an unparalleled multilevel casino, luxurious outdoor pool, relaxing spa and delicious dining options, we offer event spaces to accommodate large and intimate groups. For example, our Blue Oak Center is perfect for large family reunions of up to 260 people, while the Salt Grass Center is a flexible space for smaller gatherings. 

Request a proposal to learn more about hosting a social event at Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, California!