A Budget-Friendly Family Reunion: The 3 Best Resorts to Hit During Off-Season

Family reunions can be so hectic, you might wish everyone just stayed home. There are the debates about where to go and who will play host to house guests, and if the reunion takes place in your own town, you don't even get to travel somewhere new. This year, why doesn't everyone agree to a family reunion at a resort during the off-season—everyone can relax and let the resort handle the details, and going during off-season helps everybody's budget. Consider these three terrific locations:

Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort, Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Photo by alan2onion via Flickr

Myrtle Beach is a lovely area of the country that is also gentle on the wallet. Visitors to the area can usually book seven days at a local hotel for less than $1,000. The Sea Mist Oceanfront Resort offers family deals that include admission to the their waterpark and the Family Kingdom Amusement and Waterpark, which is just a short walk from the hotel. Family Kingdom features no fewer than 10 pools, as well as mini-golf, free movies and a playground. Family members can also walk to the beach from the resort, and, as a bonus, if Fido wants to join in the festivities, the resort welcomes pets.

Wisconsin Dells Waterparks, Wisconsin Dells, Wis.

Photo by Andrewmc123 via Wikimedia Commons

Wisconsin Dells is a waterpark fan’s dream come true. The area boasts more than 20 water parks, many of which are indoors. The entire area attracts more than 3 million visitors a year, and it is an ideal location for a family reunion due to the myriad outdoors activities like camping and boating.

In order to determine which Wisconsin Dells resort is best for your family, dells.com rounded up the various hotels and attractions in the area. One resort, the Great Wolf Lodge, features an 80,000-square-foot water park with many high and thrilling waterslides. Wisconsin Dells also has plenty of other fun family activities that are water-free, including a harvest festival, a winter carnival and various wine tasting events.

Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Photo by daryl_mitchell via Flickr

Extended family groups who want to experience Disney on their vacation but keep their budgets in check should consider Pop Century Resort. The resort has three pools, more than 2,800 rooms, a playground, a food court and an arcade.

Staying at Disney Resorts such as Pop Century also offers additional benefits, including “extra Magic Hours” that let families get to parks earlier than normal and stay later, too. This can help avoid the long lines that can be hard for little kids and older relatives to handle. In addition, staying at Pop Century Resort entitles guests to complimentary bus rides to other Walt Disney World locations.

Rita Connor Rita’s a native New Yorker who credits her love of travel to summers spent seeing the world with her grandparents. In chef’s school by day, she blogs about travel and cuisine by night.