Plan a Family Reunion in Brown County That Everyone Will Talk About for Years

Family reunions are a special time to reconnect and reminisce with your loved ones. To preserve memories. To strengthen bonds. To celebrate legacies. And to pass along favorite stories, important values, and a strong sense of belonging to the next generation of children and grandchildren.

And what better place to gather all the generations of your family for a reunion than Brown County, Indiana? (We also happen to have delicious homemade fudge here. Just saying.)

Be sure to explore our Group Travel page as you start putting together your family reunion plans! It has everything you need—including this form you can fill out, so our team can help you plan the perfect gathering.

Here are 7 tips for planning a family reunion in Brown County that everyone will talk about for years:

1. Start Early

Begin planning your family reunion at least 6-12 months in advance to secure your preferred date, location, and accommodations.

And don’t plan it all alone! If you’ve got a big family, recruit help and form a planning committee of family members, so you can divvy up and delegate responsibilities like food, activities, and lodging to make the to-do list more manageable. The Brown County team is also here to help! More details below (see tip #7!).

2. Choose Brown County because it’s a location that works for most

Looking for a destination that is accessible, affordable, and appealing to a wide range of family members? Brown County checks all the boxes!

It’s conveniently located and just a short drive away:

• It’s a one-hour drive from Indianapolis (and the Indianapolis International Airport)
• It’s a two-hour drive from Cincinnati and Louisville
• It’s right next door to Columbus and Bloomington, Indiana
• It’s within a day’s drive of half of the U.S. population

No matter what age and stage of life your loved ones are in, Brown County is affordable and just right for many families’ budgets, from younger relatives just starting out to seniors on fixed incomes and everyone in between.

And it has lodging, food, and activities galore!

3. Coordinate group lodging accommodations

Brown County has overnight lodging options that are perfect for families of almost any size.

Depending on the size of your group, you could book a large cabin on a spacious property where you can all stay together.

Or you could book rooms at a larger lodging property like one of our inns, so everyone can stay at the same place but enjoy their own space.

Explore places to stay

4. Figure out food

The possibilities are endless when it comes to feeding your tribe at a family reunion:

• Do a pitch-in where you invite everyone to bring a potluck dish or favorite family recipe to share
• Break out the grill for a barbeque
• Enjoy a big family picnic in the park
• Arrange for catering or a private chef to cook for your crew
• If you’d rather dine out, Brown County has tons of restaurants to satisfy every palate and dietary need
• And don’t forget about all the local sweet treats you can pick up. (Make sure to grab extras to bring home too!)

Explore dining and catering

5. Organize activities for all ages

Brown County has activities for everyone in the fam, from the young to the young at heart!

• Outdoor adventures for nature enthusiasts
• Eclectic fare/flavors/bites, craft beer, and wine for foodies and drink connoisseurs
• Live entertainment for music lovers and every type of fan
• Kid-friendly activities for young families
• Art and culture for creatives
• Shopping for souvenir collectors

Explore our website for the latest on our Events Calendar as well as some of our favorite group experiences.

Other ideas for family reunion activities include a family softball game, cornhole tournament, family trivia, group tours, board games, family Olympics, line dancing, visiting a playground, and roasting s’mores around a bonfire.

Pro tip: Just be sure to create a schedule that balances planned events with unstructured free time.

6. Capture memories

Family reunions are perfect for preserving memories and making new ones. Some ideas include:

• Order matching T-shirts for everyone (or buy some in town!)
• Have everyone bring old photos for show and tell
• Put together a slideshow and reminisce about family members and memories
• Have everyone bring copies of a favorite family recipe and compile them a into a family cookbook!
• Hire a photographer to take family photos
• Create a time capsule with letters, photos, and mementos that you’ll open at a future family reunion
• Interview the eldest family members for their best stories and words of wisdom
• Ask everyone to add their photos to a shared album after the family reunion (Add your pics to our shared album below! And if you post on social, be sure to tag us @ILoveBrownCounty!)
• Create a photo book or other keepsakes using photos taken at the family reunion

7. Let the Brown County team help

We would love to help you plan your family reunion! Simply fill out the form below to tell us more, and we’ll be in touch!

We can also accommodate personalized private events, meals, tours, and experiences, so please let us know if you’re interested, and we can make your family reunion even more special.

Planning a family reunion in Brown County, Indiana, makes it easy for you to focus on what matters most: connecting, reminiscing, and celebrating with your loved ones.