Expert: Ernest Tufft - 7/30/2007

Question
I am seeking a venue for a 3 day reunion in June 2008.  I was a San Francisco resident for 10 yrs + but since have moved away.  So while I am familiar with areas from wine country, Tahoe, south to big sur I am completely overwhelmed trying to find an appropriate place to host our reunion.  We will have 12/15 families all with several young kids under age 5. A swimming pool + community area for group gathering is preferred.  I was hoping to find cottages or the like with at least minimal kitchens so each family could have their own space. Something in nature or with larger grounds for young kids to explore would be great. I would appreciate any suggestions you can offer!  Sincerely, Laura Merritt

Answer
HI Laura,

I understand your sense of being overwhelmed with such a task.  I'm won't be able to help you much either, I'm afraid, as it's out of my expertise.  However, I recommend browsing the internet, as anything that fits your need will have also to be advertised this way.  I think the best bet would be a ranch within Sonoma County, particularly in the Russian River area, or a ranch in the Sierra foothills or even the high sierra.  I'll try to browse around myself to see what I can come up with.  Try a variety of keywords in Google, like "group recreation", "corporate recreation", "weddings", "reunion", or "church camp" in conjunction with the area name and see what happens.  Places that fill these needs will probably provide this service, but prepare to schedule a year in advance.