Thank you/Apology

Thanks Travis and Tafe for your insight. I did not even consider that we need to pick the right place by the right beach (I did check the La Jolla property and found it is by Windansea, by the way). I'm definitely the out-of-town idiot - I see the word "beach" and assume it's going to be beautiful, which is certainly not true in many cases. Thank goodness we have locals in the family!

Also, thanks Travis for putting me in my place. Besides thinking that we could find great deals if we book well in advance (which turns out to not be true - they'll rip you off any day of the year. The best deals are last minute, actually), I admit, I've been eager to find a spot because I am starting a very competitive Masters and PhD program in the fall (not completely sure why I'm choosing 7 more years of school...) and after August, I guarantee I won't be able to spend any time planning this trip at all. I feel a little responsible for seeing this through because I started the blog* and I do want this to happen. I think it would mean a lot - to Grandma and Grandpa especially - to gather together with our whole family. It's been a long time since we've all been together and it would be great to see everyone, meet your kids, enjoy some good card games and conversations, etc.

So, where do we go from here? If we "decide to not decide" for now, will someone (or a group of people) agree to do all the planning in the winter when the reunion is 6 months away (while I'm struggling to keep my neck above water in a "Multiple Regression Analysis" course)? Also, I agree with Aunt Tafe - I think that a vacation with a couple days with all the Glausers, then the rest of the time as smaller family groups/individual families is a great idea. So, with that in mind, here is what I have learned:

-It is really hard to find vacation rentals by the beach that only rent for a couple nights. 99% of rentals are Saturday to Saturday in the peak season, and the 1% that aren't are really ugly (aka - Girl's Camp - not even glorified - at least that's what I've found on vrbo.com and similar sites - there might be great stuff out there that I haven't found). Even if we scooped up a few condos or timeshares that people are selling, those are also weekly things.
-Hotels by the beach are really expensive! I did get a quote from the Holiday Inn Orange County airport for $99/night for group rates, but that's 8 miles away from the beach. It has been remodeled recently and is really nice, though.
-I also received a quote from UCSD for $285/night for a family of 4, including food, and $189/night from Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside for a family of 4-5, including only breakfast.

So, anyway, I agree with Travis - let's just take a break. It'll give us time to decide exactly what we want to do and save up to make it happen. Whoever is volunteering to do the planning, feel free to give me an email at kristafrederico@gmail.com. I'd be happy to share with you all the research I've done so that you don't have to start from square 1. Or maybe we'll just decide to stay with family or each cousin buy their own hotel rooms, which is great, too. As long as we can meet to enjoy each other's company and have a fierce card game at some point (seriously, Burk and Kelly, Nathan and I have been practicing Nerts so we don't get schooled again by you both), I don't care where I'm staying.

Thanks for being such good sports. I'm sorry for being hasty. I know this is a costly venture and I realize now that it was very irresponsible for me to throw around vacation plans like that. I appreciate your help in getting my feet back on the ground. We do have such a great family. :D

*I am really sorry if I have pushed anyone away or made anyone feel like they can't post here. I sincerely tried to preserve anonymity (with anonymous voting in the polls), as well as space for people to talk publicly if they'd like to. To those out there who have felt like the blog was a bad idea, I sincerely apologize. Blogs are so popular these days, I just went for it on a whim without thinking about others' feelings. I'm sorry.

Let's all take a breath

All right guys,

I hate to be a lone voice of dissent here, but believe me when I say I am not alone in my thinking. I think we are making some very premature plans.  I realize nothing is solidified yet but here are my takes.  We are still 13 months out from this thing.  I think the initial purpose of this blog was to brainstorm and solidify a time to do the reunion, not necessarily a place.  In the next 13 months many things can happen.

Families will grow with more children, we're hoping that GMA's GPA's health will change for the better.  Unfortunately, some people's employment status or where people live will change.  I think the key right now is to settle on a time to do this, and wait and see what people are feeling later on down the road.  The previous blogs have already stated that some of these places we're looking at can't be reserved until we are six months out and to that I say, Bravo! That gives us more time to figure out what we want to do.  

I know I am speaking for those of us who live east of the Mississippi,  but the reality is it is going to cost a minimum of 750-1000 bucks just to get out to Southern California for my family.  And I've only got one child.  So my point is I don't mind spending that kind of bread as long as the trip we're going on is worth that sort of bread.  Glorified Girls' Camp up in the dusty mountains in August is not worth that kind of bread to me.  Tents?  No thanks...

I am very aware that money is an issue for many people.  Believe me, I am.  It is no different for us.  But I am willing to drop some bread on a trip that will be memorable and exciting, where people can come and go as they please and do the sorts of things they will enjoy.  But if we're looking at dropping 10 grand to stay in a "tall-walled compound" that will still require some unfortunate folks to camp out, that seems a little unsettling.  

This is simply my opinion, it is not law.  I appreciate the work that has been put into this reunion up to this point and am willing to help out in any way I can.  The bottom line though, is that whether this thing is in Alaska, Montana, Idaho, Utah, or California, people are going to have to pay to get there, and I think people will want to know their money is spent doing something other than camping out.  

Travis

Misc. ideas

Thanks, Uncle Gary - if you could look into reserving that stake's cabin, that would be great! I wasn't very successful in finding large cabins up at Big Bear and that sounds like a good option. Maybe since you'd be requesting it so early, we'd get a good shot at a reservation, even though it is in August.

My mom also had the idea - if the beach property's tall gate that surrounds the "compound" can be locked, maybe we can look into a few of the adults and kids (who are up for it) sleeping in tents outside. Looks like there's a large grass area. That might be fun for some of the kids. But, we'll see. We'll need someone to check out this property if it makes it on our short list, of course. Even though it is a big chunk of change, it is significantly less than others that I found and has better features (like the large, private yard space). But, the expense is definitely a factor, so keep posting other ideas.

p.s. Go girls! Amazing how in a family of so many grandsons, Gma and Gpa Glauser will soon have 7 great-granddaughters and 7 great-grandsons... girls are keeping up with the boys!

Summer '09

Thanks Krista for your hard work! How about maybe I look into the availability of a "church" camp in Big Bear or Idylwilde? I know one of our adjacent stakes co-owns a camp in Big Bear. They have lodges/bunk houses/large kitchens, etc.....problem will be availability in July/August, but I believe the cost would certainly be less than $10K/week and MUCH more space for the "invading hordes" :)) Gpa Gary (anxiously awaiting the arrival of..........his THIRD, yes, that'd be 3 little grand-daughters - who are quickly proving they can easily stand up to DOUBLE the number of grandsons! Go get 'em Sashinator and Julia!)

Reunion in Southern CA

Okay, here is what I have found. I've requested proposals from several area colleges (Chapman, UCSD, etc.), as well as a few hotels that claim to specialize in family reunions (Best Western Blue Sea Lodge in San Diego, Holiday Inn Bayside in San Diego, etc.). I asked for meal quotes as well. Hopefully we can get those proposals soon.

Until then, here are other properties:

3 homes in La Jolla

3 homes on 1 property - accommodate approximately 25. Walking distance to the beach, very close to other activities - they provide boogie boards, etc. Hot tub that holds 12. Nice yard area, fully gated all around, with plenty of room for outdoor eating with everyone. Large kitchen with double oven, gourmet BBQ grill outside for preparing meals for everyone. $9,300 for 1 week. (I really like this place - I love that we could have our own rooms/homes so that we have our own space, but we have a secluded yard to eat together. The family room of the largest home has plenty of couches and a huge square table for 10 for our card games)

Crystal Cove Beach Cottages in Newport Beach-
cannot reserve until February 1 (policy is 6-7 months in advance)
Historical, restored beach cottages between Newport and Corona del Mar. Individual and dorm-style cottages of varying sizes so that families could choose the best accommodation for them. Between $20 - $40 per person, per night for those above 4 years old. Beautiful setting, right on the beach. Largest bed size is full, some of the rooms are pretty rustic, so not most luxurious accommodations, but great location and price ($54/night for 1 private bedroom with full bed). Some units are wheelchair accessible.

I also looked at several of the RCI condos. Gma says she can look into getting 2 max simultaneously. We can also look on Craigslist to see if anyone is selling their condo week and try to get it for the same week. Most only sleep 4-6, so that might be a big hassle.

A few questions...

How many units do we need to get? Would all the locals stay with the family, where ever than may be? Or would some rather stay at home (and would other family members stay in their spare rooms)?

Do we have a budget for this? Does everyone need to pay their own way?

What do people prefer - 1 or 2 large homes with numerous bedrooms or 9-10 smaller spaces with 1-2 bedrooms? I found several large places that were expensive, but really nice - $15,000 for a 1 week rental at Capistrano that accommodates 30, etc. On the other hard, there are several timeshares and beach homes that are $1000+ for 4 people, $2000+ for 6-8 people. Could we rent 8-9 different condos/timeshares in the same general vicinity?

Which area in Southern CA is ideal? Orange County? San Diego?

Can anyone make inquiries about military housing?

I better sign off. This is turning into a part-time job (just like my full-time job! Yikes!). I'll post again when I get quotes back from the local universities.

Next steps

Hi guys, When Chuck and I last visited with Grandma and Grandpa, it was clear that a local So.Cal. reunion would be their preference. We discussed possible locations such as Big Bear or area military housing. Grandpa has some info about cabins on the beach at Camp Pendelton but unfortunately you can't make a reservation there earlier than 2 months ahead so we decided that that would not allow enough time for travel planning. So that's out. Grandpa thinks that there are other rather nice military facilities available in the area, but he didn't have any info about them. We also talked about the possibility of renting summer housing on a college campus.

Bottom line - we need a volunteer to do the research and pull together some options. If someone wants to do the initial research, Chuck and I can do a site visit if needed. Any takers? Here's a website to get you started. www.uniquevenues.com

- Heidi

And the winners are...

The polls closed last night (per Chuck and Heidi's suggestion here, in case you're wondering why) and the winner, as you can see, is a 5-7 day trip in August 2009. Thanks to all who voted and commented. Since our trip of choice is "other," we need to nail down what "other" means. Please vote in the new poll on what you would like to do so that we can look into reservations, etc. as soon as possible. This poll will close on June 25th. Thanks!

Grandma's Thoughts

Guess it is time for GMa to add a line or two. After vsiting with Chuck and Heidi agree that for the most easily accessible places and with some back up members of the family close by, we should consider finding somehing in the local So. Ca. area. Beaches or mountains should be available a year in advance. Wish I could tell you that I feel up to doing any of the footwork. Right at this time it takes all I have to just get through a day without doing hardly anything. Hope that will improve and at a faster rate than so far. I seem to go one step forward and then two steps backward. Think it is great that there has been this much interest so far. We are so flexible as to time both month and length of days. Just hope we will still be here and strong enough to enjoy whatever is finallly agreed on. GPa getting a little tired of the boring routines we have been experiencing the last many weeks. This week was a milestone==first time I have not been back to the hospital or the ER since comeing out of the hospital the first time. I have such a hard time adjusting to all the medications the Drs. think I should be on. The side effects are almost worse than the problem they are tryiing to solve. Wish I could turn GPa on to at least offering an opinion, as usual if it is not a fishing or hunting trip he shows no interest. Guess that should not surprise me. Keep up the good work. Love GMa

Gpa Gary x 8.5

Ok...as Jules suggested, given the grandfolks "situation", something CLOSE is really all that's going to work for them, with the freedom for those who may not be able to stay a week, but could work in a couple-three days, to join us, is certainly their preference, i.e. the beach (I SUGGEST WE ALL GATHER AT UNCLE CHUCK'S HOUSE! I GOT DIBS ON TREY'S ROOM!), Big Bear, Idlywilde, etc....
The cruise being pushed by gsg's kids??...hey, we can set that up on our own, with an invite for whoever may want to go:))

Input from Jules

Although a cruise to Alaska is absolutely phenomenal, I would love to have a reunion closer to Grandma and Grandpa (maybe save the cruise for next time around). What about a beach house(s) along the southern CA coast? Lots of fun activities for every age and close to home for the grandparents. Lake Tahoe is also very affordable for the size of the group and would be beautiful as well.

Thanks, Krista, for taking this on! Just being together is great wherever it may be!

Okay, I did a bit of research:

-Alaska cruise: Since June is not good for most people, perhaps the earliest we could go would be July. There is a Royal Caribbean leaving from Seattle July 10 - 17, but from the article Aunt Heidi posted, it looks like Royal Caribbean only takes 3 year-olds and older for child care (problematic for Rhett, Gavin, Michael, Burk... Travis, too? How old is Sasha?). This cruise is $849 for interior rooms, $1199 for oceanview... (I think that's expensive, but I'm on a path of continual education and won't see a paycheck for myself from a real job for several years...). So, this might be a good option (close to June 21, per Ryan's recommendation, and a good time of year for most people, nice length of a trip, and a good location), but we need to have a frank discussion of finances before we pick a trip.

-For Travis: most 7-day Mexican cruises leaving from the west coast are Cabo, Matzatlan, Vallarta. Carnival does have a Ensanada route on a 4-day option, but I'm hearing that some folks would rather stay away from Carnival. Norwegian's Mexico cruises don't start until September, which won't work for most people.

-My final plug for Tahoe (hear me out): People, it's only $4000ish for a nice lodge for a week. Let's hire a nanny for the week to be with the kids! I'm sure one of you parents has a babysitter that you love from home that we can all chip in and pay for them to come for the week. And, for the "blood bath" issue - we can either stay in our own timeshares or I found an option of 2 houses on a cul-de-sac (each with 5-6 bedrooms) so that we can have our own space, 2 kitchens, and not all be under the same roof. Seriously, the Alaskan cruise is over $1000 per person by the time you add airfare to Seattle. Let's drive to Tahoe, hire a babysitter for the week, cater a few of the meals, and we'll still come out saving money (You hear me, right? I know I get my drive to save money from somewhere and I'm pretty sure it's from the Glauser side!). We can fish, hike, boat, swim, shop, horseback ride, ATV, Uncle Gary can bring the bikes - we can all do our own thing. There's something for Grandpa all the way down to the little kids. Two other important things: 1) If you can't stay 7 days, you don't have to. With a cruise, you're locked in for the whole time - you're 100% in or out. If work schedules only allow you to come for 3 days to Tahoe, you can still come. 2) We're close by medical attention. Grandma's situation has shown how important it is to be close by help. I don't know what happens on a cruise, if they're able to get a helicopter over to the ship and quickly transport you to a hospital, but I just think there are benefits to a land-based vacation that we should probably think about. Thanks for reading! That's all you'll hear about it from me. If the family chooses something else, you'll have my support.

Thanks!

Some good points...

Everybody makes some solid points. Alaska would be difficult for the kids because they will want to be outside...I think parents may have some stir crazy kids who can't go outside and swim...I wholly support a mexican cruise if it is something different than what we did previously, ie, Cabo, Mazatlan, Vallarta...I seem to recall having bad memories from Cabo...to the tune of a 2500$ jet ski bill c/o Grandpa Gary slappin' down his platinum visa....Anyway, I digress...I would love to cruise and I think the appeal of not having to cook, clean, or watch the lil' ones 24/7 is very appealing....And I think having everyone under one roof would be a blood bath by the end of the week...People need to have the luxury of doing their own thing when they want to...Anyway, that's my two cents...

TG

Gpa Gary x 8.5

Uhhhhh.....if everyone shows up, that's 44-45?? Under ONE roof - Tahoe --- in the summertime - knowing full well I'll draw the short straw for KP?? I've got an appointment with my shrink to start the "meds" TOMORROW, in the hope the dosage will be properly regulated by August '09!
But seriously, given the "great-grandfolks" age and condition, shouldn't we be giving some additional weight to THEIR preference? gsg8

One more thing to think about

Aunt Heidi here . . . Don't forget - on a cruise every day at baby's nap and bed time, someone (ie. Rhett, Burk, David, Daren, Mike, Travis, Gavin) will need to forgo the shows and card games to slink off to their cabins and babysit sleeping little ones. And when baby won't sleep because the cabin is not at all like the cozy quiet dark place he/she is used to at home, then someone, (ie. Rhett, Burk, David, Daren, Mike, Travis, and Gavin) are hanging out in the bathroom with a book every night.

If eveyone decides on a cruise, you parents should read this first and pick accordingly!

http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/family/bringbaby.cfm
http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/family/YouthPrograms.cfm

- Heidi

Summertime in Alaska

Just a head's up...June is the only good time to visit Alaska. That is the warmest month, and when the days are the longest. Granted, the south east part of Alaska where a cruise would travel is really wet all year, but June is the best bet. August is a rather cool month, with a lot of rain, and sometimes snow. Sounds wierd because August is usually the hottest month for us, but June is your best bet. Especially if you are there over summer solitice (June 21), that is like the biggest holiday in Alaska.

The Great White North

Tara and I are totally digging the Alaskan cruise idea. Like Travis, we've never been up that way before and have heard that it is amazing. Definitely like the idea of no cooking, cleaning, etc..., and they have child care! Sorry, but Mom & Dad will need some time without the rugrats so we can climb a glacier or wrestle the polar bears. August is probably the very best time for an Alaskan cruise, but Ryan would know the weather in Alaska better than any of us.

I'm sure we can find some good cruise deals if we book early. BTW, Tara said to remind everyone that the cruise child care is only for ages 3+, so don't get too excited if you've got really little ones. Then again, there will be enough Glausers around that we can probably work out some trades to give everybody a break.

Whatever we end up doing, it will be great to see you all again. Thanks, Krista, for taking the initiative and forcing us all to spend some time with each other! :)

Gotta Be A Cruise!

I think a cruise is the only way to go for a large gathering like ours. The difficulty is going to be deciding on an itinerary that works for everybody. Alaska or Bermuda would be our preference but the little ones may not enjoy an Alaskan cruise and Bermuda would depart from New York (difficult location for all to get to). It would be nice if we could find a cruise that departed from So Cal to make it easier for GMA and GPA. I think Booze Cruise...I mean Carnival has an 8 day cruise that departs from San Diego and goes to Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo(think of the greatest movie ever made Shawshank Redemption.....although the final scene of the movie was not filmed in Zihuat, but the U.S Virgin Islands), Manzanillo and Acapulco.

Wherever we end up I'm sure it will be great. In the words of Ellis Boyd Redding "Red" to fellow inmate Andy Dufrense, "Get busy livin or get busy dyin!"

Let's do it!

Trevor's Chime

Maybe we should all look into trying something new and exciting. Getting tired of doing the same stuff over and over.


http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/08/0810_050810_moontrip.html


So who is with me?

Anyone?

Roll, like an 18 Wheela'!!

Hey everybody,

I am very interested in any trips, as you all know, especially those that are provided to me via the hard-earned tax dollars of my family members in the form of government vehicles/aircraft...

But since I'll have to pony up some of my own hard-earned cash for this trip, my vote goes to an Alaska Cruise of some sort in the late summer...Janece and I have never been up there before and I hear the scenery is stellar. People could do their own thing, nobody would have to cook, and if the ships have any sort of child care, it would be a true "vacation" for the moms and dads out there. People could really relax, do extreme shore excursions (Dave, myself, and anyone else who wants to feel life-giving rush provided by going face to face with a Grizzly or hanging from a steep glacier), go shopping (Tafe, Jenny, Shirley, Gavin), or stay on the boat and gorge on the buffets (actually, I might be interested in that as well). Then at night people could go to the shows, drop some coin at the casino, hit the piano bars, or waste our lives away into the wee hours playing cards.

If we settle on Tahoe, I say we hit it in the winter so people can ski and the kids could sled, build snowmen, etc...Late February or early March would be the ideal month for that trip though, since the snow will be the best, and prices won't be as steep as the holidays. I also have a bias for Tahoe because I can ski for free at some of the resorts. But we'll all have to cook and clean, and watch the little ones, so it may seem like a vacation for everybody...

That is my two cents...Let the fighting begin!!

TG

Rhett & Adrianne vote...

This might seem biased but we want to throw out San Diego or Orange County for the vote. You can't beat the weather and there are a ton of fun things to do.

While it might not be as much of a get-away for Gary and Tafe, Chuck and Heidi and Grandma & Grandpa (maybe even our family if all goes well), we still think it would be fun.

We wouldn't mind a reunion in Southern CA.

A few considerations

Thanks for the posts, everyone. I think that June 15th is a good time to tally up the votes. Here are a few thoughts that have been rolling in my head...

1.) Passports: If we go on a cruise to Mexico, the little kids will all need passports (except for Campbell, who got her passport taken care of the week she was born so that she could go to Italy!). Just something to think about.

2.) Garrett getting home from his mission: Will he be back by June/July? That might be something to think about for our timing. It would be too bad to have our family trip, and then Garrett get home a week or two later.

3.) Another plug for Lake Tahoe: Sounds like people are preferring a location that does not require a lot of expensive air travel and is great for the summer. Tahoe is centrally located for almost everyone in the family, has great options for summer (on Norwegian Cruise Line, there aren't even cruises from LA to Mexico from May through August because it's not an ideal time of year to go), and the lodge that I discussed in an earlier post is only $3500 for a week in the summer. We could like into other lodging options, too. If you like Tahoe, but staying in a huge lodge with all of the other family members doesn't sound like a vacation to you, RCI does have several timeshare options available that G'ma and G'pa could look into. So, vote on Lake Tahoe if that sounds fun and we can hammer down the lodging later.

Thanks again for your responses. Keep those votes coming! Unfortunately, I can't change the polls to add the Southern CA or Alaskan Cruise ideas without erasing all of the other votes. So, if you're an Alaska or CA (or any other idea that's not on the poll) fan, vote "other" and leave a comment about what you prefer so we can keep track of your vote. Thanks!

Ryan Chimes In..........

Well considering I have been spending the last two days cleaning trees and branches out of my backyard, and waiting for the electric to come back on, from another lovely spring storm in the plains, going anywhere sounds great! I like Krista did not plan well enough last time around and was unable to attend the gathering. I am rather flexible in all aspects now, so let me know where and when, and I will be there this time around....
Ryan

Chuck and Heidi say . . . .

Hello Family,
We think Hawaii would be way too expensive for everyone, especially buying air transportation for little ones so we've ruled that out.

We like the cruise idea but, if we're leaning toward summer, we suggest a 7 day Alaska so those with weak stomachs would enjoy it.

If not summer, we know from experience that the beginning of December affords some of the best fares for cruises.

We also suggest that by June 15th, we tally the votes and make the decision. So get yourselves a google account and chime in.

Thanks for organizing this, Krista!

Time for a Reunion!

Greetings, Glausers!

It's about time to think about another Glauser family reunion. Quite a bit has happened in the four years since our Island Park, ID reunion (e.g.: Charlotte, Sasha, Julia, Pearce, Grahm, and Campbell), so it's about time for us to gather together and do what Glausers do best: gamble and sunbathe. :D

I've posted three polls:
1.) Vote for the month(s) in 2009 that work(s) best for you and yours for this blessed event (I set this poll up so you can vote for more than one month if you'd like). I'm thinking 2009 is as early as we can all get together, considering (most importantly) Grandma's recovery time and (not nearly as important but quite daunting) the task of coordinating the schedules of all 43 of us. Please vote! The cruise took a year or so to plan, so please try to look at the major work, school, and other important barriers in your schedules now (Hint: I did not do this in 2003 and therefore could not attend the cruise. It was not fun to make that mistake!).

2.) Length of trip. Not as important if it's a land-based vacation, but important to commit if we go with a cruise.

3.) Vote for your vacation preference. I have posted 4 potential locations to start with, but the "other" category is there, as well. Please leave a comment about your idea so that I can add it to the poll. Before you vote, you can check out the following blurbs and click on the titles (links to a website about each location):

1. Wyndham Waikiki Beach Walk
Lodging: Staying in these RCI units (built in 2006) - varying from 1-4 bedrooms - means we can use those timeshares that G'ma and G'pa don't use each year! Larger condos can sleep 8-10 people. Laundry and kitchen in each unit.
Food: Costco nearby, full kitchens in each unit, restaurants close by as well.
Activities: beach, shopping, surfing on North Shore, snorkeling, Pearl Harbor, resort pool, etc.
Cost: Low - Medium (if G'ma and G'pa can get a few units through their timeshare - 2 BD/2 BA units sleep 6-8 and are about $1500 for a week = about $250 per person), not including airfare.


2. Cruise from LA to Mexico
Lodging: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Holland America all do these runs. Inside and most oceanview cabins sleep 2, family oceanview cabins sleep 6.
Food: All taken care of on the ship
Activities: Typically have pool and Kids' Club on board; stops at Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Matzatlan.
Cost: Medium (From $499 - 699 per person for inside cabin, $599 - $849 per person for oceanview for 1 week cruise), but less people have to pay airfare.

3. Cruise from Florida to Western Caribbean
Lodging: Norwegian Cruise Line "Pearl"
Food: 13 different eateries on board
Activities: Stops at Roatan, Belize City, Cozumel, Great Stirrup Cay. Mayan ruins, beach, snorkeling, shopping at the various stops; bowling, pool, and kids' club on board.
Cost: Medium - High. Depends on the time of year. For inside cabin, as low as $599 per person in October and November, up to $1249 per person around Christmas. Most everyone will have to pay for airfare, though.

4. Lodge at Lake Tahoe
Lodging: A few privately owned lodges to choose from - a couple have enough beds for 25-30 adults.
Food: Large kitchens, some lodges have 2 kitchens. Again, would need to go to Costco or similar store, then prepare meals.
Activities: summer- Boating, swimming, hiking, fishing, jet skiing (for those brave enough to see if the Glausers' curse on family jet skiing has lifted); winter- skiing, snowmobiling, etc. horseback riding, shopping; most lodges have hot tubs, pool tables, theater rooms.
Cost: Low-Medium ($6000 for a week of lodging for everyone, plus airfare will not be as costly as for some other options), but not including cost of food and activities.

Please feel free to share other options. Click here for an article from MSNBC that might give you ideas. Thanks and happy voting!