Spending time with family is what a beach vacation is all about.  Long strolls along the beach, sipping coffee as the sun rises over the ocean, building sandcastles, swimming, surfing, collecting shells... not to mention exploring all the sights and sounds and tastes of Virginia Beach. Planning a large family reunion may seem like a daunting task, but it's easy when you call the professionals at Siebert Realty.  We can assist you in finding the perfect house to suit your family's needs and budget. Reunions are so much fun... and necessary, as they provide families with time to reunite with loved ones, while introducing the newest family members, fiancees, spouses, and newborns to the rest of the tribe.  

Beach rentals are perfect for family reunions giving relatives a comfortable and spacious gathering place where they can enjoy their privacy, yet still allow loved ones quality time together under the same roof.  Siebert Realty provides a great selection of large beach home rentals at siebert-realty.com, as well as family-friendly activities to make your family reunion truly memorable.  

Want to make your reunion extra special?  Consider these fun and creative ideas for your next family gathering:

Custom T-Shirts:

Consider having Family Reunion T-shirts made for everyone. You can even have color coded shirts to show your side of the family.  Check out this clever idea where cousins are numbered in order of birth & each side of the family (siblings) have the same t-shirt color. Love it! 

Family Competition:

Set up games throughout the week and spark a bit of healthy "competition" between family members. Whether volleyball, cornhole, cards, paddle board races, or even contests for the best sandcastle, games keep us young and bring families together in a fun way. Rack up points daily and have a "championship celebration" on the last day. Winners will enjoy bragging rights until the next reunion! 
 

Display Vintage Beach Photos:

Consider making several posters (displayed on easels) or perhaps a special photo album for the coffee table filled with vintage pictures of your most senior family members. Try to find photographs showing them as young children "at the beach".  It's a fun way to share your family's history, while allowing the kids to see their grandparents in a whole new light!

Seafood Feast:

What would a beach vacation or family reunion be without great food?  Be sure to pick a night during your stay to have a huge Seafood Feast!  Set up tables on the deck, cover with newspaper, and spread out steamed oysters, clams, crabs and shrimp ready for cracking and peeling.  Be sure to dive in and "make a mess" - that's part of the fun! 

Beach Portrait:

At Siebert Realty, we feel that preserving precious family memories is an important part of the "Sandbridge Vacation Experience". Therefore, we offer all our guests a FREE PORTRAIT SITTING ($200 value) through It's a Colorful Life... all compliments of Team Siebert! 
 
Facebook Group Page
Creating a family reunion "Facebook Group" is free and a great way to keep everyone connected and in the loop.  It's better than a basic "friend page" because everyone is authorized to chime in and post comments and photos on the wall.   It's also a great way to keep everyone informed if there are any changes in plans.  Those family members who can't attend can also see what they'll miss this year and perhaps it will encourage them to make the next reunion.  

Hope to see you at the beach! 

Siebert Realty - The Beach People
Sandbridge Beach Vacation Rentals

www.siebert-realty.com

877-422-2200  /  757-426-6200

  

How To Plan A Family Reunion!

Like most of us, family means EVERYTHING!  Unfortunately, most family members can be spread across several states, and it's often difficult getting everyone together.  Planning a family reunion at Sandbridge Beach is a great way to reunite with loved ones.  It provides the perfect backdrop so you can relax, bond, and reminisce with family about years gone by... and especially offers you the opportunity to spend time with "newer" family members be it spouses or little bundles of joy!

Siebert Realty has a wide selection of beach home and condo vacation rentals, and many are large enough to accommodate the entire family with up to 13 bedrooms... sleeping 30 people.  Making arrangements early on these larger homes is always a wise choice, as they tend to rent quickly. 

Here are a few tips in the planning process:

·         Book Early for the best selection!

·         Hold your family reunion in the Off-Season

If some family members are on a tight budget, it may be a good idea to hold the reunion during the off season when rental rates are low.  The spring and fall seasons are beautiful here at Sandbridge Beach.  Best of all, outdoor swimming pools are still open for guest's use in September on through mid October.

·         Plan your reunion around a BIG Family Event!

Planning your family reunion around a BIG EVENT such as a milestone Grandparent's Birthday or Golden Anniversary is always fun.  You can make it into more of a celebration than a reunion with cake, balloons, a "roast", and be sure to bring plenty of vintage pictures to mark the passage of time. 

·         Decide on the size of your Family Reunion

We have beach homes and condos of all shapes and sizes.  Even a smaller reunion can be fun and also can cut down on cost.  So deciding on the number of attendees is always the first place to start in the planning process.  Text or email all your family members to get an idea of who is coming, how many bedrooms they will need, and what kind of budget they have.  If you plan on having a large reunion, it may be necessary to rent more than one house, so feel free to call our rental agents at Siebert Realty to go over your needs.  We can help find multiple accommodations close to each other.  Simply call 877-422-2200 or go online at http://www.siebert-realty.com to check availability.  

·         Use Social Media: Create Facebook Group / Pinterest Account

Creating a family reunion "Facebook Group" is free and a great way to keep everyone connected and in the loop.  It's better than a basic "friend page" because everyone is authorized to chime in and post comments and photos on the wall.   It's also a great way to keep everyone informed if there are any changes in plans.  Those family members who can't attend can also see what they'll miss this year and perhaps it will encourage them to make the next reunion.  You can also create a reunion Pinterest account so that you can have fun setting up pin boards of your accommodations, pictures of Sandbridge Beach, your planned activities, local restaurants, and more!

·         Bring Old Photo Albums

Connecting and reminiscing about old times is always a favorite pastime at family reunions.  Especially for the elderly family members.  So be sure to bring old photo albums so that older members can go down memory lane and can also pass along family stories to the younger generation.  And if it's a special milestone birthday or anniversary, it can be fun to blowup vintage pictures to poster size and scatter them throughout the house. 

·         Plan Fun Family Activities

Ask family members what they like to do... especially what their kids love to do.  Or encourage them to post what they love on your Facebook Page or Pinterest account.  You can’t please everyone, but you can plan activities ahead of time to keep people entertained.

• Rent Boogie Boards / Surfboards / Bikes, etc.

• Rent a Karaoke Machine.

• Book a Golf Outing

• Book a Fishing Trip

• Go on a Kayaking Tour (with a tour guide)

• Visit the nearby Va. Aquarium and Marine Science Museum (call for group discounts)

• Visit the nearby Ocean Breeze Water Park

• Visit the Va. Beach Boardwalk

• Go on a Dolphin or Whale Watching Tour

• Hike or ride the tram through the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge

We hope this will help head you in the right direction in getting started on your own Family Reunion.  Remember that in the end, it's all about spending time together and renewing family bonds, and we're here to help make that happen.  Have a great time everyone... and stay connected!

Siebert Realty

Over 375 Vacation Beach Home and Condo Rentals

877-422-2200

www.siebert-realty.com