With families spread out all over the country, reuniting everyone in one place at one time is no easy task. Yet many families will be doing that this summer, planning part of their vacation around a family get-together.

While some families travel to exotic locations or do a reunion on a cruise, many are gathering in the Atlanta area. You may have seen them visiting local attractions in their matching family reunion T-shirts.

Family photo (ENLARGE)

The Gray-LeDeaux family — pictured in Anaheim, Calif., in 2006 — has voted on Atlanta for 2008, with the reunion of 75 to 80 members planned for July at the Hyatt Regency downtown.

Photo courtesy of Rachael O'Brien (ENLARGE)

The O'Brien family reunions often are planned by some of the clan's younger cousins. Though usually favoring outdoor activities, the family also tries to keep the gatherings informal.

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They choose Atlanta because there are plenty of hotel rooms and plenty of things to do. Plus, families find that they can splurge on the attractions because the accommodations are so affordable in Atlanta compared with the rest of the country.

"We have 90,000 hotel rooms in the marketplace and we're the fourth-largest hotel marketplace in the country," says Bob Schuler, vice president of sales and services for the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"If they want a $45 hotel room rate, they can find that. If they want to pay $185 a night and be at a luxury hotel in Buckhead, they can find that," Schuler says. "We get the full gamut."

Schuler says that the Atlanta CVB does 175 to 200 family reunions per year. And most of those involve more than 100 people.

But while some families reunite in a big way, others choose to make the whole thing more casual — no crowds, no schedules, no T-shirts. They might even decide to forget the hotel and go camping. For those who choose that route, the outlying areas offer lots of scenic options.

We spoke to two family reunion planners from two families — both with upcoming reunions, both with different reuniting styles. They told us how they make their family functions successful and sentimental.

Taking the lead

Rachael O'Brien, 32, of Atlanta helps to plan her family's reunions along with her cousins.

"Get the younger generation to do it because they're going to be more enthusiastic about it," she says. "Someone who's willing to do it, just say, 'I'm taking the reins' and throw out some dates and throw out some locations."

Her clan has been gathering at Splendor Mountain in Tiger, in North Georgia, for the past 10 years. Their approach is informal; about 40 relatives or so come together around holidays like Thanksgiving or during the summer.

John Gray, 70, of Woodstock, on the other hand, knows exactly where his family will gather a full two years before the event takes place. The Gray-LeDeaux family has been getting together every two years for the past 16 years.

At their 2006 reunion in Anaheim, Calif., the family voted on Atlanta for 2008. The 75 to 80 person reunion is scheduled for July at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Atlanta.

"There are actually three of us that work with it," says Gray. "I work on the hotels. One of my counterparts who lives in the San Francisco area works on the activities and the banquets and the food. The other person lives in Los Angeles and she works on the communication portion of it; she works on slideshows at the reunion."

For the Gray-LeDeaux reunion, the whole process is a lot like running a business.

"There's a lot of planning that goes into it, a lot of time. The more people that you can get involved in the family reunion, the better it is," says Gray.

After they decide on the city, a few family members get together about a year later to pick hotels. Experience has taught Gray that going through the local convention and visitors bureau makes his job a lot easier.

"It's a great resource. They send out letters to hotels. They work with you on events. They have great information in reference to tours and people to contact," he says.

Getting the word out

While O'Brien's and Gray's reunions may differ in formality and size, both use the Internet as their primary mode of communication.

O'Brien says they rely on MySpace and e-mail to get the word out and Gray's family has its own Web site. There, family members can get all the reunion details such as location and schedule and even check out photos from past events.

Gray's group also communicates by mail.

"We usually send out the first card, once we've selected the site, about 10 months out — a 'save the date.' And then we follow it up six months before," he says.

Gray says that for a reunion of this size or bigger, "you have to start a mailing list, you have to form a committee."

Making it fun

But it's not all business for the Gray-LeDeaux family. Gray looks forward to showing off downtown Atlanta when his relatives arrive in July.

"You want to leave a lot of free time for attendees to go to places like World of Coke, CNN, the aquarium," he says. Plus, they have planned events like family history breakfasts, barbecues and a tour of the King Center.

At Splendor Mountain, the O'Brien family plays it by ear. "We end up having a game night of cards and Texas hold 'em," says O'Brien.

During the day they go swimming, walk on the trail, rent a boat or make a trip to Tiger Mountain Vineyards to taste wine.

"What has become almost a tradition and a personal favorite for our family is at night, we gather around the many hand-built rock fire pits, slow down, take in the spectacular views of the Appalachians and indulge in a satisfying favorite of s'mores," she says. "This is the time we seem to connect the most."

REUNION PLANNING 101

The Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau will offer a family reunion briefing 2:30-4:30 p.m.

Aug. 7 at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. Check www.atlantareunions.net for information or call 404-521-6572.

Until then, here are a few recommended steps for planning a reunion:

1. Create a guest list (anywhere from one to four years in advance).

2. Form a reunion committee.

3. Select the dates.

4. Reserve a reunion site.

5. Save the date (send out "save the date" cards or e-mails).

6. Develop a budget and decide on a registration fee per family.

7. Determine the menu.

8. Invite the guests (six months to a year in advance).

9. Print a program.

REUNITING WITH NATURE

Here are few scenic spots within driving distance of Atlanta that offer picture-perfect settings for your family reunion:

Splendor Mountain Resort in Tiger. www.splendormountain.com

Stone Mountain Park. www.stonemountainpark.com/company/family-reunions

Serenity Cove, Hiawassee. www.family-reunion-site.com

Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain. www.callawaygardens.com/callaway/info/events.family.aspx

Forrest Hills Mountain Resort and Conference Center, Dahlonega. www.forresthillsresort.com