Area Guides
How to Plan a Family Reunion in North Idaho Everyone Will Actually Enjoy
Planning a family reunion or group trip in North Idaho? Why Kellogg works as a meeting point, how to split a vacation home for 11, and activities for every age.
Family reunions go one of two ways. Either everyone’s crammed into three hotel rooms texting each other about where to eat, or the whole crew is under one roof, kids running around and grown-ups lingering over dinner. We built Jackass Manor for the second kind.
Pick a meeting point that works for everyone
Kellogg sits right on I-90, which makes it a natural halfway point for families spread across the Northwest. One of our favorite reviews came from a group of families from Seattle and Bozeman who met here over Thanksgiving for five days of skiing and the waterpark. Spokane International Airport is about 1 hour 20 minutes away for anyone flying in.
Book a whole home, not a block of rooms
A whole-home rental gives you what hotels can’t:
- One kitchen, one table. Our dining table seats six, and a card table with four matching chairs stretches dinner to ten. The kitchen has everything for a big family meal, plus a gas grill outside.
- Real beds for real adults. Jackass Manor sleeps 11: two kings, one queen and a bunk room with five twin XL beds that fit grown-ups.
- Enough bathrooms. Three full baths means no morning traffic jam.
- Space to spread out. A reclining leather sectional for movie night, board and card games, a game console and an arcade cabinet for the cousins.
Something for every generation
- Grandparents: the Staff House mining museum, the Cataldo Mission and a slow stroll through historic Wallace.
- Parents: the 73-mile Trail of the Coeur d’Alenes for an easy bike ride, Radio Brewing for a pint, the hot tub after bedtime.
- Kids: Silver Rapids indoor waterpark, the Crystal Gold Mine, the gondola and the secret bedroom behind the bookcase (don’t spoil it for them).
- Teens: the Silver Mountain bike park in summer, or the slopes in winter.
A few tips from our hosting notebook
- Book early. Holidays, ski weekends and summer festival weekends fill fast.
- Assign a meal captain for each night. It saves a lot of debate.
- Plan one “everybody” activity per day and let the rest be free time.
- Bring a group photo plan. The staircase lined with donkey portraits makes a great backdrop.
A quick note: Jackass Manor is perfect for family gatherings, but parties and events aren’t permitted, and we’re a pet-free home.
Ready to gather the herd? Read more on our groups and reunions page or check availability.
