Multi-family meet over Thanksgiving; suggestions please
 

My husband and I are interested in finding a location to host our adult children and their families over Thanksgiving this year for a week.. One couple lives in southeastern Wyoming and the other couple and their one year old, live near Oklahoma city. Both have a dog and cat. I have researched a midpoint so that neither has to drive too far (they need to drive due to pets and baby) and it looks like Santa Fe or Albuquerque would meet that criteria since both are about an eight hour drive. I would like if the couple with the baby in OK had a shorter drive if possible. We are coming from SE PA so we will be flying in.

My question is this: are there other cities that would be midpoint and have activities for us as well? I love Santa Fe and know that we can find as much or little to do; Albuquerque, not so much?? Thank you so much for your help in planning this; our family has not had this opportunity to be together for a while and I want this to be special.
Thanks again!!!

So, this is basically a long weekend?

Consider Kansas City which would be closer to both families. An excellent World War I Museum, a great art museum, a toy museum, jazz museum, Legoland, the re-purposed Union Station, KC BBQ!

Just noticed you did say "a week," although I'm not sure how much you could fill your days with a toddler and pets in the mix. A week might be a bit long for KC, but we had a great visit for 4 days. We were there to see MLB games and do some sightseeing, and I left wishing we'd had one more full day.

7 days is too long for this kind of Family reunion. I'm not following perhaps, but are people brining their pets?? Besides kids? :-)

Hi Suze
Yes, it will be a time with three dogs, one cat, and one baby. I think that my sons will only be there for 4 days; we will be there for a week probably as we come from the greatest distance and are retired right now. Sorry for the confusion! Thanks so much!!

HI Jean,
KC sounds like a great idea!! Will research it; thanks so much!! My sons will probably be in for four days, but my husband and i have a week total. Thanks again!!

If the kids have less time, you could all stay together in/near KC for the four days and then you and your DH could go someplace else for 2 or 3 nights -- Chicago, Denver, New Orleans, or anywhere with direct flights from KC

If you do consider KC, Weston is a close, easy, quaint city for a day trip. Antiques, wineries, and the McCormick distillery. Nice setting along the Missouri river bluffs. Lots of history.

Wow, after googling Weston, I might pick that and do a day trip to KC. It looks like a wonderful small town. I wish I'd known about it when we were in the area.

I really suggest they board or have pet sitters for the animals. Hotels will be hard for that, especially the cats. Do the cats travel well in the past?

Just a thought. Is your present location where they grew up? Would a trip "home" be a nice reunion/Thanksgiving? Take the animals out of it and flying is an easy solution.

Thanks Gretchen!! I agree with you 100%! But they both want their dogs with them so i am looking at Airbnb's that accept pets; it IS a challenge. And I would LOVE if they could come "home", but they also don't want to fly with the baby. Thus, the challenge of trying to get everyone together. Thanks again, I really appreciate your input!!

If you do choose KC, I'll add Arabia Steamboat Museum to the list of places to visit. That, and the World War I Museum, are wonderful. There is a short video explaining about the steamboat, which sank in 1856, and the efforts to excavate it. I had no real idea how rivers even flow underground until I went there. https://www.1856.com/

As you have a whole 1 week to enjoy, I think no place is better than Santa Fe. It provides you all kinds of entertainment whether it is for kids or adults. It has options for all. As I am also from Wyoming, so we consider Santa Fe more than any other city here.

I absolutely adored Kansas City when we lived near there. It is one of my favorite cities in the US. Great food, fine museum, excellent theater. However, I would not likely plan a Thanksgiving vacation there without considering the possibility of really bad weather, at least part of the time. Perhaps with changing weather patterns it is different now, but we were stuck in some pretty bad blizzards in late November a couple of times, roads closed, etc. had to abandoned our plans and stay in a hotel overnight on our way to visit family. Of course, many of us have traveled through worse, and your kids live in places known for rough weather so they are used to it, but with a baby and pets, it might not be the best first choice. Also, guess the decision is theirs, and they probably have experience, but many people do not and I see a lot of lost pet adverts for pets lost while on trips. Just hope they have adequate crates in case of an accident and extra food in case they get stuck somewhere. You are also right about the difficulty of finding places to stay. It is a tough choice. I am facing the same about an upcoming trip.

I Love Santa Fe, but haven't been there in the late fall/winter. I know that you cannot predict the weather, but do you think the chance is high of having snow? It doesn't look like it from weather.com, but i don't know.
I will also say that the Kansas City suggestions sound interesting!! We have so much to see in this country!!
Thanks so much everyone; so far, lots to think about :)

I was in Albuquerque overnight the Tuesday after Thanksgiving last year and it snowed overnight. That was forecast, but it wasn't forecast for Interstate 40 between Albuquerque and Gallup, so the road had not been prepared and it was a mess. Going west, uphill, was single file, slow, but ok. Going east, downhill, was eventually closed by the police because it was completely blocked with crashed trucks and other vehicles. In the center verge too, and blocking lanes on the westbound side. It was the worst driving experience of my life. On more than one occasion, I thought a semi was going to cross the verge and crash into me. So, yes, it can and does snow around Thanksgiving.

Are you all vaccinated?