One of the great things about having family in other cities is that you always have a free place to stay when you want to see the sights in Vancouver or Halifax, but it goes both ways: relatives are going to roll into your city, too. With summer holiday planning on the horizon, why not welcome some far-off family members for a get-together at your place this year? With a little planning, you can turn your home into a fun-filled family memory factory.

1. Get your space ready
Once you have your space ready for guests, add some special family-friendly touches to your spare room with framed family photos or maybe a well-loved blanket or other items from your childhood. Stock your kitchen with family favourites you all loved as kids (ask about potential allergies first) and fill your coffee table with games and family albums or scrapbooks to prompt a guided stroll down memory lane.

2. Plan ahead
Double-check flights if you have multiple family groups coming in from different locations, and arrange airport pick-ups ahead of time. If your family is driving, think about where they can leave their car during their stay. Make some meal plans that include giving everyone a job in the kitchen, even if it’s just pouring the wine and keeping everyone’s favourite music playing!

3. Leave room for fun to happen
Line up a few outings with various age levels and interests in mind, but stay flexible: your guests might have their own ideas about what they would like to do or see while they are in town, and family members who haven’t had a chance to catch up may want to simply spend some unplanned time together. Leave room in your schedule for family games, quiet chats or walks, or preparing meals together. If you do head out to see the sights together, be sure to get lots of pictures with everyone in them.

The most important thing to remember when welcoming family to stay: relax and enjoy your time together. If your visit goes well this year, next year you get to be the guest!