To most people, going on a family vacation with young children means stress and exhaustion—no matter how much planning goes into it. Having to consider cost, weather, nap times, entertainment, accommodations, food, travel, and everyone having a great time is enough to make any family decide to just stay home. Well, that’s how I felt BEFORE we took a family vacation to Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI (less than a 4-hour drive from all of metro-Detroit). Now, I’m telling every parent I see that we had the best family weekend EVER at this amazing resort, and my kids are telling everyone that Great Wolf Lodge is their “most favorite place ever”! The Great Wolf Lodge Resorts make every vacation stress-free and convenient.
The Great Wolf Lodge Water Park
This weatherproof indoor water park is perfect for the whole family because it accommodates children of all ages for all of the attractions. Oh, and bonus—we don’t have to worry about applying sunscreen! We have been to other parks, indoor and outdoor, and this is the first one that my toddler was able to go on the big water slides. The water park had River Canyon Run, a family slide for up to 3 people in a large, round tube, and Alberta Falls, two water slides that accommodated tandem tubes. The water slides quickly became my favorite part of the trip because of how happy my son was. We went on all of them together, and I enjoyed his squeals and giggles the whole way down!
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Fort MacKenzie and 1000 gallon bucket were a huge hit.
The Crooked Creek lazy river & splash playground brought big smiles, and we loved that everyone in the family could participate.
Although I did spend hours in the pools and on the slides, I did appreciate the opportunity to sit and relax while the kids played. Every single one of the lifeguards was alert and attentive to their areas. They literally didn’t stop moving while on duty, and they switched out often. As a parent, I felt completely safe with my kids on the equipment and in the water.
Games and Adventures
Magiquest
MagiQuest, the live-action, role playing, scavenger hunt, is for EVERYONE! We thought we’d just be walking the hotel while the kids waved their wand during this hunt, but we found ourselves just as immersed in the adventure as the little ones—maybe even more so. I really must get my own wand…
Clubhouse Crew Adventure
For the younger kiddos, the Clubhouse Crew Adventure is perfect. It starts by making a stuffed new friend, but the scavenger hunt part was a ton of fun, especially for my toddler. 
The Great Wolf Lodge Resort & Entertainment
Walking into Great Wolf Lodge feels like walking into a gigantic log cabin in the woods, with friendly employees ready to welcome you! The staff member efficiently checked us into our room and the kids shook with excitement as he told them about the story times, arcade, character visits, crafts, and Saturday night dance party. Hearing about all the things to do actually relieved stress for me because I didn’t have to work out entertainment or pack backpacks. Everything was right on site and sure to keep us busy for days!
Great Wolf Lodge Rooms & Restaurants
There are so many choices for rooms, but to make even bedtime fun, we chose the KidCabin Suite. It included a bunk area with 3 beds, a queen bed, a full sleeper sofa, and 2 TVs. All of the suites include a microwave, mini fridge, coffee maker, and hair dryer. There are many choices of restaurants at the resort for pizza, burgers, sandwiches, salads or even steak or seafood, but the kitchenette area allows you to keep your own snacks, drinks, and meals if your kids are picky or you want to bring your own options. My kiddos never wanted to leave the pool area, so we ate pizzas, burgers, and ice cream most of the time!
Our weekend at Great Wolf Lodge really was our best family vacation ever! Ever since we came back, we've been talking to friends to plan our next trip there. If you want a great value that includes accommodations, entertainment, adventure, memories, and FUN without the stress, plan your trip now to Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI! Oh, and please bring us along too!
For more information on all that Great Wolf Lodge has to offer, visit the website.
Our family received a hosted stay at Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI for the purpose of this review. All opinions are completely honest and my own.
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