Great Wolf Lodge050

The main attraction at Great Wolf is, without a doubt, its enormous indoor waterpark. That one, outstanding amenity - matched with the hotel's fun, woodsy decor, arcade, and children's activities - makes the resort a great getaway destination for families with kids of all ages.

Every room at Great Wolf is a suite with separate sleeping and living areas, and plenty of space for families. Ten different suite configurations are available; the most economical suites are the Queen Sofa and Family Suites. Some suites have separate sleeping areas for kids with TVs and bunk beds. (The bunk beds are slightly smaller than twin-sized beds and aren't recommended for children over age 10.) Each suite includes a hairdryer, an over-sized mini fridge, a microwave, a four-cup coffee maker, an iron, and an ironing board. Port-a-cribs are available upon request at no additional charge.

Be prepared to spend some money during your stay at Great Wolf Lodge. While admission to the waterpark is included in the cost of the hotel suite, other things, such as television programming, are not. Each room is equipped with a Nintendo game controller and at least one TV. Video games and pay-per-view movies are available for purchase. In-room Internet service (not wireless) is available; charges are applied to your credit card.

Highlights of the waterpark (open daily from 8:30am to 10pm) include a large Wave Pool that simulates ocean waves for several minutes, and is motionless for several minutes. (The wolf howl lets swimmers know when the waves are about to start!) Grab a single or double tube and swish down any of five giant waterslides; the lines can get a bit long during peak waterpark hours, but the rides are well worth the wait.

The interactive Treehouse Waterfort allows kids to walk up four stories - squirting, dumping, and shooting water everywhere along the way - and ride down on one of two slides that don't require tubes. (Unlike most slides of this type that drop riders into a shallow pool, these slides end in water that's only a couple of inches deep.) Every few minutes, an enormous 1,000-gallon Tipping Bucket, towering above the Treehouse, dumps water onto guests below. (A bell rings just before the bucket tips so folks can line up to get dowsed - or move out of the way!) Getting hit by Tipping Bucket water is like standing beneath a waterfall for a few seconds; kids ages seven and up love it. The indoor waterpark also offers two giant hot tubs, lily pads and logs to hop across, a pool with water basketball, and a separate play area just for tiny tots with a small slide, wading pool, and low water geysers.

Raccoon Lagoon - an outdoor pool area with a deck, kiddie activities, water basketball, geysers, and spray devices - is open seasonally Memorial Day through Labor Day. Towels and lifejackets are provided (free of charge) for use inside the waterpark, and locker rentals can be obtained in the Bear Essentials swim shop, also inside the waterpark.

Eateries inside the Great Wolf Lodge include the Camp Critter Bar & Grille and the Loose Moose Cottage. Both family restaurants are open to the public and offer highchairs, booster seats, casual dining menus, and elaborate breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets with a great variety of delicious food - and plenty of kid-friendly fare. A complete menu is available online. Other on-site food and beverage options include the Bear Claw Café (offering coffee and sweet treats), Pizza Hut Express, Starbucks Coffee, and, inside the waterpark, the Spirit Island Snack Shop, and Grizzly Rob's Bar.

The Northern Lights Arcade, open daily from 8:30am to 10pm, features small rides for toddlers, video games, games of chance, and activities - including skeeball and Dance, Dance Revolution - that disperse tickets kids can redeem for prizes. Cub Club offers supervised craft activities for children ages 12 and under throughout the day; some sessions are free, others cost $2 and up. Other kids' activities include scavenger hunts, and Animated Clock Tower shows, and evening storytimes in the Grand Lobby.

MagiQuest - an electronic, scavenger hunt-type of game - is wildly popular among young guests at Great Wolf. Participants use a special "magic" wand to search areas of the hotel for clues to complete quests; a prize is available for those who complete 10 quests. (Helpful hint: Quest items must be collected in the order in which they appear in the accompanying MagiQuest booklet!) Wands are available for purchase in the MagiQuest gift shop (open from 9am to 9pm); wand accessories/decorations are extra, and there is an activation fee to play the MagiQuest game. While most kids enjoy MagiQuest (using the magic wand to bring inanimate objects to life is fun for even the youngest kids), the quests are somewhat confusing and can be frustrating for kids under age nine.

Great Wolf also provides a 24-hour business center (with computers that can be used for a fee reckoned by the minute), a coin laundry room, a fitness room, the Buckhorn Exchange gift shop, and Elements day spa, offering massage, skin, body, nail, and waxing services.