A few weeks ago, we joined the wolf pack and spent 2 nights at Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, Washinton – a family-friendly resort with an indoor waterpark and other activities. It’s a great local destination for the Pacific Northwest because most of the entertainment can be enjoyed even when it’s rainy outside.
We stayed for 2 nights and had just enough time to do all the included activities. Like our Disneyland trip last year, this was a joint vacation with another family so our daughter had a friend to play with and we had other adults to hang out with and help watch the kids.
We drove to Grand Mound, and got lucky with border waits and only mild I-5 congestion around Seattle – it took us 5 hours to get there. There is an Amtrak train to nearby Centralia, but it takes 6.5 hours from Vancouver, if it’s on time, plus time to get to/from the train stations. If it was a bit faster, I would have definitely taken it.
Things to Do
Great Wolf Lodge is known for its waterpark, and it was definitely the highlight. There are 4 tube rides, a big wave pool, a jungle gym designed to soak you, an obstacle course, and a hot tub. The air and water were perfect temperatures and our 7-year old was tall enough to go on all the slides. We went to the waterpark 4 times and splashed around for about 2 hours each time.
A surprising highlight was the MagicQuest game. It took the kids about 6 hours (spread out over the 2 days) to get through the quest that had them running around the hotel and battling evil spirits with their wand. Most of the game is pointless fetch quests that have you going to different floors to find items, but the kids loved it. They even received certificates at the end declaring them Master Magi.
There’s a big outdoor ropes course, with ziplines and balance beams to explore. Astrid went on it by herself and was braver than I would have been. Staffing shortages kept it closed for most of our trip, but we were lucky to sneak in a visit just before leaving when the weather and staff aligned.
There’s a Build-A-Bear workshop where kids can get their own bears (or wolves or racoons) stuffed. A basic animal is included with a Wolf Pass but clothes are extra (and not cheap). But it was nice to take a little souvenir home.
The saddest attraction is the Oliver Mining Co, where kids can pan for gold and explore a mirror maze. It’s also included in the Wolf Pass and will keep the kids amused for 15 minutes.
And it wouldn’t be a resort without a gift shop and candy shop. The wolf ears are free, which was a nice surprise.
There’s also an arcade but we didn’t spend any time in it.
Throughout the day there are kids games, activities, and entertainment in the grand lobby. This includes yoga, animated storytime, and dance parties. We didn’t have time to take full advantage of most of them, but they are a good (free) options if you’re staying longer or don’t get the Wolf Pass.
Expenses
Great Wolf Lodge can be an expensive trip. The regular room rates are pricey and once you arrive everything seems designed to extract more money from your wallet. But we did a few things to keep the costs reasonable:
- Booked 3 months in advance, and avoided the more expensive peak nights.
- Brought our own food – There are microwaves and fridges in the rooms.
- Limited the upsells – We gave our daughter $20 to spend on upgrades. She chose to get clothes for her build-a-bear instead of the MagicQuest wand upgrades.
The prices advertised on the website might look reasonable at first glance, but there’s a mandatory resort fee, a parking fee for your vehicle, and you’ll probably want a Wolf Pass or similar for the kids.
Here’s the breakdown of our expenses (all prices in US Dollars):
| Amount (USD) | Notes | |
| Accommodation | $250 | |
| Other Fees | $117 | Resort fee, rooms sales tax |
| Wolf Pass | $90 | |
| Parking | $30 | $15/night |
| Food | $100 | Groceries at Trader Joe’s |
| Gas | $65 | |
| Souvenirs | $25 | |
| Total | $677 | 2 adults & 1 child for 2 nights |
Great Wolf Lodge is a great option for a local resort experience. It’s perfect for kids in the 6-10 range, with lots to keep them amused and active.
Canadian Veggie 