Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, Michigan, is a family-friendly resort featuring an indoor water park, dining, arcade, and other fun activities for all ages. The water park itself is massive, covering 37,000 square feet! Don’t like cold water? No worries – the water at this park is kept at a 84 degrees Fahrenheit! Unlimited access to the park is included with your stay at the resort, along with life jackets, towels, and lots of activities and events geared towards the kids!
The Location: Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a good location for Great Wolf Lodge because it is located in the heart of Northern Michigan, a popular vacation destination known for its natural beauty and outdoor recreation. It also has access to the nearby Lake Michigan beaches and numerous local attractions, making it an ideal spot for families and tourists looking for a fun and memorable vacation experience. Traverse City is also home to the National Cherry Festival, which celebrates the area’s cherry harvest each summer. The city has a vibrant downtown area with unique shops, restaurants, and entertainment options. Overall, Traverse City is a charming and picturesque destination for anyone looking to explore the beauty of northern Michigan, while also squeezing in some fun at the lodge for the kids!
The Lodge: Accommodations
Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City offers a variety of accommodations to suit different needs and budgets. Guests can choose from standard rooms, themed suites, and premium suites. All rooms come with a flat-screen TV, mini-fridge, and coffee maker. Themed suites are designed with families in mind and feature separate sleeping areas for parents and children, while premium suites offer extra space and luxurious amenities such as a fireplace and whirlpool tub.
The Main Attraction: Great Wolf Lodge Water Park
Fort Mackenzie
Upon entering the water park, the first thing you see is Fort Mackenzie. This enormous interactive structure is both a treehouse and a fort. If you explore this four-story structure, be prepared to get soaked! Fort Mackenzie is equipped with gears, gadgets, and water toys that kids can use to soak themselves or engage in battle with other unsuspecting players.
Located at the top of Fort MacKenzie, two slides offer a quick escape from the fort. Located beside each other, this is a great opportunity for a little friendly competition. These are called the totem towers and you can choose whether to take the red or yellow slide to race your friends to the bottom!
The giant bucket atop Fort Mackenzie is one of the most iconic features of Great Wolf Lodge. It’s filled with 500 gallons of water, and every few minutes it tips over, drenching everyone below. It’s a thrilling experience that’s sure to bring a smile to everyone’s face, especially the kids. Don’t want to get soaked?No need to worry! An alarm will sound to warn those below that the water is about to drop!
Crooked Creek
No water park is complete without a lazy river. The lazy river at Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City is a relaxing way to unwind. Float along with the gentle current in a single tube to get a much needed rest. Not the only one needing a break? Grab a tube for two! It’s the perfect way to take a break from the excitement of the water slides and other attractions. But watch where the current takes you because there may be a waterfall around the bend!
River Canyon Run
The River Canyon Run at Great Wolf Lodge is a thrilling water slide that takes you on a winding journey through a canyon. With twists and turns, you are propelled through rushing water and plunging drops, creating an exciting and memorable experience. This water slide can accommodate up to four people per raft, making each ride a fun family adventure.
Alberta Falls
The Alberta Falls attraction is a tandem tube ride that is four stories high! It features swiftly banking turns and steep pitches. It’s the perfect activity for one or two people and ends with a drop into a plunge pool. You can choose the blue or green slide. Both are enclosed tube slides with loads of twists and turns. The green slide goes outside of the building for part of the ride. Because it is enclosed you aren’t affected by the weather if you visit in the winter. However, since the sun sets early during the winter months, this slide gets super dark when you ride in the evening!
The Whooping Hollow & Club Paw Pool
Whooping Hollow is a playground designed for young children, featuring small water slides and a safe environment for them to play and splash around in. The Club Paw pool is kiddie swimming pool with a zero-depth entry and a maximum depth of one and a half feet. It has geysers and water canon-equipped jet skis for kids to enjoy.
Chinook Cove
Just in the mood to swim or have a friendly good game of water basketball? Chinook Cove is not your average swimming pool. Surrounded by lounge chairs, parents can relax while watching their kids shoot some hoops or try to balance on a giant floating water snake!
Big Foot Pass
A popular attraction amongst the pre-teens. Big Foot Pass consists of floating lily pads that challenge kids to balance as they make their way across this obstacle. Kids can hang onto the cargo nets to prevent them from falling into the water below. That is, if they can hold on!
Outdoor Water Park
If you want to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air, there is a small pool and splash pad just outside of the building that can be accessed by a door at the back of the water park. The outdoor park is open seasonally and admission is included with your day pass or stay at the lodge. The outdoor park was not open during our stay in October or May, but it didn’t bother us as there was plenty to do inside!
What to Pack
There is not much you need for enjoying the water park at Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City. Upon entering the park, you are given towels and there are an assortment of life vests should your little ones need them. You will need to bring swimsuits, a waterproof phone pouch, and I would highly recommend flip flops or water shoes. Check out the following link for some great footwear ideas: water shoes! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases #CommissionsEarned.
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Tired of the Water Park? Here are some other activities that Great Wolf Lodge has to offer!
For more information, check out the Great Wolf Lodge Website!
Looking for other family travel ideas? Check out our post on Legoland’s Beach Retreat!
