We visit Great Wolf Lodge at least once a year, and I’m often asked “Is Great Wolf Lodge worth it for tweens & teens?” My answer is a resounding yes, Great Wolf Lodge is a great family vacation destination even if you have older kids!

While my family has been going to Great Wolf Lodge since my kids were young, we still travel there regularly even now that they are 12 and 16. We’ve been there through just about every stage of parenting and childhood and while my family has changed, Great Wolf Lodge has stayed consistent as a fun destination for the whole family.

With large, clean indoor water parks, family activities, several dining options with diverse and seasonal menus, and comfortable, spacious rooms, Great Wolf Lodge really has it all. And since everything is under one roof, it’s the best place to have a stress-free trip.

What makes GWL great for tweens?

Beginning Independence: Cashless transactions mean they can go to the candy shop or the gift shop and make a purchase with permission but independently.
Family Thrill Rides: Each park has water slides that the whole family can ride together. These are perfect for those seeking adventure who are not quite ready to tackle it on their own.
MagiQuest: An experience that is exclusive to Great Wolf Lodge, this fun, interactive game will have them exploring the hotel on a magical adventure.
Activities They’ll Love: Wake up to yoga and end the night with a dance party for free, on-site entertainment you don’t need to make a reservation for!

Quick Tips for Parents of Tweens

The restaurants at Great Wolf Lodge are great about having kid-friendly menu items, but if everyone wants something different it’s easy to hit multiple places with cashless pay and grab-and-go foods!
Check out the Wolf Pass if you plan on doing some non-water park activities. It’s a really great value that elevates your Tween’s experience. The WolfPass includes several activities and even some treats! There are different levels of passes available so that you can intentionally curate your family’s visit to Great Wolf Lodge.
MagiQuest games can be played over the course of multiple vacations. Your wand can be reactivated at every visit and it remembers your game progress. Even if your family doesn’t finish the game on your first visit, there’s always next time!
When kids complete the MagiQuest adventure, they can be knighted as a MasterMagi! Check out the ceremony that they have a couple of times per day- check in with your lodge for the times!
Game Night: While Great Wolf Lodge has plenty of things to do, you can also create your own fun! We like to pack a couple of easy card games or small board games that our family enjoys so we can play together in the room.

Five great features that make Great Wolf Lodge appropriate for teens?

Food: Teens usually care about food more than the little kids and they often need much more of it. Not only does Great Wolf Lodge have delicious food that any teen will be happy with, but their portions are a great size for teens, too.
Thrill Rides: Some teens may be ready for the biggest rides, like Wolf Tail! Be sure to check height requirements ahead of time to avoid surprises.
Other Great Wolf Lodge Activities for Teens: While teens still love the water park, it may not be an all-day activity anymore. Great Wolf Lodge has a lot of other activities that teens love, like minigolf, the arcade, VR, and even a rock-climbing wall, depending on the Lodge you visit.
Extra Space: Teens often need some time to decompress, especially after a fun and exciting day. Great Wolf Lodge offers many room types including suites with a separate bunk area so teens can have their own area, and even some bigger suites that include multiple rooms and bathrooms! Check out some of their suite options here.
Phone-Free Time: With so many fun activities, teens won’t even notice that they’re having fun without their phones and reconnecting with their families! We usually leave our phones in our rooms during our trip since we can pay for things using our wristbands. Being away from our phones for hours is great for all of us, actually.

Chill Out Tips for Teens

Want your own personal hang out spot at the water park? Cabanas are available for rent and include TVs and a mini fridge. Even if you don’t want to reserve a cabana, there are still plenty of lounge chairs all over for when it’s time for a break.
Teens can use their wristbands to access the hotel room so they can go hang out for a bit, even if the rest of the family is still at the water park.
A tradition we started when our kids were first hitting the teens years is getting a pizza at Hungry As a Wolf and bringing it up to our room for a movie night! It’s one of our must-do activities now on every trip.
Need a break but don’t necessarily want to leave the water park? The lazy river is perfect for winding down after crazy water slides!
End the day with delicious snacks including ice cream and baked goods, or hit the candy shop to make your own custom mix.

Why Great Wolf Lodge is a great Weekend Destination for Tweens & Teens

Great Wolf Lodge is a great weekend destination and is also perfect for weekend trips! You don’t need a lot of time to plan for a Great Wolf Lodge trip since many elements of typical theme park vacations aren’t required here- things like dining reservations, ride shares, front of the line passes, weather backup plans, or usually even flights! Everything is under one roof and the indoor water park is always 84 degrees, even if it’s raining outside.

How Long to Stay at Great Wolf Lodge

For weekend trips, a one-night stay is plenty of time to explore. You get access to the water park as soon as it opens on the day that you check in, and you can stay until closing the day you check out- which means a one-night stay gets you two days at the water park!
Whenever you have some extra time, settle in a little longer and take advantage of more that the resort has to offer! Check out extra restaurants, try different activities, or just schedule some much-needed down time.
Great Wolf Lodge often has a special seasonal theme going on, with extra activities and even menu items that you can only find at that time of year.
Other seasonal themes include Summer Camp In, Howl-O-Ween, and Snow Land. Check out our experience at the Great Wolf Lodge Summer Camp-In here!

The Right Great Wolf Lodge Location for Your Family

One of the most convenient things about Great Wolf Lodge is that they’re located all over the country, so there’s likely to be one within driving distance of your home. We actually have two that we’re in between! We’ve been to both locations multiple times and continue to visit each one, taking into account which restaurants, rides, and activities we want to do on the upcoming trip and going from there.

If you’re not within driving distance and are picking from all of them, be...

{Not Quite} Susie Homemaker

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