A Guide to Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains with Young Kids

Great Wolf Lodge Pocono Mountains is less than two hours by car from NYC and is a great place for a family getaway.

Travelling with young kids can be difficult, between airline drama and getting from place to place, you will probably end up needing a vacation from your vacation. But there are great family resorts less than two hours from the New York metro area. Great Wolf Lodge is one of those resorts and my family and I were invited to stay as part of a media weekend. We had a great time at the water park and enjoyed all the amenities that the lodge has to offer. But the best part is that everything we needed was at the resort and the vibe was comfortable and safe, which was great for our two boys, ages 5 and 1 ½-years-old.

A Howling Good Time

The woodland theme is everywhere at Great Wolf Lodge and kids and parents can’t help but get in on the fun. When you first arrive you are greeted by a rustic-themed lobby with a fireplace, trees, and a cabin-like feel.

Right away there is tons of stuff to do. We arrived right in the middle of a dance party.  We quickly checked in and started exploring. My kids loved the lobby and the feeling of being in the woods. I also enjoyed the cozy feel of the hotel and felt immediately relieved to be at such a kid-friendly place.

We grabbed a bite at The Loose Moose Family Kitchen, which is a buffet-style restaurant with tons of options for everyone. We then moved back to the lobby for story time and The Forest Friends Show , which is a sing-a-long that happens every morning and evening. Both of these things were great for my children, and they were captivated the entire time.

Water Fun (and More) For Everyone at Great Wolf Lodge

The next morning we headed to the indoor water park, which was definitely the highlight of the trip. It’s huge and offers rides and attractions for everyone in your party. My 5-year-old loved riding the thrill rides with my husband, while I explored the wave and kiddie-pools with my toddler. The Whooping Hollow features tiny waterslides perfect for the adventurous toddler.

My 5-year-old loved the Alberta Falls ride, which he went down in a tandem tube with his dad. The slide takes you outside of the park and back in before dropping you into the pool. He had a blast!

A great bonus is that the water park is open to hotel guests only, which means lines never get too long and crowds stay manageable. It’s also open late, until 9pm, which means we got to go for a late-night swim, when the crowds were even smaller than before.

We loved taking a ride on Crooked Creek (the lazy river) as a family. It was great to relax  before heading back for more fun rides.

Even the thrill rides were tame enough for my 5-year-old, which was great because we really didn’t have to say no to anything.

There is also a snack shop and bar right inside the water park, so no need to dry off to get a snack, soda, or beer (for dad).

Fun Extras at Great Wolf Lodge