Great Wolf Lodge Mason, Ohio

If you've visited MasonMetu, you know that our family is a big fan of Great Wolf Lodge. Even though they are known for their awesome indoor waterpark, they have so much more to offer for families and you don't have to be a guest to enjoy these. Recently I coordinated a Kids' Day Out at their fun Cub Club. Anyone is welcome to go to Cub Club. My girls love it because everything is at their level - tables, chairs, & toys. They can pick a craft to make ($5-$7) and when finished they can either play with toys, play a game, put on a puppet show or just color. There is always a welcoming host at the desk that will help your child pick their craft and get out all the supplies. I love it since I don't have to deal with all the mess - miraculously the paints get put away and their work area gets cleaned up. They just started a great new program called Preschool Play Days and it sounds like lots of fun. The Cub Club crew will keep you and your child entertained for 1.5 hours with finger painting, story time, a snack & juice box, free play, play doe time and/or a craft. This is all for only $10 per child ($5 for any additional children). It seems like a great value and a way for your children to enjoy some time with you while doing something fun.

You can also plan a great family night out by starting off at Camp Critter for dinner. They have these fun kids' meals that are served in a metal pail which the kids think is great. The food is tasty and the service is great especially since the servers are used to having kids around. You may want to try the restaurant during their non-peak hotel guest times (spring break is a bit crazy) and you'll probably enjoy it even more. Coordinate you meal so that you can see the Clocktower Show in the main lobby. You'll walk away joyously singing about nature and the Great Wolf Lodge. At 10am, 8pm & 9pm the Clocktower comes to life as the woodland animals sing and move about. If you see the 8pm show, stay for story time and Wiley the wolf may make an appearance. After the show, you can head to the arcade for some fun game time. Give the kids $5 worth of tokens and it should keep them busy for awhile. If you have slightly older kids (maybe ages 7 and up), you can participate in their Magiquest Interactive Scavenger Hunt ($14.99 for the wand, $9.99 for the game and the wand is yours to keep and can be reloaded for future visits).

If you want to plan a Mommy/Daughter day, head to the Elements Spa and go to Scoops - this is where your little girl will be treated like a princess and can get a manicure or pedicure with an ice cream theme experience. After go to the Bear Claw Café for a real ice cream treat. GWL also offers birthday party packages.

Of course, even though you can do all these things without being a hotel guest, I highly recommend visiting GWL as a guest one day. Your kids will love it. Every year we plan a visit before Christmas and it is well worth it. The waterpark is so much fun, the guest suites are kid-friendly (especially if you book a room with the built in bunk beds - they have their own television and their own space). The hotel activities are geared to families so it really becomes a memory maker for your kids. My daughter thinks that GWL is her own personal hotel; every time we drive by she states, "Mommy, there's MY Great Wolf Lodge?"

Sometimes they offer hotel specials and promotions so check out their website before you book and see what they have to offer. Additionally, GWL is the only Green Seal™ certified - Silver hotel in the U.S. Project Green Wolf is GWL's way of being environmentally conscious by conserving and reusing water, recycling and instituting energy saving measures. If you are local to Mason or the Greater Cincinnati area, visit Great Wolf Lodge for some enjoyable family time. For other family-friendly recommendations go to www.MasonMetu.com.