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Great Wolf indoor water park entertains kids, pampers parents

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. — Consider it a casino for kids.

And just like Vegas, the weather’s always perfect.

Great Wolf Lodge is a unique family experience. This “destination resort” — and it’s fair to call it that — is a water park wonderland that offers something for just about every member of the family — even upscale Aveda spa treatments for Mom.

With a climate-controlled, 55,000-square-foot, four-pool indoor water park that defies seasonal weather constraints as its centerpiece, the north-woods-themed “lodge” is both kitschy and cool. And the best part: Once you check in, there’s no need to leave until you’re just plain tuckered out.

During a recent 24-hour stay with my wife and two young sons, we experienced:

•Hours (and I mean hours) splashing around Bear Track Landing, the indoor water park that offers eight water slides, six pools, and a four-story treehouse water fort. The water park is exclusive to Great Wolf guests and includes wave pools, a “lazy river,” shooting water jets and heart-pumping slides.

•A kids-themed room that was exceedingly comfortable and quiet. Our suite featured rustic, handcrafted beds and furniture that evoked a north-woods cabin -- but we knew Pizza Hut chow and gourmet coffee was just a short walk around the corner.

•Elements, an Aveda Concept Spa that offered a tranquil respite from the kid-fueled frenzy. A varied menu of spa treatments and personal pampering included aromatherapy, hot stone and other massages.

•A black-lit video arcade center with more than 100 games ranging from old fashioned Skee-Ball to racing motorcycles.

•A two-story animated “Great Clock Tower” complete with talking trees and other characters. The evening story-time event, held in front of the massive stone fireplace in the grand lobby, was a highlight of the trip.

•A live-action adventure game called “MagiQuest” in which guests used “magic wands” to locate treasure, solve riddles and complete designated “quests” throughout the resort. My 2½-year-old loved pointing the wand at various animated creatures strategically positioned throughout the hotel lobby. One well-aimed stroke of the wand brought bears, wolves and squirrels to cackling life.

•The Camp Critter Bar and Grille and The Loose Moose Cottage. Decent food at affordable prices.

But make no mistake, Great Wolf’s indoor water park is where the action is. The four-story Fort Mackenzie has more than 60 geysers and sprays. Atop the 48-foot structure is a “tipping bucket” that drenches those gathered below with more than 1,000 gallons of water.

We didn’t even think about the 31-degree temperatures outside, as the fully enclosed water park is a balmy 84 degrees. (Conversely, there’s never a need for sunscreen, either.) We watched kids and adults alike splash, spray, wave and play in various pools and slides — all monitored by certified lifeguards. There are kiddie slides, family flumes, you name it. We clocked seven hours of water time in one overnight stay. Needless to say, the whole family slept like north-woods logs.

Room rates range from $169 to $699 and include use of the water park by four to six guests, depending on the type of room. Additional water park passes can be purchased for $15 each. For the best pricing options, officials said, visit the property’s Web site — www.greatwolf.com — for discounts and specials.

Getting to Great Wolf Lodge

The Great Wolf Lodge near Williamsburg, Va., is just south of the intersection of Interstate 64 and state Highway 199.

It’s less than an hour’s drive from Naval Station Norfolk. Other nearby military installations include Naval Amphibious Base Little Creek and Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Fort Eustis in Newport News, Camp Peary and the Naval Weapons Station in James City County.

There are nine other Great Wolf Lodge locations in the U.S. and Canada. For more information or to make a reservation, visit www.greatwolf.com or call (800) 551-WOLF.