Great Wolf Lodge - Mason Ohio Good Vacation Idea for kids

What is this Wolf Den? It is a childs' sleeping area in a room at Great Wolf Lodge in Mason, Ohio. My daughter and I took the grand doll and spent a few days here and we loved it! Of course, my grand doll loves to play in the water and so an indoor water park was so perfect for her. 

This was a perfect photo for why we were at Great Wolf Lodge. The waterpark! A fun place for children and adults to spend time playing, whatever the weather is outside. Due to Co-Vid rules, capacity was limited which meant that it was not crowded while we were there. 

Here is a photo of part of the water park. There were several water slides, both individual and group. There was a wave pool, which we enjoyed quite a bit, as well as a toddler play area, a child play area, and a lazy river. That was one of my favorite parts of the entire place! We had fun and truly enjoyed our time here. 

Is this the face of a happy little lady? Yes, it was taken the day we planned to spend most of our time at the water park and she was truly thrilled with the entire trip. As I have said before, she loves water!!! A pool, a waterpark, a mud puddle, a lake, even the bathtub! 

Another fun part of our trip was introducing my grand doll and her mom to Duck Donuts. If you haven't ever had these delicious donuts you are certainly missing out. My friends and I were lucky enough to find them on a trip that we took and we are true fans of the place. This one was in Ohio and not far from Great Wolf Lodge, so I had to make my way there. OH, How I love a good homemade donut with maple icing and some bacon on top of it!!

The box below was our final selections and we were lucky that the rain held off enough that we were able to eat outside at these cute tables, since the place was small and had no real seating. I am sure that Co-Vid played a part in the choice to place the tables outside. Will you be as excited for things to return to normal as I will be? Seriously, I am tired of hearing so many changes being because of Co-Vid rules and regulations. 

This little library was outside of the donut shop and I was thrilled to see it. I am always stopping at our little free library to find books and to give books away. This one was in an old phone booth, so it gave us an opportunity to share a slight history lesson with the grand doll as well. Her and mom were enjoying looking through the shelves of books inside when I snapped the below photo. 

                                                                                  In the photo below, the grand doll was pretending to be an orphan and needing to find a family to go home with. It was simply the cutest face looking out that booth and I had to capture the moment. 

Another fun activity that Great Wolf Lodge offers is known as MagicQuest.  It is some sort of a Harry Potter type activity, but we were not interested in the real game part of it, but she wanted a wand that she could point to the many places throughout the hotel that were part of the game. I will say that I felt this was an expensive activity as you must purchase the wand and pay for the game as well. Luckily, we were able to purchase the wand and not play the game. These are some of the photos that we were able to get while she played!

Her and mom in the forest!

Opening the treasure chest!

The Magic Hallway!!

A magic light in the hall!

A lantern that might hold another light!

The girl and her wand! A sorceress? No, a real life princess!!

Another treasure chest

A map and below the wands

Below, is the entry way into the lodge. Absolutely one of the prettiest lobbies I have ever been in. I adored the umbrellas and the fireplace. Also, the Clock Tower that is a show that takes place multiple times throughout the day for the kids to enjoy. 

Below is a cuckoo clock that was part of the MagicQuest game, but I found it to be such a beautiful decor piece. I would have brought it home if I could have. 

More of the MagicQuest items. This squirrel talked.

More of the MagicQuest. These squirrels were on a teeter totter and would move and talk when you placed the wand near them. 

This is more of the hallway! Tangledwood must be the name of the magic kingdom that the kids are playing in when looking for the treasures and the clues to more treasures or whatever they are searching for. 

These cute lights were part of the hotel decor. These were by the elevators. I just thought they added such a unique flair to the place.

One of the many activities that is available inside the arcade is the small bowling lanes that children can actively play. Yes, it is a shorter lane than a normal bowling alley and the balls are much smaller, but she could have cared less and I am excited to say that she loves to bowl! She may need some lessons at some time, but for the most part she is good at it for her age. Can you see the excitement that she has for the place in this picture?

 There was a really nice arcade for the kids as well as craft times, daily morning yoga classes, take and go crafts, and a glow in the dark mini golf course as well. There is also a Build A Bear type activity that allows the child to make one of the lodge characters. Of course, it is all with a cost, but packages can be purchased at the time you purchase your tickets and the waterpark is included in your room cost. There are restaurants located with the hotel too, so meal packages are also available. I highly recommend eating outside the hotel for more affordable choices or use the refrigerator and microwave in your room.  

These are more of the hotel décor. This statue looks like a guard protecting the children from any harm.

More décor

A cute owl painting. I believe that it is here to help children to know that this hallway is where to go for the bedtime story. If not, it should be. Other night time activities included an evening dance!

More of the upper part of the lobby. Do you see the wolf?

The lamp shade below was in our room and I had to share it as it fit with the décor so well. 

One evening, I set on the patio to read and relax while they played and this duck made his way to the patio. Actually, two visitors arrived, but only one would get really close. I am sure they were looking for food. 

Overall, I would rate the lodge at a 4.5 out of 5 stars for families. The only reason I would not give 5 stars is because of the cost. It would be much more convenient for families if the cost was not so much and if you could include all activities with the price of the room. It feels like a way to exclude children from some activities if parents are strapped for money during the trip. 

If you have a Great Wolf Lodge near you and have been there, why not share your story with us!