We did one last family trip before the new baby arrives, and it was everything

With our fourth child on the way very shortly, we had been hoping to get away for one last little winter getaway as a family of five before baby arrives. So, when the opportunity to go on a winter adventure to Great Wolf Lodge with our best friends for a few days came up, we jumped on it!

Living at the Lodge

As soon as we arrived at Great Wolf, we could feel the magic. We stayed in the most beautiful cottage behind the lodge. It was the perfect accommodation for our family, a spacious, modern cottage with a very cozy feel. The twins were stoked about their loft bedroom with double bunk beds because they both got to sleep on the top! Each cottage sleeps up to 10 people, so if you're travelling with multiple families, booking a cottage together is a great option. That way, you can choose to make your own food, coffee and hot chocolate! I think for us, the best part about this lodging option was the fact that since we were there with our best friends, we could put all the children to bed in the evening and hang out and order room service in the living area together. Win and win!

All about the activities

While we were all most excited about getting to the water, I was initially nervous that the waterpark would be a challenge with Everest, our youngest son. But there was so much for him to do, including the splash pad areas and wading in the shallow parts of the pools—and whenever mama needed a break from chasing, we'd jump in a tube together and float around the lazy river while my husband and the older boys tackled all the biggest water slides. I found this to be such a special opportunity to have some bonding time with my youngest son before baby arrives.

Aside from the waterpark, there's tons of activities and programming for the children all throughout the day, including story time, a PJ dance party, crafting in the Cub Club and visits with Santa this time of year!  And if you're looking to try out some of the extra's like Magi quest, bowling, Build a Bear, or the arcade, we found the PAW pass to be really worth the investment. We couldn't believe everything that was included for the price and our kids had such a fun time completing each activity, collecting all their goodies and checking things off the back of their pass as they went along. (My personal favourite was picking out free fudge from Bear Claw Cafe!)

Serving up the good times

The Antler Shanty had the most delicious buffet with options for everyone in our family! The twins were obsessed with the bear paw waffles at breakfast and the steak and baked potato bar won over my heart at supper time.  And it goes without saying that everyone enjoyed the unlimited ice cream and jello!

We found the staff and service in all areas of the resort, to be extremely accommodating, kind and friendly. We especially loved the concierge texting service; whenever we had a question about anything, they would promptly respond with an answer which was so convenient for us!

Our time at Great Wolf Lodge was overall an incredible experience for the whole family. It was such a fun winter getaway and just what we needed right before our next babe arrives. We'll definitely be back to the lodge for more family fun in the future!