One of my favorite aspects of social media is how connected it allows us to be with one another. It offers us an inside look into pictures and videos of our friends, sharing their milestones, family vacations, birthdays, anniversaries and graduations. Still, it’s always a good idea to make time to catch up with family and friends in person — and one of the best ways to do that is during vacation!
If you are planning a vacation with your family and another family, I have rounded up five of my favorite amusement and theme park destinations that are perfect for your crew to connect with each other! These destinations make planning a large group trip much easier because your accommodations, dining options and entertainment are all in one place.
Great Wolf Lodge: Grapevine, Texas
There are 19 Great Wolf Lodge locations throughout the U.S. and Canada. We are lucky to have one just a few miles from our home in Texas. If you are planning to check out the location in Grapevine, fly into Dallas/Ft Worth International Airport; the waterpark is a 25-minute drive away from there.
What to Do: Great Wolf Lodge is a large hotel with both indoor and outdoor waterparks. The indoor waterpark is open year-round. The outdoor waterpark is massive with different pool areas, lazy river, obstacle courses, water slides and hot tubs. Life jackets are available and suggested for guests less than 48 inches tall, as well as weak and non-swimmers. If you and the kids need to take a break from the water, you can head over to the arcade, Build-A-Bear Workshop, XD Theater, the ropes course and many other activities found here. Don’t forget to take some time for yourself and treat yourself to the Fitness Center and Spa.
What to Eat: The lodge is all about family, so every restaurant takes family-friendly to a new level! Don’t miss things like the character breakfast at The Loos Moose Cottage or grabbing a bucket of food inside the waterpark.
Where to Stay: Staying at the lodge is the only way to access the waterpark and other attractions. Our favorite room is the KidCabin Suite, which offers three twin bunks inside their own “cabin.” It is rare we find a hotel room that can comfortably accommodate our family of five without someone sleeping on a sofa or floor, and this suite does the trick.
What Age Kids to Bring: This destination is perfect for any age. There are plenty of splash areas in the waterpark to keep even the most adventurous toddler/preschooler engaged. There are height requirements on the larger slides, but plenty to do for those who don’t qualify. If babies are involved, I would recommend renting a cabana to have a place to get away without leaving the waterpark.