We just wrapped up our third year in a row of surprising the girls with a mid-trip stop at Great Wolf Lodge, and once again, it was a huge hit! After exploring national parks, historic sites, and the scenic roads of Texas, New Mexico, and now Arizona, this two-and-a-half-day break was all about non-stop fun and making memories as a family.
A Yearly Tradition
Last year it was about this time in our trip that we surprised them with a stop at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, WA outside of Seattle, WA. Similarly, it all started the year prior to that in Michigan, when we surprised the girls with a stop in the middle of our trip at the Great Wolf Lodge in Traverse City, MI. And yes, it’s still a surprise because we don’t tell them anything we are doing on our trips, but they have gotten to the point where they expect it. We’ve already level set for next year with them!
The Waterpark
The waterpark was, of course, the main attraction for us in Scottsdale. Our oldest daughter, who’s all about the big thrills, couldn’t get enough of the waterslides. And much to our surprise, our youngest loved them too! The rush of plunging down those twisting slides brought endless smiles and shouts of joy from them as we went down River Canyon Run together!
Our youngest, now three, was in her element at the Whooping Hollow and Cub Paw Pool. But maybe more importantly, she could now handle the slides at Talking Stick Treehouse – the massive treehouse water fort – on her own, and she took full advantage of it, going down again and again without ever getting tired. Her confidence has grown so much—last year, she could only watch her sisters take on the bigger slides, and now she’s doing them herself!
Our middle daughter was consumed by Big Foot Pass, which is a bunch of large lily pads set in the water that you need to cross from one side to the other with the help of a cargo net. She must have gone across more than 100 times. That is not an exaggeration!
We all joined together a few different times to catch the waves at the Slap Tail Pond wave pool. And even though we didn’t plan it, we often found each other in Crooked Creek, the lazy river.
Outside Activities
We did check out the outdoor pool, but with the scorching heat, it wasn’t quite as refreshing as we hoped. The water was warm, and combined with the blazing sun, it didn’t make for the most comfortable swimming experience. After a quick dip, we decided to retreat back inside, where the indoor waterpark was much cooler and more enjoyable.
Indoor Activities
The girls also explored some dry activities. The oldest couldn’t wait to tackle the Howlers Peak Ropes Course. She absolutely loved it, though we all agreed it was a bit of a letdown compared to the course at the Washington location. With the top-level closed, it just wasn’t as challenging as she’d hoped. Last year, the Washington ropes course really put her skills to the test, so this one felt a bit too easy in comparison.
Food
We stayed onsite for all of our meals. On our first night, we grabbed pizza at Hungry as a Wolf, which has become a bit of a tradition for us. The next evening, we tried out Barnwood, the on-site restaurant. It was nice to sit down and relax after a day full of activity, and the kids loved picking their meals from the kid’s menu.
Later that evening, we took the girls to the story time and dance party event in the lobby, which they absolutely loved. There’s something special about watching them twirl and laugh in their pajamas, soaking in the magic of those little moments.
Our annual Great Wolf Lodge stop never fails to deliver exactly what our family needs—a fun-filled break in the middle of our road trip. Great Wolf Lodge Scottsdale gave us the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. It’s become such a staple in our road trips, giving us a chance to hit pause on the sightseeing and just enjoy being together as a family.
Final Note
Not everything there was perfect. Great Wolf Lodge technology is really bad. We tried to use the mobile check-in but it wouldn’t work and none of the check-in kiosks worked either. Also, the burgers at Buckets are as thick as a napkin (cellphone in the picture for size comparison)! One change we noticed this year was that parking is no longer free. It was a bit of a surprise, so it’s good to know for future visits.
