Luke has been seeing commercials about Great Wolf Lodge and has expressed interest in going. So when we got the invitation to a Blogger Day of Play at Great Wolf Lodge in Gurnee, IL, we immediately accepted!

Well, as it turned out, Luke got two bug bites near his eye on the Thursday before the event and ended up with an eye infection. His pediatrician said he could do anything but go swimming. We had to tell Luke that we could still go to Great Wolf Lodge but that we couldn’t play in the waterpark because of his eye. He was sad about it but we assured him there was more to do at Great Wolf Lodge.

The Great Wolf Lodge resort in Illinois is located in Gurnee, IL (which is about 45 minutes from Chicago).  We arrived at around 10:00 AM on a Saturday morning. The resort was spacious, inviting and organized.  We walked by the waterpark and I could see the sadness in Luke’s face but I was hoping that the other activities can keep him busy.

Sure enough Luke was busy with the other activities all day that he didn’t even mention the waterpark. We ended up spending the whole day doing everything but the waterpark! I was so glad because Luke really needed this day. He’s been so good and patient since the arrival of his baby brothers. His weekends are mainly watching us feed and change the twins. I wanted to make sure he enjoyed his time and have fun, which he did!

So if you happen to be in similar situation like us or have a child that may not like the water or need to take a break from the waterpark, there are about seven other activities you can do at Great Wolf Lodge in addition to the waterpark.

1 – Arcade Games

When we got to the activity area at Great Wolf Lodge, Luke went immediately to the Northern Lights Arcade because of all the flashing lights and any arcade games that involved cars. He was in arcade heaven!

2 – Mini Golf 

I kind of hope one day Luke will be a professional golf player. Until then, I love watching him play mini golf and the Howl In One Mini Golf course was perfect for Luke’s age. It kept him busy for about 20 mins. Although he didn’t get every hole in one, it was fun watching him try to make every hole.

3 – Rock Climbing 

Saturday was the first time Luke tried rock climbing at Great Wolf Lodge’s Rustic Ridge Climbing Wall. And he did great! The climbing wall is not just for kids but for adults too. Luke started on the easy course and still has a lot to learn but he said he wants to try it again to get better.

4 – Bowling

I think the Ten Paw Alley is the cutest bowling alley ever! The bowling alley even has gutters for first time bowlers. The bowling balls are not full size or that heavy, which is big relief to me. Luke played one game and even got a spare!

5 – MagiQuest

To be honest, I had no idea what MagiQuest was all about until I saw Luke come out with a wand and run around the resort to find things to open or lights to turn on by pointing the wand at it. It’s a fun game to keep kids busy around the resort and also for them to explore.

6 –  Ropes Course

Our time ran out but we wanted to try the Howlers Peak Ropes Course. If I wasn’t on twin duty, I would have taken Luke up there with me and go walk the ropes! We are saving this activity and the waterpark for the next time!

7 – Eat!

This past spring, I was invited by Great Wolf Lodge to taste the food at the resort’s restaurant – Barnwood. The food is prepared farm to table and the restaurant has a great selection for the whole family. My favorites from the tasting were pimento cheese, the wedge salad and the short rib.

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Thank you Great Wolf Lodge for hosting us! It was also our first family outing as a family of five. Cruz and Levi did great on their first long car ride! All photos and opinions are my own.