We don’t usually travel in the summer – last year’s trip to Germany, Austria, and Switzerland aside – because 1) it’s expensive, and 2) it’s hot! That being said, at the beginning of August, we found ourselves at Great Wolf Lodge in Naples. My mom had actually floated the idea out because she was off from school at the same time my son and daughter were wrapping up their summer vacation, so we packed up the car, the kids, and way too many snacks for a three-day adventure to Florida’s first-ever GWL.
Now historically, I’m not a water park person, but this was no ordinary water park – for starters, it’s indoors. My four year old had the time of his life, and the rest of us had a pretty great time too. Here’s how it went down:
Day 1: Road Trip + Arrival
What should normally be a 3-hour drive from my house in Tampa turned into a 5-hour drive – with a Publix pitstop, because we’re Floridians to our core – so we rolled up to Great Wolf Naples at about 6 in the evening. After we parked ($19/day), we headed straight to the check-in kiosks. The process was super smooth, and we then got our wristbands, which were our room key, water park pass, and credit card rolled into one bright orange package.
What was more exciting for the kids though was that we were greeted with balloon animals in the lobby, then made our way to the seventh floor. There was plenty of space for the four of us, and we easily could have fit another two people into our room – though we may have opted for the bunk beds, with a larger crew!
After a quick scout of the water park, we grabbed dinner at The Hungry Wolf Food Hall. This had plenty of options for even the pickiest eaters, but we found the food was a little lackluster, especially for the price. They were actually out of the kid souvenir cups when we went, though the concierge was able to reconcile this afterward.
We then popped into the gift shop to score some of the iconic wolf ears (mandatory, obviously, and free)! I put my youngest to bed, and my mom stayed with her, so the oldest and I could grab dessert. A huge thanks to the staff at Wood’s End Creamery, who handed us a second scoop after the first one took a tragic nosedive. Legends.
Day 2: Slides + Sweets
The kids actually slept in after our late night, which was a treat for all of us. It also meant we could still hit the water park when it opened at 10. While the baby was a big fan of the Otter Springs toddler-friendly splash zone (nothing like a water table for a one year old), he found his true calling at the four-story interactive splash fort, Otter Cave Waterworks.
My mom and I alternated who joined him on the slides here, and he had the time of his life. The Crooked Creek lazy river couldn’t compete. We pried him away as we got close to lunch time, so that we could dry off and change. We then drove off-property for lunch at Cracklin’ Jacks, because fried Southern things are my mom’s love language. The portions were huge – we all came back with leftovers.
We then went back to the room for a post-lunch rest before round two of resort fun. My mom purchased a wand for the oldest at MagiQuest. We didn’t opt to play the full game (which had additional pricing involved), but a wand that could interact with objects all around the hotel meant he was still living his best wizard life.
Our evening also included another stop at Wood’s End Creamery – so everyone could enjoy it! – and more lobby balloon animals. Dinner was fridge leftovers and zero regrets. My mom escorted the dude to the evening dance party before baths, snuggles, and lights out wrapped the day.
Day 3: Rewind + Repeat
This looked a lot like the previous day because we’d clearly unlocked a system that worked. We were basically first in line for the water park opening, and my son was even more confident on the slides this time around – going so far as to take one slide on his belly when that wasn’t actually allowed (whoops).
We opted to go off-site for lunch again, this time visiting Fernandez the Bull Cuban Café based on a recommendation from Sara. I got a Cuban – obviously – and would definitely recommend a stop. The staff was attentive, and once again, we came back with plenty of leftovers to carry us through the rest of the day.
After our afternoon rest, highlights included kid sprints, button-making, and gemstone shopping at Oliver’s Mining Co. (My son is still carrying these gemstones around!). My mom also made a friend in the lobby and we grabbed some chocolate chip cookies for pre-dinner dessert.
We ended the night with one last bath and one last tuck-in before calling it lights out and heading out the next morning.
Final Thoughts
- Would we go back? Definitely – the kids had a blast, and we didn’t have to deal with normal summer problems like sunburns or pop-up thunderstorms.
- Do you need three days? I think this was the perfect amount. We went Wednesday – Saturday, and definitely noticed it got busier Friday night, so I’d target a mid-week stay if you can.
- Best for what age? There’s something for everyone, though I think 4+ would be the best focus. I don’t know that my daughter had quite as much fun as my son.
- What did it cost? For the hotel, water park access, parking, and on-site food, it was right around $1,000 for the four of us for three nights. I can’t say it was cheap, but it felt like a lot included in the price.
Maybe it was the wand (or maybe it was the air conditioning), but the adventure definitely felt magical – even without doing all the extras. I expect we’ll be making a return trip in the not-too-distant future.