What to Pack for Great Wolf Lodge (Plus Tips for Visiting)

Great Wolf Lodge Resorts are some of the most family-friendly vacation destinations in the United States! If you're heading there soon, you might be wondering how to best prepare so you can have the best experience possible with your kids.

We just visited Great Wolf Lodge for the very first time with our kids, and had such a great time! Because there are so many free activities scheduled for kids throughout the day in addition to the indoor water park and paid additional activities, I felt so relaxed throughout our stay because I didn't have to entertain my kids!

Thankfully, you don't need to prepare much when you're going to Great Wolf Lodge, but it does help to have a packing list.

I'll share my top Great Wolf Lodge tips, exactly what to bring for your entire family, and why it's one of the best places for a family vacation.

Disclosure: We were hosted by Great Wolf Lodge and provided with the Paw Pass for each child, as well as the Platinum Dining Package. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Great Wolf Lodge Packing List

There are many Great Wolf Lodge locations around the United States, and each location will have slightly different activities and amenities.

We attended the Resort in Wisconsin Dells (and you can find my whole Wisconsin Dells Travel Guide for Families here - it's the Waterpark Capital of the World!), but there are over 20 lodge locations across North America, so be sure to check your local GWL website.

What to Bring for the Water Park

The indoor waterpark at Great Wolf Lodge is a kid's dream come true! There are water slides for every level, a wave pool, a lazy river, swimming pools, and a toddler area.

2 sets of brightly colored bathing suits - you may go to the water park multiple times, and no one likes changing into a wet bathing suit. Having an extra swimsuit allows your other suit time to dry. I would also make sure the suits are brightly colored so you can locate your child quickly. The water park gets very crowded and the bright colors stand out from the crowd. We picked out matching suits from Kortni Jeane when they were having a sale last Christmas, and the boys' rash guards are from Target.
Swim Cover-Ups: you'll be walking from your room to the water park area and back, and it's nice for everyone to have some dry clothes to cover up with on the way back to the room. You do NOT need to bring your own towels since they are provided at the water park, but it might be nice for young children to have hooded towels or towel cover-ups for walking back and forth. There are also locker rooms if you want to change before going back up to your room.
Life Jackets or Floaties: you do not need to bring life jackets since they are provided at Great Wolf Lodge, but if you feel more comfortable using your own, it might be a good idea to bring them! We brought puddle jumpers for our youngest since we knew she'd wear them, and that way she had the freedom to go down some of the bigger water slides on her own!
Flip Flops or Water Shoes: these are perfect for walking to and from the water park and walking around the pool area. Make sure they're easy to get on and off!
Pool Bag or Beach Bag: This was one thing we did not bring and I regretted it. You may end up bringing a lot of things from your hotel room to the water park: goggles, swim diapers, floaties, etc. A waterproof bag would be the perfect way to carry your belongings and still have hands free to hold your kids' hands.
Swim Diapers: if your child is not yet potty trained (hallelujah we are finally out of this stage! But still close enough that it's fresh in my mind), you will need to bring disposable swim diapers and a reusable swim cover. The resort's policy is that kids in diapers MUST wear a protective swim diaper, and from personal experience, I've found that this is the best way to avoid leaks.
Waterproof Camera or Waterproof Phone Case: we have a GoPro action camera, so we just keep our phones safely stowed away when we're at the waterpark. If you want to get photos and videos on your phone, you may want to invest in a waterproof pouch with a lanyard so you can easily carry your phone around the waterpark without worrying about water damage.
Swim Goggles: some kids just hate getting water in their eyes, and many of the water slides will splash you in the face at the end. Bringing a comfortable pair of goggles is the best way to avoid tears. And don't worry, they have some for sale in the gift shop (even a gift shop inside the water park) if you forgot yours).
Plastic Bag or Wet Bag: if you're going to change in the locker rooms - for example, maybe you want to hit the waterpark one last time before you leave - be sure to bring a simple plastic bag for wet swimsuits or a reusable wet bag to keep the wet items contained.

Essentials

Comfortable clothes: I slightly overpackwd on my first visit to Great Wolf Lodge because I wasn't sure what the vibes would be. I was so thankful I had packed myself both a cute clothing option and a comfy clothing option! No one at Great Wolf Lodge is dressed up. It's all about the waterpark and kids activities, so no need to look especially put together. A cute athleisure outfit for mom and play clothes for the kids should be just fine.
Sweatshirts: I always pack a sweatshirt for everyone in the family in case the air conditioning inside the building is really cold. Also, my husband prefers to keep the hotel room cold, so I always make sure I have something warm.
Closed-toe shoes: some activities require athletic type shoes to protect your feet, such as the ropes course.
Sandals: I already mentioned this in the waterpark section, but sandals or flip flops are nice to have to going to and from the waterpark area as well as to throw on for a coffee run.
Water Bottles: there are water filling stations all around the hotel, so bring that reusable water bottle to save some money on beverages!
Cute PJs: if you have young kids, you. might want to pack some cute pajamas for photos! We did morning yoga in the lobby with my toddler, and so many of the kids had cute pjs and wolf ears on and I thought it was just adorable.
Night Light: there's a fun little cove with bunk beds where kids sleep, so you might want to bring a small nightlight for their area. My kids sometimes wake up in the night and get scared if it's pitch black in the hotel room. i like these for travel since they're lightweight and you can dim the lights.

Food

There are several dining options at each Great Wolf Lodge location, but you may want to bring some of your own food to save some money, too!

We brought a cooler full of produce and other healthy snack options to not only save money (eating out as a large family adds up quickly), but to make sure the kids were getting something nutritious instead of just ice cream and french fries! Make use of the mini fridge in your room to store all of the perishables.

Fruit: apples, oranges, and bananas are easy to grab. I also threw in a flat of raspberries and blueberries.
Vegetables: carrots and bell pepper slices in a divided container - this is our favorite brand for fruit and veggie storage on the go.
Ranch dressing and disposable condiment cups for dipping veggies.
Applse sauce or apple sauce pouches: especially great if you have babies or toddlers!
Yogurt or yogurt tubes
Bread, peanut butter, and jelly to make sandwiches (you could easily do turkey, cheese, and lettuce instead or in addition to PB&Js depending on what your family prefers).
Bagels or pastries for breakfast
Cuttlery (plastic if you have some) for spreading butter or peanut butter, etc.
A cutting board (if you plan to cut up fruit or food for small children)
Paper towel
Granola Bars
Crackers
Cheese or string cheese
Protein shakes or bars: I always bring my favorite protein shake packets and a shaker bottle so I can start my day off with something nutritious

Other

Depending on the time of year you visit, there maybe be special seasonal activities going on, so double check on the local website to see if there's anything to bring that would enhance your visit.

For example, we just visited in October, so we brought our kids' Halloween costumes so they could participate in the Trick or Treat scavenger hunt! It was so memorable.

Some other suggestions:

Crossbody bag: I love my Lululemon crossbody for travel. I keep my phone and wallet in there, although you don't even need to carry your wallet at the GWL since your wristband works as your room key and payment.
Electronics and chargers: my kids have Amazon Fire Tablets they're allowed to use only for travel
Family games: we ate some meals in our room, and it's nice to have something fun to play together as a family like Uno or Spot It!
Extra Bag: kids come away from Great Wolf Lodge with a lot of swag, and it's nice to have a separate bag for all of their goodies so you don't have to try to stuff everything in the suitcase or backpack you used for packing.

Tips for Visiting Great Wolf Lodge

Most of the suites fit 4-6 people (at least at the Wisconsin Dells location), so if you have a big family like us, this is a great place for a family vacation! We loved staying in the Kid Cabin Suite since it had a queen bed and a sleeper sofa in the main area, plus a "den" for the kids with bunk beds and a twin bed. I love staying at a resort that comfortably sleeps our whole family!
Attractions Passes like the Wolf Pass, Paw Pass, and Pup Pass will save you money if you plan to try some of the paid activities! We were gifted the Paw Pass for each of our kids since we were hosted by Great Wolf Lodge, and we had so much fun checking all of the activities off the list (the Magiquest Game was included on the pass, along with a gem mining activity, a pass for the Northern Lights Arcade, and plenty of sweets and treats). The Pup Pass is perfect if you have younger children.
All overnight stays include waterpark passes for each member of your party! You can use the waterpark anytime on your arrival and departure day.
Check the schedule and participate in as many of the free activities as you can! The kids loved them and we stayed busy the entire weekend.