This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and The Coca Cola Company. All opinions are mine alone. #CampGreatWolfwithCoke #CollectiveBias

Ava’s in the “I want to go there!” and “I want that toy!” stage for just about every commercial she sees on TV. I tell her “Perfect, you can ask for it for your birthday!” or “Maybe we can go there one day!” to which my replies make her fully content. Of course the toys are never bought and the vacations she sees on commercials are rarely experienced, but after endless commercials and her telling us over and over that she “really wants to go” to Great Wolf Lodge, we made the trip to the Great Wolf Lodge in Anaheim and I’m going to tell you all about it!

Of course while we were there, I posted stories as we experienced all that Great Wolf Lodge has to offer and the top question I got was, “Is 3 years old too young for Great Wolf Lodge?” So many DMs asking this very question and so many of you wondering how it all worked out with a newborn in tow. Can I bring a newborn to Great Wolf Lodge? What’s an appropriate age to bring my kid there?

In short, yes. Ava was absolutely old enough to experience the resort and almost all that it has to offer (with a few slide exceptions that she wouldn’t have any desire to go on anyways). And yes, it was plenty easy to enjoy ourselves, even with Franky there too!

So here’s the scoop:

Despite what you may see or believe or have heard (or maybe this is just me), Great Wolf Lodge is far more than just a water park. Yes, the Southern California indoor water park is pretty epic, to say the least — Its got a little kids play section with mini slides, a shallow play pool area and a water play structure that’s all gated in, a big kids play area that even Ava explored a bit with us, a wave pool that was Ava’s favorite, surfing and big kid slides and just endless water activities giving you the chance to spend an entire day in there. And bonus, it’s all temperature regulated (both water and room temps) and indoors means no sunscreen needed.

But the resort is so much more than that. They’ve also got:

— mini bowling
— a huge arcade
— Build-A-Bear
— glitter tattoos
— a variety of food options from sit down to a character breakfast buffet to BBQ and pizza
— mini golf
— a candy shop

...and that’s not even all of it! When we were all tired of water play, we’d throw on our clothes and keep on playing until far past Ava’s bedtime.

Great Wolf Lodge Anaheim - Indoor Water Park Southern California - The Overwhelmed Mommy Blogger

And just a little bonus for nut allergies that I wanted to pass along, the entire resort is NUT FREE! I’m talking, I couldn’t even add almond milk to my coffee for that reason and for those nut free families, that’s pretty awesome if you ask me!

What I’d do differently next time:

1. Bring a stroller.

Ava would fall asleep and we’d still want to go down and have some fun. But carrying here around wasn’t too easy so bringing a little stroller just for those occasions is highly recommended.

2. Wear your newborn.

I’m the water area, we did a whole lot of walking around and playing so let me tell you, I gained some muscles carrying Franky around all weekend. So I’d highly recommend a super small or light baby carrier if you’re going to bring a baby with you! It was simple enough as it was and not an issue at all having him with us, but a small, light carrier would’ve make it a whole lot easier.

This summer, Great Wolf Lodge is hosting their first ever Summer Camp-In celebration which runs until Labor Day weekend! During Summer Camp-In, guests get to experience pool parties, character appearances, camp cuisine, games, music and fun summer camp activities for the entire family — weatherproof! They’ve got a master s’morelier who will pair various marshmallow flavors with yummy toppings for one-of-a-kind s’more creations! Character breakfasts, pool parties, Coca-Cola products®, the Trailblazer Challenge, BBQ, s’mores, campfires and so much more, Great Wolf Lodge is far more than an indoor waterpark, it’s a place to build lasting summer family memories.

Click here to visit a Great Wolf Lodge location near you!